Nightwing FAQ

[BigKenW]

I would like to hear something about his personality. I alwalys think he´s not as "dark" as Bats. Am I right?

Not quite. He has really been moving towards the dark side. I don't want to spoil so I won't go into details BUT, read Nightwing 90-100 (I think, it may be 88-100) that goes over Dicks life and what happens. It leads into War Games. He has gone as dark as they can.

In Last Laugh, he beat the Joker to death with his fist.

Joker was clinically dead until paramedics were able to revive him. Something Batman would never do.

When you read those issues I recommended, you will understand how far he has gone, but he tries to bring himself back.

If you want spoilers, we can put them in, just lemme know.

[pennywisdom]

I would like to hear something about his personality. I alwalys think he´s not as "dark" as Bats. Am I right?

Interesting topic. Ultimately, there is no one correct answer. It depends on who is writing and who is reading. Which isn't to say that Dick isn't well-defined, but, as with any comic book character, different writers and readers have differing approaches to the same situation.

One criticism is that Dick is too much like Batman. They are both costumed crime-fighters who operate mainly at night, using detective skills and various gadgets and weapons to solve cases and defeat non-cosmic (and often non-powered) villains as well as common criminals. Some people believe that this and this alone makes Nightwing too much like Batman. They believe that Dick is perpetually in Batman's shadow and reading his adventures is too much like reading "Diet Coke Batman". As far as his personality goes, he has occasionally been written to be the junior version of Batman. If you pick up the first arc of Outsiders by Judd Winick, for example, you will see a Nightwing that operates essentially as the teams resident "Batman". He has a very no-nonsense approach to getting the job done, and suffers very few frivolities. He is a pro through and through and his intelligence and skills guide the team.

More often than not, however, this is not the case. If you were to put both Batman and Nightwing side by side, you would most likely see that the differences are only superficial. Nightwing is typically more easy-going and relatable. Batman is usually more driven. Nightwing has more of a sense of humor. Batman is much more focused. Also, Batman is the DCU's resident Mr. Professional. If he can't do it, no one can. Nightwing (according to the classic 90's Dixon run on the series) is a bit more likely to slip and fall. He's an adult, but he's still young enough to be learning the ropes. He's definitely more than capable, but he's often portrayed as a more realistic alternative to Batman's near-infallibility. Is he "lighter" than Batman? I would say yes. Without being overly jokey, he's much more light-hearted than Batman.

I also believe that there's more to his personality than merely being "Batman but less grumpy". He dreams of a normal life, and his solo title often focuses more on his Dick Grayson persona than on Nightwing. For this reason, he is sometimes thought of as DC's "Peter Parker". That is to say, one of the things that makes him interesting is the fact that he is more of an "everyman" who has to juggle normalcy with superheroing. Now that I think about it, he is different from Batman in almost every way that counts, but the complexity of the characters is one of the things that makes this topic so debatable.

Keep in mind, everything I've stated so far is based on my perception of the character, and is open to reasonable discussion. I was born in 1983, so most of what I've read is post-Crisis. If you were to go back through the annals of comic book history, you would find that there have been many, many different versions of Batman and also different versions of Robin/Nightwing. Batman is right up there with King Arthur and Dracula as far as fictional characters who have been re-interpreted so many times that the final product is ultimately left up to the individual reading.

Finally, I'd like to use this post as an excuse to plug my all-time favorite single issue of Nightwing and that is no. 10 (originally published in 1997). In this issue, Dick is gassed by the Scarecrow and forced to live out his worst nightmares. It's simply brilliant, and offers some of the best insight into the character.

[Fenix]

BigKenW
When you read those issues I recommended, you will understand how far he has gone, but he tries to bring himself back.

pennywisdom
Now that I think about it, he is different from Batman in almost every way that counts, but the complexity of the characters is one of the things that makes this topic so debatable.

I know that I´m nickpiking in your posts, but it´s also interesting to see how, both of you, are thinking or tending to see a complex character "not so dark" or "in a different darkness" so to speak. I´m not a nightwing reader, all I know about him is from his crossovers with the Bats titles or JLA. Anyway, your explanations open an interenting point to dig into the character. I would try to find some of the numbers you recommend.
Thanks.

