Nightwing Finally Has His Own Joker (And He’s So Much More Terrifying)

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Nightwing has dealt with the Joker and many other dangerous villains throughout his career as a hero, even when he was Batman’s sidekick. However, he’s now facing a new enemy that’s proving to be far more frightening and challenging than anyone he’s encountered before, surpassing even the threats posed by Blockbuster or Heartless.

As a Nightwing fan, I’ve been totally hooked by the DC All In storyline! It’s been amazing seeing Dick really throw himself into protecting Blüdhaven. What started as a simple gang conflict, thanks to Olivia Pearce, quickly turned into something much bigger. He’s uncovered this creepy entity called the Zanni, and it turns out this thing has been after Grayson since his days as Robin! Honestly, this Zanni case is the most challenging thing Nightwing has ever faced. I’m dying to know exactly what the Zanni is, why it’s specifically targeting Nightwing, and just how far it’s willing to go to get what it wants from him!

The Zanni is a Fifth-Dimensional Monster Who Wants to Control Nightwing

The Zanni first appeared in Nightwing #119, but it took a few issues to learn about his origins. Like Mr. Mxyzptlk and Bat-Mite, he’s from the Fifth Dimension, a realm closely linked to imagination. However, the Zanni’s existence is specifically tied to performance – his name even comes from a traditional comedic character type. He’s existed for as long as people have been entertaining each other, and was particularly powerful during the golden age of circuses.

The Zanni built his own traveling circus across dimensions, called the Cirque du Sin, and used its performers to gain power. But when circuses became less popular, and superheroes – who offered a similar sense of wonder – emerged, the Zanni’s strength began to fade. More recently, however, the Zanni’s power has started to grow again, thanks to Dick Grayson. Grayson uniquely blended the worlds of circus performance and superheroics, making him the ideal person to bring the Zanni back into relevance.

Zanni, along with his loyal assistant Colombina, devised a scheme to control Nightwing and make him the leader of Zanni’s criminal circus, the Cirque du Sin. To achieve this, Zanni instigated chaos in Blüdhaven, twisted Nite-Mite to his will, and abducted the city’s children – all to force Nightwing to join him and unlock a new level of power. Even during their final confrontation, Zanni is willing to obliterate Blüdhaven to get Nightwing to submit.

The Zanni’s Obsession with Nightwing is Way More Demented (And Destructive) Than Joker

Nightwing isn’t the only member of the Bat-Family who’s faced a clown-themed villain, but while the Joker is dangerous, he’s more of an annoyance to Batman than a true, overwhelming threat. Batman can always manage the Joker’s obsessive behavior. The situation with Zanni is different, though. Zanni is a being from the Fifth Dimension, which means his powers are almost limitless. He can alter reality and even subtly control what others think.

The truly disturbing thing about the Zanni isn’t his abilities, but his obsession with Nightwing. He’s been secretly tracking Dick Grayson for most of his superhero career, growing stronger as Nightwing’s skills improved. It’s a strange, one-sided connection where Nightwing’s power fuels Zanni. Similar to how the Joker fixates solely on Batman, Zanni won’t abandon his pursuit of Nightwing because Grayson represents his best chance at reaching his full potential.

I’m aware of Joker’s legacy as Batman’s foe and his status as a famous villain. However, the team behind the current Nightwing series has created a truly unsettling new antagonist. This villain, a master performer himself, is fixated on Nightwing’s love of performing. It’s a fantastic concept, and it’s made the Nightwing comic one of the most enjoyable ones being published today. While Dick Grayson’s fight with this new enemy, Zanni, is wrapping up, I suspect we haven’t seen the last of him.

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2026-01-23 18:17