Nightwing #13

I'm not going to bitch about Tom DeFalco's name on the cover. I'm just going to start reading.

Fuck. I forgot to predict that this is how the comic book would begin. I'm surprised the first Narration Box doesn't say, "My name is Nightwing." Fucking Tom DeFalco. Is this the only way he knows how to begin a comic book?

I didn't think any nights paid to don a costume!

The next page has the credits for the comic book and label Tom DeFalco as "Guest Writer". Whew! DC Editors finally did something right! They probably knew that Tom DeFalco's name on this book would freak the shit out of anybody who has been enjoying it up until now. So to alleviate any fears, they stuck that "guest" crap on there. I feel so much better now! And I'm sorry about bitching about Tom DeFalco immediately after girding myself not to.

Nightwing has been out hunting for criminals all night and hasn't heard a peep. He should be happy but being that this is Gotham, he knows something is wrong. And it doesn't feel like The Joker being back in town is entirely to blame. So after he spends a few pages Narration Boxing about the problem, he decides to pay The Penguin a visit. And The Penguin knows what's going that Lady Shiva is in town, so that's a pretty good intuitive guess on Dick's part.

I assume the social calls don't begin by throwing one of his bodyguard's through a pair of heavy oak doors.

Nightwing learns about Lady Shiva being in town which explains why everyone is hiding out. She's probably here to kill somebody (herself, according to the cover!) and The Penguin figures that person is as good as dead. But nobody wants to get caught in the crossfire, right? Joker's in town? Lady Shiva's in town? Probably a good night to rent a movie.

Nightwing takes care of some Amusement Mile business during the day and then goes back out on patrol that night where he and Batgirl almost kill each other while swinging around Gotham.

Is Batgirl making a joke? Joker? Back? Ha ha?

An editor's note states that this story takes place after Batgirl #14. Since that comic book isn't even out for another couple of weeks, Batgirl had better not drop any spoilers here!

Batgirl acts like a complete asshole because Nightwing has his own thing going on and he won't help her get revenge on The Joker. She says she's going to find someone she can count on to help her. Who would that be? Jason Todd?

Nightwing finally finds a low-life nobody that knows how he can find Lady Shiva. It's always the nobody gangster on the street that hears the important stuff. Probably because they're always scanning Gotham Craigslist Criminals Needed postings for jobs. Even though every other mobster in Gotham is terrified and in hiding because Lady Shiva is coming to town, one mobster, Chipper Panoicia, has decided to kill Lady Shiva to increase his reputation. He's got snipers and gunmen all over the docks waiting for her to arrive. And now Nightwing feels like he needs to save the damsel in distress. I'm fairly confident she'll be okay.

And of course, she is. The information about her coming in at the dock was a diversion that even the great Nightwing fell for because he's a total sucker for the damsel in distress bullshit. It clouds his mind every time. Meanwhile, Lady Shiva is off killing some guy involved in some minor S.E.C. case. Sonia Branch, the daughter of the man that killed Nightwing's family and the woman working with Dick to get Amusement Mile up and running, is testifying on the same case. So her life is probably in danger as well. Good! That'll give Nightwing his damsel in distress he's constantly looking to save.

Nigthwing #13 Rating: No change. The story didn't want to make me gouge my eyes out and pull my brain through the sockets. So that's a nice piece of positive praise for Tom DeFalco. He can print this up and put it on his wall of accomplishments.