For DC Comics followers the origin story for Dick Grayson/Nightwing is one that’s virtually as well-known as that of Batman himself. It is a story with some deep parallels to Bruce’s personal tragic origin story, which is a part of what makes it so compelling. The youngest of a household of acrobats referred to as the “Flying Graysons”, younger Richard “Dick” Grayson sees mafia boss Tony Zucco kill his dad and mom and Bruce Wayne/Batman finally ends up taking in Dick as his ward, coaching him to turn out to be Robin and, later, Nightwing. However on this week’s Nightwing #71, the amnesiac hero will get a brand new origin of types due to the Joker.

Within the situation Dick — who continues to be affected by reminiscence loss due to being shot within the head by KGBeast in Batman #55 from 2018 and thus going by “Ric” — the Joker reveals up at Prodigal Bar and threatens Ric’s girlfriend, Bea. The villain claims that he is there to assist Dick recuperate his reminiscences, however when Ric refuses, Joker threatens to kill Bea with a crowbar simply as he as soon as did to Jason Todd. Nevertheless, it isn’t simply the menace that Joker has up his sleeve. Joker pulls out the reminiscence crystal Physician Haas created that accommodates the Dick Grayson reminiscences/persona and makes use of it to “rewrite” Dick’s origin story by making himself the person who took Dick in upon the demise of his dad and mom.

(Photograph: DC Leisure)

“Let me inform you about a bit of boy whose dad and mom died within the circus,” Joker says. “However their deaths did not make the little boy unhappy. He was thrilled as a result of a really good man with inexperienced hair and white pores and skin got here to take that boy in and lift him as his personal. Enable me to inform you about his life.”

On the one hand, it seems to be just like the “Ric” state of affairs could lastly be at its finish — Joker declares “nobody likes that identify” after which dubs Dick “Dicky Boy” — however the concept of Batman’s greatest and most private villain warping the thoughts and historical past of the Dark Knight’s arguably closest ally is a brutal twist as we head towards the upcoming “Joker Conflict” crossover. It will likely be fascinating to see simply how this warped new origin twists Nightwing — and to see how lengthy Joker’s manipulation lasts.

Nightwing #71 is on sale now.

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