Richard Grayson (New Earth)

{{DC Database:Character Template
 * Image                  = Nightwing 0003.jpg
 * RealName               = Richard John "Dick" Grayson
 * CurrentAlias           = Nightwing
 * Aliases                = Robin, Batman, Renegade, Target, Freddie Dinardo, Burn
 * Identity               = Public
 * Alignment              = Good
 * Affiliation            = Batman Family, Batman Incorporated; formerly Justice League, Teen Titans, Outsiders, Blüdhaven Police Department, Secret Society of Super-Villains, Haly's Circus
 * Relatives              = John Grayson (father, deceased), Mary Grayson (mother, deceased), Bruce Wayne (adoptive father), Damian Wayne (adoptive brother), Jason Todd (adoptive brother), Tim Drake (adoptive brother), Cassandra Cain (adoptive sister)
 * Universe               = New Earth
 * BaseOfOperations       = Gotham City; formerly Bludhaven, New York City


 * Gender                 = Male
 * Height                 = 5'10"
 * Weight                 = 175 lbs.
 * Eyes                   = Blue
 * Hair                   = Black
 * UnusualFeatures        =


 * Citizenship            = American
 * MaritalStatus          = Single
 * Occupation             = Adventurer, former Sidekick, Acrobat
 * Education              = High school graduate, one semester of college.


 * Origin                 =
 * PlaceOfBirth           =
 * Creators               = Bob Kane; Bill Finger
 * First                  = Detective Comics #38


 * Quotation              = Who do I think I am? Good question, really, and I'll answer like this: I've seen too much to be Robin, but I'm still too optimistic to be Batman. I'm Nightwing. I'm Officer Dick Grayson. I'm Barbara's boyfriend, Bruce Wayne's adopted son, and the last living member of the Amazing Flying Graysons. I'm happy.
 * Speaker                = Dick Grayson
 * QuoteSource            = Nightwing Vol 2 75


 * HistoryText            = Dick Grayson is a vigilante in the Batman Family and the original hero known as Robin. Eventually he outgrew this position and was inspired by Superman to become Nightwing, while Jason Todd and Tim Drake succeeded him as Robin. Following the disappearance of Bruce Wayne, he succeeded his mentor to become Batman with Damian Wayne as his Robin during Battle for the Cowl. Bruce's return allowed them to both wear the mantle as part of Batman Incorporated, although Grayson has since then returned to his Nightwing costume in Traps and Trapezes.

Flying Graysons
Dick Grayson was a twelve-year-old circus acrobat, the youngest of a family act called The Flying Graysons of The Haley Circus. Dick joined the act at a very young age, having been trained in acrobatics from birth. While on tour in Gotham City, he overheard "Boss" Tony Zucco, a well-known and feared crime-lord, threaten the performers unless the circus's owner paid extortion money. The owner refused, and that night Dick watched in horror as his parents' high wire snapped, sending his parents hurtling to their deaths, all while many of Gotham's elite watched on. Young Dick felt responsible, because he didn't warn his parents in time.

Origins
Shortly after the tragedy, as shown in Batman: Year Three and Year One Annual: Robin, Dick was placed in an uncaring juvenile services system, on the grounds that social services were full. He got beaten up by a number of the inmates, and he was later sent to a Catholic orphanage. Bruce Wayne rescued Dick by adopting him as his ward, because the boy did not want to replace his deceased father with the billionaire. In Batman: Dark Victory, frustrated by the lack of attention from his new guardian and the mystery still surrounding his parents' death, Dick sneaked out of Wayne Manor one evening to solve the crime on his own - only to stumble into Batman, who was also investigating the murder. When Dick returned to the circus, he was confronted by Zucco's business associate, Eddie Skeevers who nearly killed Grayson, but Dick was saved thanks to Batman's intervention. After waking up in the Batcave, he is shocked to learn that Bruce is really the Batman. They succeed in revealing Zucco's complicity, but he supposedly dies of a heart attack before his arrest. Seeing a reflection of himself in Dick; that he could temper compassion with a thirst for justice, Batman made the young orphan the offer of a lifetime; the chance to become his crime-fighting partner. Dick chose the name Robin, and his training began. Dick's first mission alongside the Dark Knight involved battling The Hangman in Gotham's sewers, and then Two-Face and the rest of Batman's Rogues Gallery at the Batcave. They swore an oath late that night that they would fight together against crime and corruption, never swerving from the path of righteousness. Batman had realized for the first time that he did not have to be alone in his crusade.



