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Batman, Bruce Wayne, DC Comics, Dick Grayson, Future State Nightwing #1 review, Future State Nightwing#1, Gotham, NCBD, Nightwing, The Next Batman
Future State Nightwing #1
Review by Paul Bowler.
Dick Grayson carries on the good fight in Future State Nightwing #1 as he leads the resistance in Gotham against the Magistrate’s oppressive regime. Batman is gone and Bruce Wane is believed to be dead. In order to stay one step ahead of the Magistrate and his cybernetically enhanced troops Nightwing has established a base in the abandoned Arkham Asylum, but a visit from Gotham’s new Batman could prove fortuitous — at least so long as he can fight like a Dark Knight!
DC Comics Future State is in full swing now following the aftermath of the multiverse saving events of Death Metal, and it looks like this possible glimpse into the future is going to be very dark indeed for Nightwing. Now as Nightwing’s mission to keep the citizens of Gotham safe from the Magistrate’s police state begins to escalate, writer Andrew Constant quickly establishes how grim the situation has got in Gotham since Batman was murdered by Peacekeeper-01. Right from the get-go the stakes are raised as Nightwing intervenes to help a couple being harassed by a Cyber, although everything isn’t quite what it seems, and plans are being hatched in Magistrate HQ to take Nightwing out — permanently!
Nicola Scott’s artwork and Ivan Plascencia’s vivid color palette stylishly conveys every nuance of the plot as scenes shift from Nightwing’s vertigo inducing rooftop skirmish, to the gleaming Cyberpunk vista of Gotham, the high-tech interiors of Magistrate HQ, and the gloomy ruins of Arkham Asylum that Nightwing now calls home. Nightwing’s costume for Future State is a nice blend of the classic look with some cool looking futuristic refinements. Although the story is primarily action driven, its in the quieter moments where Dick talks via video link to his allies, especially Barbara, where Nicola Scott’s art really shines and accentuates the scripts emotional beats with powerful effect. Yasmine Putri’s cover portrays a stunning depiction of Nightwing – its almost as if Gotham has a new Arkham Knight!
The face-off between Nightwing and the Next Batman is easily the big highlight of the issue. While I found this new Dark Knight’s debut in Future State The Next Batman #1 rather underwhelming, his characterisation here in Future State Nightwing is much less one dimensional, and far more satisfying as a result. Andrew Constant really fleshes out the characters and their motivations in these scenes, which, though heavy with exposition, skilfully adds an intriguing plot twist into the mix as the Magistrate’s forces close in.
It seems the future hasn’t been kind to Dick Grayson, but he’s still very much depicted here in Future State as the character that can resist the darkness and remain in the light — despite all the friends and allies he’s lost. Although Future State Nightwing #1 might not exactly be the most groundbreaking chapter in DC Comics current line-wide Future Sate event, the exciting story by Andrew Constant and impressive artwork by Nicola Scott nevertheless still provides a fascinating glimpse into these dark times for Nightwing in Future State.
Publisher DC Comics
Writer Andrew Constant / Artist Nicola Scott
Colorist Ivan Plascencia / Letterer Wes Abbott
Cover Yasmine Putri
About The Author
Hi, I’m Paul Bowler, blogger and reviewer of films, TV shows, and comic books. I’m a Sci-Fi geek, a big fan of Doctor Who, Star Trek, movies, Sci-Fi, Horror, Comic Books, and all things PS4.You can follow me on Twitter @paul_bowler,or at my website, Sci-Fi Jubilee, and on YouTube and Facebook
