Robin I
Richard John ''Dick'' Grayson
Summary
Dick Grayson: the very first Robin. Debuting in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940), he became one of the most popular sidekicks in the DC Universe.
The character of Robin was created so that Batman would appeal to younger readers and to lighten the tone of the Batman stories.
From his debut appearance in 1940 through 1969, he was known as ''The Boy Wonder''. As he grew up, graduated from high school and enrolled at Hudson University (Batman #217, December 1969), he continued his career as ''The Teen Wonder'', from 1970 into the early 1980s.
He was re-discovered by a new generation of fans during the 1980s because of the success of The New Teen Titans, in which he left Batman's shadow entirely to assume the identity of Nightwing (The New Teen Titans #39, February 1984).
Dick also took up Batman's cape and cowl for a short period when Bruce Wayne was absent in Batman: Prodigal (1994-1995, following Batman: Knightfall) and after Batman: R.I.P./Final Crisis (2008-2009).
The character of Robin was created so that Batman would appeal to younger readers and to lighten the tone of the Batman stories.
From his debut appearance in 1940 through 1969, he was known as ''The Boy Wonder''. As he grew up, graduated from high school and enrolled at Hudson University (Batman #217, December 1969), he continued his career as ''The Teen Wonder'', from 1970 into the early 1980s.
He was re-discovered by a new generation of fans during the 1980s because of the success of The New Teen Titans, in which he left Batman's shadow entirely to assume the identity of Nightwing (The New Teen Titans #39, February 1984).
Dick also took up Batman's cape and cowl for a short period when Bruce Wayne was absent in Batman: Prodigal (1994-1995, following Batman: Knightfall) and after Batman: R.I.P./Final Crisis (2008-2009).
Origin: First Appearance & Debut
Dick Grayson/Robin first appeared in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940).
Detective Comics #38 (April 1940)
Dick Grayson is an acrobat, the youngest of a family act called the "Flying Graysons" of The Haly Circus. One night, walking past the office of the owner of the circus (Mr. Haly), he hears gangsters threaten Mr. Haly, trying to make him pay protection money:
''Be sensible. Pay us and protect the show from accidents.''
The next night, with Bruce Wayne attending the show, John and Mary Grayson plunge to their deaths when their trapeze equipment fails.
Later that evening, a grief stricken Dick Grayson hears the same gangsters as before talk to Mr. Haly:
''...There wouldn't be any accidents if you paid us to protect you.''
As Dick realizes that the gangsters killed his parents and tells himself he should be going to the police, Batman appears and tells Dick that the gangsters put acid on the trapeze ropes, causing the death of his parents, and that the gangsters are henchmen working for a crimeboss named Zucco. Since ''Boss'' Zucco practically runs the town, it wouldn't be wise to go to the police.
Batman takes Dick with him and tells him:
''Be sensible. Pay us and protect the show from accidents.''
The next night, with Bruce Wayne attending the show, John and Mary Grayson plunge to their deaths when their trapeze equipment fails.
Later that evening, a grief stricken Dick Grayson hears the same gangsters as before talk to Mr. Haly:
''...There wouldn't be any accidents if you paid us to protect you.''
As Dick realizes that the gangsters killed his parents and tells himself he should be going to the police, Batman appears and tells Dick that the gangsters put acid on the trapeze ropes, causing the death of his parents, and that the gangsters are henchmen working for a crimeboss named Zucco. Since ''Boss'' Zucco practically runs the town, it wouldn't be wise to go to the police.
Batman takes Dick with him and tells him:
''My parents, too, were killed by a criminal. That's why I've devoted my life to exterminate them''.
Dick begs Batman to take him with him on this crusade.
Dick begs Batman to take him with him on this crusade.
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Together, they investigate Zucco and collect the evidence needed to bring him to justice.
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For the collected earliest adventures of Dick Grayson as Robin, check out:
DC Archive Editions:
The Robin Archives (Volume 1-2)
The 'Robin' features began in Star-Spangled Comics #65 (February 1947) and continued through the end of the title with issue #130 (July 1952). These stories featured Robin in solo adventures, but did include occasional cameos by Batman.
