Comic Review: Nightwing #133 – The Calm Before the Finale
After the emotional knockout that was the previous issue, expectations for Nightwing #133 were enormous. Dan Watters places Dick Grayson in the worst possible situation: publicly accused of murder, mentally shattered, with children disappearing from Blüdhaven and a fifth-dimensional entity lurking beyond the veil of reality. This is the moment when the series should hit the gas even harder.
Instead, we get a transitional issue necessary and occasionally intriguing, but clearly weaker than the phenomenal #132.
The City Against Its Hero
Blüdhaven is in chaos after footage airs showing Nightwing allegedly decapitating Olivia Pearce. Was it murder? An accident? Manipulation? For the public, it doesn’t matter his reputation lies in ruins.
Dick is hiding in Titans Tower with Maggie Sawyer, watching over the critically injured Nightwing-Prime, poisoned with kryptonite. One of the issue’s strongest exchanges happens here: Maggie calls Nightwing the city’s “eternal scapegoat” caught between the hope symbolized by Superman and the fear inspired by Batman. It’s a sharp, powerful characterization of Dick and his place in the DC Universe.
The problem is that the first half of the issue consists mostly of conversations. Characters offer words of support to Dick, but he remains silent, withdrawn. The scenes are emotionally sound, yet at times feel repetitive and one-sided.
Help From Nowhere?
The appearance of Martian Manhunter is one of the issue’s bigger surprises. J’onn senses a dark psychic force devouring Blüdhaven and confirms that Zanni is operating on a scale beyond ordinary crime. Children are lured into invisible tents by the sound of soft circus music a clearly horror-infused motif, evoking associations with Pennywise.
While J’onn’s cameo is exciting (especially for fans of the character), it’s hard not to feel that his presence is narratively convenient. A portal to the fifth dimension opened by the “darkness from the corners of citizens’ eyes” sounds striking, but it appears almost out of nowhere. It feels more functional than organic.
On the other hand, the conversation between Dick and J’onn carries weight. The warning that the fifth dimension is powered by thought and that a powerful telepath could unknowingly strengthen Zanni provides a logical reason for Nightwing to go in alone.
A Family That Can’t Stop Him
Melinda decides to leave the city, and Dick grants her full access to the Pennyworth Foundation funds something she interprets as a goodbye. It’s a strong moment, though handled somewhat coldly. It seems Watters isn’t entirely sure what to do with the character, so she’s neatly written out of the story.
Barbara Gordon also appears in the role of emotional support, reminding Dick that legends like Superman and Batman have survived similar crises. It’s a solid scene, but it doesn’t add much new. Her role in this run seems limited to serving as a moral compass.
On the plus side, Haley the dog once again steals a few warm moments.
The Fifth Dimension and the Promise of Horror
The second half of the issue finally picks up momentum. Dick steps through a portal into the dimension of Cirque du Sin. The smile lurking at the corner of his mouth subtle, almost unsettling suggests he’s thrilled by the impossible. That’s the essence of Grayson: risk, the acrobatic rush, balancing over the abyss.
Visually, these sequences are the strongest. Guest artist V. Ken Marion introduces a more animated, “sharp-edged” style that sometimes clashes with the series’ established aesthetic. In the first half it can feel tonally off, but in the fifth-dimensional scenes grotesque monster teeth and a headless Olivia carrying her own head the style begins to work in the story’s favor.
The coloring is more muted, less “edgy” than Dexter Soy’s work, giving Zanni’s dimension a grainy, nostalgic, nightmarish quality.
Headless Olivia announces the challenge: a game for the children’s souls. If Nightwing wins they return home. If he loses they are trapped forever.
And finally, we feel the stakes.
The Problem of the Transitional Issue
Nightwing #133 is a classic “aftermath issue.” It sorts through consequences, positions the pieces on the board, and ushers the hero into the final act. As part of a larger whole, it will likely benefit from being read in a collected volume.
As a standalone issue it’s uneven.
The first half suffers from too much exposition and repetitive dialogue. The second half excites, but cuts off just as the story truly begins to take off.
After the phenomenal #132, it’s hard not to feel slightly disappointed.
Final Verdict
Nightwing #133 is a necessary but noticeably weaker chapter before the finale. It offers several standout moments a compelling portrayal of Dick as the city’s “scapegoat,” an interesting use of Martian Manhunter, and a promising setup for a horror-tinged confrontation in the fifth dimension.
However, as a standalone issue, it lacks dramatic power and narrative substance. It’s the calm before the storm and one can only hope the upcoming finale rewards this slowdown.
Pros
+Compelling characterization of Nightwing as the city’s “scapegoat”+Interesting Martian Manhunter cameo
+Promising horror atmosphere in the fifth dimension
+Several visually striking panels in the finale
Cons
– Too much exposition and one-sided dialogue
– Weaker pacing in the first half
– Martian Manhunter’s help feels narratively convenient
– Clearly weaker than the previous issue
Score: 6/10
Solid, but disappointing after a brilliant predecessor. As part of a larger story it works well enough, but on its own it doesn’t offer enough to match the earlier emotional and narrative highs of the run.
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