Robin's origin had a typological connection to Batman's in that both witnessed the crime-related deaths of their parents, creating an urge to battle the criminal underworld. This provided a bond and understanding between the two.

Bruce taught Dick fighting techniques and detective skills for a grueling 6 months. Finally, Dick had to pass a final test - "the Gauntlet". Dick had to elude the Dark Knight on the streets of Gotham for one night - from sunset to sunrise - without any outside help. Dick succeeded, simultaneously bringing Gotham gangster Joe Minette to justice. Dick took to the streets as Batman's full-fledged partner in crime-fighting: Robin, the Boy Wonder.

Robin
Dick enjoyed his first year as Robin, regarding the job as an adventure until a confrontation with Two-Face served as a rude awakening for the young hero. Two-Face had captured the new District Attorney and Batman, and had each suspended from a hangman's noose in a 'double gallows death-trap'. Robin, in trying to save the D.A., used a batarang to cut the rope of the noose. It worked, but Robin didn't account for Dent's obsession with the number two -- it was a two-fold trap, and the floor gave way, dropping the D.A. into the water, where the man drowned. Robin was unable to prevent his death, and received a beating at the hands of Two-Face. A beating witnessed by Batman, still tied up on the platform trying to free himself. Eventually, Batman was able to free himself and apprehend Two-Face. This event, however, scarred the young crime-fighter, and haunts him even today. Rather than see Dick be further endangered, Batman "fires" his partner, sidelining the Boy Wonder for a time.

Teen Titans
The formation of the Teen Titans mainly happened due to the sidekick's mentors making them feel lesser of themselves, which they quickly knew wasn't right about them. Dick, along with Wally West (Kid Flash), and Garth (Aqualad) teamed-up; later on, Donna Troy (Wonder Girl) joined the team along with Roy Harper (Speedy).

Together, they cured the heroes from their mind control; later, their mentors (Batman, Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman) supported the idea of the teens becoming a heroic group, the Teen Titans! Dick became the leader of this team.

Eventually, the team would disband when they grew older.

New Teen Titans
Dick continued his adventures with Batman, and began attending college at Hudson University. Robin started to take on solo missions as well, and found himself to be a capable crime-fighter in his own right. Shortly afterward, the mysterious Raven summoned Dick Grayson, and several other young heroes, to form a new group of Titans. Robin again resumed leadership, and moved out of the shadow of the Batman.

Independence
When Robin was 17, he was shot in the shoulder by the Joker, and this scared Batman into ending his career for good. Dick realized at that point that he had grown up: he no longer relied on Batman and, in fact, he and the Dark Knight disagreed on crime-fighting methodology. His new-found independence and Titans' duties in New York left less time for his former commitments in Gotham City. He also dropped out of Hudson after only one semester.

Dick rediscovered his self-worth among the Teen Titans. Batman, however, was less than pleased. He informed Dick that if he no longer wanted to be his partner, then Dick would have to retire as Robin. Dick left Wayne Manor after this fallout. Helping him through this difficult time was his fellow Titans, including Starfire, a beautiful alien Dick had fallen in love with. Dick handed over leadership of the Titans to Wonder Girl.



Nightwing
Uncertain what to do, he turned to someone he knew would understand: Superman. Very briefly, Dick had considered giving up the whole crime fighting gig, but he couldn't imagine his life any other way; but if he couldn't be Robin, who would he be? Superman had the answer. Long ago on Krypton, a man was cast out by his family - just as Dick had been. He dreamed of a world ruled by justice, and set out to protect the helpless of Krypton. His true identity was never revealed. He was known only as Nightwing.

The Post-Crisis version of Grayson had him become the first and only Nightwing, with his costume partially inspired by his father, who at one time wore a circus costume that was a variant of colleague Boston Brand's Deadman costume.

When all his teammates were captured by Deathstroke the Terminator, and delivered to the HIVE, Dick assumed a new identity of Nightwing and helped to free them, with the help of new ally (and future Titan), Jericho.

Nightwing had finally moved out of the shadow of the Bat, and would lead the Titans through some hard times. Dick endured 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 trained a new Robin (Jason Todd) only for him to be seemingly killed at the hands of the Joker.

A Lonely Place of Dying
Feeling hurt and betrayed, Bruce and Dick would remain at odds with each other, never fully sorting out their strained relationship. While serving with the New Titans, Dick was searched out by an older Tim Drake, who had only one goal on his mind, for Dick to return as Robin. It was Dick's refusal to return that started Tim down the road toward becoming the new Robin. After weeks of persuading and proving his potential, Dick then returned to the Batman to plead Tim's case, with help from Alfred. Due to their arguments and the realization that the Batman needs a Robin, Tim Drake becomes the third Boy Wonder.

