Dick Grayson
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Dick Grayson | |
 Dick Grayson, in his Nightwing costume, from Nightwing #41 (March 2000). Pencils by Greg Land. |
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| Publication information | |
|---|---|
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | As Robin: Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) As Nightwing: Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (July 1984) As Batman: Robin #0 (October 1994) |
| Created by | As Robin: Bob Kane Bill Finger Jerry Robinson As Nightwing: Marv Wolfman George Pérez As Batman: Chuck Dixon Tom Grummett |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Richard "Dick" John Grayson |
| Team affiliations | Batman Family Teen Titans Outsiders Justice League The Society |
| Partnerships | Batman |
| Notable aliases | Robin Nightwing Batman The Target Renegade Robbie Malone Freddy Loyd |
| Abilities |
|
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a fictional superhero that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appeared as Robin in Detective Comics #38 in April 1940.
The youngest in a family of acrobats known as the "Flying Graysons," Dick watched a mafia boss kill his parents in order to extort money from the circus that employed them. Bruce Wayne, secretly the superhero Batman, took him in as his sidekick and legal ward after their deaths.
Throughout Dick's adolescence, Batman and Robin were inseparable. However, as Dick grew older and spent more time as the leader of the Teen Titans, he decided to take on the identity of Nightwing to assert his independence (other teenaged heroes would later fill in the role of Robin). His Nightwing persona was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appeared in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (July 1984). As Nightwing, Dick led the Teen Titans and later the Outsiders. Following the events of the Zero Hour miniseries, he temporarily replaced Bruce Wayne as Batman, beginning in Robin #0 (October 1994) and extending throughout the Batman: Prodigal storyline. In an eponymous series, launched in 1996 and continuing until 2009, he becomes the protector of Blüdhaven, Gotham's economically troubled neighboring city. Following the destruction of Blüdhaven, at the command of Deathstroke the Terminator, Nightwing relocated to New York.
After the events of Batman R.I.P. and Final Crisis, Dick has moved operations to Gotham to protect the city following Bruce's apparent death. Despite Bruce's will wanting him not to succeed Wayne permanently, the chaos in Gotham following his disappearance prompts Dick to take up his mentor's identity once again and has returned to operating as the new Batman.
As Robin, Dick Grayson has appeared in most other media adaptations of Batman, most notably the Joel Schumacher films, Batman Forever and Batman & Robin, where he was portrayed by Chris O'Donnell. The Batman animated series of the 1990s is the first one to portray his evolution into Nightwing.
Contents |
[edit] Fictional character biography
[edit] Robin, The Boy Wonder
He was first introduced in Detective Comics #38 (1940) by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane. Robin's debut was an effort to make Batman a lighter, more sympathetic character. DC Comics also thought a teenaged superhero would appeal to young readers, being an effective audience surrogate. The name "Robin, The Boy Wonder" and the medieval look of the original costume are inspired by the legendary hero Robin Hood, as well as the red-breasted American Robin, which parallels the "winged" motif of Batman. Dick Grayson was born on the first day of spring, son of John and Mary Grayson, a young couple of aerialists.
In his first appearance, Dick is a circus acrobat, and with his parents make up the "Flying Graysons". While preparing for a performance, Dick overhears two gangsters attempting to extort protection money from the circus owner. The owner refuses, so the gangsters sabotage the trapeze wires with acid. During the next performance, the trapeze from which Dick's parents are swinging snaps, sending them to their deaths. Before he can go to the police, Batman appears to him and warns him that the two gangsters work for Tony Zucco, a very powerful crime boss, and that revealing his knowledge could lead to his death. When Batman recounts the murder of his own parents, Dick asks to become his aide. After extensive training, Dick becomes Robin. They start by disrupting Zucco's gambling and extortion rackets. They then successfully bait the riled Zucco into visiting a construction site, where they capture him.
Robin's origin has a thematic connection to Batman's in that both see their parents killed by criminals, creating an urge to battle the criminal element. Bruce sees a chance to direct the anger and rage that Dick feels in a way that he himself can not, thus creating a father/son bond and understanding between the two. Throughout the 1940s and 1950s, DC Comics portrayed Batman and Robin as a team, deeming them the "Dynamic Duo", rarely publishing a Batman story without his sidekick; stories entirely devoted to Robin appeared in Star-Spangled Comics from 1947 through 1952.
[edit] Teen Titans
1964's The Brave and the Bold #54 introduces a junior version of the Justice League of America; an all-star superhero team of which Batman was a part. This team is led by the modern-day Robin, residing on Earth-One, was joined by two other teenage sidekicks, Aqualad (sidekick of Aquaman) and Kid Flash (sidekick of The Flash), to stop the menace of Mr. Twister.
Later, the three sidekicks join forces with Speedy and Wonder Girl in order to free their mentors in the JLA from mind-controlled thrall. They decide to become a real team: the Teen Titans. By virtue of the tactical skills gleaned from Batman, Robin is swiftly recognized as leader before the Titans disband some years later.
In 1969, still in the Pre-Crisis continuity, writer Dennis O'Neil and artist Neal Adams return Batman to his darker roots. One part of this effort is writing Robin out of the series by sending Dick Grayson to the Hudson University and into a separate strip in the back of Detective Comics. The by-now Teen Wonder appears only sporadically in Batman stories of the 1970s.
In 1980, Grayson once again takes up the role of leader of the Teen Titans, now featured in the monthly series The New Teen Titans, which became one of DC Comics' most beloved series of the era.
[edit] Nightwing
In pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths continuity, the maturing Dick Grayson grows weary of his role as Batman's young sidekick. He renames himself Nightwing, recalling his adventure in the Kryptonian city of Kandor, where he and Batman meet the local hero of the same name.
