Nightwing #129 review

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Nite-Mite, Nightwing’s biggest fan, transforms into a monster and interdimensional building against his will. Consequently, this traps Oracle and tween Bryce Moran inside of what used to be Titans Tower. Inside the entity, Nightwing faces several monstrous perversions of his life and inspirations. This includes a delusional version of Van-Zee, the original Kryptonian Nightwing. Now, let’s chat about how Dick finds a way to end the nightmare before things get worse.

Nightwing Is Soup

With the unforeseen transformation, Titans Tower becomes the inexplicable world of “Titanis.” While Titanis is obviously fictional, not everything in it comes from nothing. As stated previously, the characters and settings relate to inspirations and key figures in Grayson’s life and psyche. Watters chooses to explore this with the metaphor of soup. Nightwing, the main ingredient, is the chicken, his dog is the veggies, Van-Zee is the noodle, and the world is the broth. While working together is the message, the soup metaphor in practice is messier than intended.

For one, the soup itself is something Watters tells us that Grayson associates with healing. Due to Nite-Mite’s fandom, anything true for Nightwing is true for Titanis as a whole. At the same time, the world of a fifth dimensional imp is silly. As a result, the problem solving borders on Dungeons and Dragons style improv. How do you stop a mutant version of your dog? Same way you’d stop your real dog. However, anything he can’t overcome with Looney Tunes logic, the anti-imp tools from Spheric should erase. Unfortunately, it isn’t any less campy.

Holy Identity Crisis

Narratively, this issue isn’t really about much, but it finally reveals the fate of Oracle and Bryce Moran. In Oracle’s case, Nite-Mite insulates her from harm, likely because she is already an important piece of Grayson’s life. In contrast, Bryce and Night-Hare warp beyond belief into freakish amalgam characters in Titanis. Sadly, the changes Bryce endures grants him the life and power fantasy a kid who just lost everything could ever want. Moreover, Bryce is far from wanting to part with it, nor is he willing to admit the world isn’t real. Even when the story concludes, the long-term effects of the reality bending will likely become a mental hurdle for the character in later stories.

One highlight of the issue is the Alfred flashback. During a harrowing fight sequence, Dick remembers Alfred’s care and his loving chicken noodle soup. In many ways, Alfred continues to be a shining light and the rock of the Bat-Family even after passing. Honestly, the sequence is a rare moment of warmth, but with the odd corniness of a soup commercial. Meanwhile, the success of the armor gives Olivia Pearce and Spheric more ammo to promote their corrupt services to Blüdhaven. Yet, it is worth noting that the same tech that can hurt Nite-Mite may be what Nightwing can use against Zanni in the future.

Recommended If…

  • You’ve been enjoying Watter’s run on Nightwing.
  • Fifth dimensional imp stories really excite you.
  • You love a good bowl of [insert name brand] Chicken Noodle Soup.

Overall

First of all, this storyline overstays its welcome. However, as far as filler goes, it is low-stakes and inoffensively silly. In terms of impact, there are a few things that will carry over into the main storyline, but it isn’t very important overall. Our hero doesn’t face any meaningful challenge or critical messaging. Instead, he walks into a building and beats up a random reflections of his psyche before it ends without his help. Nite-Mite and Dick don’t even talk. It’s very much an “and then this happens” kind of story, but that isn’t always a bad thing.

Score: 6.5/10


DC Comics have provided advance copies of books for review.

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