Titans Hunt
Soon after, various members of the Titans were abducted by the Wildebeest Society. This event shook up the team in a big way. The group entered into tumultuous times, where members came and went, longtime friends were maimed or destroyed, although Dick persevered through it all, and remained the heart and center of the team.

But his relationship with Starfire became strained, and problems in Gotham demanded Dick's attention. Impulsively, Dick proposed marriage to Starfire. The two almost wed, but the ceremony was interrupted by Raven, now reborn as an evil avatar of her father, Trigon. Her brutal attack on Starfire triggered changes in Dick and Kory's relationship. Starfire was implanted with a demon "seed" which causes her to leave Earth and go on a spiritual journey. The two grew apart, and Starfire eventually returned to her home planet of Tamaran.

Knightfall
Meanwhile, in Gotham, Bruce Wayne had left the mantle of Batman to the unstable Jean Paul Valley. Dick intervened with new Robin Tim Drake, and when Bruce returned to Gotham, he brought Valley down and re-assumed the mantle of Batman. When Dick returned to the Titans, he found there to be changes. The government interceded, placing Arsenal (the former Speedy) as leader of the team. Dick stepped aside and left the Titans, concentrating on problems in Gotham City.

Prodigal
Still recovering from his broken back, Bruce asked Dick to substitute for him as Batman for a time; Dick accepted. During this time, Dick was able to confront Two-Face and lay some demons to rest. He also established a wonderful partnership with Tim. Bruce eventually returned to Gotham to reclaim his role as Batman. For the first time in a long time, Bruce and Dick began to heal their strained relationship. Bruce's respect for Dick was at last obvious.

Contagion
Batman calls in Nightwing when the Apocalypse Virus breaks out in Gotham. He teams up with Huntress and Robin to stop rioters from burning down Babylon Towers. When Robin is revealed to have been infected, Nightwing carries him to the Batcave's medical facilities. They resign themselves to Gotham dying when nothing works, but Azrael figures out a cure and saves everyone. Batman and Nightwing leave Robin to deal with the remaining looters once he's finally cured.

They later realize that the virus was never cured, only mutated into a dormant state. Nightwing accompanies Batman and Robin to look for a cure in Sudan during Legacy. Ra's al Ghul is revealed to be responsible, and they fight through an army of assassins to reach him. Nightwing holds his own in a sword-fight against Ra's, but he loses and Ra's escapes. Nightwing and Robin travel to Paris, where they team up with Henri Ducard to stop Ra's from releasing his plague into the Louvre. While Batman destroys the plague in Gotham, Nightwing pursues Ra's with Robin and Huntress. They catch up to his boat The Shrike, and Ra's prepares to execute Grayson. Robin finds the cure, then rescues them as the boat explodes.

A Knight in Bludhaven
Investigating a crime in nearby Blüdhaven, Nightwing saw that the city was just as bad, if not worse, than Gotham. With no one to protect Blüdhaven, and a need to forge his own path as a hero, Nightwing decided to relocate there.

This was the beginning of a long, uphill battle for Dick Grayson. He fought many victorious battles in Blüdhaven as its protector, and certainly made it a safer place, but he never won the war. The city, and his losses, took their toll on Nightwing, leading him to eventually adopt a grimmer outlook on being a hero.

Graduation Day
The Titans and Young Justice are approached by a corporation named Optitron who want to achieve a massive tax write-off by completely funding them, but Nightwing angrily dismisses the idea as "selling out." They're also attacked by an android named Indigo who hospitalizes a third of both teams, although Cyborg insists that she is not hostile. In the aftermath, Nightwing broods in the hospital over his failures as a leader. The Indigo android continues her rampage and accidentally releases a broken Superman Robot from S.T.A.R. Labs who murders Omen when they try to approach it. Nightwing coordinates the team to fight this robot, but they're badly beaten and Indigo doesn't defeat it until after it's already slain Donna Troy. Following her funeral, Nightwing angrily tells Arsenal that he can't see another friend die and he's disbanding the Titans.

Outsiders
Three months after Graduation Day, Arsenal approaches Nightwing with the idea of rebuilding a team that they're not emotionally attached to. This team of new recruits includes Grace Choi, Indigo, Jade, Metamorpho and Thunder operating out of a bomb shelter under Brooklyn. Their first mission is an invasion of super-intelligent gorillas led by Gorilla Grodd in Manhattan. This is revealed to be a ruse engineered by the Joker to kidnap and torture President Luthor, although they stop him before he can kill the President. In the aftermath, Nightwing explains to Batman that he's tired of being a reactionary hero and wishes to make his team proactive hunters as the new Outsiders.

