Warning: contains spoilers for DC vs Vampires: All Out War #3!The last thought Nightwing had before he died will absolutely destroy every DC fan. Readers of DC vs Vampires were shocked when Nightwing finally revealed himself as the new Vampire King, and a new companion miniseries, DC vs Vampires: All Out War is chronicling his transformation and rise to power. In issue three, on sale now in print and digital, Nightwing has been cornered by the vampire army and while he puts up a brave fight, but is overpowered–and his final thought will shatter fans everywhere.
Vampires have been a part of the DC Universe for years but earlier this year they rocketed to prominence with DC vs Vampires, an out-of-continuity maxi-series pitting Superman, Wonder Woman, and the rest of the League against an army of the undead bent on wiping out the human race. Along the way, a number of heroes, including Green Lantern Hal Jordan have been turned, giving the vampire army serious power. Shocks abounded throughout the initial issues, but perhaps the biggest of them all was the revelation that Nightwing had become King of the Vampires, ready to lead them on their genocidal quest. At the time, DC did not reveal how Nightwing was selected, but in the spin-off miniseries DC vs. Vampires: All Out War, a series of backup stories are filling in those gaps.
In the second installment of the series, titled “Dark Birth,” by Emma Vieceli, illustrated by Haining and lettered by Troy Peter, Nightwing, still not turned, has been captured by the vampire army. The vampire community is currently splintered into factions; Mary, the former leader of the vampires wishes to keep the peace between her people and humanity, but others wish to exterminate them, feeling humans are below them. Nightwing tells the vampires to work their differences out on their own and tries to leave, but his exit is blocked. Nightwing asks to be let go, and he does not wish to fight the vampires, but they attack. He mounts a brave defense but is overrun, and as he lies on the ground with an army of vampires feeding on him, Nightwing’s final thought is “who’d feed Haley in the morning?”
The story ends with newly minted vampire Nightwing killing Pandora, and assuming the role of the Vampire King, ready to hunt and turn his friends—but his last words before his transformation are absolutely heartbreaking. Haley AKA “Bitewing” is his beloved dog, and has become the breakout character of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s Eisner-nominated run; Nightwing found her as a stray and took her in. She has become his beloved companion, and his last act as a human being was to worry about her safety. What is truly heartbreaking is that after his transformation, Nightwing is now evil, and Haley will hardly be a blip on his radar–if at all. Furthermore, Haley does not know what happened and will be left wondering what happened to her human.
The main DC vs Vampires series is still playing out, so a possibility exists that the turned heroes and villains can be redeemed and have their humanity restored–meaning a reunion between Haley and Nightwing is a possibility, but his final thoughts, before being turned will destroy any DC fan.