Nightwing: Secret Files & Origins #1 and Nightwing: Year One tell the full post-Crisis version of how Dick Grayson gives up his identity as Robin (having been "fired" by Batman). Uncertain what to do with his new-found independence, Dick considers giving up fighting crime to study law, but he couldn't imagine his life in any other way. Turning to someone that he knows would understand, Dick asks Superman what he should be, if not Robin. In reply, Superman tells a tale of long ago on Krypton, about a man who was cast out of his family, just like Dick. He dreamt of a world ruled by justice, and set out to protect the helpless and victimized as Nightwing. Dick then decides to honor the legendary Kryptonian by renaming himself Nightwing. This tale retroactively erases the notion that anyone else before Grayson and Bette Kane ever held the titles of Nightwing and Flamebird, except for the birds and the legendary figures named after them.
In an adventure in which all of his Titans teammates are captured by Deathstroke the Terminator, and delivered to the H.I.V.E., Dick reveals his new identity of Nightwing and helps to free them with the help of Jericho. Grayson finally moves out of the shadow of the Bat, and would lead the Titans through some hard times. He endures brainwashing at the hands of Brother Blood, his relationship with Starfire would suffer due to her marriage of state and he would be deeply affected by the fact that Batman trained a new Robin (Jason Todd) only for him to be killed at the hands of the Joker (see also: "Batman: A Death in the Family").
Bruce and Dick remain at odds with each other for some time, due to feelings of hurt and betrayal. This increases after Jason's death. While serving with the New Titans, he is searched out by a now-teenaged Tim Drake, who has only one goal on his mind: for Nightwing to reprise the role of Robin. Dick flatly refuses, as he feels he can't take a step back to a position he has outgrown. It is Dick's refusal to return to the role that starts Tim down the road toward becoming the new Robin. After weeks of persuading and proving his potential, Grayson returns to Batman to plead Tim's case, with help from Alfred. Due to their arguments and the realization that Batman needs a Robin, Tim Drake becomes the third Boy Wonder.
[edit] Knightfall & Prodigal
Meanwhile, Bruce Wayne is paralyzed after losing a brutal fight with Bane; he leaves the mantle of Batman to the unstable Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael). Nightwing is angry and hurt that Bruce did not ask him to fill in while instead choosing the "nut job altar boy", but Bruce claims to have chosen Valley because he figured Dick was now his own man and would not willingly take the responsibility. In truth, Bruce simply did not want Dick to have to face Bane. Dick intervenes with the new Robin, Tim Drake, and when Bruce returns to Gotham, he brings Valley down and once again takes up the mantle of Batman. When Grayson returns to the Titans, he finds it has changed. The government had interceded, placing Arsenal, the former Speedy, as leader of the team. Nightwing steps aside and leaves the Titans, concentrating on problems in Gotham City.
In the "Prodigal" arc, Bruce Wayne, still recovering from his broken back, asks a reluctant Dick to substitute for him as Batman for a time. He accepts. During this time, Dick is able to confront Two-Face and lay some demons to rest. He also establishes a friendship with Tim Drake, whom he later considers a little brother figure and friend. Bruce eventually heals and returns to Gotham to reclaim his role as Batman. For the first time in years, Bruce and Dick begin to repair their relationship.
[edit] Mini-series & On-going
In Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1 (1995), Grayson travels to England to find Alfred, who resigns from Bruce Wayne's service following the events of KnightSaga. Before returning to Gotham City together, they prevent a plot by British terrorists to destroy the undersea "Channel Tunnel" in the English Channel.
Later on, with the Nightwing miniseries (September to December of 1995, written by Dennis O'Neil with Greg Land as artist), Dick briefly considers retiring from being Nightwing forever before family papers uncovered by Alfred reveal a possible link between the murder of the Flying Graysons and the Crown Prince of Kravia. Journeying to Kravia, Nightwing (in his third and current costume) helps to topple the murderous Kravian leader and prevent an ethnic cleansing, while learning his parents' true connection to the Prince.
In 1996, following the success of the miniseries, DC Comics launched a monthly solo series featuring Nightwing (written by Chuck Dixon, with art by Scott McDaniel), in which he patrols Gotham City's neighboring municipality of Blüdhaven.
The JLA disappears on a mission to locate Aquaman and Atlantis (The Obsidian Age). Before they vanish, Batman instigates a contingency plan, in which a handful of heroes would be assembled to create a new JLA, consisting of Nightwing, Green Arrow, the Atom, Hawkgirl, Major Disaster, Faith, Firestorm and Jason Blood. Nightwing is chosen to be leader until the original JLA are found, leading the group against the powerful Atlantean sorceress Gamemnae and helping to revive Aquaman to ask for his help in sinking Atlantis, but subsequently returns to the reserve list.
During the Battle of Metropolis, Nightwing suffers a near-fatal injury from Alexander Luthor when he attempts to save Batman's life. Originally, the editors at DC intended to have Dick Grayson killed in Infinite Crisis as Newsarama revealed from the DC Panel at WizardWorld Philiadelphia:[1]
| “ | It was again explained that Nightwing was originally intended to die in Infinite Crisis, and that you can see the arc that was supposed to end with his tragic death in the series. After long discussions, the death edict was finally reversed, but the decision was made that, if they were going to be keeping him, he would have to be changed. The next arc of the ongoing series will further explain the changes, it was said. | ” |
Dick Grayson also showed romantic feelings for Barbara Gordon, aka Oracle. Robin (Grayson) had a crush on the much older Batgirl, but neither revealed their feelings. When she got paralyzed by the Joker, Dick aided her through the dark time. Thus, when Dick was injured during No Man's Land, Barbara returned the favor. The two flirted and fell in love. Oracle found Nightwing overprotective and they broke up. Before Infinite Crisis Dick proposed and she accepted. Batman asked Dick to join him in rediscovering himself, Dick agreed, but was unhappy that it meant leaving Barbara. She called off the engagement and told him they weren't ready. Dick in turn left her a note, his ring, and a photograph of them as Robin and Batgirl, promising to return to her someday. Their relationship is still that of best friends and romantic tension.
