NIGHTWING #16

[ WHY NO COUPONS? ] 

Please don't tell me that Nightwing will die! I'd rather hear a song sung by Stephen Fry! Unless he sings with Hugh Laurie. Whilst driving a lorry. Accompanied by some doctors who sigh! Or else, maybe the funky creative team of Writer: Kyle Higgins; Artist: Eddy Barrows; and Publisher: DC Comics in February 2013.

Using GENERAL terms, answer the following 4 questions about this STORY entitled 'Curtain Call'.

• WHAT'S THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS TALE: Nightwing has had enough of the Jokers deadly shenanigans, and so he's decided to stop him once and for all by confronting him at the 'Amusement Mile'.
• ARE THE MAIN OBJECTIVES ACHIEVED: No. Not by a long shot. The Harlequin of Hate throws everything he has at our pretty-boy, Dick. Dead people. Possessed people. Plus a heavy dose of hallucinogen too. The evil b*stard.
• ANYTHING ELSE HAPPEN: Yes. But I don't want to say. The Joker and DC Comics might kill me if I do.
• HOW DOES THIS STORY END: With the Joker teasing Nightwing by presenting to him a serving planter dripping with blood.

What is the most memorable SENTENCE OR CONVERSATION spoken in this issue?

One of the nice surprises with this 'Death of the Family' story-line; is reading what the Joker feels about each member of the Bat-Family one at a time. For example, in this issue he says to Dick...

'You know, I guess I shouldn't be surprised that this freak show is so important to you, Nightwing, seeing as you showed up in every city they traveled to in the past year. When you think about it, you and Haly's makes perfect sense. The circus has been a place where bad kids run to when they're running away from home. Which is what you are. Even after Batman gave you everything... you abandoned him. It was almost too cute. Which is why I don't understand what you're doing now. Coming back to Gotham? Trying to build a nest? That's not you, little bird. You should be flying free'.

Now isn't that a very menacing piece of prose? Plus it does insinuate that the Joker knows more than he's letting on.

What was the BEST thing about this issue?

For me, one of the best things about this tale was the amount of twists and turns Nightwing was presented with. The dead people. The hallucinations. The explosions. The possessed. And the final one on one battle that lead into one hell of a cliff-hanger.

Say no more. Huh?

What was the WORST thing about this issue?

My only small gripe with this issue would have to be the overly focused narrative that this story was trying to tell (i.e. a Nightwing verses Joker face off). Not that this is a bad thing of course. Oh no. It just needed a little bit more scope here and there, just to make it feel as if it were a part of a much grander epic.

Also, things did get a little bit confusing when the hallucinations started happening to Dick. Don't you think? 

What was the most INNOVATIVE thing about this issue?

If truth be told, I'm not a big fan of the splash page myself. Not only do they take up too much 'story space' on occasion, but they can also feel slightly redundant within the confines of a secular story. However, in the case of this issues great splash page drawn by Eddy Barrows -- Wow! -- All I can say is, Wow!

It was earthy. It was dramatic. It was shocking. And it said so much in expressions and grandeur, it didn't need words to convey what it was trying to convey.

Well done, Eddy. Smashing job.

Pick TWO CHARACTERS out this comic book, and compare them individually to a SIMPSONS CAST MEMBER.

APU AS NIGHTWING: Alight, I know that Dickie-boy isn't from Pakistani decent. Nonetheless, that doesn't necessarily mean that everybody's favorite curry swilling shop-clerk, Mister Patapitipatipit, should be excluded from being the second in line to a smoking hot title!

KRUSTY THE CLOWN AS THE JOKER: Well, I had to use this comparison before I forgot, or else the Joker would have killed me.

What WORD or PHRASE could you use to sum-up this story?

'Life is tough, but it's tougher when you're stupid' -- John Wayne

What SONG, THEME-TUNE, or MELODY, would complement this tale, as well as add and extra dimension to it by default?

'LAUGH TILL YOU CRY' BY FAYDEE (FT. LAZY J): Although this song isn't really my own cup of tea, I have to say that it does sum up this adventure in more ways than one.

ANYTHING Else?

What the bloody hell is under the Jokers serving platter? Huh? Please don't tell me it's Alfred's head! No! Pale-face hasn't done a Se7en on Mister Pennyworth has he? No-no-no! It's can't be so. No! I won't allow it. No! Not even if he does try to kill me, I'll kill him right back. No-no-no!!!!!!

Wait up. Calm down. Calm down. Come on. Deep breaths. Innnnn -- Ouuuut -- Innn -- Ouut -- In -- Out. And Relax.

Thank God. I feel much better now. Still, I can't help but wonder where Alfred has been since this 'Death of the Family' story-line has begun. Fair enough, I know we've already seen the Joker take a whack at him in the very first part of this tale. But from then on in -- nah -- nish -- ka-put. Which does beg me to ask the question -- where the hell is he?

Did the Joker capture him and kill him? Did Alfred somehow manage to escape? Or is he wounded somewhere -- lying low -- until he can step up to the plate and kick pale-faced ass? 

What do you think dear reader? Drop us a spam and I'll drop us a monkey. (Oh! By the way. My comment system doesn't work on versions of Internet Explorer less than 9).

GIVE IT, IT'S DUES: A very cool comic book that is as fresh as a summer's breeze.