Dick Grayson
| Nightwing | |
|---|---|
| File:Nightwing577gv.jpg | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | As Robin: Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) As Nightwing: Tales of the New Teen Titans #44 (July 1984) |
| Created by | As Robin: Bob Kane Bill Finger Jerry Robinson As Nightwing: Marv Wolfman George Pérez |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Richard John "Dick" Grayson |
| Team affiliations | Batman Family Outsiders The Titans Justice League The Society All-Star Squadron Justice Society of America |
| Notable aliases | Robin, Batman, Nightwing, The Target, Renegade |
| Abilities | - Peak human level athlete/acrobat - Exceptional martial artist - Master tactician and field commander - Master detective - Access to hi-tech gadgets and weapons |
Richard John "Dick" Grayson is a fictional superhero in the DC Comics Universe. He is Bruce Wayne's first ward (later on adopted son), and the original Robin, The Boy Wonder (later The Teen Wonder), before evolving into the superhero Nightwing. Invented by Batman creators Bob Kane and Bill Finger and illustrator Jerry Robinson, he first appears as Robin in Detective Comics #38 (May 1940).
The youngest in a family of acrobats known as the "Flying Graysons", Dick watches his parents killed by a mafia boss to extort money from the circus that employs them. Bruce Wayne, secretly Batman, takes him in as his legal ward.
Throughout Dick's adolescence, Batman and Robin are inseparable, but, as Dick grows older and spends more time as the leader of the Teen Titans, he takes on the identity of Nightwing to assert his independence (other teenaged heroes will later fill in the role of Robin). His Nightwing persona was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in Tales of the New Teen Titans #44 (July 1984).
As Nightwing, Dick Grayson leads the Teen Titans and later the Outsiders. In an eponymous series, launched in 1996 and continuing at present, he becomes the protector of Blüdhaven, Gotham's economically troubled neighboring city.
As Robin, Dick Grayson has appeared in most other media adaptations of Batman. The Batman animated series of the 1990s is the first one to portray his evolution into Nightwing.
Character history
Pre-Crisis Origin
For many years, Grayson served as Batman's sidekick, Robin. He was first introduced in Detective Comics #38 (1940) by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane. The debut of Robin was an effort to soften the darker character of his mentor, originally a dubious, nightstalking vigilante. 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 is born on the first day of spring, son of John and Mary Grayson, a young couple of aerialists.
Pre-Crisis Dick is an eight year-old circus acrobat, the youngest of a family act called "The Flying Graysons" of the Haly's Circus. He joins the act at a very young age, having been trained in acrobatics while still a toddler. With his parents, Dick becomes the "Boy Wonder" of the circus and is expected to become an Olympic champion.
While preparing for a performance, Dick overhears Anthony "Boss" Zucco, a well-known and feared crime-lord, threaten the performers unless the circus's owner pays extortion money. The owner refuses, and that night young Grayson watches in horror as his parents' high wire snaps, sending them hurtling to their deaths, all while many of Gotham's elite watch on. Dick feels responsible, because he doesn't warn his parents in time.
Shortly after the tragedy, the millionaire philanthropist Bruce Wayne rescues Dick from an uncaring juvenile services system. Frustrated by the lack of attention from his new guardian and the mystery still surrounding his parents' death, Grayson sneaks out of Wayne Manor one evening to solve the crime on his own - only to stumble into Batman, who is also investigating the murder. They succeed in revealing Zucco's complicity, but he seemingly dies of a heart attack before his arrest (it is later revealed in Infinity Inc. #6 that he is still alive but on a ventilator for decades). Seeing a reflection of himself in Dick; first as a prodigious athlete with keen detective skills, but most importantly, that young Grayson could temper compassion with a thirst for justice, Batman not only reveals his identity as Bruce Wayne to the boy, but also makes the young orphan the offer of a lifetime: the chance to become his crime-fighting partner. Dick chooses the name Robin, and his training begins.
Robin's origin has a thematic connection to Batman's in that both witness the crime-related deaths of their parents, 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 portrays Batman and Robin as a team, deeming them the "Dynamic Duo", rarely publishing a Batman story without his sidekick, although stories entirely devoted to Robin appears in Star-Spangled Comics from 1947 through 1952.
