Last night was one of those nights where you just stare at the ceiling wondering why in the hell can’t you fall asleep. No doubt, the fact that the Bunker is as hot as an oven doesn’t help any. So, naturally, my mind started wandering to various questions such as what in the world should DC do with Nightwing? That is a question that has been on my mind for a while. Unfortunately, I don’t see any sort of easy answer to this question.
Nightwing is the “middle child” in the Batman family. It is an unfortunate situation where he doesn’t seem to have his own place in the DCU. Nightwing isn’t Batman. He isn’t the master of all and expert of everything that is the position that Batman has at the top of the Batman family hierarchy. Nightwing also isn’t Robin. The young student in training with loads of potential and hoping to one day fill the role of Batman. Nope. Nightwing is that middle child who doesn’t fit in anywhere. He is left out of the mix. Nightwing is either Batman Lite or the experienced Robin. However, Nightwing himself seems to have no point or purpose.
So, there are two crucial problems that must be solved in order to revive Nightwing’s character. Give Nightwing his own identity. Give Nightwing his own purpose.
First, let’s deal with Nightwing’s character. Right now, Dick Grayson has no identity. He isn’t Robin and he isn’t Batman. Dick doesn’t have the money of Bruce Wayne. Dick doesn’t have the hi-tech gadgets and equipment of Batman. No Batmobile. No Batplane. Dick doesn’t have a cool hi-tech secret liar like the Batcave. Batman is a superior fighter than Dick. Batman is a superior detective than Dick. Nightwing suffers from a massive inferiority complex that desperately needs to be addressed.
One way to solve this problem would be to give Dick super powers. Yeah, I know, I just offended almost 99% of all Nightwing fans out there. But, here me out. I’m not talking about massive Superman level powers. I’m not talking about anything like energy powers, mental powers, invisibility, flight or anything like that. I’m thinking more of enhanced strength, reflexes, agility, senses and durability. I like physical based super powers for Dick. Something that boosts him over your average hand to hand combat specialist super hero. These powers would help elevate Dick above the rest of the Batman family, but still make Batman look cool. Yeah, Dick’s super senses may help him track down a killer as quickly as Batman, but Batman can do it without them. Batman still looks like a stud, but Dick is able to actually outperform Batman and look like his own man.
These super powers would enable Dick to stand out among the myriad of hand to hand fighters in the DCU. Plus, it would allow Dick to not always be compared to Batman. Dick would be a metahuman and there would no longer be the need to constantly compare his fighting skills or detective prowess to Batman.
Now, if Dick doesn’t get super powers, then he needs to get amped up in his fighting skills and in the gadget arena. DC needs to finally elevate Nightwing up to Batman’s class of fighting ability. DC also would have to give Nightwing cooler toys than a couple of billy clubs and a cable gun. DC would have to be willing to place Nightwing on an equal footing with Batman. And I just don’t ever see that happening. Make no mistake, the DCU is Batman’s world and everyone else is just living in it. Superman included.
DC then needs to supply Nightwing with his own cast of solid supporting characters. Nightwing has lacked great supporting characters. Personally, I think Dick should be re-united with Starfire. Nightwing also needs a better rogues gallery. A hero is only as interesting as his villains. And the Pierce Brothers are a fine example of how a crappy villain can make a story listless and uninteresting.
I also think that Nightwing should be brought back to the Titans. Nightwing is to the Titans like Batman is to the JLA. I don’t want to see Nightwing in the JLA. That is Batman’s group and Nightwing will never be viewed as nothing more than Batman-lite while in the JLA. However, in the Titans, Nightwing is their Batman. Nightwing is the top dog.
I would also take Nightwing out of the Outsiders. Again, DC needs to take Nightwing out of Batman’s shadow. The Outsiders was Batman’s group. Not Nightwing’s. By having Nightwing in the Outsiders, it just re-enforced the Batman-lite view of Nightwing. Nightwing needs to be his own man.
After giving Nightwing his own identity, DC then needs to give him his own purpose. Dick needs to be more than just Batman lite. Dick lost his parents to a brutal crime. He should be more driven than he is. DC either needs to take Dick beyond Batman as far as how driven and consumed he is to fight crime or DC needs to take Dick in a totally different direction from Batman. DC can have Dick as a more personable version of Batman. Still dedicated to his craft, but also a much more well adjusted and civil human being who actually enjoys his life as Dick Grayson just as much as his life as Nightwing.
