When I’m asked who my favoriteDC Comicssuperhero is, I sayNightwing. When I’m asked what my favorite Nightwing comics run is, I now immediately say Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’sNightwingrun from 2021-2024. Having received multiple Eisners, there are major reasons why it’s objectively one of the best DC stories of all time.
It’s been nearly a full year sinceTom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’sNightwingrun ended. Spanning over 40 issues, it’s worth taking a look back and breaking down what made the award-winning run so special.Featuring incredible story moments and unique artwork, there’s a lot that makes itthedefinitive Nightwing run, perfect for longtime fans and newcomers alike.
2021’s Nightwing Was A Peak Return To Form For Dick Grayson
Before Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’sNightwing #78, Dick Grayson was in a very odd and controversial place in the DC Comics continuity.
Having been shot in the head and suffering amnesia,Dick Grayson took the name “Ric”. Keeping his Bat-Family relationships at arm’s length, Dick burned his costume and became a taxi driver in Blüdhaven. It was a very controversial low point for Batman’s first Robin, as many fans felt like DC had taken away everything that made Nightwing great.
As such, Taylor and Redondo’s run was a new era for Dick Grayson post-recovery, one that saw him returning to his life as Nightwing, costumed crime-fighting and all. As such, the start of their run was a most-welcome return to form for the beloved DC hero.
Nightwing’s Heart Was Front And Center (With And Without The Mask)
Yes, this was a peak return to everything fans loved about Nightwing, but Taylor and Redondo didn’t stop there. We saw multiple unique breaks of the form visually, likeNightwing #87’s"Get Grayson!", a single continuous panel, orNightwing #105,which put readersbehind the eyes of Nightwing himself with a unique first-person POV.
However, this new era also broke some major ground in the Nightwing mythos, particularly when it came to how he protects his city both as Nightwingandas Dick Grayson.
Not only didNightwing start the run rescuing and adopting an adorable three-legged dog named Haley(named after his childhood days in Haley’s Circus), but he also inherited literal billions from the late Alfred Pennyworth. Dick then used his newfound wealth to improve Blüdhaven, reshaping the city like never before alongside Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl and his newly discovered half-sister, Mayor Melinda Grayson-Lin (formerly Zucco).
Across multiple issues, Taylor and Redondo comprehensively highlighted just how much of a hero Grayson could be, regardless of whether his mask was on or off.
A Dynamic (and Heartwarming) Exploration Into Nightwing’s Most Important Relationships
Across several issues in Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s run, readers get to witness some of the most heartwarming relationship moments between Nightwing and the most important people in his life. Batman, Batgirl, and Alfred Pennyworth are the biggest three, though other members of the Bat-Family, Titans, and even Superman are featured as well.
Through letters and flashbacks, the immense faith Alfred Pennyworth had in Dick Grayson to be one of the world’s most positive forces for good is incredible, proving himself from beyond the grave as Dick Grayson’s second surrogate father alongside Batman.
Likewise, we get to see some incredible moments from Batman himself, expressing rare emotion and pride in his adoptive son’s game-changing work in Blüdhaven, culminating near the end of the run where bothBatman and Nightwing embrace and refer to each other as father and son(a moment a defy anyone to read and not tear up a little).
Likewise, the run seesNightwing and Batgirl going deeper in their romanceon a refreshing level that hadn’t really been seen prior, showcasing a level of love and commitment that made shippers applaud (and Nightwing/Starfire fans angry).
By The End, Nightwing Definitively Became An A-List DC Hero
One of the best things to come out of Taylor and Redondo’sNightwingrun was Dick Grayson objectively earning his current status as an A-list hero in the DC Universe.
This was especially true in the wake of DC’s majorDark Crisiscrossover, one that prominently featured Nightwing as a central hero and saw Grayson being chosen by his fellow heroes in its aftermath, withNightwing leading the Titans as the world’s primary superhero team, temporarily replacing the Justice League, which went on an extended hiatus.
Having surpassed Batman himself in the eyes of many, Dick Grayson’s Nightwing effectively became a unique hero in his own right following this run (while still being a part of the extended Bat-Family).
For all the reasons listed above and more, Taylor and Redondo’sNightwing #78-118is absolutely the run I tell both longtime fans and new comic readers to pick up, a GOAT run by all accounts that showcases everything that makes Nightwing and the DC Universe so dynamic, relatable, and highly entertaining.
