Deathstroke's New Mission Is the Ultimate Critique of Nightwing
Warning: spoilers for DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War #1!
Famously known for their ongoing rivalry, Nightwing and Deathstroke’s complex relationship has often consisted of the former Robin playing the hero and the mercenary taking on a more villainous role. However, DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War #1 — the latest spin-off of the popular DC vs. Vampires series — flips the script on the enemies' legendary feud, showcasing just how far Dick Grayson has fallen.
DC vs. Vampires: All-Out War #1 occurs after the bloody reveal of Vampire King Nightwing in DC vs. Vampires #6. This new issue opens with Deathstroke leading a mission to revive Batman, who was murdered by Nightwing, using the final Lazarus Pit. Unfortunately, things go sideways, and a vampiric Jean-Paul Valley (aka Azrael) plunges into the pit, restoring his humanity and using up the last of its power. Later, Man-Bat reflects on the situation, stating, «technically we have a Batman now,» in reference to Jean-Paul's short run as Batman’s violent replacement during Knightfall.
Related: Nightwing's Rivalry With Deathstroke is Much Worse Than Batman & Joker's
Fans of Grant Morrison and Cameron Stewart's Batman & Robin run may notice the striking similarities between Deathstroke’s latest mission and the Blackest Knight storyline. In this arc, Dick Grayson attempts to resurrect Bruce Wayne using a Lazarus Pit but instead brings one of Darkseid's murderous Batman clones back to life. Given that Deathstroke is an enemy of Nightwing and the Bat-Family, the parallels between the two events place Slade in a strangely heroic role, showing just how far Nightwing has fallen that his despicable nemesis is now in his heroic role. The issue comes from Alex Paknadel, Matthew Rosenberg,
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