Nightwing#116(2024)

Dick Grayson is arrested and taken to Bludhaven Hospital under armed guard to recover from the injuries the police inflicted on him. Maggie Sawyer tries to tamp down the media's speculation, but as one of their own was killed they are out for blood. Between them the press put together the real events and false clues left by Heartless and come to the conclusion that Dick Grayson is Heartless and has been using his money and charitable foundation to control and terrorise the people of Bludhaven, and has both the police and mayor's office in his pocket. Dick wakes up in the hospital and easily escapes. Meanwhile, Barbara is telling the entire superhero community not to break Dick out of jail and to stand down while they figure out what to do. As soon as she ends the call, Dick walks into her apartment and she runs up and hugs him in relief. Barbara tells Dick that he should reveal that he is Nightwing to clear his name, this will obviously compromise the rest of the Bat-Family but she tells him that they all discussed it and agreed to give up their secret identities to help him. Dick refuses and says he needs to unmask the real Heartless, due to the drugs he inhaled previously he does not remember that Shelton Lyle is Heartless. He says that he can't stop Heartless as long as he is experiencing his fear of heights. Barbara tells him that Batman found traces of a compound similar to Scarecrow's Fear Toxin in his blood which would induce a fear of heights. However, the concentration is so low that it shouldn't be affecting him anymore which means his physiological response to the drug has induced a psychological phobia which didn't go away when the toxin wore off. Dick says he needs to go and see the man who helped him overcome his fears as a child: Boston Brand. After Dick's accident which trying to climb the trapeze, he became afraid of heights and asked his parents to retire so he would not risk losing them. Brand was brought in the Haly's Circus to be the new trapeze artist, but he told Dick that he could not live in fear and should fly like his parents. He offered to help Dick overcome his fears and Dick agreed. Bea Bennet smuggles Dick and Haley out of Bludhaven on a ship to Portugal and, using the name "Robbie Malone", he travels to the foothills of the Himalayas. He climbs the mountains until he reaches Nanada Parbat and meets with Boston Brand, now Deadman. Deadman complains that Dick did not collapse in the snow just outside the city as travellers usually do and Dick asks him to help again, saying it is worse this time. Deadman tells him that is because he was only afraid of losing his parents before, and now he actually has. In Bludhaven, Heartless broadcasts to the city. He claims to be Dick Grayson and tells them that he has turned the city into a haven for criminals and predators. He also reveals that he has people embedded in city hall, the police and walking among the general public. Heartless demands that the Titans leave the city or he will kill one person every half hour, dumping a body at the docks to prove he is not bluffing. With no other choice, the Titans depart. Heartless invites Nightwing to stay and face him alone, knowing that Dick is gone, but Batman dresses in Nightwing's costume to protect Bludhaven.