Nightwing #72 is all killer and no filler. The last three pages are some of the most shocking I've seen in a while, and had me shouting at my tablet PC. The Joker's building his army, and, if you're also reading Batman and Detective Comics, you know that he's got some of the deadliest recruits imaginable" none moreso than those revealed in this issue. Read Full Review

This is some great stuff overall and it is a very entertaining issue. Read Full Review

Dan Jurgens's narrative continues to up the ante in Dick's ever-changing life. Read Full Review

Jurgens has turned this book around pretty significantly from its low point, and the Ric Grayson era will never be a classic but it's been redeemed with the last few twists in a big way. Read Full Review

The story really is starting the heat up, and I am hooked for the next issue. Read Full Review

This issue ends with a wild cliffhanger that certainly sets Nightwing up perfectly for its entry into Joker War. Read Full Review

Jurgens and Cliquet are a great Nightwing team and if you like Joker or the new character Punchline this is a must read. Read Full Review

Nightwing #72 may barely be an actual Nightwing issue, but as a story on its own terms it succeeds. Joker War has fully taken over this book and while it's unfortunate Nightwing's ultimate return will likely take place in a story not his own, I find his plight as a Joker henchman just a little more interesting than him as a Talon. Barbara's arrival is a welcome injection of freshness into the series, but hopefully Bea and the other Nightwings aren't entirely phased out of relevance in the coming months. Read Full Review

With a supporting role from another member of the Batfamily popping up, Nightwing #72 introduces a fresh change of pace " at least much fresher than this book's been of late. Read Full Review

Once again, I am tired of this punchline. Yes. The pun is intended. I am not on the team that says we must ban Nightwing as a comic, but I am on the team that says, Ric Grayson is not my Nightwing. Nightwing #72 does feature Babs, so that is nice. I like her. Just get to the Joker War already. Read Full Review

This book continues to be a slap in the face to Nightwing fans, and if you aren't planning on reading the Joker War, don't bother with this issue.  Even if you are, this is just a recap-heavy issue that feels like it's on auto-pilot.  There doesn't seem to be any heart left in this book, and fans deserve more than going through the motions each month.  It's sad how many DC books I can say that exact statement about right now!!! Read Full Review

I haven't been following this whole "Ric Grayson" thing, and only looked into this issue because it's a "Joker war" tie-in. But as usual in a comic written by Dan Jurgens, I was pretty impressed. Forcing him out so Bendis could take over both Superman books was a stupid mistake on DC's part and the reader reviews on this very site prove it.
Barbara is getting the worst of it in these tie-ins. Joker doesn't seem to like having his work undone, and crippling Barbara was one of his crowning jewels. Now he hopes in his big strike against Batman to use his first partner as a weapon.

Pretty cool twist in this although it wasn’t really a surprise. I really dig punchline so far and am quite excited about the joker war so I enjoyed this

" It's time to find Dick Grayson...and bring him back into the fold."
- BATGIRL

A compenent story that helps drum up more hype around the Joker War, Punchline, and just the general overdosing of Joker we are getting right now. Good story telling and very readable.

Plot: 3/10
Characters: 3/10
Interior Art: 4/10
Cover Art: 2/10

Unbiased score: 3.5/10 only comoletionists of the Joker War arc have any reason to buy this issue.

Dan Jurgens is the quintessential 1990s writer/artist at DC with access to Barbara Gordon in an arc that celebrates the greatness of the grim and gritty 1990s with an all new villain! And if you like Harley Quinn--Wait till you get a load of PUNCHLINNNNEEE!

The Cover Art is of similar quality to interior art in B and C list Bat titles that are not written by Jurgens. This may signal wiser readers to keep away.

Plot and Characterization go with the repeated mention of 90s grim and gritty dark age tropes. You are actually spoiled by this.

18 months from now no one will remember this arc, just like how almost no one remembers any detailed storylines from Tynions 2 years on Detective Comics.

Personal Score: 0/10 F*** 90s comic tropes to death with a splintered wooden spoon in the urethra.

An aside:

I was alive for the grim and gritty 1990s in comic books. I was fortunate enough to pick up a Batman comicbook one time in 1993 that was bad enough that I could decide at 8 to not touch a DC comic again until I was 26. There are certain things that offend my taste that seem unique to that era. The gimmick plot lines, the characterization mutilation to make a forgettable plot point work, the idiotic scaling of new characters that have nothing to add value to the core story beyond someone getting a royalty check the more they are required to be used. The blaring hype around characters that do not stand out from any other ersatz extreme revisionist bathroom pitch that will revolutionize something (PUNCHLINE). Writers whose greatest achievement is knowing a great writer that can prevent strong criticism of their overrated work (Jurgens then and Tynion now)
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A mercifully snappy read which marginally improves on the previous issue.

This arc must surely close off this horrific amnesia malarkey, surely?

Honestly, this went by quickly, which I appreciate. But wow Barb how hard was it to figure out that Joker used that crystal on Nightwing? Also Punchline still sucks.

Ugh. There's nothing nice to say here so I'll just say... I could never make a Bat-symbol bonfire the way Bea did... Why did she do that? Who was going to see it??? I guess a Barbara Gordon who was there already.... Hmm.