Renegade
Nightwing refuses to join his recently resurrected friend Donna Troy as she journeys to New Cronus with several heroes. He instead adopts a new villainous costume and persona in order to infiltrate Lex Luthor's Secret Society of Super Villains and seemingly attempt to trouble it from the inside. Under Deathstroke's employ, he trained Slade's daughter Rose, the newest Ravager.

Infinite Crisis
Deathstroke betrays Nightwing when Blüdhaven is destroyed by the Society. The Society drops the super-villain 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.

Saved by the Justice Society, Nightwing recovers with Barbara at his side. As soon as he's able to walk again, Batman asks him to join him and Robin in retracing Bruce's original journey in becoming the Dark Knight. While Nightwing is hesitant, due to his engagement with Barbara, she encourages him to go and returns his engagement ring so he can make an honest decision for himself. Barbara feels that it is important he re-discover himself, and until he does, they're not yet ready to be married. They part on good terms, though before he departs, Dick leaves her an envelope containing a photograph of them as Robin and Batgirl, along with the engagement ring on a chain and a note promising he'll come back to her one day.

52
Soon after his journey with Batman and Robin begins, Nightwing returns to Gotham, following Intergang's trail. He works with the new Batwoman and Renee Montoya to stop Intergang from destroying Gotham, shutting off dozens of fire spewing devices spread across the city.

Brothers in Blood
One year later, Dick Grayson returned to New York City (his previous home base with the Teen Titans) in order to find out who had been masquerading as Nightwing. The murderous impostor turned out to be the former Robin, Jason Todd. Grayson lead the Outsiders once again, operating undercover and globally.

Love and War
Nightwing followed an armored thief named Raptor, who he suspected was responsible for a series of murders. Later, Raptor himself was murdered in a manner similar to the other victims by an unseen contract killer, who proceeded to bury Grayson alive. Nightwing freed himself, but wondered about the relationship between his experience and a mysterious voice who told him that he was "supposed to be dead". Nightwing was having trouble finding things to keep him busy during the day due to the cast on his right arm. Incapacitated from his injuries, he tried without luck to find jobs and continued to research into the mysterious assassin.

At one point, Dick agreed to attend a party for Bruce Wayne and their relationship seemed to flourish. Bruce praised Dick for his success on the Raptor case, and also mentioned to look into the Landman Building which hosted ex-Lexcorp scientists; most likely those who worked on the Raptor project. Dick had also continued to keep a close brotherly relationship with Tim Drake, and helped him deal with his many losses during the past year.

After dealing with the Raptor issue, New York City was plagued by a villainous duo called Bride and Groom. Nightwing begins pursuit of these two after some grisly murders, including that of the Lorens family (close friends of his after the Raptor incident). Dick grew obsessed with finding them, not knowing how far he was willing to go to take them down. Eventually, he formed a makeshift team with some "villains" to find them. They located them, and after killing some of his "team", Nightwing chased them to a cave, where Bride began a cave-in and the two were trapped there.

Old Friends
Some time later, Nightwing disassociated himself from the Outsiders, turning the responsibility of leadership over to his old mentor Batman. He then reunited with his alma mater the Titans after learning about a vicious attack wrought against Cyborg’s impromptu Titans East trainees. Along with Beast Boy, Cyborg, Donna Troy, Flash, Raven, Red Arrow and Starfire, Dick discovered that the perpetrator behind this attack was the spawn of one of the Titans' deadliest villains – Trigon.

Battle for the Cowl
In the wake of Bruce Wayne's disappearance during Final Crisis, Gotham is thrown into chaos by a new Black Mask who destroys Arkham and takes control of its inmates using microchips. While Nightwing rallies Batman's Network to stop the gang violence, Jason Todd begins wearing a Batsuit and violently gunning down criminals. Penguin and Two-Face go to war as the two biggest figures in Gotham, not realizing Black Mask is manipulating them. Grayson refuses to try and replace Bruce, so Tim Drake begins wearing his own Batsuit that gets him stabbed through the chest in a fight with Jason. Secret Six members Bane, Catman and Rag Doll in a Robin costume show up to help out in Batman's honor, but Nightwing banishes them for murdering terrorists. He also battles the new Azrael for stealing the Suit of Sorrows, but they come to an understanding and Azrael is allowed to operate in Gotham. The Network go after Black Mask when they realize he's their real threat, and Dick personally hunts down Jason. Jason lies that he killed Tim, leading to a fight atop a subway car where Dick kicks him and Jason seemingly falls to his death. In the aftermath of these events, Dick realizes that he really was destined to become Batman and takes the cowl with Damian Wayne at his side as Robin.



