REVIEW: ‘Nightwing’ Issue 143

Nightwing Issue 143 is published by DC Comics. Written by Dan Watters, art by David Lapham, colors by Francesco Segala and letters by Wes Abbott.

This is Part 3 of Week 9 of the Batman: Bad Seeds event. Nightwing and Robin end up in the crosshairs of a vicious ventriloquist’s puppet.

Usually, having Nightwing at the heart of an event is an advantage. He is one of the most experienced members of the Bat Family, with incredible leadership skills. Paired with Damian Wayne, that’s a formidable force. However, this is not Nightwing at his peak. Dick is exhausted, which slows him down, making him slightly unpredictable.

With the main threat of the first issue wrapped up, Nightwing Issue 143 shifts gears. It transitions into an homage towards the mob, as Scarface becomes the next target. Scarface is a classic Batman villain, particularly within the animated series, a ventriloquist whose puppet has taken control.

This issue therefore blends the Bad Seeds crossover with a classic Brave and the Bold team-up. It’s energetic and fun, with the airborne spores adding some extra horror elements to the fights. There is also a brilliant scene that reflects what was already seen in Batgirl, where Dick and Damian cross paths with Cassandra Cain. It’s a mirror moment that shows all the heroes on their own missions and struggling.

The best part of Nightwing Issue 143 is the brotherly bond between Damian and Dick. It has been a while since Nightwing has fought alongside, or even spent any time, with his littlest brother. As the comic progresses, he becomes more aware of just how grown-up the youngest Robin is. Robin picks up on Nightwing’s exhaustion within seconds. He has a detective instinct and an analytical mind that is surpassed only by his father.

They bicker at times, but it is mostly friendly, with most of the focus on concern. Nightwing rarely seems so imprecise, overshooting jumps or going in too hard with his Escrima Sticks. Damian shows examples of being raised by Bruce, but also by Nightwing, when he picks up on people asking for help. But Robin can also demonstrate his own ferocity and cruel cunning.

The exploration of exhaustion is fascinating, because it’s rarely discussed to such an extent in these comics. It’s a perfect recognition of the effects lack of sleep has on the mind, body, and soul.

Scarface is one of the best villains when it comes to personality due to the unique concept. The split personalities between Scarface and Wesker are put to the test brilliantly in Nightwing Issue 143. They really have become separate beings but still can’t live without the other.

The art still has some of the same issues the previous chapter had, but there are some improvements and moments where Lapham’s style works superbly. Nightwing and Robin’s faces are sometimes misshapen, but the action is exceptional. We already saw one angle of the police car incident in the Batgirl Issue but here the physical violence of the crash is much more brutal. We see what went wrong and what caused the crash, with all of the injuries also involved.

Scarface and Wesker’s designs also work under this style. Wesker looks like an old, bumbling professor, with small glasses that obscure his eyes. And Scarface the puppet has manic eyes and a wooden mouth. He is intimidating even for a puppet. Throughout Nightwing Issue 143, there are flashbacks to the Valentine’s Day Massacre, and those classic mob costumes and iconography are everywhere.

There are fedoras, pinstripe jackets, and Tommy guns galore, and Lapham superbly recreates that world in both the past and the present. But the spores also have their own effects as the Bad Seeds aspect of the comic rears its head, and the changes in some of the mobsters are incredibly disturbing.

The colors are dark and insidious. Even when outside, things are gloomy. The interior of the police car that flips over is a hostile red, accentuating the drama and danger. And when the comic moves to Scarface in a parking garage, there is a sickly yellow lighting that covers most of the characters. The blue of Nightwing is the only shade that breaks through those tones, with even Robin’s vibrant shades subdued. The colors are in a font that makes them very easy to read.

Nightwing Issue 143 allows for a brotherly bond in the worst of times. This issue requires Robin to be strong because of Nightwing’s faltering, evening the playing field. Dick might be older, but he’s sleep-deprived. That actually makes Damian the quickest of both feet and mind. The energy within the story is fun and feisty, with some genuine menace as Scarface gets backed into a corner and the spores in the atmosphere. Most importantly, it gives Nightwing the chance to see and be impressed with how his little brother has grown.

Nightwing Issue 143 is available where comics are sold.