Dick is an ex-high wire acrobat. He should be a total daredevil. He should laugh in the face of danger and exude massive amounts of confidence. I think that this would make a much more compelling and interesting Dick Grayson to read about.
Right now, Dick Grayson has a very uninteresting personality that shifts from maudlin to unconfident to confused to whiney to aggressive (as seen in the Outsiders). DC needs to clearly define Dick Grayson’s character and then proceed to establish it and flesh it out consistently and without deviation in his own title and in any other title that he appears in.
DC has done a terrible job of handling Dick Grayson over the years. DC has treated him like a red headed step child for quite some time with the lack of properly handling and developing his character. DC has also failed to ever invest any serious big name talent on his title. And now, DC is wondering why this character is floundering? Gee, I wonder why? DC needs to immediately bring on some major talent to Nightwing’s title and then get serious about actually establishing Dick Grayson as a major player in the DCU.
All I have heard is Dan “death count” Didio yap his trap about how Dick Grayson is one of the most important characters in the DCU. Yeah, so important that they were willing to kill off his character and replace him with JASON TODD FOR THE LOVE OF GOD. Then Didio was shocked when he found out that there were actual Dick Grayson fans out there in comic book fandom. Great. This is the idiot in charge of supposedly establishing Dick Grayson as a major player in the DCU.
Am I confident that DC can resurrect Nightwing and his title? No. They have done nothing to make me feel that they know what to do with his character. Hopefully, DC’s “big” plans for Dick Grayson and the entire Monitor storyline will finally make Nightwing a great read.
4 thoughts on “What About Nightwing?”
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I think the main probelm is that Dick has no reason for doing what he’s doing. Batman we know, he’s doing it because his parents were killed, swore vengance, ect. Superman is all about using his powers for good, hope on earth that stuff. GL is baiscally a cop, he fights evil because thats what green laterns do. Why does dick do what he does. Ok, when he was a kid he was robin, and he grew into nightwing. But thats not much of a reason. What is his pupose? I have never seen that explained or explored. Nobody ahs ever pointed out to him that he does’nt really have any reason to go out and fight crime. I think this would be a fantisc angel for the right wrtier to take. Have Dick queston why he puts on the tights and go on a voyage of self discovery to figure out what he is all about. There is a lot of good potential in him. Also, what is his role in the large DCU, and why has he come into his own more than speedy or Aqualad?
I’ve never really read a nightwing comic – but I always percieved the character to be pretty ‘cool’. Thats why upon reading your reviews and this most recent article, I was pretty surprised to find out how poorly Dick has been treated!
You cite some interesting examples as to why he hasn’t been working.Marv Wolfman is up next on writing chores right? Hopefully he’ll make things click and provide a good start for new readers.
First, let me say that I fully recognize that Nightwing’s writers often have little idea what to do with him. Like making Batman a total dick, or making Cassandra Cain a villain, writers often take the easy route with him making him angst about his relationship with Bruce.
When written right however, he has plenty going for him. He’s a natural leader, polite and easy going guy with his own sense of justice. He doesn’t need to be as driven as Batman because of his parents were murdered. He fights crime now because it’s the right thing to do. Nightwing has close, personal relationships with dozens of heroes, from the first Titans to the last, to even Superman. He was the first second generation hero to really forge his own identity and be seen as an equal to the likes of Batman, Superman, etc.
He doesn’t need meta powers to stand out, he just needs more physical villains. He doesn’t need to be physically better than Batman because Nightwing’s shown time and again he can inspire confidence in others and work well with them. Superman may be able to inspire people, but his tactical skills are questionable. Batman’s tactics are excellent but he lacks the ability to inspire.
Nightwing? He can do both. Written right, Nightwing’s a man with his own sense of justice, well adjusted despite all he’s seen and able to make it on his own as a hero. All he needs is a writer who recognizes that, hopefully something Wolfman will provide.
I agree with some points, but you are deadly wrong with the idea of giving Nightwing superpowers. Yeah, sure! Let's transform Batman-Lite into Superman-Lite 🙂
What makes Nightwing such a popular character is because he is "humane" and "normal" compared to Batman