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Nightwing (1996) (Original Trades) #6
Nightwing: Big Guns
Dick Grayson needs to clean up the corrupt police force in Blüdhaven, and finally gets his chance when he joins its ranks! While searching for evidence, he also must deal with the out of control Nite-Wing, Sylph - a killer lady in white with a grudge, Torque - the former cop with a twisted view of the world; and Hella - a vicious woman with a mad-on against a certain cop family.
Collecting: NIGHTWING #47-50 and material from NIGHTWING 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and NIGHTWING SECRET FILES!
Collecting: NIGHTWING #47-50 and material from NIGHTWING 80-PAGE GIANT #1 and NIGHTWING SECRET FILES!
192 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2004
1 person is currently reading
154 people want to read
About the author
Chuck Dixon
3,429 books1,031 followersCharles "Chuck" Dixon is an American comic book writer, perhaps best-known for long runs on Batman titles in the 1990s.
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
His earliest comics work was writing Evangeline first for Comico Comics in 1984 (then later for First Comics, who published the on-going series), on which he worked with his then-wife, the artist Judith Hunt. His big break came one year later, when editor Larry Hama hired him to write back-up stories for Marvel Comics' The Savage Sword of Conan.
In 1986, he began working for Eclipse Comics, writing Airboy with artist Tim Truman. Continuing to write for both Marvel and (mainly) Eclipse on these titles, as well as launching Strike! with artist Tom Lyle in August 1987 and Valkyrie with artist Paul Gulacy in October 1987, he began work on Carl Potts' Alien Legion series for Marvel's Epic Comics imprint, under editor Archie Goodwin. He also produced a three-issue adaptation of J. R. R. Tolkien's The Hobbit for Eclipse with artist David Wenzel between 1989 and 1990, and began writing Marc Spector: Moon Knight in June 1989.
His Punisher OGN Kingdom Gone (August, 1990) led to him working on the monthly The Punisher War Journal (and later, more monthly and occasional Punisher titles), and also brought him to the attention of DC Comics editor Denny O'Neil, who asked him to produce a Robin mini-series. The mini proved popular enough to spawn two sequels - The Joker's Wild (1991) and Cry of the Huntress (1992) - which led to both an ongoing monthly series (which Dixon wrote for 100 issues before leaving to work with CrossGen Comics), and to Dixon working on Detective Comics from #644-738 through the major Batman stories KnightFall & KnightsEnd (for which he helped create the key character of Bane), DC One Million , Contagion , Legacy , Cataclysm and No Man's Land . Much of his run was illustrated by Graham Nolan.
He was DC's most prolific Batman-writer in the mid-1990s (rivalled perhaps in history by Bill Finger and Dennis O'Neil) - in addition to writing Detective Comics he pioneered the individual series for Robin , Nightwing (which he wrote for 70 issues, and returned to briefly with 2005's #101) and Batgirl , as well as creating the team and book Birds of Prey .
While writing multiple Punisher and Batman comics (and October 1994's Punisher/Batman crossover), he also found time to launch Team 7 for Jim Lee's WildStorm/Image and Prophet for Rob Liefeld's Extreme Studios. He also wrote many issues of Catwoman and Green Arrow , regularly having about seven titles out each and every month between the years 1993 and 1998.
In March, 2002, Dixon turned his attention to CrossGen's output, salthough he co-wrote with Scott Beatty the origin of Barbara Gordon's Batgirl in 2003's Batgirl: Year One. For CrossGen he took over some of the comics of the out-going Mark Waid, taking over Sigil from #21, and Crux with #13. He launched Way of the Rat in June 2002, Brath (March '03), The Silken Ghost (June '03) and the pirate comic El Cazador (Oct '03), as well as editing Robert Rodi's non-Sigilverse The Crossovers. He also wrote the Ruse spin-off Archard's Agents one-shots in January and November '03 and April '04, the last released shortly before CrossGen's complete collapse forced the cancellation of all of its comics, before which Dixon wrote a single issue of Sojourn (May '04). Dixon's Way of the Rat #24, Brath #14 and El Cazador #6 were among the last comics released from the then-bankrupt publisher.