Earth-Two Dick Grayson
Decades later, it was revealed that the version published in the 1940's till mid 1950's was the Earth-Two Dick Grayson. This Grayson was a member of the war-time All-Star Squadron and had grown up to become the successor of Batman, assuming the position within the Justice Society of America previously held by his mentor. In his ordinary life, he became a lawyer and partner for the lawfirm Cranston, Grayson and Wayne. Eventually, he left Gotham City to become the United States of America ambassador for South Africa, rejoining the Justice Society on an interim basis as a member of the All-Star Super Squad. It was during this period that he was persuaded by Wayne, now the police commissioner for Gotham City, to apprehend his former teammates. Later, after his mentor's death, Grayson was instrumental in discovering the secret behind Batman's diary which alleged that the Justice Society were Nazi conspirators, when the diary's entries led him to expose the criminal Per Degaton's plans to regain control of a valuable time machine.
Grayson's relationship with Wayne's daughter Helena was portrayed as a sibling one. While influenced by the Stream of Ruthlessness, Robin acted out a long submerged desire to kill his parents' murderer, although prevented from doing so by Helena. It was shortly thereafter with Helena that he died during the Crisis of Infinite Earths, an event which would reboot DC continuity and erased this version of Dick Grayson altogether. However, a version of this Robin and Huntress existed on some plane of existence as both were referred to by the original Star-Spangled Kid while the latter was working on a case with the Justice Society involving the time-traveling villain Extant.
Earth-One Dick Grayson
1964s 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, with a virtually identical history to that published. Robin was joined by other teenaged sidekicks, such as 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 become one of DC Comics' most beloved series of the era.
Emancipation
Dick continues his adventures with Batman, and begins studying law at Hudson University. However, Robin loses interest in his studies and starts to take on solo missions as well, and finds himself to be a capable crime-fighter. Shortly afterward, the mysterious Raven summons Dick Grayson and several other young heroes to form a new group of Titans. Robin assumes leadership, and moves out of the shadow of his mentor.
Dick, now 17, realizes at that point that he has grown up: he no longer relies on Batman, and he and the Dark Knight disagree on crime-fighting methodology. Robin's newfound independence and Titans' duties in New York leave less time for his former commitments in Gotham. He also drops out of Hudson after only one semester. Dick also rediscovers his self-worth among the Titans. Batman, however, is less than pleased. He informs Grayson that if he no longer wants to be his partner, then Dick would have to retire as Robin. Furious, hurt, resigned, and confused, Dick Grayson left Wayne Manor--but not for the last time. Helping him through this difficult time are his fellow Titans, including Starfire, a beautiful alien Dick falls in love with. He hands over leadership of the Titans to Wonder Girl, and takes a leave of absence from the team.
(In pre-Crisis continuity, the "parting" between Dick and Batman is entirely amicable. Dick passes the mantle of Robin over to Jason Todd voluntarily, in a memorable scene wherein he states that "Robin will always be the second part of Batman and..." Bruce gives every impression of being pleased with his ward's coming of age, and maintains this attitude until the post-Crisis retcon that rewrites the origin of Jason Todd and the circumstances of Dick's departure from the role.)
Nightwing Begins
"Year One"
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 on 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 and is inspired by the legend of an ancient Kryptonian hero named 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.
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 is 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.
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, he would be deeply affected by the fact that Batman trains 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").
Post-Crisis Dick Grayson
Following the Crisis On Infinite Earths, Dick's origins and history, like Bruce Wayne's, were relatively unchanged, save for a few minor details. He was now a 12-year old acrobat who witnessed the murder of his parents, an event which was further expanded upon in later comics. In Legends of the Dark Knight #100, following the murder, he angrily found and confronted the man who cut the ropes that led to his parents' deaths, only to get struck violently across the face. Batman, who was investigating the crime at that time, saved the boy and attacked the assassin in front of his future-sidekick, in awe of the Dark Knight yet repulsed at his crime-fighting techniques. After passing out due to a mild concussion, Dick was treated at the hospital and moved to a Catholic orphanage, as explored in Batman: Year Three. Shortly afterwards, Bruce Wayne, now feeling sympathy for the boy whose loss he had witnessed, had Dick removed from social services and placed as his legal ward. Originally, he only adopted the boy as a legal charge, since Dick did not want to replace his deceased father with Bruce. The latter parts of Batman: Dark Victory revealed his discomfort and lack of belonging at Wayne Manor, as an investigating Bruce was never around much, leaving Alfred Pennyworth as the main caregiver.