[edit] "One Year Later"
One year later, Dick Grayson returns to New York City (his previous home base with the Teen Titans) in order to find out who has been masquerading as Nightwing. The murderous impostor turns out to be the former Robin, Jason Todd. Grayson leads the Outsiders once again, operating undercover and globally. The pressures of leading the team through morally grey situations, leads Dick to step down and turn leadership over to Batman.
[edit] "Batman R.I.P and Battle for the Cowl"
During the "Batman R.I.P." storyline, Nightwing is ambushed by the International Club of Villains. He is later seen in Arkham Asylum, frothing at the mouth and presumably drugged, believed by the staff to be Pierrot Lunaire, a member of the Club. Scheduled for an experimental lobotomy by Arkham himself, he's spared by the ICoV taking hold of the Asylum, wanting to use him and Jezebel Jet, Bruce's fianceè at the time, as bait.
As Jezebel's capture is revealed to be a red herring, due to her being a part of the Black Glove, Nightwing's lobotomy is still pending, but he manages to escape by besting Le Bossu, and joining the fray between the Batman Family, the International Club of Heroes and the Black Glove itself. While he's forced to witness Batman's dragging down Simon Hurt's helicopter and seemingly die in a fiery explosion with his foe, he's shown holding Batman's cape, discarded during the fight.
Following the events of Batman's apparent death during the Crisis, Nightwing has closed down shop in New York so as to return to Gotham. He has opted to give up on having a normal job, and instead intends to put all his effort into protecting the city. During "Battle for the Cowl", Dick Grayson is initially against taking up the mantle of Batman.[2] It is later revealed he has no objections to becoming the new Batman, but was ordered not to in Bruce's prerecorded message for him, saying that Nightwing and Robin could carry the torch. This eventually leads to Dick confronting Jason Todd, who himself is already posing as Batman. After a long battle between the two, Jason refuses Dick's help, while hanging on to a protruding ledge over Gotham's bay, Jason lets himself fall into the water, his fate currently unknown. After returning to the cave, Dick assumes the identity of Batman, with Damian Wayne as the new Robin.
[edit] "Batman: Reborn"
The new team of Batman and Robin will be the focus of Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely's new Batman and Robin series [3]. IGN Comics has done various interviews on the Batman and Robin team up. They have said that the dynamic between Dick's Batman and Damian's Robin will be reversed from the usual Batman/Robin relationship: Batman will be lighter, while Robin will be darker. In the upcoming series there will be four three-issue stories, which will be part of a greater storyline. In the immediate aftermath of Battle for the Cowl, Dick Grayson assists the Gotham Police Department by using the Batmobile's nets to capture a gang of gunmen. After depositing the criminals next to Commissioner Gordon, Alfred and Dick speak over the radio about taking up the mantle of Batman due to Bruce Wayne's apparent death. Grayson abruptly ends the conversation, while Damian Wayne is angry at Dick for driving the Batmobile. "Only Batman drives the Batmobile," he says.
Four weeks prior, we see Dick and Tim Drake in the Batcave when Superman and Wonder Woman arrive. Superman has in his hands the very cape and cowl that Bruce was wearing when Darkseid's Omega Sanction hit him, and hands it to Dick. Superman then asks what Bruce's contingency plan was in case he died. Dick and Tim don't have an answer for him.
At a makeshift funeral, Dick tells Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, and Black Canary that no one can know about Batman's death. "They still need to think he's out there," he says. "Batman lives. Always."
Later, we find Doctor Phosphorus attempting to break in to Project Cadmus. Damian comes upon him, and is nearly killed before he is saved by Dick. In the Batcave later that night, Dick tells Alfred that he cannot stop Damian from patrolling Gotham's streets but that he cannot be out there on his own. At a bunker underneath the Wayne Foundation building, Dick explains that they must move their headquarters there as both a literal and symbolic representation: if Dick becomes Batman, he must honor Bruce Wayne while making the role his own. Two weeks later at the Gotham Bay Bridge, the Scarecrow has unleashed his fear toxin in a standoff with police and has taken hostages. Suddenly, blinded by a floodlight Scarecrow looks up and exclaims, "Stop it! I'll do them all right now! I will!" We then see Dick Grayson fully formed as Batman, simply saying, "I know. That's why I'm here."
In issue one of Batman and Robin a high speed chase is happening in Gotham City, criminals are speeding through a freeway when they are derailed by a new flying Batmobile. After using the new Batmobile to pick up the assailants' car and drop it in the harbor, Batman grabs their apparent leader, Mr. Toad from the water to interrogate him as Robin. After knocking him out, Toad awakens blindfolded, being held by his leg by Batman seemingly far above the city. After being playful with nearly "dropping" him, Toad divulges that he thought the "air would be good" for his complexion. Batman then lets go, as Toad falls all of two feet onto the top of a skyscraper as the police overtake him.
Later, at Wayne Manor and in the Batcave, Alfred and Batman, now Dick Grayson out of costume, begin covering all of the pieces of hardware in the Batcave and leave for their new lair underneath Wayne Tower in the heart of the city. Inside, Damian makes it clear to Dick that regardless of his own young age, he would be ready to take the mantle of Batman if Grayson is not "up to it."
