This week from DC Comics we get Nightwing 79. Dick must continue to put his life back together post Joker War. As he does so he notices some things missing and begins to question the difference he made in Bludhaven. It is one thing to go through an event like the Joker War, but for Dick to have lost his memory, his identity, live as another person for some time, and then be thrust back into his old life once more can really take a toll on a person. Thankfully Dick relies on one of his closest and oldest friends for support. Barbara Gordon, Fellow superhero and trauma survivor, does her best to support Dick. They make a good team, but then this issue goes a a little wonky. We go from light hearted to no hearted in the flip of a page.

A Friend to Rely On

Babs seems to be making the rounds right now. She not only plays a major role over in the Batman title, but here she hangs out with her old friend Dick. Given their past history, we have to wonder if they might be hooking up again. Theirs is a relationship that will always border the deepest of friendships and forever lovers at the same time. I love the role Babs plays in this issue. As Dick begins to question everything about himself, she plays the role of light hearted friend who sees the light when Dick can’t. I laughed when she made the joke about Dick not having a confidence issue because he wears the tightest outfit of the group.

I also loved the scene later on when Dick gets pick pocketed by a kid. He tells Barbara not to let Batman know. Of course she’s already posted it to their new ‘Bat-family’ group chat. Dick’s phone then explodes with notifications and Barbara tells Dick it’s probably Cassie because she lacks ’emoji control’. Not only is it cute humor between Babs and Dick, but it really shows that for the first time ever, this truly is a bat-family. It is no longer bunches of different factions all wearing bat insignias as allowed by Bruce. They are a family working together and relying on one another.

Dick does find something of a point in his sulking. What good has he done? He saved dozens upon dozens of lives and the Earth itself a couple times, but unlike Bruce, when he disappeared, what good did he really do? Was there a legacy at all for Dick Grayson/Nightwing? He chided Bruce about not doing enough as Bruce Wayne, but what did Dick Grayson really do?

Light Hearted to No Hearted – Billionaire Grayson Finds His Purpose

We can all wonder what we could have done differently with our lives, and can we do enough going forward. Dick did a lot as Nightwing, but as the newest billionaire thanks to Alfred’s will, Dick stumbles across a whole new realm of superheroism. He wracks his brain and asks Barbara for any ideas, when lo and behold, the idea stumbles across them. A homeless man and his son ask Dick and Barbara for any help money-wise. Of course in this day and age who does carry cash any more?!

It hits Dick. As Bludhaven’s newest Billionaire, he can start supporting the homeless and needy. He can make sure fewer people fall through the cracks. Dick starts by inviting every homeless person in the area to his favorite pizza joint he and Barbara just visited and buying them all pizzas! He then offers to put the boy and his father up in the Bludhaven Three Seasons for a month. Dick said he’d even check up to see how things are. Dick finally found his calling. Bludhaven didn’t have anyone helping the needy, until now.

Of course the afore mentioned wallet gets stolen and he attempts to track it down with Barbara’s help. Much to Dick’s disgusted surprise, when he tracks the kids down to a homeless tent city, the children there as if he’s the heartless man, and think he is there to harm them. He wants to be the hero not the villain so he wisely pulls back and lets the kids know he can keep wallet. While did that, Barbara learns for herself how helpless the BPD really is. They refuse to help Barbara and Dick because they are on the take from Maroni. Grayson’s/NIghtwing’s purpose is now set – in stone.

Light Hearted to No Hearted – Then the Coin Flips

This issue spends most of its time with light hearted banter between Babs and Dick, with some soul searching and revelation mixed in. It’s all a pretty good direction, or at least it was until we get to the next villain Nightwing must track down. The homeless dad felt pretty good. He and his son now feel nice and full and they are about to spend a month in a top grade hotel. What did they say about the other shoe falling again? They pass an alley and a stranger holds them at gunpoint. The dad tells his son to run back to the pizza place. The father says he lacks anything of value, which you’d think would be obvious, but we assume the wrong thing.

The first thing I noticed was the gun. The gun being pointed at the dad did not look like any gun I know of, so who uses weird guns? My first thought went to Mr Fries, but this does not fit his modus operandi. Firefly doesn’t fit either. Who uses a gun like that where this makes any sense?! Turns out no one we know, and it also sheds light on why the kids in the homeless park called Nightwing Mr Heartless. This also becomes the point where the nature of this issue gets stood on its head!

We go from a nice playful issue, enjoying the banter of two close friends, to a gun that shoots out a tube, sucks out a person’s heart and leaves a gaping hole in their chest! This type of killing goes WAY beyond anything Nightwing dealt with in the past, and he’s not even aware of it yet. Let’s hope Nightwing and Oracle solve this case quickly!

What did you think of Nightwing 79 and how it switches from soul searching to heart stealing? Head on over to DC Fanatics on Facebook and let us know your thoughts.