Batman Reborn
At Bruce Wayne's private funeral, Dick announces that they cannot allow Batman to die and his legend must continue. Alfred Pennyworth helps him build a new Bat-Bunker so he can make the identity of Batman his own, and Dick begins his career by taking down Scarecrow.

He makes an immediate impression as a more media-friendly Batman who allows crime scenes to be recorded so his convictions stick. When he goes after the Penguin, Black Mask intervenes by sending Clayface and Lyle Blanco as hitmen. Two-Face breaks into the Batcave using a teleporter and tries to confront Batman as an impostor, but Dick convinces him otherwise. His first mission with Damian Wayne as Robin involves Professor Pyg and the Circus of Strange, who they stop from spreading drug addiction like a virus and turning people into Dollotrons. They continue to struggle with Hush posing as Bruce Wayne, and begin keeping him under constant guard to stop him from damaging the Wayne Foundation. Firefly betrays Black Mask to satisfy his pyromania and Zsasz uses the Broker to construct a gladiatorial abbatoir.

Tim Drake believes that Bruce is still alive, and leaves Gotham as Red Robin to look for clues in Europe when Dick won't support him. They test the mettle of Stephanie Brown as the new Batgirl when they're attacked by Roulette. He also observes Batwoman taking down the Religion of Crime, although he allows her to operate independently. The Riddler gains his respect when they work together on a case involving Conundrum. In an encounter with Booster Gold, he's briefly erased from history by the Black Beetle and then restored. Aqualad visits him for advice on how to handle Atlantis after losing his mentor Aquaman. His new identity is also shown to affect Starfire, who still has romantic feelings for him. When Vigilante arrives in Gotham, they fight and then arrive at a mutual understanding. In his first team-up with Azrael and the Question, Robin is kidnapped and they go after a religious cult named La Saligia.

Life After Death
Black Mask remains cornered by the in Devil's Square with his mind-controlled False Faces, but he plans to threaten the city with experimental toxins using his Ministry of Science including Doctor Death, Fright, Hugo Strange and the Reaper. Mario Falcone returns to Gotham after many years and tries to take organized crime back for the Roman Empire, although Batman eventually burns his estate down. The Penguin hires a young thief named Kittihawk who plagues Batman, although she eventually becomes Catwoman's sidekick and takes the name Catgirl. Eventually Batman is forced to lead a frontal assault on Devil's Square using the Network, and he exposes Black Mask as the newly insane Jeremiah Arkham.

Batman and Robin meet a foreign crime-fighter Oberon Sexton who begins assisting them. Jason Todd returns as Red Hood with a new sidekick named Scarlet and begins violently executing criminals. Red Hood attracts the attention of the Penitente Cartel and their top-level enforcer El Flamingo, who nearly kills them before Batman has Todd arrested. While Arkham is incarcerated, Batman visits him for help in one of Black Mask's homicides but Arkham's schizophrenia is too far gone and he is still evil. Batman and Robin assist Azrael when investigation into the Religion of Crime uncovers new leads in the death of his siblings Gwendolyn and Marion. When Humpty Dumpty finds the corpses of children in the river, it leads them to Zsasz's gladiator ring which Robin and Abuse take down from the inside.

Blackest Night
Zombies rise in Gotham when power rings turn the dead into agents of the Black Lantern Corps. The reanimated corpses of Abbatoir, Blockbuster, Deacon Blackfire, KGBeast, King Snake, Magpie, the Trigger Twins and the Ventriloquist lay siege to GCPD Headquarters. Batman, Red Robin and Robin ally with Deadman and Etrigan during this crisis. Dick is forced to confront his resurrected parents John and Mary Grayson trying to kill him, but the heroes survive by freezing themselves.

Eventually Dick decides to reanimate the corpse of Bruce Wayne in a Lazarus Pit, traveling to London where he fights King Coal and the Religion of Crime with Batwoman, Knight and Squire. This goes horribly wrong when it's revealed that the corpse was not Bruce Wayne, but an insane clone made in the Evil Factory during Final Crisis. They stop the clone from killing Alfred and Damian with the help of Colonel Kane, and Dick acknowledges that Bruce Wayne must really be alive somewhere.

Justice League
In the aftermath of Blackest Night, Donna Troy and Hal Jordan rebuild the Justice League inviting Batman into their membership including The Atom, Congorilla, Cyborg, Doctor Light, Green Arrow, Guardian, Mon-El and Starfire.

