Here’s a cover image chosen at random from my collection.
Nightwing (1996) #127 by Marv Wolfman (w), Dan Jurgens (layouts), Norm Rapmund (finishes), The Hories (c), and Phil Balsman (l)
I was so disappointed in general with Marv Wolfman’s return to the character that he defined for me during his New Teen Titans run. But part of my lackluster feeling toward this time in Nightwing’s title has to do with the horrible One Year Later jump. This issue, however, is a bit of a tie-in to Infinite Crisis (the event preceding OYL) in that this story ends with the antagonist’s announcing that Nightwing should have died in the crisis, which, of course, is a commentary on the much hyped desire on Dan DiDio’s part to kill off Dick Grayson during IC. Besides this little nugget (which, if I recall correctly, wasn’t resolved in a satisfying manner), the rest of the issue shows Nightwing digging himself out of a grave. In order to keep himself from panicking, he keeps flashing back to previous events to get us caught up to where we’re at in the story, including investigating the death of Raptor, and Dick’s various relationships.
The Jurgens/Rapamund art is ok, but not right for Nightwing in general and this tale in particular. The story could have benefited from a less clean, superhero-y art style.
Longbox Review 