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Nightwing 144, from writer Peter J. Tomsai, is full of words. That's not to say that there isn't any action, but every page is full of dialog or internal monologue. Luckily, it's almost all good stuff and most of it sets up some wonderful insights. Opening with Dick's nighttime sky-dive and witty conversation with his girlfriend Deborah, to the mysterious mother of the Chinese super-hero program reflecting on her life, duty, and super-powered children, to his closing conversation with Talia Al Ghul, Tomsai does a wonderful job of laying out the story so that new readers and long-time Nightwing readers can easily follow along.
Without spilling too much of the story, Dick finds himself facing the fact that he's setting himself against a very formidable foe who asks if Dick's actions are a declaration of war. Is he ready to deal with the collateral damage that comes with war? It's a question Dick must ask himself. It also finally adds a new villain to Nightwing's rogue's gallery and possibly the focus of his energy for a long while to come.
The only two scenes that feel out of place involve the random crimes Dick has to deal with in his day, but those scenes remind us that while these long story arcs continue, he is still focused on the day-to-day safety of the common person. It also gives Tomsai a chance to show off Nightwing's new glider and show us that Dick has become familiar with New York City, his new home.
Don Kramer and Rags Morales pencil the issue, with 3 different inkers finishing the art - Christian Alamy, Michael Blair & Sandu Florea. This does make the art feel different in spots, especially since Morales is the current king of facial expressions and emotion, and they both draw Dick a little differently. Luckily, they aren't different enough to make the issue fall apart.
Nightwing 144 costs $2.99 and is available now at your local comic book store. Even though this is part of a longer arc, it's still treated as a great jumping on point for new readers.