All these comics all told the same story in that Dick ran off from Wayne Manor to seek the killer behind his parents' demise. Dark Victory revealed he skillfully traced Zucco's whereabouts, fought off his guards, and confronted them with force, only to get badly beaten before Batman showed up just in time. Upon regaining his senses, Dick learns he is in the Batcave with Batman, who reveals his identity as Bruce Wayne. Praising the boy for his skills, bravery, and cunning, despite his foolishness, Bruce offers the boy the job of being his sidekick Robin. By a candlelight oath of justice and perseverance, Dick readily accepts the offer and begins his training under Batman.
Bruce teaches Dick fighting techniques and detective skills for a grueling three months, all the while helping him on the streets at night as Robin. Finally, he had to pass one final test: "The Gauntlet". Dick had to elude The Dark Knight on the streets of Gotham for one full night (from sundown to sunrise) without any outside help at all. He eventually did succeed, simultaneously bringing rising Gotham gangster Joe Minette to justice. Grayson takes to the streets as Batman's full-fledged partner in crime-fighting: Robin, The Boy Wonder. Together, they stopped Two-Face, The Hangman and brought Tony Zucco to justice, all this while still at the age of 12. By the end of the case, Bruce officially adopted Dick as his son.
Dick enjoyed his first year as Robin, regarding the job as an adventure until a confrontation with Harvey "Two-Face" Dent serves as a rude awakening for the young hero. The villain captures Judge Lawrence Watkins and Batman, and has each suspended from a hangman's noose in a "double gallows death-trap". Robin, trying to save the judge, convinces Two-Face to flip on whether or not Watkins would hang. Robin wins the flip, but Two-Face "honors" the deal by drowning the judge instead. Robin is unable to prevent Watkins' death, and receives a beating at the hands of Two-Face; a beating that Batman witnesses, still tied up on the platform. Eventually, Batman is able to free himself and apprehends the villain. This event, however, emotionally scars the young crime-fighter, and still haunts him even today. Rather than see Dick be further endangered, Batman "fires" his partner, sidelining the 13-year-old Boy Wonder for awhile, only to bring him back shortly afterwards.
Titans
Feeling hurt and betrayed, Bruce and Dick would remain at odds with each other for some time. 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 return 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.
Later on, various members of the Titans are abducted by a rogue Jericho and the Wildebeest Society. This adventure affects the team immensely. The group enter into tumultuous times, where members came and went. Longtime friends are maimed or destroyed, but Dick perseveres through it all, remaining as the heart and center of the team. After these events, Nightwing adopts his second costume.
However, his relationship with Starfire becomes strained, and problems in Gotham demand Nightwing's attention. Impulsively, he proposes marriage to her. The two wed, but the ceremony is interrupted by Raven, now reborn as an evil avatar of her father, Trigon. Her brutal attack on Starfire triggers changes in Dick and Kory's relationship. She is implanted with a demon "seed" which causes her to leave Earth and go on a spiritual journey.
"KnightsEnd"
Meanwhile, in Gotham, Bruce Wayne leaves the mantle of Batman to the unstable Jean-Paul Valley (Azrael). Nightwing was 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 reassumes the mantle of Batman. When Grayson returns to the Titans, he finds there to be changes. The government intercedes, placing Arsenal, the former Speedy, as leader of the team. Nightwing steps aside and leaves the Titans, concentrating on problems in Gotham City.
Still recovering from his broken back, Bruce 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 heal their strained and tensed relationship. Bruce's respect and admiration for Grayson is at last obvious.
Nightwing series
Based on Nightwing's increasing popularity, DC Comics decides to test the character's possibilities with a one-shot book and then a miniseries.
First, 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 1995 to December 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.
Blüdhaven
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. This allows him to be close enough to Gotham to be part of the Batman Family, and far enough as well to have his own city, adventures and enemies. He worked for a few years on the police force, as well as a bartender to provide him with information and rumors of criminal activity.
