Warning! This post contains SPOILERS for Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2
In a truly bizarre moment from Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo, Dick Grayson's Nightwing makes a major mistake no Gotham vigilante would ever logically make. In this new Black Label offering from DC Comics, Batman and Joker have no choice but to work together against a new threat who's creating Jokerized mutant monsters. Likewise, the lives of both Harley Quinn and Commissioner Gordon are on the line. However, that doesn't mean that the Clown Prince of Crime should be trusted or left to his own devices.
In the new Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2 written and drawn by Marc Silvestri, Batman takes the Joker back to the Batcave to plan his next moves with his arch-foe. However, the Clown Prince of Crime is justifiably blindfolded so as not to reveal the Batcave's location. After all, he's still the Dark Knight's nemesis. Having been bitten by one of the creatures, Alfred and Nightwing removed the teeth embedded in Batman's shoulder to be analyzed. Dick is then left in charge of guarding Joker while Batman attempts to discover the villain responsible for the monsters. Surprisingly, Nightwing is shown asleep by the issue's end, mere feet away from the Joker while an alert goes off in response to the teeth continuing to grow inside containment. As such, this is beyond a rookie mistake for Nightwing that's pretty illogical.
Nightwing's New Joker Mistake Doesn't Make Any Sense
The Joker is one of the most dangerous and unpredictable villains in all of Gotham City. He killed Jason Todd's Robin. He paralyzed Barbara Gordon's Batgirl. He actively has Jim Gordon held hostage and tortured to get Batman to work with him in this current series. He's done so many terrible things that it's really hard to believe Nightwing would allow himself to sleep with Joker in such proximity (inside the Batcave no less).
In the next issue of Deadly Duo, the mutant teeth will likely break containment and could even heal and replicate enough to become a brand-new monster, one that could result in the Joker being freed. However, the specifics are less alarming than the fact that Nightwing slept on the job while guarding Joker. In the primary DC Universe, no member of the Bat-Family would be so cocky when it comes to Batman's arch-foe (Batman himself would make sure of it). It's more than a rookie mistake to the point where it distracts from the narrative; it just doesn't make sense for Nightwing's character (or any other Gotham vigilante).
As The Deadly Duo continues, there will undoubtedly be consequences from Nightwing's bizarre mistake, though it's one he'd never make given what's known about his character as Batman's first Robin who's now old enough to be his own hero. That being said, it's very unlikely even a younger Robin would make the same mistake of sleeping with Joker in the Batcave. Batman & The Joker: The Deadly Duo #2 is on sale now from DC Comics.