Written by Tom Taylor.
Art by Travis Moore; Bruno Redondo; Vasco Georgiev; Adriano Lucas; & Wes Abbott.
Collection Cover Art by Bruno Redondo & Adriano Lucas.
SUMMARY:
Released in 2024 by DC Comics, this 176-page hardcover compiles 2023’s Nightwing # 101-105. Fallout from the recent Dark Crisis continues, as Dick Grayson intends to build a new Titans Tower in Blüdhaven. The team’s previous Tower in New York City lies in ruins after Deathstroke’s deadly attack. The Titans are soon startled by the discovery of a mystery corpse left deep within the wreckage.
Continuing the storyline from Issue # 98, Dick Grayson and his perennial fellow Titans (Starfire, Beast Boy, Donna Troy, Cyborg, Raven, & Wally West’s Flash) are also protecting a nine-year-old orphan, Olivia Raymond. Recently, unexpected magical intervention (and help from Dick’s puppy, Bite-wing) allowed Olivia to humiliate Neron’s demonic minions. As it’s revealed, Neron seeks to collect Olivia’s innocent soul to complete a contract made with her late father: Blockbuster.
With the shape-shifting Grinning Man now deployed, at least one homicide soon sets up the Titans taking on Dick’s own treacherous impersonator. Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl joins Starfire & Donna Troy in defending Olivia on Themyscira. Raven leads the other Titans on a raid into Neron’s underworld tower in Hell.
Discovering the startling identity of Olivia’s mother, Nightwing must improvise a legal loophole to hopefully thwart Neron’s efforts to steal Olivia away. Worse yet, Neron’s demons are simultaneously attacking Themyscira to abduct the child. Neron soon baits Nightwing with an offer of Superman-like powers in exchange for Olivia’s soul. Dick explores his temporary powers knowing that Neron still awaits him and won’t be taking a simple ‘no’ as a reply.
With Olivia’s fate evidently settled (at least, for now), Dick & Barbara soon find themselves assisting Aliki of the mercenary Double Dare rescue her abducted twin sister. Per a Blüdhaven pharmaceutical CEO’s ruthless shakedown of a vulnerable nation, Dick confronts an old nemesis from his childhood. More so, he must rely on an undercover Barbara to hold off a horde of corporate goons to rescue Aliki’s sister, Margot.
Note: This title is available in both hardcover and trade paperback formats. Presumably, DC Comics will release a digital edition at some later date.
REVIEW:
For afficionados of the classic Teen Titans/Titans line-up, Time of The Titans will take them for an entertaining ride. Make no mistake: Tom Taylor’s two storylines in Volume 5 are really far more average than must-have. Still, in the absence of genuine suspense, his playful storytelling and the art team’s high-caliber visuals mesh exceptionally well together.
More so, Dick Grayson’s chemistry with Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl; his Titans teammates; and Superman, unsurprisingly, delivers on all thrusters. The presence of Olivia Raymond and Bite-wing adds a further element of innocent fun making Time of The Titans a welcome pivot from Batman’s gritty Gotham City epics.
Accordingly, Nightwing, Volume 5: Time of The Titans concocts a recommended library find – if not, a long-term bookshelf option.
ADDITIONAL CONTENT:
Bruno Redondo’s full-page cover precedes each story – though Issue # 105 (this book’s cover image) is co-produced with Adriano Lucas. Also, a full-page variant cover gallery consists of these seventeen full-page entries:
- Issue # 101 (Titans): artists Travis Moore & Tamra Bonvillain;
- Issue # 101 (Nightwing): artist Jamal Campbell;
- Issue # 101 (Dick Grayson, Barbara Gordon, & Bite-wing’s Nightcycle repairs): artist Vasco Georgiev;
- Issue # 102 (Titans at the malt shop): artists Moore & Bonvillain;
- Issue # 102 (Nightwing): artist Campbell;
- Issue # 102 (Nightwing): artist Georgiev;
- Issue # 103 (Titans’ seated portrait): artists Moore & Bonvillain;
- Issue # 103 (Nightwing): artist Campbell;
- Issue # 103 (Nightwing’s friends & enemies): artist Georgiev;
- Issue # 103 (Nightwing & Superman): artists Nicola Scott & Annette Kwok;
- Issue # 104 (Titans & Bite-wing’s reflection): artists: Amancav Nahuflpan & Adriano Lucas;
- Issue # 104 (Titans Together): artist Campbell;
- Issue # 104 (Nightwing & a silhouetted Batgirl): artist: Georgiev;
- Issue # 105 (Nightwing’s side profile): artist Dan Mora;
- Issue # 105 (explosive high-rise rescue): artist Campbell;
- Issue # 105 (Nightwing unmasked): artist Georgiev; and
- Issue # 105 (DC Pride – Nightwing & Red Robin’s workout): artist Yoshi Yoshitani.
BRIAN’S ODD MOON RATING: 8 Stars