The Return of Bruce Wayne
Upon his return to the present, Bruce Wayne has turned the concept of "Batman" into a global operation known as "Batman Incorporated", after revealing to the press he has been "funding" Batman all these years. Dick has retained the the Batman identity despite Bruce's return to the mantle. He continues to operate as Gotham City's primary defender with Damian Wayne continuing as his Robin. He has also joined the current incarnation of the JLA.



The Black Mirror
When several murders are committed with old super-villain weapons, Dick begins pursuing a villain known as the Dealer. He infiltrates the Dealer's headquarters Mirror House and finds a dark cult, although he's quickly discovered and drugged. Escaping through violent hallucinations, he returns and takes the Dealer's plane down when he tries to leave Gotham.

James Gordon, Jr. returns to Gotham after many years and is rejected by his family as a psychopath, although he requests a recommendation from Dick to work with Leslie Thompkins. Commissioner Gordon suspects that his son is a murderer, and hunts down old leads with Batman's help.

Tony Zucco's daughter Sonia Zucco is targeted by super-villains, and Dick agrees to help her as she's become a legitimate businesswoman. This leads him to a weapons dealer named Roadrunner who tries to kill him in a car-crusher. The real culprit is a pirate named Tiger Shark who gets away because Sonia manipulated Batman into dealing with her other enemies. Dick meets with James Jr. and gives him a good recommendation, although it's revealed that James is still torturing people.

The Commissioner discovers his son plans to drug a nutrition facility and turn thousands of infants into future psychopaths, while the Joker escapes simultaneously. Dick goes after the Joker when Barbara Eileen is attacked with toxin, but the Joker only wants to fight his own Batman and insists he didn't commit the assault. James Jr. finally kidnaps Oracle to murder her, and Dick rescues her at the last moment but it's left unclear whether or not he was able to save the nutrition facility.

Traps and Trapezes
Dick returns to his identity as Nightwing, leaving Bruce Wayne to be the only Batman again. Haly's Circus comes to town for the first time since his parents were murdered. In his civilian identity he is attacked by an assassin named Saiko who insists that he's the fiercest killer in Gotham. Dick inherits the deed to the circus from a dying C.C. Haly and begins a relationship with his childhood friend acrobat Raya Vestri. Saiko tortures Haly for information on Nightwing's secret identity, and the old man dies in Dick's arms after telling him the circus holds a terrible secret. Investigating leads, he tracks down a supervillain named Feedback who used to be a childhood friend but doesn't learn anything. Batgirl visits and they team up to take down a shape-shifter named Spinebender. Following Haly's clues, he finds a mysterious Book of Names in the circus that holds his on the last page. He's forced to fight a rhyming demon named Acheron when his clown Jimmy Clark is attacked by an ex-fiancee using black magic. Tracking down more leads, he fights a super-villain known as Shox for information. The circus announces they will be doing a memorial show on the anniversary of the night Dick's parents were murdered, and Saiko attacks by detonating a massive explosion. It's revealed that the circus has been training assassins for years, and Saiko was a childhood friend using Raya as an accomplice. Grayson had been selected to become a new Talon for the Court of Owls, but when Batman adopted him Saiko took his place. The killer plummets to his death, and Raya turns herself in. Returning to the Batcave, Bruce reveals to Dick that the current Talon is his great-grandfather William Cobb.

Night of the Owls
Nightwing recieves Alfred's message, which conveys the forty people the Court of Owls targeted for assassination. He goes to save Mayor Sebastian Hady and comes face-to-face with a Talon. Using lethal force on the Talon, Nightwing stabs him across the eye with his stick, as the Talon is already dead and Nightwing's stick is slowing his healing factor down. However, William Cobb, having been revived by another Talon, attacks Nightwing and stabs him in the chest. Nightwing then tricks Cobb into leading them to Gotham's train tunnels, where he is able to freeze him with a liquid nitrogen tub.

Hush Beyond
In the future, when Terry McGinnis has become the new Batman, a new Hush appeared. He went targeting and killed old Batman adversaries such as Calendar Man. Terry investigates the identity by first going to the most obvious suspect, Tim Drake. Tim was previously the host of the Joker's consciousness and personality. After learning it was not Tim, he goes to talk to Dick Grayson. Dick tells Terry that after being shot by the original Joker, Bruce removed his costume and then called 911. After this event, Dick gave up on being Batman (or Nightwing). He gave Terry his alibi. But after another attack for Hush, it was actually revealed to be Dick Grayson. Later, that person was revealed to be a Grayson clone, not the actual Dick. He later assists Terry and Bruce in stopping the Bat-Wraiths unleashed by Hush but refuses to talk to Bruce once the mission is completed.


