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Nightwing by Tom Taylor #5-7
Nightwing by Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo Omnibus, Vol. 2
The heart of the DC Universe beats in Blüdhaven, where Nightwing faces devils, secrets, and the fight to protect everything he’s built.
Tom Taylor’s celebrated run on Nightwing continues in this explosive second omnibus, chronicling Dick Grayson’s rise as a leader, a symbol of hope, and a target for the world’s darkest forces. With the Titans now operating out of Blüdhaven, Nightwing faces supernatural threats such as Neron and the Grinning Man, uncovers the truth behind a shadowy secret society, and confronts a devastating smear campaign that threatens to undo everything he’s fought for. This collection brings high-stakes action, emotional resonance, and character-defining moments in one of the most beloved chapters of the DC Universe.
Collects Nightwing #101-118 and Nightwing 2022 Annual #1.
Tom Taylor’s celebrated run on Nightwing continues in this explosive second omnibus, chronicling Dick Grayson’s rise as a leader, a symbol of hope, and a target for the world’s darkest forces. With the Titans now operating out of Blüdhaven, Nightwing faces supernatural threats such as Neron and the Grinning Man, uncovers the truth behind a shadowy secret society, and confronts a devastating smear campaign that threatens to undo everything he’s fought for. This collection brings high-stakes action, emotional resonance, and character-defining moments in one of the most beloved chapters of the DC Universe.
Collects Nightwing #101-118 and Nightwing 2022 Annual #1.
792 pages, Hardcover
Published July 7, 2026
About the author
Tom Taylor
1,296 books1,129 followersOnce a professional juggler and fire eater, Tom Taylor is a #1 New York Times Bestselling, multi-award-winning comic book writer, playwright and screenwriter.
Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.
He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.
He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.
Well known for his work with DC Comics and Marvel, Taylor is the co-creator of NEVERLANDERS from Penguin Random House, SEVEN SECRETS from Boom Studios and the Aurealis-Award-winning graphic novel series THE DEEP. Taylor is also the Head Writer and Executive Producer of The Deep animated series, four seasons of which is broadcast in over 140 countries.
He is perhaps best known for the DC Comics series, DCEASED (Shadow Awards Winner), NIGHTWING (nominated for 5 Eisner Awards), SUPERMAN: SON OF KAL-EL (GLAAD Award Nominee), INJUSTICE: GODS AMONG US, SUICIDE SQUAD, EARTH 2 and BATMAN/SUPERMAN as well as Marvel's FRIENDLY NEIGHBORHOOD SPIDER-MAN, ALL NEW WOLVERINE, X-MEN: RED, DARK AGES and SUPERIOR IRON MAN. Taylor is also the writer of many Star Wars series, which include STAR WARS: INVASION and STAR WARS: BLOOD TIES (Stan Lee Excelsior Award winner). Taylor has written for Marvel, DC Comics, Dark Horse Comics, IDW Publishing, Boom Studios, Wildstorm, 2000 AD and Gestalt Comics.
He can be followed on twitter @TomTaylorMade.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
August 9, 2026
A remarkable end, to an unforgettable run, and an ode to the medium, character, and humanity we seek in this artform.
July 15, 2026
Sometimes I have to remember the DC universe has been reset and exploded like 8 times
August 12, 2026
More Peak
November 3, 2026
Nightwing by Tom Taylor & Bruno Redondo – Omnibus Vol. 2 – 3/5
I have no words....
I really wanted to like this volume, especially after enjoying the first omnibus. However, after finishing it, I can understand a lot more of the criticism surrounding Tom Taylor's run. I don't think Taylor hates Nightwing. In fact, I think he probably likes the character quite a bit. My issue is that he simply struggles to tell an interesting and well-constructed story with him or, in short, he is unable to write a great Nightwing-Story at all.
The first omnibus had a relatively strong start, with plenty of great ideas and some genuinely creative visual storytelling. Bruno Redondo was, without a doubt, the biggest reason why the run worked as well as it did. His artwork and paneling carried so much of the experience that I was willing to overlook several narrative shortcomings. I didn't mind the lighter, more family-friendly tone either. Not every superhero comic needs to be dark, serious or constantly threatening. The focus on friendship, family and inclusivity was a nice change of pace.
But that only works when there is an actual story underneath it. And that's where this run increasingly struggles.