Later while the new Dynamic Duo are on patrol, they decide it is time to test their new "para-capes." On the roof of police headquarters, Commissioner Gordon laments the apparent loss of Batman as the Bat-Signal shines brightly. Suddenly, jumping from the Batmobile, the new Batman and Robin fly through the clouds and the Bat-Signal toward police headquarters.
The new Batman will also feature in the upcoming Blackest Night event, battling, amongst others, the Flying Graysons, now as Black Lanterns.[4]
[edit] Skills, abilities, and resources
Dick Grayson possesses the peak athletic strength and endurance of a man in his mid/late twenties who regularly engages in intensive physical exercise. His detective and martial arts skills rival those of Batman's, making him one of the greatest crime fighters alive. He is a master of a half dozen martial arts disciplines and was rigorously trained by the Dark Knight in everything from escapology to criminology, fencing, stealth, disguise, and numerous other combat/non-combat disciplines. Dick Grayson is 5'10" (1.78 m) and 175 lbs (79 kg).
Grayson is a prodigious natural athlete, possessing a peak human level of agility/acrobatic skills. He is generally regarded as the greatest human acrobat in the DC universe. He is the only person on Earth who can do the quadruple somersault (formerly one of three, the other two being his parents). Having had the finest education as Bruce Wayne's ward, he speaks with fluency in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Mandarin, Cantonese, and Japanese (though he appears not to know how to read the last three), and has some knowledge of Romany and the alien language of Tamaran. He is also a brilliant and experienced strategist with superlative leadership skills, having served as leader to the Titans, the Outsiders, and even the Justice League. Additionally, Dick's interpersonal skills and efforts to remain in contact with other heroes makes him a master at rallying, unifying, and inspiring the superhero community, a skill in which he has arguably surpassed his mentor.
[edit] Costume
Nightwing's costume is made of a version of the Nomex fire-resistant, triple-weave Kevlar-lined material. It is an excellent protection against damage, and is also insulated against electricity. His costume is branded to his style of fighting. Therefore, his costume contains less body-armor inlays than Batman, for a decreased need of shock-absorption. If this weakness is exploited by fighters who are both fast and strong, Nightwing has supplemetal body-armor inlays which can be applied to his gauntlets, shoulders, mask and boots. Instead of a black cape to keep him hidden, the suit is light sensitive, darkening when there is more light in the area. The mask, in the form of his symbol, is fixed in place with spirit gum, and includes a built-in radio transmitter/receiver and Starlite night-vision lenses. The third costume, with its stylized blue "wing" across his shoulders and extending to his hands, coloring his two middle fingers, over a black bodysuit, made its first appearance in Nightwing: Ties That Bind miniseries, issue #2, cover date October 1995, and was designed by Greg Land. His suit is also equipped with wings that allow him to glide in the air or fly.
As the new Batman, Dick has adopted an earlier version of one of the Batsuits. Issue #687 shows Dick's Batman costume as quite similar to the suit from Batman Begins. He has also developed "para-capes" for his and Damian's costumes which gives them the ability to glide.
[edit] Equipment
His gauntlets and boots each contain eight compartments in which he can store items. They have a self-destruct feature built into them, similar to the ones in Batman's utility belt, and, as another security measure, the suit contains a one-use-only taser charge, which automatically emits a high-voltage electrical shock when someone attempts to tamper with either the boots or gauntlets. Each gauntlet's sections can contain a wide array of equipment, such as sonic or smoke pellets, modified batarangs ("Wing-Dings"), knockout gas capsules, and throwable tracers. The right gauntlet is also equipped with a 100,000-volt stun gun. Like the gauntlets, his boot compartments can carry vital equipment such as flares, a rebreather as protection against any airborne non-contact toxins, a mini-computer equipped with fax, modem, GPS and a minidisk re-writable drive. Other items are lock picks, a first-aid kit, a mini-cellphone, flexi-cuffs, antitoxin assortment, wireless listening devices and a small halogen flashlight. Since coming to New York, Dick has added a black utility belt to his costume, eliminating the need for his boots and gauntlets.
Held in spring-loaded pouches in the back of his costume, Nightwing carries a pair of Escrima truncheons made from an unbreakable polymer that are wielded as both offensive and defensive weapons. Some depictions have displayed these tools with the mechanism to shoot a grappling hook attached to a swing line (like Daredevil's billy clubs), while, in other instances, he is either seen using a "line gun" like the one Batman currently uses or using the grappling/swing lines either stored in or able to be launched from his gauntlets.
[edit] Nightbird
The Nightbird was Nightwing's personalized automobile. The Nightbird has a red "Muscle Car" body shell and a "street camouflage" paint scheme which ensures that the Nightbird looks like any other car.
The Nightbird includes many of the same modifications (e.g. bulletproof armor, communications links) as the Batmobile. Additionally, the Nightbird chassis and WayneTech-modified engine feature locking clamps onto which various endoskeleton car bodies can be fitted. This allows Nightwing to rapidly change the appearance of the Nightbird in order to blend into any environment.
Unfortunately, it was blown up on only its second actual appearance in a story, and was never replaced. Dick has since returned to his vehicle of choice during his Robin and early Nightwing days: a high-powered motorcycle. In Detective Comics 847 he was seen with a redesigned automobile.