On June 10, 2008, Dixon announced on his forum that he was no longer "employed by DC Comics in any capacity."
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
October 28, 2022
(B+) 78% | Good
Notes: Arguably self-derivative: two stories each debut a red-clad villainess on a murder spree,
Notes: Arguably self-derivative: two stories each debut a red-clad villainess on a murder spree,
August 21, 2019
Even though Chuck Dixon isn't the artist, he's managed to give Nightwing a visually striking looking rogues gallery during his run. He adds to it here with Slyph, Torque, and Hella. I like Dick's turn as a police officer. It allows for some different stories. The Catwoman appearance was an especially fun story. I loved the ending. DC keeps feeling the need to reboot Nightwing, but the winning formula is found right here during Dixon's run. Fun, action-oriented stories with lots of acrobatic art and some doses of humor thrown in. It's that simple.
March 5, 2012
More great stories from the Nightwing book series and the mind of Chuck Dixon.
February 16, 2020
Nightwing: Big Guns picks up where the previous trade paperback left off and collects four issues (Nightwing #47–50) of the 1996 on-going series with Nightwing 80-Page Giant and covers four stories: "The Quarry", "The Sylph", "Big Guns", and "Hella".
"The Quarry", and "Big Guns" are two one-issue storylines (Nightwing #47 and 50 respectively) has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going against many of his rouge gallery such as Tad Ryerstad as Nite-Wing, Dudley Soames as Torque, Roland Desmond as Blockbuster, Mac Arnot, and the Blüdhaven Police Department.
"The Sylph" is a two-issue storyline (Nightwing #48–49) that has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going up against a new villain in Sylvan Scofield as Sylph, who is the daughter of a man who was cheated out of a patent on a high-tech, micro-thin, miracle fabric. "Hella" is a one-issue eighty-page storyline (Nightwing 80-Page Giant) who has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going against another new villain in Kate Riordan as Hella, who is the last member of the Riordan family that was once a proud police family.
Chuck Dixon penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well, Dixon has created wonderful villains to fill the Nightwing’s Rouges Gallery. Unfortunately, the new villains that he created don’t have the strength or gravity to be major or reoccurring and those that are reoccurring seems a tad weak. Despite the longevity and strength of Nightwing’s Rouges Gallery, the stories were written rather well.
Greg Land (Nightwing #48–50), Patrick Zircher (Nightwing #47), and Manuel Gutierrez (Nightiwng 80-Page Giant) penciled the entire trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling was well done, albeit a tad dated, but their styles complemented each other rather nicely, which made the trade paperback visually pleasing to read.
All in all, Nightwing: Big Guns is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
"The Quarry", and "Big Guns" are two one-issue storylines (Nightwing #47 and 50 respectively) has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going against many of his rouge gallery such as Tad Ryerstad as Nite-Wing, Dudley Soames as Torque, Roland Desmond as Blockbuster, Mac Arnot, and the Blüdhaven Police Department.
"The Sylph" is a two-issue storyline (Nightwing #48–49) that has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going up against a new villain in Sylvan Scofield as Sylph, who is the daughter of a man who was cheated out of a patent on a high-tech, micro-thin, miracle fabric. "Hella" is a one-issue eighty-page storyline (Nightwing 80-Page Giant) who has Dick Grayson as Nightwing going against another new villain in Kate Riordan as Hella, who is the last member of the Riordan family that was once a proud police family.
Chuck Dixon penned the entire trade paperback. For the most part, it is written rather well, Dixon has created wonderful villains to fill the Nightwing’s Rouges Gallery. Unfortunately, the new villains that he created don’t have the strength or gravity to be major or reoccurring and those that are reoccurring seems a tad weak. Despite the longevity and strength of Nightwing’s Rouges Gallery, the stories were written rather well.