Collects stories from Star-Spangled Comics #65-85 (1947-1948)
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Collects stories from Star-Spangled Comics #86-105 (1948-1950)
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Showcase Presents:
Robin: The Boy Wonder
This book contains black-and-white reprints of selected Robin stories from the late 1960s to 1975. It collects stories from:
- Batman (Vol. 1) #184, #192, #227, #229-231, #234-236, #239-242, #244-246, #248-250, #252, #254;
- Detective Comics (Vol. 1) #386, #390, #394-395, #398-403, #445, #447, #450-451;
- Superman's Pal Jimmy Olsen (Vol. 1) #91, #111;
- Justice League Of America (Vol. 1) #50, #91-92;
- Teen Titans (Vol. 1) #14;
- The Brave And The Bold #83, #100;
- World's Finest Comics #195, #200.
Showcase Presents: Robin: The Boy Wonder
Origin Retold
''The Choice''
Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #100 (''The Choice'', November 1997) retells the origin of Dick Grayson and how he became the first Robin.
Batman: Legends Of The Dark Knight #100 (November 1997)
Batman: Dark Victory
Another re-telling of the origin of Robin and his adoption by Bruce Wayne.
Batman: Dark Victory (November 1999-December 2000)
Robin: Year One
This story (narrated by Alfred) takes place after the events of Batman: Dark Victory. Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet leads directly into Robin: Year One and can be read directly after Batman: Dark Victory.
Robin: Year One (TPB)
Going Separate Ways (1)
Pre-Crisis On Infinite Earths
In pre-Crisis continuity (so before Crisis On Infinite Earths), the "parting" between Dick and Batman is entirely amicable. The maturing Dick Grayson grows weary of his role as Batman's sidekick.
The New Teen Titans #39 (February 1984)
The New Teen Titans #39 (February 1984)
''I can't. Don't you see? Robin will always be the back half of "Batman
and --". But Robin belongs with Batman fighting at his side. Trouble is
-- I don't.''
- Dick Grayson
and --". But Robin belongs with Batman fighting at his side. Trouble is
-- I don't.''
- Dick Grayson
In the story arc The Judas Contract, Dick reveals his new identity, naming himself ''Nightwing'' in homage to both Batman and Superman, recalling an adventure in the bottled city of Kandor, years earlier (World's Finest #143, August 1964).
Tales Of The Teen Titans #44 (July 1984)
Tales Of The Teen Titans #44 (July 1984)
Tales Of The Teen Titans #44 (July 1984) (Nightwing's first appearance)
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.''
Bruce gives every impression of being pleased with his ward's coming of age, and maintains this attitude until the post-Crisis On Infinite Earths retcon that rewrites the origin of Jason Todd and the circumstances of Dick's departure from the role of Robin.
''Robin will always be the second part of Batman.''
Bruce gives every impression of being pleased with his ward's coming of age, and maintains this attitude until the post-Crisis On Infinite Earths retcon that rewrites the origin of Jason Todd and the circumstances of Dick's departure from the role of Robin.
Batman #368 (February 1984)
Then...
Going Separate Ways (2)
Post-Crisis On Infinite Earths
Batman #408 (June 1987) tells a different version of how Batman and the first Robin (Dick Grayson) parted ways.
It also shows a different version of Jason Todd, as seen on the cover; Batman catches Jason Todd (now a street orphan), while he is stealing the tires from the Batmobile.
It also shows a different version of Jason Todd, as seen on the cover; Batman catches Jason Todd (now a street orphan), while he is stealing the tires from the Batmobile.
Batman #408 (June 1987)
In the same issue (Batman #408), Robin (Dick Grayson) gets shot by the Joker.
Batman #408 (June 1987)
Batman then decides that:
''In what I do, there is no place for a child...''
''In what I do, there is no place for a child...''
Batman #408 (June 1987)
Batman #408 (June 1987)
And so, Bruce and Dick part ways in a (more or less) friendly fashion. It doesn't make sense, however, that Bruce (in Batman #409; the very next issue!) makes the young Jason Todd his new Robin.
Interestingly enough, there is another post-Crisis story that actually predates Batman #408 and is far more interesting: Secret Origins (Vol. 2) #13 (April 1987):
Today is Richard Grayson's 20th birthday. He (as Nightwing) and the other Teen Titans are on the planet Okaara for Starfire's arranged marriage. Nightwing and Jericho are away from the others, with Nightwing training by trying to catch an Okaaran "monkey-bird," when Nightwing reflects on his life so far.
