NIGHTWING #78/ Script by TOM TAYLOR/ Art by BRUNO REDONDO/ Color by ADRIANO LUCAS/ Letters by WES ABBOTT/ Covers by BRUNO REDONDO & SKAN/ Published by DC COMICS

Dick Grayson has never liked bullies. His biggest challenge as the first Robin was keeping himself hidden to his mentor’s satisfaction, because while Bruce Wayne trained himself to go unnoticed, Dick Grayson was born to play to the spotlight. And given how his parents died because of a criminal who thought he was untouchable, Dick’s always had a hard time not stepping in to fight bad people who think the rules don’t apply to them.

A lot of things have changed over the past few years, particularly in the wake of the Joker War, but that much remains true for Dick Grayson. He still hates bullies. He still has a hard time saying no to people in need. And now he’s back in the city of Bludhaven, ready to be the hero the city needs AND deserves.

Nightwing may be the book I’ve most been looking forward to in the wake of Infinite Frontier. Regular readers of my work know I’m a big fan of Tom Taylor’s writing and the art of Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas and Wes Abbott. While I might have preferred to see them on a monthly Green Arrow/Black Canary series, I can’t deny that the Nightwing series was in something of a slump over the past few years and in desperate need of a shot in the arm. And what a shot this is!

Fans of the classic Dixon/McDaniel run will be well pleased by this first issue, but Taylor’s script doesn’t presume any familiarity with Dick Grayson’s character or any previous Nightwing series. Between a flashback scene showing Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon’s first team-up (not as Robin and Batgirl) and a modern day scene in which Nightwing breaks up his patrol to prevent a senseless act of violence towards a stray dog, there’s a lot of great action sequences and some great character moments, as the new status quo in Bludhaven is established.

Redondo’s artwork is dynamic and his power as a visual storyteller is undeniable. Lucas’ colors pop on the page, emphasizing the acrobatic motion of an in-flight Nightwing. And Abbott’s word balloons remain second to none.

In short, this is a perfect first issue. Established fans of the character will love it. Newcomers will have no trouble getting into it. This is the Nightwing book fans have been demanding for years. Say hello to your new favorite read.