Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 Review

Writer: Tom Taylor

Art: Eduardo Pansica, Julio Ferreira, Adriano Lucas, Wes Abbott, and Bruno Redondo

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99

Release Date: November 29th, 2022

Who is Heartless? Find out who the villain is behind the platinum mask, and why he only collects the hearts of some victims and not others…and why he has no heart himself as Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 begins to unravel.

If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 Review.

THE DISPATCH

Well, if you came looking for the backstory of Heartless, you’ve come to the right place. Tom Taylor delivers the perfect annual story in this week’s Nightwing 2022 Annual #1. Why? Well, the point of an Annual is an “extra” story that’s not necessarily required but is beneficial. Sometimes the Annuals are pointless, extra additions. And sometimes they’re crucial components to the story, which I personally lean heavily against. Buying comics and creating a pull list can get financially taxing. Adding an extra, sometimes more expensive, issue can put a damper on the series and the wallet too.

Luckily, Taylor finds a happy medium in this week’s Nightwing 2022 Annual #1. This backstory of Heartless is essential to the overall story and will strongly benefit fans to read. Let me start right off the back by highly recommending this issue. However, it is most certainly not required reading for Nightwing’s current run making it genuinely optional for fans wanting to save a few bucks. Nevertheless, I recommend cutting financial corners in other ways to guarantee confiscating Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 for your collection, especially if you’ve been a diehard Nightwing fan since Taylor took over.

FOCUS ON HEARTLESS

The parallels between Heartless and even Bruce Wayne are uncanny not to mention the similarities between Shelton and Dick. Nevertheless, readers learn that sometimes people are just born a certain way. Some people are just born with a couple of screws loose. It wasn’t bad parenting, physical abuse, or the loss of a loved one that sent you down a dark road. Sometimes, you’re born on that extremely dark road already. And I hope people pick up on that aspect of Heartless’ background. Sure, his parents pushed him off on the butler, and Shelton’s Dad even beat him a time or two (which I’m not condoning), however, they were at a loss as to what they should do. And, what would you do if you found your son slaughtering animals in your kitchen?

Nevertheless, what’s even more sinister is what event shakes open Shelton and pushes him in the direction of a “stable psychopath”. Plus, the eerie way the butler finds Shelton is just this dark, twisted, psychotic bond that continues to fortify this whirlwind of creation involving Heartless. Sometimes, readers wonder about the why and how of a character. Well, Taylor delivers that splendidly and with a diabolical agenda showcasing just how far gone some people are.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 delivers with intent. If you’d like to see the gnarled machinations of Heartless, this issue is for you. If you’d like to see a somewhat retcon of history involving Dick and Shelton that kind of fits, Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 is for you. If you’d like to see a unique parallel to Bruce, Alfred, and the Batman with Gerard, Shelton, and Heartless, this comic is totally for you. Readers, this story may not be critical nor does it need an explanation to follow. However, it will genuinely help your understanding of Heartless and to see where he’s coming from. You certainly won’t feel for the character but you’ll definitely understand where he’s coming from and why he is how he is. I think if you’ve been following Taylor’s Nightwing, then Nightwing 2022 Annual #1 is totally for you! Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!