[pennywisdom]

Ken does have a point. In very recent issues (published within the past year or so), Nightwing's world and character have been increasingly more dark and less stable. This is all the doing of one writer, however.... Devin Grayson. Whether or not Devin Grayson's version of the character is better/worse/more correct/less correct than Chuck's is open to individual interpretation.

I think in order to get a complete picture of the character, you should take into account several different interpretations of him. As such, simply looking at recent developments and assuming that Dick is "as dark" as Batman would be a bit perfunctory. Many feel Grayson hasn't been doing a very good job of character development. Others feel she's going somewhere and is trying to make a complete a statement as possible with this character. Whatever the case, read as much as you can before drawing any conclusions.

[Murrocko]

Nightwing is mf favorite DC character, favorite comic character in general, I have no idea who any of his rouges are, the only that come to mind are Blockbuster and Deathstroke (I don't think he even counts since they consider each other somewhat allies). So could someone tell some of Nightwings villians with a brief summary of them.

[pennywisdom]

WHO ARE SOME OF NIGHTWING'S VILLAINS?

Nightwing does not have as many as Batman, but definitely some deadly characters. In the early days, Dudley Soames, aka Torque was one of Nightwing's greatest adversaries. Blockbuster is Bludhaven's answer to Marvel's Kingpin character. Stallion, Brutale, the Electrocutioner, Double Dare, Chief Redhorn, Lady Vic, the False Facers and our old friend, Deathstroke, all show up and do plenty of damage. Even would-be vigilantes give Nightwing some trouble. The Huntress, the Tarantula, and a young imposter known as Nite-Wing are all characters to look for.

Most of Nightwing's Rogues Gallery comes from the old Chuck Dixon days. Go back to my original post and check out the links to the TPB collected editions.

Off the top of my head: Dudley Soames was a cop who got caught up with Blockbuster. Bludhaven's police force was unbelievably crooked. Anyway, Soames wound up on the business end of Blockbuster's wrath. Back then, Blockbuster's preferred method of whacking a guy was to twist their head around 180 degrees until their neck snapped. A bunch of dead gangsters with their heads twisted around was the reason Nightwing began investigating mob activity in Bludhaven in the first place. In the bizarre case of Dudley Soames, however, he managed to survive the ordeal. His head was affixed backwards. The only way he could see forward was to wear small mirrors inside his glasses... it was a really cool visual and Chuck wrote this character as one of the most brutal and compelling "dirty cop" characters around. Plus, his accent was badass. He went by the name Torque and was one of Nightwing's greatest enemies (he tussled with Dick and Helena, if I remember correctly) until Devin Grayson had him die in one of her stories.

Blockbuster is brilliant genius (and also giant) Roland Desmond. When Dick first comes to Bludhaven, Roland is one of the most powerful crime lords around. Lady Vic is a British assassin and mercenary who is hired by Blockbuster to kill Nightwing. Ditto Brutale, who wears a bizarre costume and has a penchant for knives and bladed weapons. Double Dare, IIRC, are a team of French female circus acrobats who commit Catwoman-like burglaries.

I will continue listing as much villain info as I can think of in the future. Your best bet is always to check out the comics themselves. If you can't find the back issues, most of what you want to read is collected in TPB form. Use the links I provided, DC's website, Amazon.com, and eBay if you're interested.

[BigKenW]

Ken does have a point. In very recent issues (published within the past year or so), Nightwing's world and character have been increasingly more dark and less stable. This is all the doing of one writer, however.... Devin Grayson. Whether or not Devin Grayson's version of the character is better/worse/more correct/less correct than Chuck's is open to individual interpretation.

I think in order to get a complete picture of the character, you should take into account several different interpretations of him. As such, simply looking at recent developments and assuming that Dick is "as dark" as Batman would be a bit perfunctory. Many feel Grayson hasn't been doing a very good job of character development. Others feel she's going somewhere and is trying to make a complete a statement as possible with this character. Whatever the case, read as much as you can before drawing any conclusions.

Very well put. I really like Grayson's take on Nightwing. She has actually tried to do things with the character besides have him just be under Batman's shadow.

I read somewhere that due to the Infinite Crisis books and War Games, she said it's almost impossible to write a character book anymore at DC. She had alot of plans for Nightwing that were totally derailed or pushed back for the large events that have happened, and are coming. Something to the effect of having to write stories by commitee now.

