A future without “weapons”-where superpowers have been eliminated and outlawed. The man responsible? None other than Dick Grayson, a.k.a. Nightwing, now leader of a government task force called the Crusaders who are charged with hunting the remaining Supers. But when events transpire which turn the Crusaders’ aim toward Grayson’s own family, the former Boy Wonder must turn against the very system he helped create, with help from the very people he’s been hunting for years-the last metahumans of the DC Universe.

When I first heard DC was lining up their version of a “fascist” dystopian future I had slight PTSD of the disaster that is a certain rival’s big summer event. But, after reading Nightwing: The New Order #1 my fears were gone as the story isn’t so much about the fascism as it is about choices we make both good and bad.

Writer Kyle Higgins gives us a first issue, that while somewhat predictable, is a solid read about a person who makes a tough decision to keep the world safe and then is presented with the personal fall out from those decisions. Higgins’ focus is the family and in a way this first issue feels like it can ben an allegory for so many things. A family’s reaction to a child coming out, a family’s reaction to seeing a member march in Charlottesville, or even the marcher themselves. There’s many levels here and each reader can take away what they want in their own personal way.

What Higgins presents is tough choices that are made to do what we think will protect our loved ones or the world as a whole. And, like all choices, there’s good and bad, and in this case we see real reflection on that from multiple sides. Though some specifics aren’t given, we’re presented a world without metahumans and superheroes, having been “defeated” by Dick Grayson. Why did he do it and how? That’s not explored and I hope we get more of that in the future but we’re given enough that there’s not a need to dwell on it.

Artist Trevor McCarthy presents a futuristic world that embodies its fascist tendencies but at the same time doesn’t have the dread we see in so many others. This feels more like a police state with strict rules but still a vast amount of freedom, that is if you’re not metahuman. The tech feels like it “fits” in the DC Universe like we’ve seen it before and could be from many of the future timelines that has been presented before. It feels like “DC” and not a departure. A matured Grayson too looks like a possible older self but there’s still a youthful feel about him.

A comic I was nervous about has gotten me intrigued to see more. While a lot of it is predictable it’s still enjoyable presenting question both in this world’s history but also in moral ways that had me reflecting and pondering as a reader.

Story: Kyle Higgins Art: Trevor McCarthy
Story: 7.75 Art: 7.75 Overall: 7.75 Recommendation: Read

DC Comics provided Graphic Policy with a FREE copy for review