Issue Nightwing 87 Subtitle Snowball Date January 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Patrick Zircher, Andy Owens storyline Trying for a nice, quiet evening on the town, Dick and Barbara were attacked by Tarantula at a restaurant. They were able to chase her away. Later, at a carnival, she watched as they argued about Dick's recent activities and how he'd been acting. Barbara broke it off with him. Tarantula reported back to her boss, Roland Desmond. He gave her a hit list. Maxine Michaels interviewed people at Dick's apartment building for her story about the former cop.

Issue Nightwing 88 Subtitle Fury Date February 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Shane Davis, Marlo Alquiza storyline Dick's nightmare was interrupted by the telephone. He left immediately for Saratoga, where his circus was visiting. After hearing about Dick and Barbara, Wally West (the Flash) visited Oracle. At the circus, Dick was told about a performer that had overdosed on sleeping pills. They asked him to fill in for his performance that night. During the show, Firefly set fire to the circus tent. Dick was injured rescuing performers and patrons. He was rescued by Zitka the elephant. Twenty were dead and over one hundred injured. Dick went to the Clocktower and fell apart in Barbara's arms.

Issue Nightwing 89 Subtitle Avalanche Date March 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Patrick Zircher, Andy Owens storyline Barbara asked Dick to leave after he spent the night. Even though it was still daylight, Nightwing went out to investigate. No sooner than he left than the apartment building was bombed. Of all the tenants, only Aaron (Amygdala) survived. Nightwing spotted Tarantula and went after her. She told him she was there to save John Law - Blockbuster had set up the explosion. Nightwing told Captain Rohrbach about the situation. Maxine Michaels tried to interview Nightwing; Roland Desmond welcomed Shrike to his team.

Issue Nightwing 90 Subtitle Burned Date April 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Patrick Zircher, Andy Owens storyline Nightwing began going off on everyone who'd been employed by Blockbuster - The Trigger Twins, Brutale, and Stallion. Lady Vic attacked Tarantula for disobeying the boss. After a brief fight, Tarantula shot Lady Vic in the stomach. Nightwing caught up with Mouse and Giz - they didn't know the building they'd destroyed was inhabited. They told him he'd killed Blockbuster's mother. He rampaged to Desmond's home, where he was ambushed by Shrike.

Issue Nightwing 91 Subtitle Rekindle Date May 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Patrick Zircher, Andy Owens storyline Nightwing made short work of Shrike, and tied him up to the flagpole outside the Desmond mansion. Blockbuster saw it from his circling helicopter. Amy Rohrbach offered Dick his job back. He spoke with Alfred and Clancy at the mass funeral for his neighbors. Maxine Michaels began to think her story might be tipping the attackers off for places to hit that would hurt Grayson. She warned Bludhaven PD that they might be the next target.

Issue Nightwing 92 Subtitle Flashpoint Date June 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Manuel Garcia, Andy Owens storyline Maxine Michaels told Captain Rohrbach about the situation - she knew Dick was Nightwing, and she knew Blockbuster was out to get him. She knew he owned his apartment building, and she knew he was Bruce Wayne's heir. Amy ordered an evacuation of the police precinct then tried to track him down. Nightwing found Tarantula and confronted her. She pulled a gun on him. They discussed Desmond; she told him it was his fault that all those people were dead - he should have killed Desmond long ago. Nightwing wore a wire and went in for Blockbuster. Without physically assaulting him (though Desmond tried to get him), Nightwing was able to get him to confess the attack on Barbara, the circus, and the fire at his apartment. He got out; Tarantula got everything on tape. They took the recording to her brother, the DA. He destroyed it. Catalina (Tarantula) grabbed her pistol and went after Blockbuster. Dick looked out the window and saw a spotlight in the sky - a Nightwing signal.

Issue Nightwing 93 Subtitle Slow Burn Date July 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Patrick Zircher, Andy Owens storyline Nightwing answered the signal. Capt. Rohrbach told him the Maxine Michaels situation and offered him back his badge and gun. He left without them. He went to Michaels. Blockbuster shot her in the head and leapt through the window as they began to talk. As he taunted Dick, they fought. He threatened the lives of everyone he'd ever meet. Tarantula arrived and put a gun to Desmond's head. He walked away and let her shoot him. Nightwing went to the rooftop and broke down. Catalina offered him a shoulder (and the rest of her body) to cry on.

Issue Nightwing 94 Subtitle Road to Nowhere part one Date August 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Mike Lilly, Andy Owens storyline Tarantula got Nightwing onto his bike and they left town. While he was still traumatized, she broke them into a bed-and-breakfast. A metahuman named Copperhead attacked her; Nightwing dosed her with the antidote. Tarantula went out after him after Nightwing ran him off. Oracle called him with the news that Maxine Michaels and Blockbuster were both dead from gunshot wounds (from different guns). She suspected Tarantula to be one of the shooters.

Issue Nightwing 95 Subtitle Road to Nowhere part two Date September  2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Mike Lilly, Andy Owens storyline Nightwing baled Tarantula out by taking down Copperhead. Afterwards, she tried to get him to get unmasked with her for a while. She took him to a bar to unwind. He told her his real name as they applied for a marriage license in Atlantic City. Bruce called him, and he went running to Gotham. Captain Rohrbach assigned the Desmond murder case to a rookie after reading some of the eye-witness accounts. Amy also destroyed some of the statements.

Issue Nightwing 96 Subtitle War Games Act 1, Part 3: A Sort of Homecoming Date October 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Mike Lilly, Andy Owens storyline [continued from Legends of the Dark Knight 182] Nightwing returned to Gotham City and met up with Batman. He was sent to the Thompson Clinic to help Leslie. Tarantula showed up in Gotham City, too. She stopped a brawl between a gang and the police and later boasted that she'd killed Blockbuster. Nightwing spoke with Onyx who was also being treated at the clinic. Tim assured his father that he had no plans of going out to help. Nightwing reported to Batman that Tarantula had the Latino Unified gang under control. Batman told Oracle she would be working with the team for the duration of the uprising.   [continued in Gotham Knights 56]

Issue Nightwing 97 Subtitle War Games Act 2, Part 3: Clarification Date November 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Mike Lilly, Andy Owens storyline [continued from Legends of the Dark Knight 183] Batman picked up Nightwing and they discussed the overall situation. Batman saw it as very methodical and familiar. They met with Tarantula to get an update on her gang. Batman ordered Oracle to get her in on the information loop. Robin noticed something was going on in Nightwing's head. Spoiler escaped the care of Holly and Karon. Escabedo continued to be tortured. His torturer took over Scarface's gang. Penguin had Gotham City's power shut down. [continued in Gotham Knights 57]

Issue Nightwing 98 Subtitle War Games Act 3, Part 3: Casualty of War Date December 2004 Writer(s) Devin Grayson Artist(s) Sean Phillips storyline [continued from Legends of the Dark Knight 184] Batman handed out the orders. Batgirl told him she thought Spoiler initiated the situation. He already knew. Nightwing, still battling his inner demons, spotted FireFly. They fought, and he recognized Nightwing as 'the one who killed Blockbuster.' As their fight spilled into the streets, the cops found them. Nightwing took a bullet in the thigh before he could get away. He called to inform Batman. Catwoman learned that Holly and Karon had been given the slip by Spoiler. [continued in Robin 131]