Greg Land (Nightwing #48–50), Patrick Zircher (Nightwing #47), and Manuel Gutierrez (Nightiwng 80-Page Giant) penciled the entire trade paperback. For the most part, the penciling was well done, albeit a tad dated, but their styles complemented each other rather nicely, which made the trade paperback visually pleasing to read.
All in all, Nightwing: Big Guns is a wonderful continuation to what would hopefully be a wonderful series.
February 12, 2019
After the events of the 'Hunt for Oracle', which concluded in the pages of Birds of Prey, Bludhaven is in a power vacuum. Blockbuster is recovering from his heart transplant. The ultra-corrupt chief of police is MIA. And Intergang has come to set up a hub of operations, led by an utter lunatic.
You take the Birds of Prey out of the storyline and Nightwing actually gets better! Grayson is finally on the Bludhaven Police Force. But he's going to have to prove that he's a good cop because his employment came at the hands of a real slime ball on the force.
Then there's two new villains. One is a vision cloaked in a red experimental cloth that takes on a life of it's own. The other is targeting former cops on the Bludhaven Police Force. Both are interesting additions to the DC Universe. But they both must be limited to Nightwing's corner of the world as I have never encountered either of these characters before.
One thing I have appreciated of the Chuck Dixon penned collections is the two-page 'what has happened prior' refreshers. But there was one factoid that didn't make a lot of sense.
The summary had claimed that the position of police commissioner was abolished in Bludhaven in 1971. Yet, in the story, it's revealed that there hasn't been a commissioner for 10 years. The issues in this volume were published in 1999-2000. So either somebody goofed on the summary timetable. Or somebody misspoke about how long since the commissioner was ousted. OR Nightwing takes place in 1981. So which is it?
A very good group of Nightwing comics that unfortunately is marred by one irksome continuity conflict.
You take the Birds of Prey out of the storyline and Nightwing actually gets better! Grayson is finally on the Bludhaven Police Force. But he's going to have to prove that he's a good cop because his employment came at the hands of a real slime ball on the force.
Then there's two new villains. One is a vision cloaked in a red experimental cloth that takes on a life of it's own. The other is targeting former cops on the Bludhaven Police Force. Both are interesting additions to the DC Universe. But they both must be limited to Nightwing's corner of the world as I have never encountered either of these characters before.
One thing I have appreciated of the Chuck Dixon penned collections is the two-page 'what has happened prior' refreshers. But there was one factoid that didn't make a lot of sense.
The summary had claimed that the position of police commissioner was abolished in Bludhaven in 1971. Yet, in the story, it's revealed that there hasn't been a commissioner for 10 years. The issues in this volume were published in 1999-2000. So either somebody goofed on the summary timetable. Or somebody misspoke about how long since the commissioner was ousted. OR Nightwing takes place in 1981. So which is it?
A very good group of Nightwing comics that unfortunately is marred by one irksome continuity conflict.
February 19, 2018
Nightwing vs Nite-wing and the past catches up.
August 12, 2024
I loved it so much, I’ve mostly read his comics online but I bought a physical copy of this one and it was awesome 🤞
August 31, 2021
Read as: Nightwing Volume 6: To Serve and Protect.
Super enjoyed this volume with really nothing negative to say about it. (Ok, some of the art was FUGLY, but the writing was totally 5 stars to make up for it.)
LOVE seeing Dick as a cop here. Yay! That's all he wanted!
Too bad it's now getting in his way of being Nightwing. ;)
(Loved his little cowboy rush against Torque earlier on in this volume and then his strip in the staircase lol.)
So glad to see Tad's storyline wrapped up here (I hope!). I hate Tad, lol. And loved seeing Nightwing go after him pretty aggressively...Reminds us that he was trained by Batman, after all.
Can't believe Torque was in this too (still), but maybe we won't see him for a while now that he's locked up. (Being featured in five volumes in a row is a lot for a bad guy whose whole thing is he's power-hungry with nothing to lose & his head is on backward.)
