WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for NIGHTWING #119!Dick Grayson is about to embark on an exciting new chapter as a fresh creative team takes the reins of the fan-favoriteNightwingseries. Though much of this new era remains shrouded in mystery, the lead artist has dropped a major hint, unveiling the story’s chilling new villain. Intriguing and downright creepy, this rogue’s introduction—complete with a striking in-narrative image—has already captured fans' attention, setting the stage for an unforgettable story.
The October 23, 2024release ofNightwing#119is a date many Dick Grayson fans have circled on their calendars, eagerly anticipating the start of a new era as the series welcomes a fresh creative team. With this issue, fans will bid farewell to Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo and greet Dan Watters and Dexter Soy, who promise to bring Nightwing back to his street-level roots as he takes on gang violence, corrupt officials, and more. Although the release is still weeks away,Soy has already shared an intriguing teaser on Instagram, offering a glimpse of the series' supposed main villain.
“O Little Circus Boy…":NightwingDebuts Dick Grayson’s Creepiest Villain Yet
Artist Dexter Soy Gives Fans Sneak Peek ofNightwing#119
Dexter Soy’s teaser seems to come directly from a panel in the upcomingNightwing#119, giving fans a sneak peek of his recognizable and beloved art style, accompanied by a few speech bubbles. The artwork features a never-before-seen character, likely male, wearing a long-nosed white mask and a clown-like ensemble that includes a white ruff—the ruffled collar worn by jesters and figures from the Renaissance and Elizabethan periods—and white gloves. However,the creepiest detail in the panel is the villain holding a marionette version of Nightwing in his hand.
As the villain examines the marionette, he mutters,“It will not do. No, it will not do,”adding to the eerie tone Watters and Soy expertly build in just one frame.Soy further heightens the intrigue by captioning his post with,“O little circus boy…",likely another line from the issue.Fans have already responded enthusiastically, with comments like,“THIS LOOKS AMAZING DEXTER! I can’t wait to see you and Dan work on Nightwing!”and“Ordered weeks ago!!!,”the latter comment responding to Soy’s call to order the comic.
40 Years Later, Nightwing Still Hasn’t Accomplished the 1 Goal That Redefined His Entire Life
One DC hero has made it clear that Nightwing has failed to accomplish the one goal that redefined his life. However, fans will surely disagree.
Dick Grayson’s Newest Villain Is Giving Strong Jigsaw Vibes (With Nightwing As Billy the Puppet)
Did theSawFranchise Inspire Bludhaven’s Newest Villain?
Given the villain’s subtle yet unmistakable clown-like appearance, it seems Nightwing may be facing his own version of the Joker—though it seems this new foe prefers to operate behind the scenes rather than take center stage. The mask and the marionette in his hand all suggest someone who works from the shadows. This imagery also draws strongparallels to theSawfranchise, with the villain seemingly adopting a Jigsaw-like role while Dick Grayson is cast as Billy the Puppet in the visual cues Soy provides. It will be interesting to see if Watters and Soy address this directly and confirm whetherSawserved as inspiration for this newNightwingrogue.
Nightwing #119is available August 02, 2025, from DC Comics.
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
