“The Very Unfriendly Owl”
Artist: Ronan Cliquet
Color Artist: Nick Filardi
Letterer: AndWorld Design
Review by Steve J. Ray
Ohboyohboyohboy… Nightwing #69 has turned up the heat big style! Our hero is on the warpath against the Court of Owls, and a certain Gotham City villain has finally caught wind of Sapienza’s team of Bludhaven vigilantes. I’m not one to Crow, but the Bar has been set so high by this issue that any follow-up needs to be oh, so serious… I’m not Joking!
Dan Jurgens has lit the fuse and things are seriously gonna go BOOM.
Dick Grayson’s memories have been buried for close to two years now (real time, Lord only knows how comics time works) but they’re finally starting to reawaken. When you raise the ire someone who’s been trained by the Batman, but who is younger and even more agile, my strongest suggestion to the Court Of Owls would be… run!
Sowing Seeds
Dan Jurgens is a veteran, a pro, and a mastermind. As one set of threads is slowly being pulled tight, ready to cut, so another ball of wool is unravelled for the kittens (ie: us) to play with. This issue sees Ric (Dick/Richard/Nightwing) on a quest to track down, and take down, the Court Of Owls. Nightwing #69 delivers some terrific action, and we get wonderful character moments between our hero and Bea too. Plus that wonderful cameo…
Ronan Cliquet, Nick Filardi and AndWorld Design are also killing it. We get another take on a Nightwing costume (red AND blue!) a pair of terrifying Talons, a remix of the title lettering from the most recent Nightwing annual and Nick Filardi working his color magic once again… though I feel that he’s testing me.
Mr. Filardi and I had a wonderful Twitter exchange a few weeks back, when I lovingly took him to task over coloring Robin’s collar lapels red, instead of yellow (check out page one of Nightwing #68). In this issue he’s done it again, and he’s given Robin red sleeves, too! Check out page five of this issue; Oh, Nick, you’re so naughty.
Conclusion
With memories awoken and a monster unleashed, Robin’s collars may not be the only things covered in red. Big things are about to happen across all the Bat-Books starting in Batman #95, and this issue has just fired the first shot.
I cannot wait!
Images Courtesy of DC Entertainment