Nightwing #48 Advance Review

Writer: Benjamin Percy / Artist: Amancay Nahuelpan / DC Comics The Greatest — and Deadliest — Motorcycle Race in the Cosmos… When we talked to Percy a couple months ago, he mentioned that part of his Nightwing run would take a quick detour from the usual on the grounds of Blüdhaven to a more fantastical setting. Yet, fresh off Nightwing Annual #1, we jump from the newsroom to The Isle of Harm for the greatest motorcycle race in the cosmos in order to save his friends. You’d think that the sudden shift in gear would be jarring, but instead, it’s in perfect lockstep with the cyberpunk stylings we’ve been enjoying and allows Percy to flex his high octane action over his last few cerebral offering. Harm’s Way, Part 1 is a much-needed breath of oddballness and fun visuals that new and old readers will absolutely devour.

As Grayson steps into the strange place where time and technological progress blurs together, the creative team clearly is working over time. Nehaulpan’s artwork blends various cosmic, urban, and scenic island backdrops. The action is fast and kinetic, and even in the chaos of various sequences, you can appreciate the details and illustration in every moment. It is a perfect complement to Percy’s playful narration and dialog, and he seems to be a particularly potent stride with his storytelling. Fans of the New Age of Heroes will also appreciate some of the foreshadowings for the next part of the saga. The premise of a high stakes motorcycle race isn’t new, bu…