Nightwing #22 Review – Not That Blockbuster, the OTHER Blockbuster
Nightwing’s time in Blüdhaven is about to (finally) get interesting. On the one hand, he’s going down yet another spiral of “who am I, am I Dick Grayson or am I Nightwing or can I be both what do I want.” He has a job interview, because his Wayne savings won’t last forever, and he’s whining about it at a bar. The bar also happens to be run by the former villains he counsels at his volunteer job. Dude, I’m not sure Blüdhaven is the best place to figure out a normal life. That is what you originally wanted when you came here, right? To find yourself outside of Nightwing?
His whining is absolutely not why Blüdhaven is getting interesting. A new villain has rolled into town, who really may be more of an anti-hero than a villain. His name is Roland Desmond. Those familiar with Bat-lore will recognize the last name as Blockbuster’s secret identity. But that was Mark Desmond. Roland isn’t Blockbuster, but he definitely has Blockbuster tendencies. He has a swanky new job working the floor at a local casino. Said casino happens to be owned by a crime lord, Land Shark.
Every time they say his name, I immediately think, “Candygram!“
Roland’s first night on the job, he busts a patron counting cards. I’ve never understood why that’s considered cheating. If anything, good for them for being able to do that. Regardless, casinos don’t like it, especially this one. Roland expected the casino to rough the patron up and toss him out, but it’s more than obvious that he did not expect the Land Shark’s planned punishment for the cheater. He asked him to come look at his aquarium, and then tossed him in with great white sharks.
Yeah, I will never count cards (not that I could anyway) at any casino.
It’s a little overboard for sure, but it does get a direct message across to future patrons. You do not cheat at this casino. In fact, it may be best to stay away from this one all together.
Because of Roland’s good eye in catching the card counter, Land Shark wants to promote him. I assume he knows he has access to the Blockbuster formula, because he asks Roland to take care of Nightwing, permanently. He’s the only viable threat to his business, since he has the police on payroll.
Roland does seek out Nightwing, and he greets him with a blow to the face. But he doesn’t want to kill or even fight him; he wants to offer him a job. Now the plot has really thickened. I know this isn’t the original Blockbuster, who would definitely want to kill Nightwing. Considering he is a Blockbuster, one would think he’d be happy to kill Nightwing and continue his life of crime. Apparently, there are some lines that this Blockbuster simply won’t cross.
Sadly, one of the best features in the DC Universe Rebirth run of Nightwing are all of the characters who are not Nightwing. Dick Grayson has been a one trick pony ever since he arrived in Blüdhaven. It’s a shame, because he wasn’t like this in Grayson, or even in the beginning of Nightwing Rebirth. Whatever Dick Grayson thinks he is and is trying to be, he needs to figure it out fast and commit. Soul-searching in real life definitely takes years, but comic book characters can’t take longer than a few issues before readers lose all interest.
Our Rating: Yep
Author: Tim Seeley
Artists: Miguel Medonca, Vicente Cifuentes, and Chris Sotomayor
Publisher: DC Comics
Publish Date: 06/07/2017
Acquired via Purchase
