Bilal Asselah is Nightrunner, a free-running vigilante in Paris. He is a member of Batman Incorporated.
History
Origin
Bilal is a student from the Paris commune of Clichy-Sous-Bois, a neighborhood rife with conflict due to racial tensions. Bilal refused to take sides in the conflict, until one day he and his best friend Aarif were caught in the crossfire. Later that day, Aarif, obsessed with taking the law into his own hands, set fire to a police station, dying in the process. To honor the memory of his friend, Bilal began his training in Parkour and became the vigilante known as Nightrunner to prevent chaos and civil war in his city.
Batman, Inc.
Bilal soon discovered there was a group in his city inciting civil disorder. While chasing them, Bilal encountered Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson, both in the guise of Batman. Working together, they soon defeated the cult. Returning to the city, Batman recruited Bilal as Batman in Paris. Before departing Paris, Batman provided Bilal with living quarters as well as a training center for honing his martial arts. Dick Grayson remained in Paris to train Bilal. After completing his training, Nightrunner debuted as a member of Batman Incorporated. However, his new appearance led people to believe he was working with the police, and they began to avoid him. In light of this, Bilal asked Batman whether he had chosen the right man for the job. Batman reaffirmed his choice, stating that as a symbol he is becoming something greater, and it takes time for the people to learn that. Later, while on patrol, Bilal saw two boys fighting over a piece of cloth. After a moment, he realized they were arguing over who got to wear their homemade mask, imitating their hero Nightrunner. With a renewed sense of confidence, Bilal fully accepted his new role as the protector of Paris.
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Acrobatics: He is very proficient in Parkour. Enough to use it to keep up with Batman on rooftops.
- Hand-to-Hand Combat (Basic): Though basically untrained with little experience in street fighting, Bilal has trained further with his mentor as well as Batman.
- Computer Operation
Trivia
- Bilal Asselah is a French-Algerian Sunni Muslim.
Related
- 6 Appearances of Bilal Asselah (New Earth)
- 5 Images featuring Bilal Asselah (New Earth)
- Quotations by or about Bilal Asselah (New Earth)
- Character Gallery: Bilal Asselah (New Earth)
Footnotes
  This character is or was an incarnation of or an ally of Batman, and a member of the Batman Family. This template will automatically categorize articles that include it into the "Batman Family members" category. |