At Batman's request, Dick journeys to this former whaling town-turned-industrial center to investigate a number of murders linked to Gotham City gangster Black Mask. Instead, he finds a city racked by police corruption and in the grips of organized crime consolidated by Roland Desmond, the gargantuan genius Blockbuster.
With a defenseless city to call his own, Nightwing decides to remain in Blüdhaven until Blockbuster's cartel is broken. He takes a job as a bartender to keep his ear to the ground and works closely with Oracle (Barbara Gordon) in an effort to clean up the town. Blockbuster places a sizable contract on Nightwing's head shortly thereafter, while Grayson plies the unscrupulous Blüdhaven Police Inspector Dudley Soames for information on the kingpin's dealings. Also during his time in Blüdhaven, Nightwing helps train a violent but enthusiastic street fighter called Nite-Wing.
Titans Reunited and "No Man's Land"
After Nightwing settles in Blüdhaven, a galactic threat comes to Earth, reuniting former members of the Titans together to save their friend Cyborg, and prevent him from putting the Earth in jeopardy. They enter into conflict with their mentors and friends in the Justice League, but are able to come to a truce and save Cyborg while preserving the safety of the planet. After this adventure, the group decides to re-form, with Nightwing returning to the role of leader.
Meanwhile, Dick joins the Blüdhaven Police Department in efforts to rid the city of its corruption from the inside. On the personal side, Dick and Barbara's once flirtatious Robin/Batgirl relationship is changing. When Gotham is quarantined from the rest of the United States and becomes a virtual "No Man's Land", Nightwing is sent to secure Blackgate Prison. Afterwards, Dick recuperates at Barbara's clock tower, and the two grow even closer, entering into a romantic relationship.
Some time after "No Man's Land" ends, 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. Nightwing is chosen to be leader until the original JLA are found, and Dick returns to the reserve list.
Graduation Day and the Outsiders
For several years, Nightwing leads various incarnations of the Titans and becomes the most respected former sidekick in the DC Universe. However, in the Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day crossover, a rogue Superman android kills Lilith and Troia, an event that tears apart both Young Justice and the Titans. At Troia's funeral, Dick declares he is tired of seeing friends die and disbands the team, officially ending the Titans. A few months later, Arsenal persuades Nightwing to join a new pro-active crimefighting team: the Outsiders, who would hunt villains, acting as co-workers rather than an extended family. He reluctantly accepts.
Outsiders writer Judd Winick takes a more Batman-like approach with Nightwing as team-leader, making him refuse any other kind of relation with his teammates than the direct work. This decision is justified by Dick's being frustrated about "sending friends to their deaths".
Death of Blockbuster
Dick had a key role in exposing the corruption in the Blüdhaven P.D. Despite reaching his original goals, Dick continued as a police officer during the day while spending nights as Nightwing, pushing himself to his limits and straining his relationships. The line between his police work and as vigilantism began to blur, and ultimately Amy Rohrbach (his friend and superior officer, who knew his secret identity) fired him rather than let him continue using questionable methods.
Wrongfully blaming Nightwing for the death of his mother, the mob boss Blockbuster began a vengeance campaign. Knowing Nightwing’s secret identity, Blockbuster arranged a lethal fire at the Haly's Circus after luring Dick there, then bombed Dick Grayson's apartment complex, killing most residents. Blockbuster confronted an exhausted Nightwing, promising to continue killing anyone to enter Dick’s life. The vigilante Tarantula arrived at that point, and shot the villain dead at point blank range. Nightwing could have stopped her, but did not act. Suffering a panic attack, Dick broke down, begging for Bruce's forgiveness. Tarantula attempted to console Nightwing with her body, although Dick was an unwilling participant in this act. At length, Nightwing shook himself from his depression and took responsibility for his inaction, realizing that Tarantula's desire to be a hero and occasional heroics merited some degree of mercy, but did not excuse killing Blockbuster. He gave Tarantula a chance to turn herself in, but she tried to escape, and Nightwing had to apprehend her. Wanting penance for his part in Blockbuster's death, he turned himself in to the police as well. However, Amy Rohrbach felt that the world needed Nightwing free, and falsified a cover story that prevented him from being charged.
Dick had destroyed the police corruption and removed the greater part of organized crime from this city, but his role in Blockbuster's death was still a source of tremendous guilt for him. He left the role of Blüdhaven vigilante, apparently for good, with Robin and Batgirl as his replacements.