[edit] Bibliography
After a 4-issue miniseries, and as commented above, in 1996 DC launched a monthly solo series featuring Dick Grayson as Nightwing, that ended in February 2009. He has also starred in several miniseries and one-shots. This material as been collected as follows:
| Title | Material collected |
|---|---|
| Pre-series trade paperbacks | |
| "Ties That Bind" | Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1, Nightwing #1-4 (miniseries) |
| Regular series trade paperbacks | |
| "A Knight in Blüdhaven" | Nightwing #1-8 (regular series) |
| "Rough Justice" | Nightwing #9-18 |
| "Love and Bullets" | Nightwing #1/2, 19, 21-22, 24-29 |
| "A Darker Shade of Justice" | Nightwing #30-39, Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1 |
| "The Hunt for Oracle" | Nightwing #41-46, Birds of Prey #20-21 |
| "Big Guns" | Nightwing #47-50, Nightwing Secret Files & Origins #1, Nightwing 80 Page Giant #1 |
| "On the Razor's Edge" | Nightwing #52 & 54-60 |
| "Year One" | Nightwing #101-106 |
| "Mobbed Up" | Nightwing #107-111 |
| "Renegade" | Nightwing #112-117 |
| "Brothers in Blood" | Nightwing #118-124 |
| "Love and War" | Nightwing #125-132 |
| "The Lost Year" | Nightwing #133-137, Nightwing Annual #2 |
| "Freefall" | Nightwing #140-146 |
| "The Great Leap" | Nightwing #147-153 |
| Other trade paperbacks | |
| Nightwing/Huntress | Nightwing/Huntress 4-issue miniseries |
Most of the issues of Nightwing #61-100 have yet to be compiled into a trade paperbacks. Issues #65 & 66 are collected in the Bruce Wayne: Murderer volume. Issues #68 & 69 are collected in the Bruce Wayne: Fugitive trade. Issues #97-99 are part of the Bat books' War Games arc. The last issue in the series is #153.
Prestige one-shots
- Nightwing: The Target
- Batman/Nightwing: Bloodborne
[edit] Ongoing series writers
- Chuck Dixon, from 1996 (issue #1) to 2002 (issue #70) [also 2005 Nightwing: Year One arc with Scott Beatty, issues 101-106]
- Devin Grayson, 1997(Nightwing Annual #1), and from 2002 (issue #71) to 2006 (issue #117) [except issues #101-106, written by Dixon and Beatty]
- Bruce Jones, from 2006 (issue #118) to 2006 (issue #124).
- Marv Wolfman, from 2006 (issue #125) to 2007 (issue #137).
- Marc Andreyko, 2007(Nightwing Annual #2)
- Fabian Nicieza, from 2007 (issue #138) to 2007 (issue #139).
- Peter Tomasi, from 2008 (issue #140) to 2009 (issue #153).
[edit] Other versions
[edit] Silver Age history
Once DC introduced its Multiverse concept in the early 1960s, it was decided that their characters introduced in the late 1930s and 1940s would be separate characters on a parallel world dubbed Earth-Two and allowed to age, while the currently published versions (i.e., youthful) were designated as living on Earth-One. Thus, the Robin of the 1940s was soon re-introduced in the pages of Justice League of America vol. 1 #55 as an adult who assumes Batman's position as Gotham City's premiere crime fighter. Unlike his Earth-One counterpart, who distances himself from his mentor's shadow when he adopts his Nightwing persona, this version adopts a costume which mimics several elements of Batman's own uniform (including an insignia with an encircled "R" surrounded by two bat wings).[5] While his younger doppelganger attends and then leaves college prematurely, Grayson pursues further education to attain his law degree. Eventually, he becomes a practicing attorney in the law firm that eventually becomes Cranston, Grayson and Wayne.[6]
Robin is initiated into the Justice Society of America, assuming the membership vacated by Batman's semi-retirement.[7][8] During his tenure, he develops friendships with several members, most notably Johnny Thunder, while developing some animosity towards Hawkman, who expresses reluctance towards his membership. Years later, Robin, along with his heroic colleagues perishes at the hands of the Justice League due to the involvement of Earth-Prime resident-turned-super-villain Cary Bates. He is soon restored to life.[9] After this experience, he reverts to a variation of his traditional uniform's style and colors.
During his post-Gotham City career, Grayson briefly leaves Gotham to become the U.S. ambassador to South Africa during the mid-1970s while continuing his crime fighting career.[10] His inclusion in the new Justice Society series, according to writer Gerry Conway, "was a nod to the present."[11] He gets involved with the Justice Society of America again when the villains Brainwave and Per Degaton attempt to destroy the world. He then returns to Gotham City.[12] He joins Batman for one final adventure, assisting the Justice Society, Justice League, and Shazam's Squadron of Justice in defeating several criminals, including the Joker.[13]
Shortly thereafter, then-Police Commissioner Bruce Wayne, while under the influence of the Psycho-Pirate, manipulates Robin and other formerly retired members of the Justice Society to attack the then-active members.[14] Robin next becomes active assisting the Justice Society and Bruce's daughter Huntress (Helena Wayne) in dealing with Bill Jensen, a white-collar criminal apprehended by Wayne early in his official police career. Jensen somehow attains mystical abilities and escapes from prison, vowing revenge on Wayne (whom he believes framed him). Robin and Huntress watch helplessly as Jensen immobilizes the JSA, threatens Gotham's twin trade towers, and finally consumes himself along with Batman. Eventually they and the other Justice Society members track down one Fredric Vaux, who had provided Jensen with his abilities as part of an overall plot to remove the concept of heroes from the world.[15]
Grayson leaves Gotham after this incident, returning years later when the Joker comes out of retirement. Assuming the garb and identity of Batman, his presence mesmerizes the Joker long enough to be apprehended by the Huntress. He proceeds to track the mastermind behind Gotham's organized crime. At this point, he develops unexpressed feelings towards the Huntress, and leaves Gotham once more before pursuing them further.[16]
Grayson is later forced to prosecute a case against the Justice Society involving Batman's diary (written in a left-handed script that Wayne used as Batman to help maintain his dual identities), which insinuates the premiere superhero team were Nazi collaborators. Grayson discovers evidence hidden within the passages pointing to a new Per Degaton scheme, which is subsequently thwarted. He discovers from Helena that her father was influenced by his terminal cancer while writing the journal.[17]
In the limited series Crisis on Infinite Earths, all but 5 universes of the DC Multiverse, including Earth-Two, are destroyed with the remaining ones restarted as a single universe from the dawn of time. Following this Crisis, Earth-Two "never existed" and the Earth-Two Robin is retroactively removed from history, and elements of his past are blended with the Earth-One version, effectively creating a new modern continuity (although Robin and all other now-removed heroes still existed for a while as beings without pasts due to their presence at the dawn of time battle). Robin, along with Huntress, dies while protecting innocents at the hands of shadow demons from the Anti-Matter Universe.[18][19]
However, a version of this Robin and Huntress exist on some plane of existence, as both are referred to by the original Star-Spangled Kid while the latter is working on a case with the Justice Society involving the time-traveling villain Extant.
