A bullet to the head has left Dick Grayson with no memory of his past, but his attempts to build a new life for himself will force him to team up with the most unexpected hero of all - Nightwing. Just as nature abhors a vacuum, so Bludhaven needs a Nightwing, and detective Alphonse Sapienza is determined to fill the gap. He thinks dark times call for Dark Knights, and he and two of his fellow officers have suited up in old Nightwing costumes to try and make a difference.

Our exclusive preview of Nightwing #53 picks up where the last issue left off, with Dick Grayson - who now calls himself “Ric” - getting the shock of his life. One of his fellow cabbies sent out a Mayday on the radio, and Ric rushed to the scene; only to find the cab deserted, with signs of a struggle. Ric had barely begun investigating before he was asked to stand down by one of the three new Nightwings. It’s an encounter that’s sure to shake the amnesiac to his core; Ric is attempting to leave his old life behind him, and even believed he’d destroyed the Nightwing costumes. He doesn’t know that he used to have stashes and safehouses all over the city, and that the police have stumbled upon one of them.

What follows is a distinctly amusing scene in which Ric Grayson tries to size up the new Nightwing without giving away that he’s no ordinary civilian. Sapienza, for his part, is a good man - and is determined to keep this random cabbie out of harm’s way. It doesn’t take Ric long to work out what he’s dealing with; “You’re a cop and you decided to moonlight,” he guessed. “Found someone’s toys and you’re playing hero?”

Whether Ric Grayson wants to admit it or not, a hero’s instincts burn within him. The previous issue saw him defend himself with muscle memory, effortlessly beating down a would-be mugger. This time round, he’s proved to be something of an escape artist, instinctively knowing how to get out of a pair of handcuffs. Batman’s training was good enough to ingrain these skills in his subconscious, meaning Ric’s abilities shouldn’t be underestimated. He’ll need to draw on all this ingrained skills in order to deal with the threat before him, though - the Nightwings are unwittingly going up against the Scarecrow.

Ric really isn’t in a fit state to face this particular villain. He’s already haunted by fear, with his only memories being nightmares of death and violence; that means he’ll be very vulnerable indeed to the Scarecrow’s attacks.As surprised as he may be to see people running around in his old costume, it’s highly likely that Ric will soon come to appreciate the help. The Scarecrow’s endgame is still an unknown, but presumably this issue will drop some major clues as he unleashes what the solicits have called a new “fear germ.” Check out a full synopsis for the issue below:

  • NIGHTWING (2018) #53 Published: November 21, 2018 Writers: Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza Art: Travis Moore and Patch Zircher Cover Artist: Chris Mooneyham and Nick Filardi Who is Dick Grayson? That’s the question haunting him after the devastating injury he suffered in Batman #55. Now, as he continues to struggle physically and emotionally, how can he stand against the terrifying “fear germ” unleashed by the Scarecrow?

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Nightwing #53 will be available November 21st, 2018 from DC Comics.