Today is Richard Grayson's 20th birthday. He (as Nightwing) and the other Teen Titans are on the planet Okaara for Starfire's arranged marriage. Nightwing and Jericho are away from the others, with Nightwing training by trying to catch an Okaaran "monkey-bird," when Nightwing reflects on his life so far.
Going Separate Ways
[Post-Crisis On Infinite Earths] [2]
Nightwing: Secret Files & Origins #1 (October 1999)
Nightwing: Secret Files & Origins #1 (1999) retells the post-Crisis version of how and why Dick Grayson gave up his identity as Robin to become Nightwing. In this story, Batman and Dick have a falling out, and Dick leaves the Batcave. He also takes a break from the Teen Titans to go soul searching. Needing someone to talk to, Dick encounters Superman.
So, in pre-Crisis continuity, Dick Grayson chose the name Nightwing as a tribute to Batman and Superman, who used the identity in the bottled city of Kandor. After the events of the Crisis On Infinite Earths re-boot of the DC Universe, Superman no longer has knowledge of Kandor. With that bit of continuity wiped after Post-Crisis, the origin of the Nightwing name remained a mystery for years.
In this version, Superman, listening to Dick Grayson, is reminded of the story of a legendary Kryptonian hero:
"There was a man on my homeworld many centuries before my birth who was cast out of his family as you were," explained the Man of Steel. "He dreamt of justice. He dreamt of helping the weak. He dreamt of showing his family that he was better than they gave him credit for. He used his talents and his skills to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. He became a legend. No one knew his real name. He was called only - Nightwing."
Inspired by the story, Dick Grayson adopts the name as his own.
In this version, Superman, listening to Dick Grayson, is reminded of the story of a legendary Kryptonian hero:
"There was a man on my homeworld many centuries before my birth who was cast out of his family as you were," explained the Man of Steel. "He dreamt of justice. He dreamt of helping the weak. He dreamt of showing his family that he was better than they gave him credit for. He used his talents and his skills to fight for those who couldn't fight for themselves. He became a legend. No one knew his real name. He was called only - Nightwing."
Inspired by the story, Dick Grayson adopts the name as his own.
Nightwing: Year One
Nightwing
costumes
Nightwing's first costume
Nightwing's second costume
That Mullet...
Ever wondered when and where Dick got that haircut?
In The New Titans #88 (July 1992).
Now, before blaming it all on Starfire, keep in mind that it was actually Mirage, impersonating Starfire. She was responsible for the new look; the costume and the haircut.
In The New Titans #87 (June 1992), Dick gets rid of whatever is left of his old costume after a fight with Deathstroke.
In The New Titans #88 (July 1992).
Now, before blaming it all on Starfire, keep in mind that it was actually Mirage, impersonating Starfire. She was responsible for the new look; the costume and the haircut.
In The New Titans #87 (June 1992), Dick gets rid of whatever is left of his old costume after a fight with Deathstroke.
Getting Married...Almost
New Titans #100 (1993)
Nightwing and Starfire were originally intended to become happily married in New Titans #100. After his marriage to Starfire was interrupted, he was sort of in limbo for a year, with a few guest appearances here and there.
After he was completely written out of New Titans, he had a storyline filling in for Batman, post-Knightfall (in Batman: Prodigal). After that, he was back to limbo for most of 1995, until finally he got a new costume and his first mini-series.
After he was completely written out of New Titans, he had a storyline filling in for Batman, post-Knightfall (in Batman: Prodigal). After that, he was back to limbo for most of 1995, until finally he got a new costume and his first mini-series.
The reason as to why Nightwing was in such a state of limbo state in the beginning of the 1990's was because the original plans for the character fell through.
Originally, writer/artist Art Thibert was going to do a Nightwing mini-series that would run in 1992, concurrently with New Titans #93-99.
The series, co-written with Pamela Winesette, was to be about an alien invasion of Earth that led to Starfire being captured and Nightwing having to save her. The main point of the series was to establish Nightwing as an extremely competent hero, and to do so on the largest of scales – in front of the entire superhero community.