After the events of 52, (in which 52 new Universes were introduced) a new Earth-2 is introduced in which Robin survived, raising theories as to whether or not Earth-2 was really destroyed, or was perhaps replaced by a new Earth-2. In the Justice Society of America Annual #1, published in the summer of 2008, Silver Scarab explains that the events of the Crisis are remembered by the people of this Earth-2, and from their perspective, Earth-2 seemed to be the only Earth to have survived the Crisis. Certainly Robin, The Huntress, and their fellow Justice Society members are all alive and appear to be exactly the same as those pre-Crisis.
Indeed, in Justice Society of America #20, (December 2008), Starman explains that during the re-expansion of the DC Multiverse, Earth-2 was reborn "... along with everyone on it", including Robin.
[edit] In other media
[edit] Live action television and film
[edit] 1943 and 1949 Batman serials
In the two serials produced in the 1940, two different actors portrayed Dick Grayson/Robin. Douglas Croft filled the role in the 1943 Batman with Johnny Duncan taking the role for the 1949 sequel Batman and Robin.
[edit] Batman (TV series)
Actor Burt Ward played Dick Grayson/Robin in the Batman television series that ran from 1966 through 1968, which further made Robin and Grayson inseparable parts of the Batman mythos. In the series, Dick was Bruce's ward (rather than adopted son) and attended "Woodrow Roosevelt High School". Robin was notable for delivering one-liners that would begin with 'Holy' and end with 'Batman', such as "Holy haberdashery, Batman!" or "Holy atomic pile, Batman!". Ward also filled the role for the feature film produced in 1966 in conjunction with the show.
[edit] Birds of Prey (TV series)
Dick Grayson was mentioned by Barbara Gordon, in an episode of the short lived television series Birds of Prey.
[edit] Film
[edit] Batman (1989 film)
The special edition version of the DVD features an animated storyboard sequence of when his parents are killed by the Joker. Jason Hillhouse provides the voice of Dick Grayson, while Kevin Conroy and Mark Hamill reprise their respective roles (from the DC animated universe) as Batman and the Joker in the storyboard sequence. Director Tim Burton planned to cast actor Ricky Addison Reed as Robin, but later felt it was unimportant to the story and cut Robin out altogether.
[edit] Batman Returns
Marlon Wayans was originally cast as Robin in the 1992 film Batman Returns,[20] however it was felt that the film featured too many characters, so the character was omitted from that film. In an earlier script of Batman Returns, he was portrayed as a technologically savvy street kid who would help Batman following his narrow escape when The Penguin tried to kill him. He would later play a crucial role in Batman's final confrontation with The Penguin. In that script, he was simply called Robin, has no known real name. He was considered for the role in the 1995 sequel Batman Forever, but the change in directors from Tim Burton to Joel Schumacher would also mean a change in the choice of actor for the role of Robin. Despite not actually appearing in either film, he was reportedly still paid for the role.
[edit] Batman Forever and Batman & Robin
Dick Grayson/Robin was played by actor Chris O'Donnell in the 1995 movie Batman Forever and its 1997 sequel Batman & Robin. Grayson's parents and brother are murdered by Two-Face at the annual Gotham Circus. Robin's costume in Batman Forever uses the familiar red and green coloring of the traditional Robin costume, after first contemplating using the code name 'Nightwing.' The modifications made to the costume strongly resemble the costume worn in the comics by Tim Drake. In Batman & Robin, he wears a new costume, similar to that of Nightwing except that it is molded rubber, has a cape, a utility belt, and nipples; the emblazoned logo is a deep red instead of blue. Also, for the 'final showdown' in Batman & Robin where he, Batman, and Batgirl unveil new costumes, the logo is changed to an ice-blue color.
[edit] Nolan Series
Series director Christopher Nolan stated that as long as he is directing, Robin/Dick Grayson will not appear in the films. He reasons that the films take place in the early days of "a young Batman," whereas Dick Grayson is "still a little kid at this point".[21]
[edit] Teen Titans
In 2007, Robin was confirmed as the lead in a Teen Titans movie for Warner Brothers, with Akiva Goldsman as the writer.[22]
[edit] The Graysons
On October 1, 2008, it was announced that the CW network was preparing a new live-action pilot called The Graysons which would follow the life of a pre-Robin Dick Grayson.[23] Smallville exec producers Kelly Souders and Brian Peterson (But I’m a Cheerleader), as well as Supernatural exec producer McG and Peter Johnson, were behind The Graysons, which landed a put pilot commitment at the netlet. Souders and Peterson were set to serve as showrunners (along with Todd Slavkin and Darren Swimmer).[24]
On November 6, 2008, Variety revealed that Warner Bros. executive Jeff Rubinov, who had initially supported the project, pulled the plug on the show. Ruvinov stated that "the studio has opted not to go forward with the development of The Graysons at this time", stating that the concept did not fit with the aims of the current Batman franchise. Ruvinov continued, "Warner Bros. Television is currently working on several replacement options for the CW."
