From what I've seen of the recent Nightwing issues, Grayson has done an admirable job of maintaining the tone and style that Chuck Dixon set when he created the book over six years ago. This has its bad points, including a certain familiarity and lack of risks that makes it a bit run-of-the-mill, but it remains a comfortable relationship and action book for those who like the character or who have enjoyed the book, and Grayson has thrown her own twists and new characters in as well. Even better, the book seems to have gotten its feet under it artistically again, with Patrick Zircher and Jesse Delperdang blending smoothly and delivering some of the best art I've seen from Zircher.
There have been several things that have kept Nightwing going for its fans: The city of Bludhaven as a living entity, the interesting subplot of Dick Grayson working for the police and moonlighting as a vigilante, and the romance between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon. Each of these elements are touched on in this issue, and it's clear that while Grayson's stories have an element of consistency in tone with Dixon's, she's not bound to his status quo. I haven't read the book for a few issues, but it seems that the corruption in the police department has been rooted out to a good extent, the romance between Dick and Barbara is a little shaky and passionless, and Dick has gained a new partner on the police force and on the streets.
What's kind of neat about Nightwing is that it's a book that benefits from long-time readers, but it still remains remarkably accessible. Those who have been reading the book for years will get a kick out of seeing the advancement that Dick's former partner has found in the department, or will get a little more out of Nightwing's relationship with the new vigilante with a dangerous edge, echoing nicely the problems he went through with Tad a.k.a. Nite-Wing. However, Grayson makes the story points clear for those who don't have the background, whether it's the distance between Dick and Barbara in the opening and closing sequences, the attraction/distraction of the new Tarantula or the politics of being a cop.
As I said, I haven't read the book in a few issues, so I don't know how long Patrick Zircher has been on art duties, but I'm pleased to see him here. I'm even more pleased that his work looks so solid, with detailed backgrounds and costumes, strong facial expressions and a generally impressive level of storytelling. The artwork reminds me in places of Tom Mandrake's Spectre work, not to mention the work of artists like Butch Guice and Greg Land on Nightwing, and it's a perfect match to the tone of these stories.
I will confess that I find Nightwing a bit too safe these days, and that my interest in the over-arcing plotlines and subplots of Bludhaven waned even before Dixon left, as I realized that the book was more of a Batman perennial ongoing than a Starman style book aimed for an ending. However, it is a strong month-in month-out dose of urban vigilante action with strong characterization and solid art, and stands out as a strong offering that does what it sets out to do very well.
