Nightwing #36 Review

Writer: Sam Humphries / Artist: Bernard Chang / DC Comics The enigmatic Judge is at the center of Humphries’ take on Blüdhaven. He is a mysterious supervillain of an unassuming stature, a haunting demeanor, and unknown powers. Repeatedly, we are shown how easily he can conduct his diabolical machinations and told of his dark history with Dick Grayson, tracing back all the way to when he was Robin. After Nightwing #36 kept him as a malignant force in the background turning all sorts of wheels, this issue shines a brighter light on the character, and honestly I find him contentious. Paradoxically, the Judge is a new character that feels all too familiar. And in many ways, this is one of the successes that Humphries has with the Judge. He feels integrated into the greater lore of the DC Universe. Yet at the same time, he is another brilliant charismatic chess master archetype going up against a member of the Bat-family. Two issues in, I’m struggling to find the impetus behind using an original character, what makes the Judge integral to Nightwing’s growth. My conflicted feelings about the Judge aside, the rest of the issue has many purely positive qualities as we bounce between a few different perspectives. Chang’s artwork alone is enough to justify buying this issue and adding Nightwing to your pull list. His art is quickly becoming my gold standard of the dynamic and dramatic visuals I want in my comics. Yet, it’s his work with Guppy that make me the happiest. Nightwing’s shar…