 * Powers                 =
 * Abilities              =
 * Peak Human Conditioning: Due to his training with Batman, Dick Grayson possesses peak athletic strength and endurance. He has displayed peak human strength, agility, reflexes, and endurance because of his training at a young age.
 * Peak Human Strength:Nightwing possesses enough strength to break a holographic construct Bane's back, throw KGBeast through a concrete wall , throw a refrigerator and use a bed as a weapon. He had even been able to damage Blockbuster.
 * Peak Human Agility: Dick Grayson possesses peak athletic levels of agility. He is one of the 3 people able to do a quadruple backflip. His agility also enables him to survive at heights that would even concern the likes of Superman and Starfire.
 * Peak Human Speed: Dick Grayson possesses peak human speed, able to keep up with and even catch his mentor. He has been said to be faster than Batman.
 * Peak Human Reflexes: He possesses enough skill to detect a Sniper and evade bullets at point blank range.
 * Peak Human Endurance: He is able to go for 4 days straight with no sleep and is capable of holding his breath for 7 minutes from training with Batman
 * Peak Human Durability: He is able to withstand attacks from Blockbuster, who possesses Superhuman Strength, and Osiris
 * : Grayson is a prodigious natural athlete and acrobat, possessing a peak human level of agility/acrobatic skills. He is regarded as the greatest human acrobat in the DC universe . He is the one of the three people in the world who can pull off a quadruple flip
 * : He is skilled enough to get Scarecrow, who only fears Batman, to talk and, during his time as Batman, was able to contain a riot in Arkham Asylum.
 * : Grayson has been said to be second to Batman. He was able to solve a riddle by the Riddler before Batman himself even figured it out before becoming Robin and has been shown to solve mysteries and cases in a speed that even impresses his mentor. Barbara even commented that he was able to solve 4 cases in "America's Most Wanted" in a single morning and solved a homicidal case that went unsolved for 14 years. He was also able to deduce clues Bruce left in the manor that suggested he was traveling through time.
 * : He is also a brilliant and experienced leader with superlative team 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.
 * : As Nightwing, Grayson is a master of dozens of martial arts disciplines, with an emphasis on Aikido and Eskrima, taught to him by Batman. He was later trained by Richard Dragon. He is second to Batman in fighting skill. He as been able to take down Arsenal ,Ra's al Ghul, Red Hood, Shrike, and has stalemated the likes of Cassandra Cain, Cheshire,   and Deathstroke.


 * Weapon Proficiency: Due to his training with Batman, he has displayed skilled in various weaponry like Shurikens (Wing-Dings and Batarangs), Eskrima Sticks, and swords. He even bested Ra in Swordsmanship
 * : Having had the finest education as Bruce Wayne's ward, he speaks with fluency in English, French, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Japanese, German, Swahili, Mandarin, Cantonese, and is possibly fluent in other languages. He has some knowledge of the alien language of Tamaran.
 * : He is capable of breaching high security facilities without being detected. He can even sneak up on Batman himself on occasion. He is also skilled enough to even sneak away and keep hidden from Speedsters like Jesse Quick
 * Expert Hacker:He is skilled enough to hack into the JLA emergency override codes and hacked a Alien Terminal with the use of the Tameranian Language he learn from Starfire.
 * Indomitable Will: Like his mentor, he has a very strong will. He is able to resist Scarecrow's potent fear toxins, resist and overcome mind control from Brother Blood and Groom (Thomas Larson)and take him out. Scarecrow also says he's the second strongest willpower individual he has met. He was even a canidate to succeed the Green Lantern, Abin Sur.
 * : Due to his training with Batman, he possess extreme skill in escapology. He was able to escape a maze before the Flash could and was able to use a Tibetan Mind Technique to escape virtual reality.
 * : Grayson seems to be skilled enough to use modified Shuriken (Wing-Dings) to hit thugs at a great distance with his eyes closed, despite even giving him a head-start and disarm others with his wingdings. He is also capable of using firearms, as he was trained by Batman to do so.
 * Genius Level Intelligence: Taught by Batman, He has vast knowledge of different fields. He often shows this when in use with his Detective skills. He was intelligent enough to build his own "Nightcar", build and program a Tech Glider , and also mentioned he can fool a polygraph.