Grayson moved to New York, where he worked closely with the Outsiders. However, after an event in which "insiders" threatened both the Outsiders and the newest incarnation of Teen Titans, Nightwing deemed that the team has gotten "too personal" and quit.
Infinite Crisis and 52
Still in a crisis of conscience, Dick adopts the new villainous persona of Renegade in order to infiltrate Lex Luthor's Secret Society of Super-Villains. He allies himself with his long-time enemy Deathstroke in order to keep the Society's hands away from Blüdhaven. He also begins training (and converting) Deathstroke's daughter Ravager.
Deathstroke betrays Nightwing when Blüdhaven is destroyed by the Society. The Society drops the supervillain Chemo on the city, killing 100,000 people. Dick tries to rescue survivors but is overcome by radiation poisoning, only to be rescued himself by Batman. Nightwing confides that he let Blockbuster die and asks Batman to forgive him. Batman tells him that his forgiveness doesn't matter; Dick has to move beyond Blockbuster's death. Inspired by his mentor, he proposes to Barbara Gordon, who tearfully accepts his proposal with a kiss.
Batman then entrusts Nightwing to alert other heroes about the danger that the Crisis poses. Dick flies to Titans Tower, but the only hero who answers his call is Superboy (Conner Kent). Together, they locate and attack Alexander Luthor's tower, the center of the Crisis, only to be repelled by Superboy-Prime. Prime is ready to kill Nightwing when Conner intervenes, sacrificing himself to destroy the tower, ending the destruction of the Universe.
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 Philiadelpia[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.
Following the Infinite Crisis, Bruce Wayne, Dick Grayson, and Tim Drake spend most of that time retracing Bruce Wayne's original journey around the world in his quest to become Batman, until, following Intergang's trail, Nightwing returns to Gotham.
"One Year Later"
One year later, Dick Grayson returns to New York (his previous homebase 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. It is still unknown why, but apparently Grayson and Barbara Gordon split up (see Personal life below). Grayson is now the leader of the Outsiders once again. His engagement to Barbara Gordon has been strangely called off.
New writer Bruce Jones is working in Grayson's "new life", with a new city to protect, new enemies like the Pierce Brothers, and new love interests. Also, writer Marv Wolfman [2] (co-creator of the Nightwing character) and artist Dan Jurgens [3] are currently working on a four-part story arc, starting with issue #125 of the ongoing series.
Marv Wolfman's run on the series will last for 12 issues. Wolfman's first arc revolves around Grayson continuing his journey as Nightwing, while trying to find room for Dick Grayson.
In Wolfman's first issue, Nightwing has to follow a thief named Raptor who may or may not be involved in a series of murders; as Dick Grayson, he must look for a new job (which he fails at miserably) and make room for a social life. All the while, he is hearing a mysterious voice that is claiming he should have died during the Crisis and that the mistake must be rectified.
In a recent interview with DC Nation, Dan Didio has stated that Grayson will be one of the handful of heroes that the new Monitors have taken an interest in. These Monitors may be involved with the mysterious voice (mentioned above). Template:Endspoilers
Personal life
Dick's personal life has always been subordinated to his duty. He has several good friends, including Wally West, Donna Troy, and his fellow Titans Roy Harper, Garth, and acts as an older brother figure to the third Robin, Tim Drake, whom he considers the little brother he never had. Having been in the capes-and-tights game since his youth, he has either befriended, led, or made acquaintance with nearly every costumed hero in the DC Universe.
Despite being introduced in 1940, Dick's personality has remained more or less unchanged since then. While the Modern Age of Comic Books would see many characters of a similar age be depicted as "dark" and maladjusted, Dick has consistently been portrayed as an upstanding straight A student with minimal ambivalence or problems with authority. This is also relected in the modern version of the character being a member of the police force. Alexander Luthor, Jr. comments on the similarity between the Dick Graysons of Earths 1 and 2 in Infinite Crisis[volume & issue needed].
