Nightwing #23 Review

Writer Kyle Higgins has spent the past few issues of Nightwing building up a great deal of momentum with the Prankster's war on the city of Chicago. Issue #23 doesn't quite live up to the lofty expectations we've acquired as the series progresses. While it may not be as successful on an individual basis as some of the issues that have come before, it does deliver a few solid moments that are bound to shake up the status quo, plot-wise.

The Prankster's rampage through Chicago is quickly escalating, but unfortunately, Higgins falls on the wrong side of the show-don't-tell trap that so often trips up writers. The issue's opening is a slightly confused and curiously paced montage of moments that don't quite add up to the image of a city in chaos. After Nightwing pulls off a daring rescue made necessary by the Prankster's goons, a news anchor fills us in on what's being going down after his declaration at the end of the previous issue. There's an argument to be made for that style of narrative structure, but one can't help but wonder if the story would have been better served by actually showing us the city's slide into pandemonium as opposed to merely telling us it happened.

The book's art is definitively more consistent than the plot this time around. Will Conrad's art is faithful to the world created by Brett Booth without falling into slavish replication. There's a very Dick Grayson-esque energy to Conrad's art that serves the character and his city well. That being said, Andrew Dalhouse's colors are almost too sunnily optimistic given the tone of the content, so there's something of a disconnect between text and visuals.

Though the issue is not without its flaws, the twist on the final page is enough to keep us eager for the next installment. With Prankster poised to plunge the city into absolute disorder, Higgins proves that he still has a few cards up his sleeve to whet your appetite for more.

Melissa Grey is a lover of all things cats, comics, and outer space. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

Source : ign[dot]com