Cover: Dexter Soy

Nightwing #119

Dec 2024 · DC · 4.99 USD

📊 ~46,336 copies sold its debut month

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★ 1st appearance — Olivia Pearce

About this Issue

Nightwing #119 marks the formal handoff from the Eisner Award-winning Tom Taylor/Bruno Redondo era to the new creative team of writer Dan Watters and artist Dexter Soy, making it a genuine generational changing-of-the-guard moment for one of DC's flagship solo titles under the publisher's 2024 'All In' initiative. The issue introduces two significant new additions to Nightwing's rogues gallery — the corporate villain Olivia Pearce (secretly the Cirque du Sin's 'Columbina') and the enigmatic fifth-dimensional antagonist the Zanni — along with the first appearance of the Teddies gang, all of whom would anchor a multi-year story arc. Beyond the main story, the issue also served as a distribution vehicle for an 'AEW Comics Special Edition' backup insert — part of a DC/AEW promotional partnership that brought pro wrestlers Darby Allin, Dr. Britt Baker, Orange Cassidy, Swerve Strickland, 'Timeless' Toni Storm, and Will Ospreay into the pages of DC Comics for the first time, foreshadowing the full DC x AEW crossover event that followed in 2026.

In "On with the Show Part 1: Curtain Up," Nightwing #119 plunges into the escalating chaos of Blüdhaven as a mysterious new enemy eliminates the city’s top crime bosses, igniting a brutal war among rival gangs. With tensions boiling and the streets descending into violence, Melinda takes a bold step, partnering with a security firm to equip the police with upgraded gear in a desperate bid to restore order. Written by Dan Watters and brought to life by Dexter Soy’s dynamic art and Veronica Gandini’s vivid colors, this issue marks a pivotal moment in the city’s struggle, all framed by Soy’s striking cover.

Contains 2 stories

On with the Show Part 1: Curtain Up

22 pp · Superhero

unnamed villainMama BearBoss BludgeonDr. ProboscisDon Dallathe TeddiesClean-Cut CrewFlyboizBlockbuster Gang

In "On with the Show Part 1: Curtain Up," Blüdhaven teeters on the edge as a mysterious new enemy eliminates the heads of rival crime gangs, sparking a violent turf war. With chaos spreading, Melinda takes a bold step, partnering with a security firm to equip the police with upgraded gear in a desperate bid to restore order.

Untitled story

2 pp

ComicBooks.com Value

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Raw (NM) $0

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Our model’s value — refined as new sales data arrives · CGC census counts shown where available

More listings for this title

NM $3.99 VF+ $5.19 Variant $5.35 Variant $5.99 Variant $5.99 Variant $5.99 NM $6.1 1:25 variant $6.99

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History

Dan Watters was announced as the new Nightwing writer in mid-2024, with Dexter Soy — previously known for Red Hood and the Outlaws and Batman — joining as artist; together they succeeded the Eisner-winning Taylor/Redondo team as part of DC's line-wide 'All In' initiative, a coordinated October 2024 jumping-on point that introduced new creative teams and story arcs across multiple ongoing titles. Simultaneously, DC had struck a promotional partnership with All Elite Wrestling, and Nightwing #119 was one of the DC titles selected to carry the packaged AEW Comics Special Edition backup (written by Steve Orlando with art by Laura Braga and others), distributing kayfabe origin stories of top AEW talents to DC's readership.

Trivia · 8 facts

Published October 23, 2024 (cover date December 2024); Part 1 of the 'On with the Show' arc, later collected in Nightwing Vol. 1: On with the Show (issues #119–124).
Written by Dan Watters; art and main cover by Dexter Soy; colors by Veronica Gandini; letters by Wes Abbott — the team's first issue together, succeeding the Eisner Award-winning run of Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo.
First appearance of Olivia Pearce (CEO of Spheric Solutions / secretly 'Columbina' of the Cirque du Sin), who became the primary antagonist of Watters's opening arc and a recurring villain through at least issue #132.
First appearance of the Zanni, a fourth-wall-breaking, fifth-dimensional villain who leads the Cirque du Sin and serves as the supernatural threat driving the overall run.
First appearance of the Teddies gang; also introduces the Flyboiz, the Clean-Cut Crew, and the Blockbuster Gang as Blüdhaven's rival criminal factions filling the power vacuum after Nightwing's prior cleanup of the city's corrupt officials.
The Titans (Beast Boy, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, The Flash/Wally West) appear only as inanimate marionette puppets in the Zanni's opening retelling of Dick Grayson's history — a storytelling device establishing the new run's theatrical horror tone.
Contains a packaged AEW Comics Special Edition backup insert (written by Steve Orlando; art by Laura Braga and others) featuring kayfabe origin stories of AEW wrestlers Darby Allin, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., Orange Cassidy, Swerve Strickland, 'Timeless' Toni Storm, and Will Ospreay — part of a 2024 DC/AEW promotional partnership.
Issued six variant covers: main cover (Dexter Soy), Dan Panosian, Gleb Melnikov, Kelley Jones (Trick or Treat), Daniel Sampere (All In Foil), and a 1:25 retailer incentive by Ethan Young.