One of the big problems with line-wide events and crossovers is that they can often derail a book's natural progression. That's the central problem with Nightwing as it dives deeper into the events of Death of the Family. Sure, it makes sense for Joker to target Dick Grayson by destroying his current life's obsession -- rebuilding Haly's Circus. The problem is that it feels way too soon for this particular house of cards to come crashing down around him. For all the problems this series has struggled with since the relaunch, Kyle Higgins had placed Dick in an interesting new position that seems in very real jeopardy of being eliminated.
Another problem is that, as Nightwing finds his new friends falling victim to Joker's attacks, the book is banking on character relationships that haven't fully coalesced and an emotional investment of the audience that maybe isn't entirely there. The big death scene in this issue just didn't have the impact I would have liked. Higgins also really hinders another key emotional beat with a strange and very distracting storytelling choice. Coupled with a bizarre depiction of an apparently nonchalant Batgirl, and this issue is riddled with storytelling missteps and the general sense that the series isn't living up to its potential.
That all said, Higgins does write a great, creepy Joker, one who isn't quite as prone to chattering as he is in other books. And Eddy Barrows returns in time to render the rapid dissolution of Dick's world. Barrows brings a somber, shadowy tone to the issue, with a final battle scene that is greatly enhanced by the oppressive shadows that fill every panel. On the down side, Barrows' figures aren't entirely consistent, and Dick's physical age seems to vary significantly at times.
Jesse is a writer for various IGN channels. Allow him to lend a machete to your intellectual thicket by following @jschedeen on Twitter, or Kicksplode on MyIGN.
Source : ign[dot]com
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