DCU Comic Book Reviews

NIGHTWING #147

The Great Leap, Part One

October 2008

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Don Kramer

Inks by Jay Leisten

Cover by Rags Morales and Michael Bair

Synopsis

High above Manhattan, Nightwing is in freefall when he sees the Nightwing signal in the sky.  He goes to the sight of the signal and finds Harvey Dent (aka Two-Face).  Dent asks Nightwing to protect an old friend, Carol Bermingham, who is in witness protection and about to testify, but whose life is in danger.  Nightwing agrees to help.  In Gotham City, Carol is being transported to court, but her protectors are actually assassins.  However, Nightwing gets to her in time to save her and then get her to court.  Afterwards, another attack is made on Carol.  She is kidnapped and taken away via helicopter.  Nightwing is able to rescue her, but in the process is shot in the chest. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

The cover states this is a Batman R.I.P. tie-in and except for Dent’s brief mention that Batman is in a Technicolor dream (a reference to being addict to drugs, I suppose), there is absolutely nothing that ties this story to Morrison’s story.  And in fact seems to contradict it.  Dent mentions “Technicolor dreamcoat” which suggests zur-en-arrh Batman but by the time that happens, Nightwing has been locked away in Arkham. 

And, really, it is a shame that DC decided to label this as a tie-in.  It doesn’t deserve to be lumped with someone else’s story.  This is a continuation of Tomasi’s run on the title and showed be viewed in that light, instead.  This is especially evident with the opening scene featuring Nightwing hang gliding over the city.  The rest of the story features a great conversation with Two-Face followed by some nifty action scenes as Nightwing rescues the damsel in distress twice.  While, all of this is handled with Tomasi’s usual great characterization of Nightwing, it is his handling of Two-Face that really makes this issue.  I love the way we see the dual sides of Harvey Dent and the way Dent’s fracture personality shines through.  We even get to see the love he holds for his wife, the innocents used to bribe Nightwing, and even references to the training he went through when he was tasked with protecting Gotham.  It is good stuff. 

On the marquee below where Nightwing meets Two-Face there is a list of movies, all of them actual movies.  The first three were chosen because of the reference to two in the title while the last two were picked because the lead characters have multiple personality disorders.  They are:  Double Jeopardy (1999), You Only Live Twice (a James Bond flick from 1967), Two For The Money (2005), Raising Cain (1992), and Identity (2003). 

Comic Connection

In the year Batman, Nightwing, and Robin left Gotham, Batman asked Dent (who was not Two-Face at the time) to protect Gotham.  This occurred in 52 and in the “Face To Face” storyline (beginning in Detective Comics, issue #817). 

 

ïPREVIOUS	Main		Page	NEXTð

Home ●  Blog ● Who Are We? ● Site News
Alive and Well since April 16, 2006

 DC Universe Reviews.  All Rights Reserved
  Characters, trademarks, brands are property of DC Comics

For problems or questions regarding this website, please contact our kindly webmaster.
Last updated: 08/06/11.