By Harrison Stewart — Tom Taylor doesn’t believe in “filler.” Taking to Twitter late last year, he criticized the term as dismissive of shorter comics arcs: “A story’s worth is not in its length.” True to form, “World’s Finest Sons,” the two-part crossover spanning Nightwing #89 and Superman: Son of Kal-El #9 (due out March 8), is anything but filler. With plenty of laughs and heart to spare, Nightwing #89 stands tall as one of the finest issues in an already stellar series.

No small part of what makes Nightwing so special is the magnificent art. Plenty have said as much, but it bears repeating: Bruno Redondo is a world-class talent, virtually the Platonic ideal of superhero artists (did you see Nightwing #87?!). The ease with which he moves from fiery bombast to quiet tenderness is enough to make any comics hall-of-famer blush. But it is that latter quality which has been of particular importance to Taylor’s storytelling.

Relationships are a focal point of this run, with stories often relying as much on what is left unsaid between characters as what is spelled out. Redondo’s line work excels at showing us what a character is thinking simply by their facial expression or posture. His attention to the human form not only makes for excellent action sequences, it makes the characters feel alive and whole. And with the vibrant, poppy colors of Adriano Lucas to boot, there are few artists I’d rather have on this or any other Big Two title.

As for the story, “World’s Finest Sons” functions primarily as a Jon Kent jam featuring Dick Grayson. The narrative continues the “someone is targeting supers” plot that began in Son of Kal-El, with Dick serving more as a mentor/guest appearance. So much so, I forgot a few times that I was reading a Nightwing book. But not to be overshadowed in his own series, Dick gets several standout character moments here. Unlike his adoptive father, Dick understands that kids need more than a colorful costume to thrive. They need encouragement, levity and a healthy dose of “it’s gonna be ok.” Taylor and Redondo deliver and then some, highlighting Grayson’s emotional intelligence more effectively than any other writer since Grant Morrison.

This mini-crossover could easily have felt like a crass cash grab, forcing cross-readership where none was warranted. Instead, Taylor and Redondo pull all the stops to give us a memorable, heart-warming team up that will leave you craving more. More than anything, I loved this book just for making me smile.

Overall: Nightwing #89 is the rare crossover that reminds you why you love comics. 9/10.

REVIEW: Nightwing #89

Writer: Tom Taylor
Artist: Bruno Redondo
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Publisher: DC Comics
Superman/Nightwing crossover! Years ago,when Robin took his first uncertain steps away from Batman as his own hero, Superman stepped in and offered Dick Grayson crucial advice, support, and a name: Nightwing. Now it's time for Nightwing to return the favor.
Price: $3.99
Buy It Here: Nightwing #89

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Harrison manages a comic shop by day and writes comics by night. You can find more of his writing at @stewart_bros