Nightwing #104 Review

   

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Travis Moore
Colors by: Adriano Lucas
Letters by: Wes Abbott
Cover art by: Bruno Redondo
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: May 23, 2023

Nightwing #104 brings the Titans' conflict with Neron to a close when the King of Hell tempts Nightwing with the ultimate gift of power. All he has to do is give up protecting Olivia's soul.
Is It Good?

Nightwing #104 looks like a comic. It reads like a comic, tastes like a comic, and even smells like a comic. By every technical measure, Nightwing #104 is officially a complete comic. However, Nightwing #104 is not a good comic. Before I explain why, let's recap.

When last we left the Titans, Nightwing (too easily) nicked Neron's contract for Olivia's soul from Hell. With some questionable legal shenanigans, Nightwing found a loophole that invalidated the contract. In response, Neron resorted to tempting Nightwing with the gift of superpowers if Nightwing released his claim on Olivia's soul.

Now, Nightwing tries out his powers (with a two-hour time limit) and (too easily) breaks up a supervillain attack on Olivia, (too easily) solves man-made/natural disasters around the world, and (too easily) defeats Neron with a trick he learned from Nite-Mite. Are you sensing a pattern here?

Technically, all the pieces are in place. The pacing is even but high. The dialog is okay. Nightwing engages in plenty of heroic actions of the non-punching variety. And the bad guy is defeated in the end. I even have a good feeling about Travis Moore's art, which is very good.

So, what's missing that makes this a bad comic? There isn't a single speck, a drop, a molecule, or even the smallest iota of dramatic tension. A little girl is under attack by the King of Hell and all his forces while Nightwing is faced with the greatest temptation a vigilante hero could possibly endure, and yet, you don't feel any of it. Everyone is too nice. Nobody gets mad, upset, frustrated, scared, or even slightly annoyed. You never once feel like the danger is big enough to be concerning, and the story ends with the dramatic equivalent of a smile and a handshake.

Watch Our Nightwing #104 Video Review

An attack from the pits of Hell is presented as troublesome, at worst. The net result is a comic that feels bland and forgettable. A storyteller has one responsibility above all others - elicit a reaction out of the reader. On this point above all others, this comic fails.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.

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Bits and Pieces:

Nightwing #104 is a technically complete comic that wraps up the Titans' fight with Neron over Olivia's soul. The art is solid, and the plot concludes neatly. However, it's impossible to find any urgency or dramatic tension in this entire comic, resulting in a lifeless and forgettable read.

5.5/10