That said, when I first started reading Outsiders, I HATED Judd Winick's take on Nightwing. He seems to have fallen in line with Devin's take on him, just a little more adult. When Young Justice/Titans came out, alot of what happened with Nightwing and Arsenal seemed forced. If that story, and the first few issues of Outsiders, had come our after the recent Nightwing issues, it would have made a lot more sense. It makes you wonder if Winick got a glimpse at Grayson's story bible (assuming she had one), checked over too fast and missed his gradual change and shot too far ahead when he began writing outsiders.

BTW - I really like Outsiders now. Winick makes both Arsenal and Nightwing two of the best characters in the DCU. IMHO.

As for Nightwing Criminals, I only came onboard when Dick joined the Bludhaven PD. His biggest enemies were the corrupt police force. In those issues I mentioned in my previous post you get to see a lot of them including Deathstroke and Shrike.

However, it seems like a large portion of Dick's enemy's and supporting characters have moved on to Robin.

On a side note. Devin Grayson and Gail Simone's moves to break up Dick and Barbara were very good. It is letting both characters branch out on their own more. Oracle is no longer just the super computer answering machine and Nightwing's girlfriend. Nightwing is more carefree, has a bigger edge, and has been able to change both his locale, team statuses, and been able to go undercover. For more on that read the issues, I mentioned earlier and the War Games TPB's that cover Birds of Prey and Nightwing. (For those of you put off by crossovers, War Games was really pretty good. It actually establishes Nightwing, Robin, and Batman as real to the public.)

[scherem]

Q: What issue(s) of Batman did Dick leave him?
Q: In a recent issue of Flash (Post IC issues). Wally says to Batman, "tell Tim what you told Dick when he left, it meant the world to Dick that you said that"--- what is this in reference too?

Maybe add a bit of background on Dick-- the stuff that was fleshed out in Batman Year 3 and A Lonely Place of Dying.

[pennywisdom]

Q: What issue(s) of Batman did Dick leave him?

I'm "word" person, not a "number" person, which can really stink in certain situations. It's nearly impossible for me to recall issue numbers, so I don't know what to tell you. I'm sure someone else will help out. Sorry about that.

[DouglasDanger]

This needs a lot of updating... but I dont feel knowledgeable enough to do it.

[pennywisdom]

Comic books, for better or worse, often seem to operate on a pretty loose continuity timeline, with the actual dates and numbers changing from era to era. As such, it’s hard to get an exact bead on Dick’s age, when he became Nightwing, etc etc. Recently published, however, is a collected edition of Nightwing 101 through 106 wherein Chuck Dixon, Scott Beatty, Scott McDaniel, and Andy Owens retell Nightwing’s “Year One”. In this story (which takes place six years ago), we see Dick Grayson as a 20 year old Titan and as an aging Robin who is quickly losing his interest and patience in his partnership with Batman.

This book is prefaced by a timeline to let readers know what happened and how long ago (DCU time) it happened. I just wanted to post back and first of all, recommend the book wholeheartedly to any Nightwing or DC fan and, secondly, to give you guys a look at said timeline. This is a perfect addition to the Nightwing FAQ thread.

Check it out:

A Brief History of Dick Grayson

26 Years Ago: March 21: Richard John Grayson is born to John Frederick and Mary Loyd Grayson, the Flying Graysons of the traveling Haly’s Circus [Robin Annual #1]

11 Years Ago: When the Flying Graysons are murdered by Anthony “Boss” Zucco, Dick Grayson is made the ward of Bruce Wayne. A natural athlete, he quickly begins training with Batman [Detective Comics #38, Robin Annual #4]. Meanwhile, circus owner Garrison “Pop” Haly is also murdered. His brother, Harrison H. Haly V, assumes responsibility for the family business [Robin Annual #4].

10 Years Ago: Dick Grayson debuts as Robin and helps capture “Boss” Zucco, who implicates ringmaster Stan Rutledge as the man who actually killed the Graysons and Haly [Robin Annual #4]. As far as Dick knows, Zucco is dead [Robin: Year One] but, in truth, the killer is sent to prison [Batman #436]. After a final test, Robin officially becomes Batman’s crime-fighting partner [Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet].

