Nightwing #147 Review

Nightwing has been a favorite of the Revolution. Peter Tomasi has been given the opportunity to show how Nightwing would fare against on of Batman’s main foes, Two-Face. Tomasi wrote a good opening arc for his run on the series. Let’s see how he does on this storyline.

Creative Team
Writer: Peter Tomasi
Pencils: Don Kramer
Inks: Jay Leisten

Art Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Story Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10
Overall Rating: 7 Night Girls out of 10

Synopsis: A sky diver makes a jump above northern Manhattan. He thinks that after a few more jumps he will be ready. As he falls, he goes through a cloud of bats. Due to the bats, he cannot see his landing. He is startled to see the sky lit up with a Nightwing signal.

We now see that the skydiver was Nightwing. He is not happy that someone is shining a makeshift light in the sky over his city. As he makes his way to the source of the light, we see a gloved hand flipping a damaged coin. Nightwing things that this person wants his personal attention. They want to meet him face-to-face. He finds Two-Face standing by the signal.

Nightwing demands that Harvey (Harvey Dent is Two-Face’s real name) shut off the light. Harvey apologizes for the “dramatic method” of calling Nightwing but he does not have his e-mail address. Nightwing smashes the light to turn it off. He needs Nightwing’s help. Nightwing wants to know why Harvey did not contact Batman.

Harvey says that a guy wearing a technicolor dreamcoat(shame on you if you are not reading Batman R.I.P.) is probably not very open-minded. Nightwing wants to know which Harvey he is talking to. Harvey says that if it was the bad one, he would have shot at Nightwing with his pistols. Nightwing tells Harvey that he is dragging him back to Arkham. The only question is whether or not Harvey will be conscious.

Bad Harvey has made sure that he does not get arrested. Innocent lives are in danger unless Nightwing helps him. Nightwing grabs Harvey by the throat and tells him that he does not respond well to innocents being threatened. Harvey agrees to give him the information after Nightwing helps him. Harvey tells him that Batman trusted him enough to put him in charge of protecting Gotham while Batman was gone. Nightwing does not believe him. Harvey tells him to ask Batman.

Harvey wants Nightwing to save Carol Bermingham. She was a district attorney. They fell in love but Harvey was married. He would never break his wedding vows. Carol moved to New York and became a threat to a powerful individual. Nightwing agrees to help for her sake. Harvey gives him the information to save her and the innocents who are threatened. Nightwing decks Harvey and tells him that it would be easier if Harvey would choose a side and stick with it. Harvey says that he always chooses a side.

Using his flying wing, Nightwing goes to the Double-O Sugar Refinery. Two people are trapped at the bottom of a silo that is filling with sugar. He busts through the wooden roof. Nightwing bungee jumps down to the people, takes hold of them, and bounces back to roof. He thinks that the lives they save is all that counts in the end.

In Gotham City, Carol Bermingham is being escorted to a waiting vehicle to take her to the courthouse. The federal agents turn out to be hitmen for the person she is testifying against. As they pull there guns on her, Nightwing smashes through the windshield. He knocks out the fake federal agents during a very short fight.

Nightwing explains to Carol that the agents were replaced by foreign hitmen. She can not figure out how Nightwing knew she was testifying at a special closed session. He tells her that she has a guardian angel named Harvey Dent. She is surprised to hear that. Nightwing hopes that she is not afraid of heights. Next we see Nightwing carrying Carol while he swings between buildings.

The judge is about to declare a recess when Nightwing and Carol swing through the window. Guards pull their guns on Nightwing thinking that he kidnapped her. Carol sets the record straight. Nightwing leaves as she begins her testimony. She is still puzzled why Harvey would help her.

Later, Nightwing watches from a nearby roof as Carol is escorted to a helicopter. Suddenly, agents start being picked off by sniper fire. The agents set off a smoke bomb in an effort to confuse the sniper. The sniper starts shooting and hits the pilot. The helicopter is going down. Nightwing, using his flying wing, flies through the helicopter and pulls Carol out as the copter explodes.

Nightwing feels like his back is on fire. Helicopter shrapnel is flying all around. He manages a rough landing on the nearest rooftop. Carol starts to panic. She believes she is bleeding badly. Nightwing tells her not to worry. The blood is his. He falls into a pool of blood.

Comments
The Good: Tomasi and Kramer are really starting to gel as a team. Tomasi writes Dick as a showman. This is believable since his early years were spent preforming in a circus. The other thing the author incorporates is a touch of James Bond. Again, this makes sense. Growing up and being trained by Batman would give you some of the attitude of a super spy like Bond. I think this is a natural progression for Nightwing. Tomasi has done a good job of handling Nightwing’s character.

Kramer and Leisten’s artwork was very good. From the dramatic, action packed scenes through the ones featuring two characters talking, the art team really comes through. Kramer appears to be trying to become the top Nightwing artist. If he keeps turning in work like this, he will be considered one of the best to work on this series.

The Bad: If you picked up this issue because of the R.I.P. connection, you will be disappointed. R.I.P. is mentioned only a couple of times.

Fans of Dick Grayson will be upset. This story is completely Nightwing. Dick does not appear.

Overall: Another good issue for Tomasi and Kramer. They are at the top of their game with this book. Carol is surprised that Harvey would help her. This is a mystery for a future issue. The cliffhanger leaves you waiting for the next issue.