His relationship with his adoptive father Bruce Wayne has been a rocky journey. Due to the emotional distance that Batman seems to keep with just about everyone, the relationship often seems to hit bad patches more often than good ones. But in crucial moments, it is always clear that Dick's loyalties lie with Batman and vice versa, and there is a deep respect between the two. In Infinite Crisis, Nightwing sustained serious injury to prevent Batman from being hit by an energy beam from Alexander Luthor Jr. Batman in turn became so enraged that he considered shooting Luthor with a gun.
Dick's parents left him a trust fund that Lucius Fox later turned into a small fortune. Although it is not comparable with Bruce Wayne's wealth, it has been enough for maintaining his Nightwing equipment; for purchasing the rights to Haly's Circus, saving Dick's former home from financial troubles; and for secretly buying the apartment building at 1013 Parkthorne Avenue. This address is also the home of the retired hero Tarantula (John Law).
Although DC Comics has never stated Grayson's religion so far, the Nightwing comic books have shown dc Talk CDs and a New International Version Bible in his quarters, evidences that suggest he may be a non-practicing Christian. [4] Grayson is stated to be of a Roman Gypsy descent on his father's side.[citation needed]
Romantic involvements
Dick's good looks and sensitive nature have always made him prolific in matters involving women. As a teenager, he maintains a tenuous friendship with Flamebird (Bette Kane), despite her unrequited feelings for him. Donna Troy, the original Wonder Girl, has also known him since childhood, and the two are particularly close and not afraid to admit that they love each other as family. As a student at Hudson University, he has a relationship with fellow undergraduate Lori Elton; years later, when he goes on to live in Blüdhaven, he dates Bridget Clancy, a Chinese girl with an Irish name from his neighborhood. He also has a very brief affair (more like a one night stand, along with other few lingering instances) with the Huntress, Helena Bertinelli, and a controversial encounter with the femme fatale Tarantula.
Dick's longest romantic relationship is with the alien princess Starfire (Koriand'r); they are a couple for several years and are even engaged to marry, but due to their teammate Raven's sinister transformation, their relationship dissolves. After leaving the Outsiders, Grayson briefly rekindles his affair with Kory, spending a night with her. In the "Titans Tomorrow" storyline, the future Batwoman tells Starfire that she would have a wonderful future with Nightwing.
Despite all of this, Dick has always had strong romantic feelings for Barbara Gordon (Oracle, Earth-1's first Batgirl), whom he has also known since he was a teenager. After years of flirting, they finally start dating, but the relationship falls apart due to Nightwing's increasing insensitivity and other more subtle reasons. The two remain close friends with instances of lingering romantic tension. Before the events in Infinite Crisis, Grayson and Barbara reconcile and become engaged; however, as of the "One Year Later" storyline, Dick is single in New York. For a short while, he has an open, no-strings attached relationship with Cheyenne Freemont, a closet meta-human and famous fashion designer with a reputation for her romantic liaisons.
Skills and abilities
Dick Grayson possesses the peak athletic strength and endurance of a man who regularly engages in intensive physical exercise. His detective and martial arts skills are second to Batman's, making him one of the greatest crime fighters alive. He is a master of a half dozen martial arts disciplines with an emphasis on Aikido and Escrima, and was rigorously trained by the Dark Knight in everything from escapology to criminology, fencing, stealth, disguise, and numerous other combat/non-combat disciplines.
Grayson is a prodigious natural athlete, possessing a peak human level of agility/acrobatic skills, and 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, Japanese, Mandarin and Cantonese, 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 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 surpassed his mentor.
Equipment
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Nightwing's current costume is made of a version of the Nomex fire-resistant, triple-weave Kevlar-lined material. It is an excellent protection against damage, and it's also electrically insulated. Instead of a black cape for stealthing, 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.
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 (especially when the hero is unconscious), 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 throwing tracers. The right gauntlet is also equipped with a 100,000-volt stun gun. Like the gauntlets, his boots can carry vital elements like flares, a rebreather as protection against any airborne noncontact toxins, a mini-computer equipped with fax, modem, GPS and a minidisk rewritable drive. Other items are lock picks, a first aid kit, a mini-cellphone, flexi-cuffs, antitoxin assortment, signal flares, wireless listening devices and a small halogen flashlight.
Held in spring-loaded pouches in the back of his costume, Nightwing carries a pair of Escrima sticks 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 seen using a "line gun" like the one Batman currently uses.
