From the
DCU Review:
Nightwing is one of my favorite books of the New 52.
Nightwing is extremely new reader friendly. Exploring Dick Grayson's circus roots and how it's affecting his present day life lets the reader peek into his history and learn what he's all about. If you aren't familiar with the Bat-family of characters, it's not really a big deal. Other than the Gotham City backdrop, this is entirely a Nightwing story. Readers who enjoy Dick's adventures may follow him into the other Bat-books, so great job to Higgins & Barrows for building a rock solid foundation for this new series.
Dick is really reasserting himself as Nightwing. Distancing this book from the Bat-family works in its favor, considering Dick was Batman (and then A Batman) prior to the relaunch. If DC wants to make Nightwing his own man again, this is the way to do it.
I've commented on the amount of shock factor in the New 52 before — all the sex and graphic violence. Nightwing is above all that. Instead, we are treated to real conflict when the dying Mr. Haly, owner of the circus, hands the deed over to Dick. "I've made a lot of mistakes over the years, Dick, and I have a lot of regrets," Mr. Haly says, "but my biggest is what happened to you [meaning his life as a crimefighter that Mr. Haly has known about all along]. Haly's is part of who you were supposed to be… what your family was supposed to be, which is why when I'm gone, you're the one who has to be there." Yikes! What a tough situation to put Dick in. His past is trying to change his future, but his present doesn't want there to be a future, if Saiko, the assassin hunting Dick Grayson, "fiercest killer in all of Gotham," has anything to say about it.
Nightwing is a great blend of action (two separate battles with Saiko), romance (Dick and Raya getting hot and heavy in Bruce's airplane), and drama (the circus inheritence) with bits of humor dropped throughout.
Issue #2 ends with a cliffhanger to keep the reader coming back (not that it's needed): Saiko seemingly followed Dick Grayson to Mr. Haly's warehouse, then tortured Haly to learn that Dick is really Nightwing. Now Saiko is on the loose with that information, the warehouse is up in flames, and Mr. Haly doesn't look so well.
One thing I didn't like in this issue: the burning of the circus warehouse. It had cooler toys than the Batcave (for real) fantastically drawn by Barrows.