Nightwing #153

Issue Details

Synopsis

BLACK DAWN At the Cloisters, the members of the JSA are helping Nightwing packing all the equipment from his headquarters and they leave the place empty in just a few minutes. Nightwing thanks them for their help and he is left alone with Flash, who asks Nightwing about his future plans and Nightwing tells him that he is returning to Gotham and focus entirely on the city.  Dick travels to Gotham by train and it takes him longer that a plane ride to get there, but in the meantime, he is mentally preparing for this next step. Upon arriving, Dick meets with Alfred at the station and they go home, driving through the city. On their way home, Dick notices that there's a broken lamp post on Park Row.   Some time later, Alfred and Nightwing are helping Robin, descend to the Batcave's deepest areas, as they are looking for the missing Giant Penny. When Robin finally finds it, they pull it to the main area of the cave and they place it on his rightful place. The Penny was the last piece of the cave missing and the entire place was reconstructed and complete once more.   After a long time working, Tim decides to go home while Nightwing and Alfred are left alone in the cave and they discuss how hard the situation must be for Tim after losing almost every important person in his life. Nightwing thinks that Tim might be hoping for Bruce to return and he recalls the fact that almost every other major superhero has returned from the death, but when Alfred asks his honest opinion, Dick sheds some tears and replies that he believes Bruce is gone for good this time. Alfred thinks the same, but despite their loss, he thinks that the best thing to do is carry on, for Bruce's memory. Tim listened to their conversation, but by the time they decide to leave the cave, he is gone as well.   Nightwing goes to his room in Wayne Manor and finds the candle that was used during his oath and decides to take it with him during his next mission.   Nightwing goes to Park Row, also known as Crime Alley, and takes the light bulb from the broken lamp post and puts on a new one, making the light come back to that place. As Nightwing descends, he recalls that this was the place where Bruce lost his parents and where his destiny started. However, he also thinks that this is the place where his own future started as well. Dick places the candle on the ground and lights the candle in a symbolic way to remember the two orphans who had to witness their parents die in front of them and who were rescued by loving and caring people. Nightwing then picks up the candle and moves on, thinking of Bruce and the eternal hope that his presence brought to his life and to Gotham. ORIGINS & OMENS In the darkest corner of Oa, Scar take a glimpse of Nightwing's life on preparation for the incoming threat.   Dick Grayson visits Barbara Gordon on her birthday and gives her a present. After opening the present, Barbara realizes that it is a blindfold and Dick urges her to put it on. As Barbara places the cloth on her eyes, Dick takes her to his car and drives her across the city. Barbara seems to know their exact position at every moment and in the end she even guesses that they are in Archie Goodwin International Airport. Dick's surprise isn't ruined yet and he takes her inside a small plane and after reaching a some altitude, Dick makes Barbara wear a security harness and then he finally allows her to take off the blindfold. She is surprised by the fact that Dick wants her to jump off the plane and she refuses to do so. However, Dick tells her that she won't have to jump alone, he ties his body behind her and with his help, they both jump away and start diving across the sky. Barbara couldn't be happier and Dick wishes her a happy birthday.   Meanwhile, Scar keeps writing over the Book of the Black while visions of the dark future that awaits Nightwing and the entire humanity are written in black.