DCU Comic Book Reviews

NIGHTWING #150

The Great Leap, Conclusion

January 2009

Written by Peter J. Tomasi

Pencils by Don Kramer

Inks by Jay Leisten and Rodney Ramos

Cover by Philip Tan

Synopsis

For four days, Nightwing has been searching for Two-Face, but with no luck.  Barbara Gordon (aka Oracle) arrives at the Cloisters offering to help improve the museum’s security system.  At Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Two-Face argues with himself over the death of Carol Bermingham.  He then shoots Carol’s tombstone.  Nightwing investigates the damage, looking for clues.  Before he learns anything, however, Deb calls to tell him he is late for their date.  Later, they are walking down the street when thousands of coins fall from a skyscraper followed by a note telling everyone to thank Nightwing for the rain of terror.  At the Queens Museum of Art, Two-Face receives a shipment of acid, which he is going to use to make the city burn.  Meanwhile, Nightwing continues the search for Two-Face, with little luck.  Elsewhere, Two-Face steals a number of hot air blimps.  Nightwing sees them flying into the city and goes after them.  He is able to board one of them, but in the process of trying to get control, the blimp explodes.  Nightwing then goes after the others, tying each blimp to the next until he reaches the final one, where Two-Face is located.  Nightwing subdues Two-Face and drives the blimps to safety and into the ocean. 

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

This was a nice conclusion to the story and I enjoyed this issue, especially as Nightwing takes on the Batman persona more than ever, but I am not sure it was really needed.  I think the previous issue kinda finished the Great Leap story and this issue kinda seems tacked on (and with the increased page count, seemed to go on longer than it needed to).  As I said, it is not bad, but I don’t think it adds much more to the parts of the story that came before it.  I am, however, willing to think that Tomasi was under some editorial edict (quite possible) to show Nightwing acting more like Batman, suggesting that perhaps he will be the one to take up the cowl. 

It amuses me to no end that for all of Nightwing’s detective work and his shake down of informants and criminals, he learns about Two-Face’s plan just by looking out the window.  And that Two-Face thinks that he will actually get away with his dastardly deed by flying a ship that goes about 5 to 10 mph from out of the city into the middle of the city.  Yeah, no on will notice all of these blimps and think to find out what might be going on.  And what is written on the blimp?  Is that supposed to be some DC version of Goodyear?

And the purpose behind the appearance of Oracle was….?  It was filler, taking up space for no particular reason.  It was a nicely written scene and the characterization of the characters by Tomasi was well done, but it just didn’t seem to fit the rest of issue.  Given that this is an anniversary issue and given the increased page count, I wonder if the scene was added at the last minute to pad the story. 

Someone needs to tell Nightwing that “bigtop” is a very weak password.  You need to add numbers and/or symbols, don’t use actual words, and use capitalization if possible.