Timala Elliott
Timala Elliott
Nightwing #85
DC Comics
Written by Tom Taylor
Art by Robbi Rodriguez
Colors by Adriano Lucas
Letters by Wes Abbott
The Rundown: Nightwing and Batgirl attempt to stop the Seer’s use of a high-tech database.
Batgirl waxes reflective on her work as Oracle. Then, in The Clocktower, she and Nightwing confront a holographic image of The Seer. This leads Batgirl to a difficult decision. After a heartfelt conversation and brief flashback, Batgirl and Nightwing go on a mission to destroy highly sensitive information. During their mission they engage the Magistrate’s forces. After the two find themselves in a compromising situation, Robin comes to their aide. Later, the group have another run in with the Seer. This time, however, they find themselves in an unexpected situation and must decide how to proceed.
The Story: Taylor crafts an emotionally charged narrative that is filled with both action and character developing content. I appreciate how this issue focused on Barbara Gordon and her actions as Oracle. Barbara’s impact is felt throughout the Bat Family and the network of superheroes as a whole. And her reach is immense. I found this episode to be an acknowledgement of her accomplishments as well as a goodbye to her previous iterations. Bat Girl and the Boy Wonder are a pair that has shined throughout the ages, and I feel that Taylor’s exploration of this relationship was perfectly done.
The Art: Robbi Rodriguez and Adriano Lucas do a brilliant job in illustrating the world of Gotham. The detailed, modern drawing style and bold color work is engaging and emotionally connective. And the attention to both character and background is transportive. This episode is filled with masterfully created action sequences with Barbara’s fear state sequence as the apex of intensity. I feel this is beautiful issue is an instant collectible.
Nightwing #85
