Nightwing Rebirth #33 comic review: Juiced up Tiger Shark
With Tim Seeley’s run coming to an end, the Nightwing versus Raptor storyline is reaching a climax. The second to last issue before Sam Humphries takes over sets us up with an amplified conclusion.
Writer: Tim Seeley
Artist: Javier Fernandez
Colorist: Chris Sotomayor
Him and Tom King kicked off the former Boy Wonder with the iconic series Grayson, then Tim Seeley went on to take Nightwing on in what has been an incredible rebirth series. This all due to the creation of a villainous new character named “Raptor”.
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Dick Grayson has gone through hell in Seeley’s run, from teaming up with Raptor, to breaking up with Batgirl, to getting Bruce Wayne kidnapped, to thinking Damian Wayne died, to almost losing his thought to be pregnant girlfriend, to having the two break up. The list is extensive, and that’s without mentioning Roland Desmond, who has taken over his brother’s mantle of the hulkish villain Blockbuster.
With Seeley swapping books with Green Lanterns writer Sam Humphries, his storyline will come to an end, and the 33rd issue seems to set up the finale well.
Casino brawl breaks out
The last issue left us with Nightwing preparing to fend off locals who were infected with Roland’s Blockbuster serum that Raptor contaminated the casino drinks with. Javier Fernandez’s art is striking in the first four pages, where a casino worker turns into a monstrous figure, attacking Nightwing.
Art by Javier Fernandez
Coloring by Chris Sotomayor
DC Comics
The veins popping through each person’s skin shows the intensity of the serum, but doesn’t take away from the massive figure of Roland Desmond. Roland helps Nightwing fight the locals, only adding to their peculiar relationship.
As the duo bash their way through the casino, trying to secure the area, Roland tells Dick that he created the serum as a way for Blüdhaven to defend itself. Raptor stole the serum and destroyed the antidote.
Tim Seeley makes an in-comic appearance?
During their battles through the casino, Roland receives a call from an interesting-looking employee. One that resembles Mr. Tim Seeley himself. It’s a funny little ode to himself, as he plays a scared casino employee who notifies his boss that the creatures have taken the streets. This causes Roland and Nightwing to race towards the security area to lockdown the casino.
The Run-Offs come into play, with Stallion and Gorilla Grimm taking down brutes outside on the streets.
The appearance of a juiced up Tiger Shark comes in as a surprise, as he tears open an elevator that held Nightwing and Roland. Tiger Shark knocks off the two and Nightwing catches a now normal-sized Roland before falling.
A beautiful piece of writing comes into play as Dick tries to swing Roland towards safety. He relates this moment as that of a trapeze artist, and thinks about he swung back and forth from the differing morals of Batman and Raptor.
Roland makes it to the top safely, but Dick gets bitten as he jumps towards the top.
Doubt and Decisions
As Nightwing reaches the top of the security area, Tiger Shark leaps towards him. Nightwing calls for Roland to put the casino’s security into lockdown mode, shutting a steel door in the juiced-up villain’s face.
But Roland hesitates, deciding whether to save his friendly nemesis or not. He does so at the last second. As Nightwing is sprawled out on the ground, he receives a call from his newest ex-girlfriend, the Defacer.
She tells Dick that Raptor and her former mentor Pigeon are working together. The scene cuts to the two villains on a rooftop. Raptor shows frustration in himself, doubting that he actually has the will to kill Nightwing, as he had the chance to in the casino.
Pigeon reassures him that she will assist in destroying him, because he took Defacer away from her. The two share a handshake that turns into an oddly sentimental hug.
At that moment, Nightwing witnesses a dooming event. Pigeons and owls were released from a box, containing the Roland’s serum, in order to infect the whole city.
Next: Comic books to buy this week (November 15th, 2017)
The final page hints at the concluding of the “Raptor’s Revenge” storyline, and the next issue being the Seeley finale. It was another solid issue in what has been a compelling story with many different factors coming into it. It started with Raptor, now Seeley’s run with Nightwing will end with Raptor.