Nightwing's Perfect Legacy Crumbles Thanks to a Villain So Cruel, He Makes Joker Look Kind

Warning! Contains spoilers for Nightwing #114!

Summary Nightwing's life is in turmoil due to the cruel villain Heartless targeting everything he loves.

Heartless kidnaps crime bosses' children, murders parents in front of them, and traumatizes the kids.

Heartless aims to ruin Nightwing's reputation and life, a darker threat than the Joker ever posed.

Nightwing's life has been going pretty well lately: he has a girlfriend he loves, he's rich, and he's making his city a better place. Unfortunately, all of this seems to be on the verge of collapse because of one villain who might be even more cruel than the Joker: Heartless.

In Nightwing #114 by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, readers are exposed to the shocking brutality of the new Nightwing villain, Heartless. During a meeting with the few remaining crime bosses in Blüdhaven, Heartless proves to be very persuasive as he reveals his plan to force the criminals to join his army. As his name implies, it's a truly heartless method.

To motivate the bosses into joining him, Heartless has kidnapped their children. Instead of threatening the children's lives though, Heartless murders the parents in front of the children. This method is remarkably cruel, as it will surely traumatize the children for life. In order to protect their children, the criminals quickly fall in line.

Nightwing #114 is the first installment of the final arc in Taylor and Redondo's already-classic run on the title.

Related Nightwing Hits His Lowest Moment in Dark Vision of Dick Grayson's Future Nightwing has been doing great in life recently, but it seems that his life is about to come crashing down as DC releases a dark look at his future.

Nightwing's Villain Heartless Is the Perfect Threat to Match Dick Grayson's Kindness

Heartless Has Been a Major Feature of Taylor and Redondo's Award-Winning Nightwing Run

Nightwing's life has been on a meteoric rise: he's cleaning Blüdhaven of organized crime, he's a billionaire and putting that money back into the city, and he's in a major romantic relationship with the love of his life, Barbara Gordon. He was even recently given the key of the city due to his charitable actions with the Alfred Pennyworth Foundation, created using the money Alfred left to Dick after his death. All of this has been tainted now, as Heartless' first strike against Dick Grayson is corrupting the image of the Pennyworth Foundation by exposing it for having ties to criminal funds — funds Heartless himself undoubtedly funneled into the organization.

While the Joker is undeniably evil, his purpose is usually to push Batman's moral line; he's never outright tried to ruin the life of both Batman and Bruce Wayne, as Heartless is doing with Dick Grayson.

Heartless has been with Nightwing since childhood, as the young Shelton Lyle was one of the many people who witnessed the Flying Graysons' deaths. This moment gave the cruel Shelton a special interest in Nightwing, as he desperately loved watching Dick Grayson suffer. Now, as Heartless, he wants to orchestrate Nightwing's fall from grace, a plan far more cruel than anything the Joker has done to Batman. While the Joker is undeniably evil, his purpose is usually to push Batman's moral line; he's never outright tried to ruin the life of both Batman and Bruce Wayne, as Heartless is doing with Dick Grayson.

Dick Grayson Has Faced Countless Dark Villains as Both Nightwing and Batman

But Heartless Is Nightwing's Darkest Foe So Far

Nightwing has faced plenty of dark villains when he was in Gotham City. Fighting against truly evil characters like the Joker or even the serial killer James Gordon, Jr. isn't new for Dick, especially given that he spent time as Batman. But Heartless is the first villain who is not only intent on ruining Dick Grayson, but also Nightwing. Heartless has spent years making this plan, and now he's finally ready to make his move. While Nightwing has enjoyed rising popularity in the past few years, his tragic fall starts now at the hands of Heartless.

Nightwing #114 is available now from DC Comics!

NIGHTWING #114 (2024) Writer: Tom Taylor

Artist: Bruno Redondo

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Wes Abbott

Cover Artist: Bruno Redondo