Book: Nightwing #9Written By: Kyle HigginsPencils By: Eddy BarrowsPublisher: DC ComicsRelease Date: OUT NOW IN STORES & DIGITAL DOWNLOAD (VIA COMIXOLOGY)Rating: Last month Nightwing was left on his knees and bleeding after an Owl Assassin (who is also his Grandfather) got the best of him in battle but that was part one of two of this face off and as we all know with comics a dark cliffhanger where a lead character looks beat just means hes going to come out fighting when the next issue arrives and of course thats what Nightwing does here. From the opening smash through a window in this issue, Nightwing is fighting for his life here but rather than just the unstoppable Terminator style approach, this Owl gets personal and starts to lure Nightwing to the darkside of the Gotham or is that the grey side? We see some more Owl flashbacks, more insight into how Gothamites are inducted into the Court of Owls and more of a look into the Owl history that ties into Dick Graysons own family tree. This is all very effective but even though the story is quite rich, the clunk of where Dicks surname originated from isnt as cool as the writers intended somehow. It won't feel that way for everyone but for me the reveal of 'Grayson' landed with a bit of a goofy thud to me. I'm sure this will all be explored in future issues of Nightwing though. It has to be right? The strongest element of the issue is the fighting. It's brutal. Nightwing has quite the struggle against his Grandfather and there are moments in this blood soaked issue that feel like our hero might be out for the count and be the first Bat-family victim of this Night of the Owls event. The art by Eddy Barrows does a top notch job at selling the weight of the fight and the pain Nightwing is going through and while the issue isnt all that much to write home about when it comes to impact, it does a fine job at showcasing just how great a character Nightwing is. The closing panels alone makes me love Dick Grayson that little bit more. I'm so glad he's not Batman anymore.