Nightwing: Leaping into the Light

I decided to start 2024 with a bang as I continued the readthrough of all my birthday comics (that had started with Star Trek Lower Decks).

This time, I opted for Nightwing: Leaping into the Light, the first volume of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo's award winning run.

This arc saw Dick Grayson return to the town of Bludhaven, now a little older, a little wiser and, thanks to the will of Alfred Pennyworth, a lot richer. However, as Dick tries to decide how to best use his newly gained riches, he must also contend with the all controlling crime lord, a newly emerging killer and a new mayor whose last name means a deep and painful connection to the former Boy Wonder.

I absolutely loved this story. Tom Taylor shows a deft handle of Nightwing straight out of the gate. Confident, easy-going, optimistic, this rendition of Dick Grayson, which imbues the best parts of Spider-Man and Daredevil, comes across as a perfect culmination of the decades of growth we've seen of the character.

The pacing to this tale feels perfect to me, gliding effortlessly from beginning to end with no bumps or issues which cause it to screech to a holt. If there is one thing I am concerned about, it's a late twist that feels ripped from Jeff Lemire and Andrea Sorrentino's Green Arrow run. However, this isn't enough to hamper my enjoyment as Taylor rebuilds Bludhaven into its own place and Nightwing into a hero outside the shadow of the Bat.

Of course, prior to reading this arc, there was only ever one standout (despite the greatness of Taylor's writing) and seeing Bruno Redondo's art first hand, all of the hype I heard certainly makes sense. Redondo's style is breath-taking, looking like an amalgamation of Terry Dodson's visuals, Chris Samnee's Daredevil action scenes and David Aja's Hawkeye panel layouts. Coupled with Adriano Lucas' vibrant colours which remind me of Stephen Byrne's work, every page of Redondo's work here (including the covers) is phenomenal and an absolute joy to look at.

Long story short, I really feel that this run of Nightwing deserves all the praise and hype I've been hearing for all if these years. It was such an impressive read and feast for the eyes that I've already been to my LCS to order in the next volume.

Just a shame the wait will be a couple of weeks.