Dick Grayson possesses the peak human strength of a man that has intense physical workouts at the height and weight of 5'10" 175 lbs. He is able to lift at least twice his own body weight; enabling to press lift 350 lbs, and he once supported nearly 1000 pounds of rubble.
 * Strength               =
 * Weaknesses             =


 * Equipment              =
 * Nightwing Suit: 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 stealth, the suit is light sensitive, darkening when there is more light in the area. The current costume is a stylized red "wing" across his shoulders and extending to his hands, coloring his two middle fingers, over a black torso and legs. Nightwing's costume is tailored specifically to his unique style of crime-fighting. As such, his costume has fewer body-armor inlays than Batman's, anticipating a decreased need for shock-absorption and an increased capacity for motion ("Move more, get hit less."). A caveat of this configuration can be exploited by capable fighters who are both fast and strong, such as Superman. Should Nightwing need to engage an enemy who is capable of exploiting this weakness, he has supplemental body-armor overlays which he can attach to his gauntlets, his mask, his shoulders, and boots.


 * Batsuit: As Batman, Dick used a more modern, sleeker design of the Batsuit, featuring only two gauntlets and more separated Kevlar plates. It is possible that the suit was just a re-design of the Nightwing suit but fitted with a cape and cowl.


 * Utility Belt: Although seemingly unremarkable in appearance, the utility belt remains as one of Batman's most important tools in fighting crime. Composed of a leather strap and a solid steel buckle, the utility belt houses ten cylinder cartridges, which vertically clip onto the outside of the belt. The buckle itself contains a miniature camera and two-way radio. A secondary compartment behind the length of the belt houses Batman's supply of collapsible batarangs. Each of the ten cylinders contains various tools integral to Batman's war on crime. Through the years, Batman has modified the contents of his belt to accommodate various needs.


 * Transportation         =
 * Nightwing's Car: Nightwing has a transformable car with a convertible chassis that enables it to be disguised it as any similarly sized vehicle such as a taxi cab, a police car or a sports car. It houses a 3.7 McLaren racing engine, automatic transmission and all wheel drive, dual batteries and puncture resistant tires. The car is not only bulletproof, but also bullet absorbent in order to prevent stray ricochets from hitting innocent bystanders.


 * Wingcycle: Nightwing also has his own personalized model of the Batcycle, which he refers to as the "Wingcycle". The Wingcycle is equipped with a passenger sidecar.


 * Batmobile:


 * Weapons                =
 * Wing Dings
 * Eskrima Sticks
 * Batarangs


 * Notes                  =
 * The character of Richard John Grayson in the persona of Robin was created by Bob Kane and Bill Finger.
 * He was introduced in Detective Comics #38 (1940) by Batman creators Bill Finger and Bob Kane as (first) Robin. The sidekick debuted only a year after Batman and was part of an effort to soften the character of his mentor, originally a dubious, night-stalking vigilante. DC Comics also thought a teenaged superhero would appeal to young readers.
 * His last appearance as Robin was in.
 * His Nightwing persona was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, and first appears in (July 1984).


 * Trivia                 =
 * Dick actually met his Robin successor Tim Drake at a very young age during the Year Three storyline. Tim greatly admired the Flying Graysons as a child and idolized Dick, even posing together in a picture with him at one point. Drake would later use his knowledge of Grayson's acrobatic style to independently deduce Batman's secret identity during A Lonely Place of Dying.
 * Dick's parents left him a trust fund that Bruce Wayne's business partner 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 in Blüdhaven. This address was also the home of the retired hero Tarantula (Jonathan Law).
 * Dick has an admitted weakness for redheads. Both his big loves, Barbara Gordon, and Starfire, are redheads.
 * Dick's birthday has been alternatively given as late October (roughly a week before Halloween) and the first day of spring.


 * Recommended            =
 * Robin: Year One
 * Batman: Year Three
 * Batman: The Long Halloween
 * Nightwing: Year One
 * New Teen Titans (Volume 1)
 * New Teen Titans (Volume 2)
 * Outsiders (Volume 3)
 * Nightwing (Volume 1)
 * Nightwing (Volume 2)
 * Nightwing (Volume 3)


 * Wikipedia              = Dick Grayson
 * Links                  =
 * Yahoo! Groups: Bludhaven
 * Nightwing: A Knight in Blüdhaven
 * Nightwing article at Titanstower.com
 * Titans Tower: Dick Grayson's Blüdhaven Connections
 * Dick Grayson (Pre-Flashpoint) bio at the Unofficial Guide to the DC Universe
 * Dick Grayson (Post-Flashpoint) bio at the Unofficial Guide to the New DC Universe

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