At the end of the series, Dick would have a newfound confidence and would ask Starfire to marry him; she’d accept, and this would all lead into New Titans #100, which would be the marriage of Nightwing and Starfire, which would be handled much like Donna Troy and Terry Long’s marriage in Tales Of The Teen Titans #50.
Of course, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and in this instance, the editor who was driving the project, Jonathan Peterson, left DC for Image Comics in 1992. Thibert had already put off doing the mini-series for a time because of a commitment to Marvel for a Cable ongoing series, but he ended up dropping both series to also go to Image Comics.
So the new editors instead had New Titans writer Marv Wolfman have a wedding ceremony go awry in New Titans #100 (the minister was murdered by a newly-evil Raven) and the character of Nightwing had a bit of a delay on his road to prominence.
Thibert had even done a poster to promote the series (that never happened), and DC published it in 1992′s Titans Sell-Out Special #1.
Originally, writer/artist Art Thibert was going to do a Nightwing mini-series that would run in 1992, concurrently with New Titans #93-99.
The series, co-written with Pamela Winesette, was to be about an alien invasion of Earth that led to Starfire being captured and Nightwing having to save her. The main point of the series was to establish Nightwing as an extremely competent hero, and to do so on the largest of scales – in front of the entire superhero community.
At the end of the series, Dick would have a newfound confidence and would ask Starfire to marry him; she’d accept, and this would all lead into New Titans #100, which would be the marriage of Nightwing and Starfire, which would be handled much like Donna Troy and Terry Long’s marriage in Tales Of The Teen Titans #50.
Of course, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry, and in this instance, the editor who was driving the project, Jonathan Peterson, left DC for Image Comics in 1992. Thibert had already put off doing the mini-series for a time because of a commitment to Marvel for a Cable ongoing series, but he ended up dropping both series to also go to Image Comics.
So the new editors instead had New Titans writer Marv Wolfman have a wedding ceremony go awry in New Titans #100 (the minister was murdered by a newly-evil Raven) and the character of Nightwing had a bit of a delay on his road to prominence.
Thibert had even done a poster to promote the series (that never happened), and DC published it in 1992′s Titans Sell-Out Special #1.
Titans Sell-Out Special #1 (1992) poster
Quitting
Dick Grayson quits being Nightwing in Nightwing #1, the first issue of the 4-issue (1995) Nightwing mini-series (shortly before the ongoing Nightwing series).
Returning
Then, in that same mini-series, Harold (Batman's mechanic at the time) and Alfred have a present for Dick, after duty calls him back into action.
Nightwing's third costume (still with the long hair)
Nightwing's third costume (now with the new haircut he got at the beginning of his own ongoing series in 1996)
Dick Grayson as Batman
After Bruce Wayne's apparent death (in Batman: R.I.P./Final Crisis, 2008-2009), Dick Grayson took on the cape and cowl.
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 Dick Grayson as Batman, Damian Wayne as Robin (V) and Tim Drake as Red Robin |
The Return Of Bruce Wayne as Batman
After the return of Bruce Wayne, Detective Comics, Batman and Batman & Robin featured Dick Grayson as Batman (with the black Bat-symbol on his chest) and Damian Wayne as Robin, while Batman Inc. and Batman: The Dark Knight both featured Bruce Wayne (with the yellow chest symbol).
This approach mostly played out in Batman: Incorporated, where Bruce Wayne essentially franchises out the Dark Knight brand globally.
This approach mostly played out in Batman: Incorporated, where Bruce Wayne essentially franchises out the Dark Knight brand globally.
Batman: The Return #1 (January 2011) features the return of Bruce Wayne as Batman
Two Batmen
Batman #704 (January 2011)
Bruce (right) and Dick (left) as Batman in Batman #704.
Back to ''Nightwing''
Starting with The New 52 (September 2011), Dick Grayson resumed the role of Nightwing.
The new costume has changed from blue to red, and the emblem rolls over the shoulders, rather than traveling down the arm onto the middle and ring fingers. The costume has also shifted from a skin-tight unitard look to an armored, full body suit, with spiked gauntlets such as Batman's (rather than simply long gloves).
Nightwing's fourth costume (The New 52)
Nightwing's fifth costume (DC Rebirth, 2016)
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Learn more about Nightwing in the Batman Comics section -> Nightwing