The biggest problem is the complete lack of tension and a convincing sense of danger. I never really felt worried about Nightwing or the people around him. Even when the story introduces supposedly serious threats, there is rarely enough buildup or substance to make them feel genuinely dangerous. Blockbuster is easily one of the worst and bad written villains I've encountered in recent comics. He is essentially a Kingpin knock-off without the interesting personality, motivations or presence. He is rich, muscular and wants to control the city. That's pretty much it. Heartless is a more interesting concept, but even his backstory fails to convince me that his motivations and actions make much sense. Taylor tries to explain why he became the person he is, but I never found the explanation particularly convincing.
Another major issue is how often Nightwing himself has to act ridiculously stupid just to keep certain plot developments moving. We are constantly told how intelligent, capable and experienced Dick Grayson is, yet there are moments where he makes decisions that feel completely out of character. It is frustrating because the comic clearly wants us to see him as one of DC's most capable heroes, but the writing frequently undermines that very idea.
If Batman would've known how Nightwing got poisened, he would be embarrassed.
The handling of the supporting cast is equally disappointing. The Bat-Family is introduced and used extensively throughout the run, but much of that potential leads nowhere. Batman and Alfred have some genuinely nice moments with Dick, and I particularly enjoyed seeing a more open and emotionally available version of Bruce. Unfortunately, these relationships are never developed as much as they could have been. Alfred's inheritance, which initially seemed like an important part of the story, also becomes surprisingly irrelevant.
Barbara's characterization remains one of my biggest frustrations. I already criticized this in the first volume and unfortunately, nothing really changes here. She increasingly feels like she exists primarily to support Dick emotionally, reassure him, kiss him and be his girlfriend. She rarely gets meaningful development of her own and her personal values and independence often seem secondary to his needs. I can understand why many Barbara fans have been unhappy with this portrayal. At times, it feels less like a relationship between two equally developed characters and more like fanservice designed to keep Nightwing fans happy.
And speaking of fanservice, there are several moments throughout the run that feel unnecessarily tailored to hardcore Nightwing fans. I don't mind fanservice when it happens naturally, but here it can become rather awkward and occasionally embarrassing.
The pacing doesn't help either. The omnibus is filled with side stories and mini-arcs that repeatedly interrupt the main narrative. The Titans storyline was particularly disappointing, both in terms of its artwork and its story and completely disrupted the flow of the volume. It also made me considerably less interested in reading the Titans omnibus. The pirate arc was another storyline I found incredibly uninteresting, while some of the more bizarre side stories, including the fifth-dimensional Chibi Nightwing (don't remember the name) and Damian's transformation into a cat, felt completely random. I even found myself skipping parts because I simply couldn't bring myself to care anymore. The Annuals were among the more enjoyable additions....at least.
Towards the end, the story attempts to become more serious, but the execution is incredibly rushed. Nightwing's supposedly transformative journey of confronting his deepest fear feels forced and poorly developed. He is sent on the familiar superhero journey of having to isolate himself, confront his fears and rediscover who he is. There is nothing inherently wrong with that concept, but the comic does very little to actually show the process. His fear is introduced as something deeply traumatic (not really, but that's how Dick is at least acting), yet the way he supposedly overcomes it happens so quickly and without enough meaningful development that it barely feels earned. The entire resolution is over almost as soon as it begins.
This is particularly frustrating because there are genuinely good ideas scattered throughout the run. The interactions between Dick and Bruce are enjoyable, Alfred's role initially offered some interesting possibilities, and there are moments where the comic manages to deliver surprisingly brutal and serious scenes. But almost every time something interesting is introduced, it feels like Taylor moves on before doing anything meaningful with it.
Visually, the run remains impressive whenever Bruno Redondo is on art duties. However, this omnibus also features quite a few guest artists, and unfortunately, I found most of their contributions noticeably weaker. Redondo remains the clear standout and, honestly, one of the main reasons I still enjoyed parts of this series.
I went into this volume hoping the story would finally become more serious, introduce a genuine threat and give its characters something meaningful to overcome. Instead, I was left with a collection of underdeveloped ideas, weak villains, questionable character decisions and side stories that frequently get in the way of the main narrative.
There is still some entertainment value here. It is easy to read, occasionally fun and visually appealing. But when it comes to the actual writing, characterization and overall storytelling, I found it incredibly disappointing.
3/5, with a tendency closer to 2.8/5.
I genuinely wanted to like this run more, but at this point, Bruno Redondo is doing far more for the series than the writing itself.
I have no words....
I really wanted to like this volume, especially after enjoying the first omnibus. However, after finishing it, I can understand a lot more of the criticism surrounding Tom Taylor's run. I don't think Taylor hates Nightwing. In fact, I think he probably likes the character quite a bit. My issue is that he simply struggles to tell an interesting and well-constructed story with him or, in short, he is unable to write a great Nightwing-Story at all.
