Ready, set, go! Nightwing has twenty-four hours to save the Titans Tower after a fifth dimensional event. In the previous issue, the mysterious Zanni forcibly grafts Dick’s imp friend, Nite-Wing to the Tower for unknown reasons, trapping Oracle inside. Not to mention, unbeknownst to our hero, the delinquent Bryce Moran is also inside. Now, Nightwing must make sense of the topsy-turvy setting before Spheric handles things the easy way. Let’s peer beyond the looking glass below!
A Bad Influence
As is typical with the fifth dimension, this issue features a lot of absurdities for the protagonist to deal with. Namely, a slew of nightmarish fanboy inspired creatures centered on Nightwing. For instance, Dick must fight back several odd perversions of himself. This includes vicious new variants of the evil Deathwing doppelgangers, familiar monsters, and gigantic animated drawings of Robin archers. The “Sketch Archers” designs are adorable color pencil scribbles manifestations of Dick’s early Robin designs. Considering how toddler coded the designs are, it unintentionally highlights the horror of a child designing their own crimefighting gimmick as if it’s some kind of game. On a similar note, Bryce is not present in this issue, but the parallel of a kid choosing gang life or crimefighting is quietly disturbing subject matter. Though not the current focus or intention, both characters lost their childhood in different ways.
Additionally, the setting considerably expands as a result of the 5th Dimension. For one, the rooms, corridors, and living spaces inexplicably transform into literal outer space. Adhering to the space theme, this issue features the Kandorian Nightwing, Van-Zee. Aesthetically, Soy introduces the hero in a goofy blue suit clad in deep shadow with the stoic contemplation of a 1960’s pulp hero. Also, his segment lampoons the Star Trek captain’s log monologue for exposition. Strangely, Van-Zee claims to have been fighting in this world for a long time, but Nightwing reasons that the hero and his perceptions never existed at all. His general theory being that Nite-Mite’s world revolves around the things that made Nightwing. Regardless, Nightwing remains unsure if his friend is doing this on purpose or if there’s something far darker at play.
Hard Cope
Meanwhile, Spheric is waiting for Nightwing’s inevitable failure so they can “nuke” the mutant tower with Kappa Rays. Of course, this horrible solution would endanger both Oracle’s and Bryce’s safety. Although, readers can safely assume from the context in the panels that Pearce knows exactly what’s going on. In any case, Maggie Sawyer goes to visit Grayson in the hospital for answers of her own. Suspiciously, Melinda can no longer remember what she was going to say, nor the last few weeks since seeing Pearce’s “true face.” Despite testimony to the contrary, Sawyer doubles down on her delusions that Helios and Spheric aren’t to blame. In contradiction, Sawyer then insists on talking about needing women solidarity while ignoring Melinda’s concerns. This strikes as odd for Sawyer to try to get the victim to deny both her experience and Nightwing’s capabilities based on nothing at all.
In any case, the climax of the issue mainly follows several action sequences. One such sequence follows several pages of Nightwing’s battle against seemingly unending copies of Deathwing. A unique feature of the fight being their make-believe composition wherein Nightwing’s attacks either deform or crumble them to pieces. If you’re a sucker for “stakeout” conversations about in-universe nonsense, then the hospital guard’s chat should be interesting. In particular, their outside perspective on “what a Nightwing is” sneakily sums up the underlying exploration in this arc. On a surface level, it is a dumb conversation between bored cops, but it builds upon the issue’s metaphors on who Nightwing wants to be verses how people see him.
Recommended If…
- You’ve been enjoying Watter’s take on Nightwing.
- Wacky interdimensional hijinks appeals to you.
- You’re a fan of Van-Zee.
Overall
What readers get this week is the first step in a partially metaphorical odyssey into everything Nightwing. Generally, the notion of corrupting a world forged from the mind of Dick’s biggest fan makes for decent reading content. However, certain readers may find all of the wackiness too goofy for Nightwing. Nonetheless, readers get wall to wall call backs based on Nightwing and the Titan’s Tower. Overall, this issue focuses on low-stakes sci-fi adventure. Otherwise, the running conflict with Pearce gets minor development here and there. Although, that storyline relies on the characters remaining too conveniently oblivious or amnesiac to push it forward.
Score: 7/10
DC Comics have provided advance copies of books for review.
English (US) · 