Nightwing #10

Issue Details

Synopsis

THE TOMORROW PEOPLE While the historical districts of most cities tend to be the heart of the city's identity and the citizens' pride, Old Gotham represents a dark shame for most Gothamites. Its streets are riddled with prostituted, dealers, and gangs. On the other hand, if it weren't such a place, Nightwing would have no reason to be there.   He is investigating the murder of the Strayhorn brothers. Their bodies were found beaten to death with one of his own escrima sticks, and now the GCPD is on his trail. He investigates their apartment, and discovers that what he thought was a branding by the killer might have been something else. The same symbol is painted on the brothers' wall, indicating that perhaps it was a tattoo that the killer had removed. The symbol represents the Alpha and Omega - the beginning and end of the Greek alphabet.   Suddenly, a S.W.A.T. team from the GCPD bursts into the apartment with flash bangs. While Nightwing fights off the police, he receives a call from Lucius Fox. Fox alludes to a recent business discussion he and Grayson have been having. Dick is planning something big; something expensive. Given Dick's desire to remain independent from his adoptive father Bruce, he will need another outside investor to help him come up with the money for his venture. Their discussion continues, even as Nightwing fights his would-be captors, and crashes through a window to the street below. Dick explains that he doesn't want to take Haly's Circus on the road anymore. He has bigger plans. Lucius informs him that the banks are reasonably reluctant to invest in those plans at this time, but he does have one viable option left: Sonia Branch, the daughter of the man who killed Dick's parents - Tony Zucco.   Meanwhile, Commissioner Gordon reprimands Detective Travis Nie for having shot up an entire residential building, all just to catch one man who may or may not actually be involved in the Strayhorn murder. Gordon reminds that Nightwing isn't an official suspect, despite the escrima stick, which Nie is treating as substantial cause to use deadly force. Nie threatens to sue both the commissioner and the city if he is removed from the case.   Later, Gordon meets with Deputy Mayor Thomas Kavanaugh on the roof of Gotham City Hall. Jim believes that Nie may have planted the evidence in this case, but he can't do anything about it, because of the complicated situation. Nie was pilled off duty for an Internal Affairs investigation after he was believed to have stolen a weapon from evidence in order to plant post-mortem victims on a victim and thereby spark a manhunt against the Batman. Unfortunately, no proof was found that the victims' wounds were inflicted post-mortem, and so it was ruled that there was no apparent wrongdoing on Nie's part. Kavanaugh offers to do anything he can to help clear Nightwing's name, given that his life was saved by the vigilante just days ago. Gordon is surprised, considering that Mayor Hady is openly against the Batman and his allies.   The next morning Dick meets with Sonia Branch, taking Lucius' word that she has distanced herself from her father's life of crime. He explains that he would like for Gotham to have some place within it that can represent hope. The specific location that he has in mind for this is the dilapidated amusement park, Amusement Mile. For years, it has been a symbol of what Gotham used to be. It was once the soul of the city, but now it is an eyesore. Dick wants to save it, and reinvent it for the future. In this way, he hopes that he will save the soul of Gotham itself.   Sonia is intrigued, at least, and wonders if Dick has a centerpiece in mind for it. For that, Dick intends to have Haly's Circus become a permanent fixture at Amusement Mile. Unfortunately, the circus folk's morale has dropped considerably since Raya and Bryan were arrested - not to mention Raymond's apparent return from death, only to be killed again. Jimmy the Clown is concerned that no one will go along with Dick's plan. Many of them want to disband the circus all together, in fact. Dick explains that he understands if some people want to leave, but he promises that he'll pay out everyone's salaries until Amusement Mile is up and running. Jimmy promises to see what the others think.   Later that night, Nightwing interrogates the Zeke's Tattoo Parlour - home of the best tattoo artist in the city. He demands to know about the Alpha and Omega tattoo, showing a photo of the Strayhorn brothers with Zeke at the parlour. Zeke admits that Nightwing is actually the second person to come asking about the Strayhorns' tattoos. Detective Nie had already been there asking about it. Suddenly, Nightwing hears a creak from behind a window, and realizes that they will soon be under attack. He shoves Zeke to the floor just as a group of men in armor featuring the same symbol as in the tattoo opens fire on them.   The attackers are relatively inept, despite their heavy artillery, and Nightwing makes short work of them. After putting one of the weaker willed members through a particularly harrowing experience, Nightwing is informed that their organization is called the Republic of Tomorrow, and that their headquarters is located within the Gotham Clock Tower.   When Nightwing investigates he discovers dozens of other members of this Republic training together. Their leader, Paragon, delivers an inspiring speech about building a promising future by destroying the past. Having apparently noticed that Nightwing is watching, Paragon zaps him with a taser and warns that the future of Gotham City hinges on Nightwing's death.