The first omnibus had a relatively strong start, with plenty of great ideas and some genuinely creative visual storytelling. Bruno Redondo was, without a doubt, the biggest reason why the run worked as well as it did. His artwork and paneling carried so much of the experience that I was willing to overlook several narrative shortcomings. I didn't mind the lighter, more family-friendly tone either. Not every superhero comic needs to be dark, serious or constantly threatening. The focus on friendship, family and inclusivity was a nice change of pace.
But that only works when there is an actual story underneath it. And that's where this run increasingly struggles.
The biggest problem is the complete lack of tension and a convincing sense of danger. I never really felt worried about Nightwing or the people around him. Even when the story introduces supposedly serious threats, there is rarely enough buildup or substance to make them feel genuinely dangerous. Blockbuster is easily one of the worst and bad written villains I've encountered in recent comics. He is essentially a Kingpin knock-off without the interesting personality, motivations or presence. He is rich, muscular and wants to control the city. That's pretty much it. Heartless is a more interesting concept, but even his backstory fails to convince me that his motivations and actions make much sense. Taylor tries to explain why he became the person he is, but I never found the explanation particularly convincing.
Another major issue is how often Nightwing himself has to act ridiculously stupid just to keep certain plot developments moving. We are constantly told how intelligent, capable and experienced Dick Grayson is, yet there are moments where he makes decisions that feel completely out of character. It is frustrating because the comic clearly wants us to see him as one of DC's most capable heroes, but the writing frequently undermines that very idea.
If Batman would've known how Nightwing got poisened, he would be embarrassed.
The handling of the supporting cast is equally disappointing. The Bat-Family is introduced and used extensively throughout the run, but much of that potential leads nowhere. Batman and Alfred have some genuinely nice moments with Dick, and I particularly enjoyed seeing a more open and emotionally available version of Bruce. Unfortunately, these relationships are never developed as much as they could have been. Alfred's inheritance, which initially seemed like an important part of the story, also becomes surprisingly irrelevant.
Barbara's characterization remains one of my biggest frustrations. I already criticized this in the first volume and unfortunately, nothing really changes here. She increasingly feels like she exists primarily to support Dick emotionally, reassure him, kiss him and be his girlfriend. She rarely gets meaningful development of her own and her personal values and independence often seem secondary to his needs. I can understand why many Barbara fans have been unhappy with this portrayal. At times, it feels less like a relationship between two equally developed characters and more like fanservice designed to keep Nightwing fans happy.
And speaking of fanservice, there are several moments throughout the run that feel unnecessarily tailored to hardcore Nightwing fans. I don't mind fanservice when it happens naturally, but here it can become rather awkward and occasionally embarrassing.
The pacing doesn't help either. The omnibus is filled with side stories and mini-arcs that repeatedly interrupt the main narrative. The Titans storyline was particularly disappointing, both in terms of its artwork and its story and completely disrupted the flow of the volume. It also made me considerably less interested in reading the Titans omnibus. The pirate arc was another storyline I found incredibly uninteresting, while some of the more bizarre side stories, including the fifth-dimensional Chibi Nightwing (don't remember the name) and Damian's transformation into a cat, felt completely random. I even found myself skipping parts because I simply couldn't bring myself to care anymore. The Annuals were among the more enjoyable additions....at least.
Towards the end, the story attempts to become more serious, but the execution is incredibly rushed. Nightwing's supposedly transformative journey of confronting his deepest fear feels forced and poorly developed. He is sent on the familiar superhero journey of having to isolate himself, confront his fears and rediscover who he is. There is nothing inherently wrong with that concept, but the comic does very little to actually show the process. His fear is introduced as something deeply traumatic (not really, but that's how Dick is at least acting), yet the way he supposedly overcomes it happens so quickly and without enough meaningful development that it barely feels earned. The entire resolution is over almost as soon as it begins.
This is particularly frustrating because there are genuinely good ideas scattered throughout the run. The interactions between Dick and Bruce are enjoyable, Alfred's role initially offered some interesting possibilities, and there are moments where the comic manages to deliver surprisingly brutal and serious scenes. But almost every time something interesting is introduced, it feels like Taylor moves on before doing anything meaningful with it.
Visually, the run remains impressive whenever Bruno Redondo is on art duties. However, this omnibus also features quite a few guest artists, and unfortunately, I found most of their contributions noticeably weaker. Redondo remains the clear standout and, honestly, one of the main reasons I still enjoyed parts of this series.
