Notice! This post contains SPOILERS for Nightwing #118I was about to turn the tables in the middle of the final issue of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s magazine. Nightwing. In general, Nightwing #118 is a wonderful conclusion to the run that Taylor and Redondo began in 2021 with Nightwing #78. However, there was a moment when I almost started to revolt, fearing that Tom Taylor had become as cruel as DC’s own Heartless.
In Nightwing #118 by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo, Dick Grayson returns to his city of Blüdhaven, having overcome the fear of heights he recently received from the villain Heartless. In the meantime, Heartless was posing as Grayson himself to discredit everything Nightwing had done to improve his city and help his people. However, this final showdown also involves Dick Grayson’s adorable pit bull, Haley, the three-legged dog that Dick saved at the beginning of this run. Surprisingly, Bitewing saves Dick Grayson by taking a bullet that was meant for him (aka the moment I almost lost him):
Taking a bullet to the side from Heartless’s butler that was meant for Dick, Bitewing’s loyalty is unquestionably unmatched.. However, the idea of ​​Nightwing losing his lovable companion is unthinkably tragic and cruel, even for fiction. After all, this is the bitch who was literally nominated by DC fans via an online voting system when she debuted in Taylor and Redondo’s. Nightwing run.
Haley, aka Bitewing, is one of the best DC super pets of all time
An adorable creation by Taylor and Redondo
After rescuing her as a puppy from some teenagers who were abusing her, Dick Grayson took Haley, also known as Bitewing, home to live with him as his own.. Since then, Haley has been mostly looked after by Nightwing and Barbara Gordon’s Batgirl, becoming adorably loyal and all kinds of cute. While the name Bitewing makes perfect sense, the name Haley is arguably even better, having been named after Haly’s Circus, where Dick grew up with his parents.
Bitewing has also become a true Super Pet in his own right. Thanks to the efforts of the fifth-dimensional imp and Nightwing superfan known as Nite-Mite, Haley temporarily gained her own costume and even the ability to speak, helping Nightwing save Olivia Desmond from several demons. To that end, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better dog than Haley. With that in mind, Bitewing’s sacrifice in this final issue is something she would undoubtedly do for Dick.. However, it would be no less tragic if that’s how her story ended… which thankfully it doesn’t.
Luckily, Haley lives to be the best bite she can be
(I can rest assured)
Fortunately, the beautiful final page of Taylor and Redondo’s book Nightwing run sees Haley alive and well, recovered from her injuries and sitting happily next to Dick and Barbara. As such, it means I can rest easy knowing that an adorable DC Super Pet will live on. Most importantly, it also means that Tom Taylor can rest easy and not have to worry about what would have been a very strongly worded letter written by you. Taylor would never be so cruel (although he provoked the opposite) and Nightwing #118 remains a truly epic conclusion to his and Redondo’s award-winning run.
Nightwing #118 It’s on sale now at DC Comics.