| December 2048 | Edition nº133 |
Bludhaven: Nightwing’s Base of Operations
Bludhaven: Between Two Cities
Bludhaven, a town that is officially written as Blüdhaven, is a city in New Jersey, United States of America, precisely located between Gotham City and Atlantic City. One fact related to the hero is that the city served as Nightwing's base of operations. That is why there are so many criminal elements present, as Nightwing utilized the city for his own purposes. Unfortunately, the city was destroyed by The Society during The Infinite Crisis.The History of Bludhaven
Bludhaven was formerly a whaling town that officially incorporated as “a commonwealth” in 1912. It has a generally poor socio-economic populace and was a nuclear wasteland several times.Pre-Flashpoint
Long troubled by crime and corruption, Blüdhaven was only marginally controlled by its police force. Nightwing followed to fight the crime lord Blockbuster after he moved in, ultimately freeing the city from his rule and assisting in the reform of its police force. Nightwing, however, eventually left Blüdhaven because he felt guilty over permitting Blockbuster to be killed by the Tarantula, another vigilante. Following the incident, additional heroes, including Batgirl and Robin (Tim Drake,) briefly established operations in the city before being dragged out by events.
Over 100,000 citizens were killed, and the city was left in ruins when the evil Society launched the radioactive monster Chemo onto Blüdhaven during the events of Infinite Crisis. Father Time and his troops set up internment camps and experimented on survivors as a result of the destruction, which prompted a federal quarantine. Outside the city gates, refugee camps were established, and organizations like the Atomic Knights conducted resistance activities. Captain Atom was found in the middle of the mayhem and, when he awoke, set off a nuclear blast that destroyed what was left of the city.
There were new dangers in the ruins of Blüdhaven. Brother Eye, an artificial intelligence, took over, unleashed OMACs, and used the city as a battleground for its battle with Darkseid. During Darkseid's effort to take over Earth, Blüdhaven was converted into a battlefield for cosmic powers and used as his headquarters. In the end, Blüdhaven was nearly completely destroyed by the frequent attacks and devastation, reducing the once vibrant but troubled city to little more than a radioactive wasteland.
Post-Flashpoint
When the poisonous substance Chemo was let loose on the city during Infinite Crisis, it killed millions of people and left Blüdhaven in ruins, causing a devastating catastrophe. Following this, Darkseid established Blüdhaven as a base of operations, using the Command D bunker to carry out his plans until his eventual downfall. The region surrounding Command D remained scarred, even if the city was eventually restored. Later, the D.E.O. took control of the bunker itself.
As Blüdhaven healed, it became a haven for people who wanted to leave the shadow of Gotham and start again, including the Run-Offs, a collection of ex-villains. The precise cause for Nightwing's next visit to the city differs depending on continuity changes. To combat threats like Raptor, he joined forces with the Run-Offs in this restored timeline. Later, he faced the Judge, who aimed to punish the corrupt elite.
Blüdhaven nevertheless drew serious threats. Nightwing and Batgirl had to work together to stop the Wyrm, a manifestation of the Dark Web, from using hologram manipulation to take over the city. After Alfred Pennyworth passed away, Dick Grayson decided to reinvest his riches in Blüdhaven, utilizing it to help the city's homeless kids and give it a chance at revitalization.
What do you think about Bludhaven? Is this the kind of place that you want to visit? Share with us in the comments about your thoughts to earn a Limited Edition Comic Book Pack for your collection!