[edit] In animation
Dick Grayson appeared in many of the early animated series related to DC Comics superheroes. These shows included:
- The Batman/Superman Hour by Filmation which ran from 1968 through 1969.
- Batman with Robin the Boy Wonder which repackaged portions of Filmation's previous series for rebroadcast in 1969.
- Various Super Friends shows produced by Hanna-Barbara from 1975 through 1985. These included:
- The New Adventures of Batman produced by Filmation in 1977.
In all of these cartoons, he is paired with Batman and the two are portrayed as an inseparable duo. This is probably why Dick was not featured in the Teen Titans segments in the The Batman/Superman Hour despite him being the Titans leader in the comics. With the exception of Burt Ward returning to voice the character for The New Adventures of Batman, Casey Kasem provided the voice for the character throughout these shows.
[edit] DC animated universe
Dick Grayson appeared as Robin and later Nightwing on Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures, voiced by Loren Lester. The Emmy Award winning Batman: The Animated Series episode "Robin's Reckoning" provided the origin story for Dick as Robin. While much of Dick's past remained the same, his costume was upated to the more modern look (with short sleeves and long pants), exactly like Tim Drake's original Robin outfit. Batgirl Returns establishes that Dick and Barbara Gordon attend the same college and that they have a fairly mutual romantic attraction to each other, but neither one knows that the other is secretly Robin and/or Batgirl, respectively (despite having collaborated in Shadow Of The Bat, albeit without getting along), and their relationship is one of the plot elements of Batman & Mr. Freeze: Subzero. Dick quit being Robin and left Gotham in the episode "Old Wounds," after coming to blows with Batman over the Dark Knight's controlling and ruthless behavior, even to the point of punching Batman in the face. Years later, Dick returned as Nightwing, and while he would work with Batman, the two never fully reconciled. Nightwing does however establish a strong working bond with his replacement, Tim Drake. Barbara Gordon also showed a desire to renew their relationship.
In the Batman Adventures, a spin-off comic book series based on the TV shows, the story arc "The Lost Years" bridged the gap between the end of Batman: The Animated Series and the start of The New Batman Adventures, telling the DCAU's version of Grayson's journey to become Nightwing. Batman Beyond, a series set in the future of the DC Animated Universe, implies that Dick was still alive and working under the name Nightwing during the time during which its stories were set. The Justice League Unlimited episode "Epilogue," suggested that Dick had met Bruce Wayne's successor as Batman, Terry McGinnis, at some point after the last episode of Batman Beyond.[citation needed]
Dick Grayson made a non-speaking cameo on Justice League, appearing very briefly in the episode "The Savage Time" as a member of the alternate time-frame Bruce Wayne's resistance against Savage's regime. He was seen sharing an intimate moment with Barbara Gordon, apparently also a member of the resistance. Dick also had a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo as Nightwing in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Grudge Match," apparently having moved to neighboring Blüdhaven to start his own career (which was suggested earlier in Batman Beyond: Return of the Joker.
[edit] Teen Titans
Robin appears in the Teen Titans animated series as the team's leader, as he has been in the comic series. He teams up with Beast Boy, Cyborg and Raven when Jump City is threatened first by Starfire and then by the aliens who had captured her (episode "Go!"). Robin is generally respected by the others as the team's best leader, but on the inside he is driven by an unhealthy obsession to win, which sometimes alienates him from his teammates ("Divide And Conquer", "Masks", "Winner Take All", "The Quest"). He is performed by Scott Menville in the series.
The season one story arc mostly focused on Robin trying to stop Slade. Robin becomes obsessive in figuring out Slade's plan (He even masquerades as a criminal known as "Red X" without telling his teammates). Robin eventually discovers that Slade injected probes in his friends' bodies that would kill them if Robin doesn't agree to be Slade's apprentice. In order to protect his friends, Robin relunctantly agrees. Robin is forced to fight his friends, and they believe that he has become evil. However, they finally find out about the probes, and Robin infects himself to force Slade to deactivate the probes. In season three, an unknown criminal steals his Red X suit, causing Robin to blame himself for Red X's misdeeds. In the next episode "Bethrothed," he stops Starfire from being married (mostly due to jealousy) to a hideous alien creature as a part of her sister, Blackfire's evil plot. In "Haunted," Robin is infected with a chemical that causes him to see, hear, and feel a hallucination of Slade and to become mentally unstable. The stress it put on his body almost killed him until he realized that Slade wasn't real.
Though the series never explicitly stated the real name of the show's Robin, certain instances prove he is Dick Grayson. In the episode "How Long is Forever?", Nightwing appeared as Robin's alternate future identity. There is also a picture in the corner of the picture of Barbara Gordon/Oracle. This was confirmed by the producers of the show. In "Fractured", a Bat-Mite-like other-dimensional character who idolizes Robin (and who wears a version of Robin's costume) had the name "Nosyarg Kcid": "Dick Grayson" spelled backwards. When Raven temporarily possessed Robin's mind in 'Haunted', there are brief flashbacks, one of which is in a circus as two people on the trapeze begin to fall, the fate Dick Grayson's parents meet in the comics. In the episode "Go", Robin makes his first chronological appearance in Jump City, surprising a local criminal with the lines "And now, I work alone," which coincides with Dick Grayson's dramatic breakup with Batman. Also in "Go," Starfire acquired the ability to speak English by giving Robin a passionate kiss, as her character did with Dick Grayson in the comics, a detail confirmed in the film Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo.