Nightwing bibliography
After a 4-issue miniseries, and as commented above, in 1996 DC launched a monthly solo series featuring Dick Grayson as Nightwing, that still continues as of 2006. He has also starred in several miniseries and one-shots. This material as been collected as follows:
| Title | Material collected |
|---|---|
| Pre-series graphic novels | |
| "Ties That Bind" | Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1, Nightwing #1-4 (miniseries) |
| Regular series graphic novels | |
| "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 |
| Other graphic novels | |
| Nightwing/Huntress | Nightwing/Huntress 4-issue miniseries |
Prestige one-shots
- Nightwing: The Target
- Batman/Nightwing: Bloodborne
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, from 2002 (issue #71) to 2006 (issue #117) [excepting issues #101-106, written by Dixon and Beatty]
- Bruce Jones, from 2006 (issue #118) to 2006 (issue #124).
- Marv Wolfman, from 2006 (issue #125 ongoing). His run has been extended for at least 12 issues.
In other media
- Actor Burt Ward played Dick Grayson/Robin in the 1960s Batman television series, which further made Robin and Grayson inseparable parts of the Batman mythos.
- In some South-American Spanish-language dubs and translations, Dick Grayson is named Ricardo Tapia.
- Dick Grayson/Robin was played by actor Chris O'Donnell in the 1995 movie Batman Forever and its 1997 sequel Batman and Robin. Grayson's parents and brother are murdered by Two-Face at the annual Gotham Circus. Robin's costume in Batman and Robin is similar to that of Nightwing except that it is molded rubber; has a cape, a utility belt, and nipples; and the emblazoned logo is a deep red instead of blue. Also, for the 'final showdown' where Batman, Robin and Batgirl unveil new costumes, the logo is an ice-blue.
- Dick Grayson's most notable TV appearances were on Batman: The Animated Series and The New Batman Adventures where Dick was voiced by actor Loren Lester. The Emmy Award winning Batman: The Animated Series episode "Robin's Reckoning" contains an origin story for Robin. In this series, the Robin costume has been updated to the modern version. Another episode, "Old Wounds", explained that Dick (then still Robin) had come to blows with Batman over the Dark Knight's controlling nature and increasing ruthlessness, and that Grayson had left Gotham as a result. His motivations for leaving was that "Nobody can be a Boy Wonder forever." He returned years later as Nightwing, and, though he worked with Batman several times over the course of the series, never fully reconciled with his former mentor.
- The Batman Adventures, a spin-off comic book series based on the TV shows, featured Grayson's Robin/Nightwing as a recurring character. Most notably, "The Lost Years" story arc, which serves as a connector between the end of Batman: The Animated Series and the start of The New Batman Adventures, tells the DCAU's version of Grayson's journey to become Nightwing.
- Batman Beyond, another TV series in the DC Animated Universe, implies that Dick is still alive and bitter some fifty years later.
- 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 is seen sharing an intimate moment with Barbara Gordon, apparently also a member of the resistance. The Batmobile is also glimpsed briefly in that squence.
- Nightwing has a blink-and-you-miss-it cameo in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Grudge Match", apparently now having moved to neighbouring Blüdhaven to start his own career.
- Grayson (as Nightwing) is one of the four playable characters in Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu.
- Though the Teen Titans animated series never explicitly states the real name of the show's Robin, Dick Grayson is often implied and is also confirmed by the show's creator, Glen Murakami.[citation needed] In the episode "How Long is Forever?", Nightwing appears as Robin's future identity. In "Fractured", a Batmite-like character infatuated with Robin has the name "Nosyarg Kcid": "Dick Grayson" spelled backwards. When Raven temporarily possesses 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", Starfire acquires 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.
- Dick (as Robin) now appears in The Batman as a recurring character since the beginning of the fourth season. One episode will show Batman's team in the future, with Dick Grayson appearing as Nightwing.[5] [6]
- Robin will appear in the DTV movie Justice League: New Frontier. The Robin featured in this movie is most likely Dick Grayson.
- Nightwing is the inspiration for a DC-themed rollar coaster attraction of the same name at Six Flags New England.
References
- Nightwing #190
External links
- DC Comics - Nightwing
- DC Comics - Nightwing Secret Files & Origins (requires Adobe Acrobat)
- DC Comics - Outsiders
- 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)
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