Sylph is a good new baddie. Having Nightwing uncontrollably falling was kinda nerve-wracking. It's good writing to take a character who is so comfortable falling, leaping, jumping & swinging and see him almost get defeated by it.
Hella (Kate Riordan) is a also a good new baddie, though I hate her costume. I get that she needs to wear a compression mask, but she looks like a scary dominatrix with clown makeup. :-/
Super enjoyed this volume with really nothing negative to say about it. (Ok, some of the art was FUGLY, but the writing was totally 5 stars to make up for it.)
LOVE seeing Dick as a cop here. Yay! That's all he wanted!
Too bad it's now getting in his way of being Nightwing. ;)
(Loved his little cowboy rush against Torque earlier on in this volume and then his strip in the staircase lol.)
So glad to see Tad's storyline wrapped up here (I hope!). I hate Tad, lol. And loved seeing Nightwing go after him pretty aggressively...Reminds us that he was trained by Batman, after all.
Can't believe Torque was in this too (still), but maybe we won't see him for a while now that he's locked up. (Being featured in five volumes in a row is a lot for a bad guy whose whole thing is he's power-hungry with nothing to lose & his head is on backward.)
Sylph is a good new baddie. Having Nightwing uncontrollably falling was kinda nerve-wracking. It's good writing to take a character who is so comfortable falling, leaping, jumping & swinging and see him almost get defeated by it.
Hella (Kate Riordan) is a also a good new baddie, though I hate her costume. I get that she needs to wear a compression mask, but she looks like a scary dominatrix with clown makeup. :-/
August 15, 2013
I thoroughly enjoyed the Chuck Dixon run of Nightwing. He sets up Dick Grayson as his own man, as the protector of his own city, Bludhaven. Between the corrupt police department and the gangland jockeying for power, Nightwing has his hands full!
In Nightwing: Big Guns we get a great example of the solid storytelling of this run. I love Dick’s interactions with Barbara Gordon, and the role she plays in his hero work. We finally get to see Dick as a police officer and the challenges he faces by playing both sides of being both the law and being a vigilante. The Nightwing stories have yielded some truly unique villains and this book is no exception, especially with the two intriguing lady-villains.
And as with all of the stories in this run, everything has an underlying feeling of energy and fun, which is intrinsic to the character of Dick Grayson and Nightwing. It’s hard not to fall in love with them both.
In Nightwing: Big Guns we get a great example of the solid storytelling of this run. I love Dick’s interactions with Barbara Gordon, and the role she plays in his hero work. We finally get to see Dick as a police officer and the challenges he faces by playing both sides of being both the law and being a vigilante. The Nightwing stories have yielded some truly unique villains and this book is no exception, especially with the two intriguing lady-villains.
And as with all of the stories in this run, everything has an underlying feeling of energy and fun, which is intrinsic to the character of Dick Grayson and Nightwing. It’s hard not to fall in love with them both.
August 27, 2012
I love Dick Grayson as a character and this is the first chance I've had to read one of his stories. It's okay. The character is fun and likable, much more so than a lot of his DC pals. The villains are a little less interesting and I sometimes had the feeling that an over zealous inker marred the art... there were times when the black of Nightwing's costume made his body look oddly shaped. Apart from that, a decent if not amazing book. I definitely want to read some newer Nightwing books now.
April 6, 2020
This a good Nightwing volume. I always like the interactions between Nightwing and Oracle. It also deals with Dick Grayson joing the Bludhaven police force. Lots of action, and an interesting plot.
For more (much, much more) on Dick Grayson, tune in to a special spotlight over on the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/ep...
For more (much, much more) on Dick Grayson, tune in to a special spotlight over on the All the Books Show: https://soundcloud.com/allthebooks/ep...
September 15, 2008
I believe this is the sixth book in the series...
January 24, 2011
Ok. Great Catwoman mini story.
October 22, 2012
More classic Chuck Dixon.
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