Robin currently appears in Teen Titans Go!, a spin-off comic book series based on the TV shows. #47 confirmed Robin to be Dick Grayson. During the "Apprentice" arc, Slade made a comment about wanting to be a father figure for Robin, to what he replied by saying "I already have a father", followed by a shot of several bats flying.
Like his comic counterpart he has a romantic relationship with Starfire. In the show, though never openly admitting feelings for her, there were many heavy hints such as him becoming insanely jealous when Starfire became engaged, and being unable to fight Starfire while beating all his other teammates in combat. Besides this, he is often more protective of Starfire than other team members, and always saving her in battles (such as always being the one to catch her if she falls). In the film Teen Titans: Trouble In Tokyo, He becomes jealous when she kisses another boy, and upset upon discovering she only kissed him to learn English. When she tries to kiss him, he says they could be nothing more than heroes. Later, after admitting he was wrong, they try to kiss again but are interrupted. After the final fight, they finally kiss and are shown holding hands later.
[edit] The Batman
Since the start of its fourth season, The Batman has included the character of Dick Grayson/Robin in its cast. Evan Sabara has provided the voice of the teen-aged character. In this continuity, Dick consistently bickers with Barbara Gordon/Batgirl (possibly because of her jealousy that Bruce had accepted Dick so promptly, while she took a long time to be considered part of the team), but they always cooperate in the end. However, they both always agree on the fact that he treats them like kids more so than partners. There isn't nearly as much conflict between Bruce and Dick as there have been in almost all of the latest adaptations. The episode, Artifacts depicted Batman's team in the future, with Dick Grayson as Nightwing instead of Robin. Jerry O'Connell voiced the character for this episode. Nightwing (wearing his costume from his debut in the New Teen Titans), returned in the episode, The Metal Face of Comedy, where he is a character created by Dick for an online Mortal Kombat-esque fighting game.[25] He is also shown having a crush (sexual attraction) towards Barbara Gordon/Batgirl. She is much older than him and more neutral on the affection level, coinciding with the comics, where young Robin loves the much older Batgirl.
[edit] Justice League: The New Frontier
Dick Grayson appeared as Robin in the direct-to-video animated movie Justice League: The New Frontier. This was Robin's first appearance in his original costume since the end of The Super Powers Team: Galactic Guardians, aside from the The New Batman Adventures 1999 episode, "Legends of the Dark Knight". He was voiced by Shane Haboucha. Here, he apparently was adopted as a teenager after Batman realizes that he is frightening the innocent, instead of being adopted as a child. The circumstances surrounding their meeting are not shown. Robin thought that Superman was cool and showed great skills in acrobatics in the batcave.
[edit] Batman: the Brave and the Bold
Dick appears as Robin in the episode "The Color of Revenge!"; He and Batman team up when Crazy Quilt escapes prison to get revenge on Robin. This teamup takes place sometime after Robin has moved to Bludhaven and become an independent hero. The episode also has a flashback to Dick's early days and an earlier encounter between the Dynamic Duo and Crazy Quilt. The present-day Dick is be voiced by Crawford Wilson and wears the costume that the Earth-Two Robin wore near the end of his career while the younger Dick is voiced by Jeremy Shada and wears the classic Robin costume.
[edit] In video games
- Batman: The Animated Series - as Robin
- The Adventures of Batman & Robin - as Robin (playable in Sega Genesis, Sega CD and Sega Game Gear)
- Batman Forever - as Robin (playable)
- Batman Forever: The Arcade Game - as Robin (playable)
- Batman & Robin - as Robin (playable)
- Batman: Chaos in Gotham - as Nightwing
- Batman: Gotham City Racer - as Nightwing
- Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu - as Nightwing (playable)
- Lego Batman: The Video Game - as Nightwing (playable)[26]
- DC Universe Online - as Nightwing
[edit] References
- ^ WizardWorld Philadelphia: DCU panel
- ^ Battle for the Cowl #1
- ^ http://dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?cm=11864
- ^ http://dccomics.com/dcu/comics/?cm=12416
- ^ Titan's Tower
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #284
- ^ Justice League of America #55
- ^ The Brave and the Bold Review Robin
- ^ Justice League of America #123-124
- ^ DCU Guide: ROBIN [Richard "Dick" Grayson ]
- ^ All The Stars There Are in (Super-hero) Heaven!
- ^ All-Star Comics #58
- ^ Justice League of America #135-137
- ^ 'All Star Comics #68
- ^ Adventure Comics #461-463
- ^ Wonder Woman (vol. 1) #282-285
- ^ America vs. The Justice Society #1-4
- ^ Crisis on Infinite Earths #12
- ^ COMICS 101
- ^ Marlon Wayans | The A.V. Club
- ^ No Robin for Nolan's Batman
- ^ "Teen Titans growing up at Warner Bros." The Hollywood Reporter May 31, 2007.
- ^ http://tvseriesfinale.com/articles/batman-cw-builds-a-series-around-pre-robin-dick-grayson/
- ^ http://www.variety.com/article/VR1117993158.html?categoryid=14&cs=1
- ^ Internet Movie Database Inc.: "The Batman" Artifacts (2007)
- ^ Game Informer features a two-page gallery of the many heroes and villains who appear in the game with a picture for each character and a descriptive paragraph. See "LEGO Batman: Character Gallery," Game Informer 186 (October 2008): 92.
[edit] External links
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Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Dick Grayson |
- DC Comics - Nightwing
- Titans Tower Biography
- Dick Grayson's Bibliography
- Index of Dick Grayson (Earth-1) appearances
- Index of Dick Grayson (Earth-2) appearances (incomplete)
- The Golden Age Robin Adventures (Index of Earth-Two Robin's Silver Age adventures)
- Nightwing's Profile @ BatmanYTB
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