As he begins his career as Robin in earnest, Dick faces such foes as The Mad Hatter, Killer Moth, and Two-Face [Robin: Year One]. After Two-Face savagely beats the Boy Wonder, a gravely injured Robin is sidelined by Batman.

After being “fired” by Batman, Dick-disguised as “Freddy Loyd”-infiltrates a gang of boy thieves trained by the assassin Shrike and earns the enmity of a youth named Boone, who begins training to assume his mentor’s guise following Shrike’s death [Robin: Year One]. Dick is reinstated as Robin and rejoins Batman’s crusade against crime.

Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad unite in Hatton Corners to defeat the villain Mr. Twister [The Brave and the Bold #54]. Shortly thereafter, the three join forces with Donna Troy (now known as Wonder Girl) and Speedy to prevent their mind-controlled mentors from embarking on a crime spree. United as a team, they call themselves the Teen Titans [Teen Titans #53; Secret Origins Annual #3].

8 Years Ago: Dick serves for a brief period as Barbara Gordon’s Congressional aide. Batgirl and Robin team up several times [Batman Family #1, 3]. Still infatuated with Batgirl, Robin works with her regularly most of the year [#5, 7, 9, 11, 13-16, 20].

7 Years Ago: After breaking up with college girlfriend Lori Elton [Batman Family #18; Detective Comics #483], Dick becomes romantically envolved with Barbara Gordon (suggested by a photo in Nightwing #43), who is in a similar funk over her recent loss in the U.S. Senatorial elections [Detective Comics #487]. Dick subsequently begins a half-hearted relationship with another Hudson University classmate, Jennifer Anne [Detective Comics #488, 490-495].

With his duties as Robin increasingly taking precedence in his life, Dick drops out of Hudon University [Detective Comics #495] and moves back to Gotham, initiating a dispute between him and Bruce [The New Teen Titans Archives #1].

Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy and Cyborg are gathered by the empath Raven to save Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran from Gordanian slavers. Koriand’r remains on Earth during this time, taking the name Starfire [DC Comics Presents #26, New Teen Titans #1-2]. Starfire learns English through physical contact with an Earthman – she gives Robin a passionate kiss [New Teen Titans Archives Vol 1].

6 Years Ago: Robin is shot in the shoulder by the Joker, who leaves him alive out of the realization of the damage he could inflict on the Dark Knight by targeting Batman’s crime-fighting associates.

Batman and Robin become increasingly distant, especially with Robin spending more and more time away from Gotham while leading the Teen Titans. Because of their estrangement, Dick moves into Titans Tower and throws himself into a ferocious exercise program to the great concerns of the other Titans [The New Teen Titans (first series) #29].

That brings us up the events of Nightwing: Year One and the debut of the character. This timeline shows us that Dick is 26 and has been Nightwing for the last 6 years. Again, comic book continuity is never solid and I’m sure timelines like this are altered all the time, but if the preface of this book is any indication, this is the history as current DC continuity would have it.

[pennywisdom]

This needs a lot of updating... but I dont feel knowledgeable enough to do it.

Be more specific. What exactly are you interested in? A synopsis of what has happend in Nightwing over the past year?

[Young Avenger]

Is Nightwing Existance known to the public? If so, what do they think of him?

[pennywisdom]

Is Nightwing Existance known to the public? If so, what do they think of him?

AFAIK, his relationship with the public was similar to Batman's pre-War Games.

[Asian Knight]

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure what you're talking about. Dick has carried and used batons for many years now. He can cast a line, attach himself to a solid object and swing around in this manner, but I don't recall him using a whip. Perhaps I'm just remembering incorrectly?

Also, anyone who might have an interest in the Dick Grayson character should check out the new All Star Batman and Robin comic being published by DC in the very near future. It's written by the legendary Frank Miller, with art by the legendary Jim Lee and it features a legendary sidekick, Dick Grayson. There is a good indication that this title will be fairly Robin-centric, so anyone who enjoys Miller, Lee, or Robin should be into it.

I read about this somewhere a while back. It was when he was I believe a member of the New Teen Titans. All I can remember is Raven wearing the white cloak and actually revealing herself with long black hair. Cyborg was around then as well. And no, I'm not referring to the cartoon.