I went into this volume hoping the story would finally become more serious, introduce a genuine threat and give its characters something meaningful to overcome. Instead, I was left with a collection of underdeveloped ideas, weak villains, questionable character decisions and side stories that frequently get in the way of the main narrative.
There is still some entertainment value here. It is easy to read, occasionally fun and visually appealing. But when it comes to the actual writing, characterization and overall storytelling, I found it incredibly disappointing.
3/5, with a tendency closer to 2.8/5.
I genuinely wanted to like this run more, but at this point, Bruno Redondo is doing far more for the series than the writing itself.
October 22, 2026
Easily the best modern run. Comparable to Dixon's. Maybe even surpassing it. The character writing is superb and is laden with many emotional moments. The dialoague is witty and pleasant and no one feels out of line and the characters themselves feel self aware. The main villain of this run is great and I love his backstory and how it ties into Dick Grayson's as well as it being revealed in the annual. The tie-ins with Titans were also very good. Taylor writes each of them well and they've maintained their idealized personalities, at least the ones envisioned in my mind. Redondo's art is superb and so intuitive and unique and it really helps establish Dick Grayson and Bludhaven as characters rather than tropes and concepts. They're oh so real. The love Batman and Alfred have for their son is really endearing for the reader and really emphasizes this idea that Nightwing is the perfected version of Batman. Don't really understand why people dislike this run when it's full of life and character. I dont think, having read almost everything up to this run, that Nightwing should be like Daredevil. This fallen hero that prevails despite everything. Nightwing is hope. Nightwing is not this angry vengeful person that Matthew Murdock falls into at times, and even that isn't entirely true later on but a big part of Matthew Murdock's character is that he is angry. In this run we see Dick Grayson explain to Damian about anger as well as Batman so it goes to show that anger is not at the center of his intentions. The same cannot be said for Daredevil as a whole who's contrived of anger and his manipulation of said emotion into something larger than himself. Nightwing is to instill hope in the hopeless and serve as a true leader. Daredevil is a broken man salvaging an even more broken city, struggling to maintain himself and his actualized identity.
September 3, 2026
4.5/5
This run continues to be incredible. The final 5 issues are near perfect and a very satisfying conclusion to the story.
Any time you get the Taylor/Redondo issues, it is some of the most fun you could have reading comics. There was a story arc in here that wasn't quite as good, and a few issues that felt a little filler that bring it down just a tad, but overall I'm very satisfied with this run and will read it again at some point. Again, Redondo's artwork is mind-blowing, and Taylor's writing understands Nightwing so well.
This run continues to be incredible. The final 5 issues are near perfect and a very satisfying conclusion to the story.
Any time you get the Taylor/Redondo issues, it is some of the most fun you could have reading comics. There was a story arc in here that wasn't quite as good, and a few issues that felt a little filler that bring it down just a tad, but overall I'm very satisfied with this run and will read it again at some point. Again, Redondo's artwork is mind-blowing, and Taylor's writing understands Nightwing so well.
July 22, 2026
A step down from the majesty of the first volume. The stories in the back half of this run are more global in nature and don't serve the characters as well. Even the "We're going for it" issue You are Nightwing can't live up to the perfection of issue 87 in the first volume. The art is still incredible, the run has a solid payoff and Tom Taylor is very comfortable writing the Bat Family but these issues prove that bigger isn't necessarily better.
November 11, 2026
I loved the Heartless story line the most, how it all connected to Dick’s childhood. I would have liked to see more of a fight at the end between Heartless and Nightwing, especially after all the buildup.
As a usual romantasy reader I did appreciate this quote from Deadman, “We’ll find a nice book to distract that overactive mind of yours. I’m thinking a romantasy. We’ll tackle all of this with intimacy and dragons”. That made me feel seen 😝
As a usual romantasy reader I did appreciate this quote from Deadman, “We’ll find a nice book to distract that overactive mind of yours. I’m thinking a romantasy. We’ll tackle all of this with intimacy and dragons”. That made me feel seen 😝
May 8, 2026
Comics aren’t supposed to make me emotional!!!
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July 22, 20262.5 stars. Re-read this to finally catch up on Dan Watters' run and I realized than I had never finished the last issues which already says a lot about my feelings on this book lmao
July 27, 2026
This is NOT nightwing lmao
September 3, 2026
Really good passing of the torch comic. It really shows Nightwing's potential to carry on with a big part of DC's heroes franchises
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews