Melinda Grayson-Lin[2], born Melinda Zucco, is the mayor of Bludhaven[3] and Nightwing's half-sister, the result of an affair between John Grayson and Tony Zucco's first wife Meili Lin.[1]
History
Before Melinda was born Meili ran away from Zucco and joined Haly's Circus. While travelling with the circus she befriended Mary Lloyd and had a brief relationship with John, just long enough to become pregnant. Zucco eventually kidnapped Meili back and carried her off to Bludhaven, six months later she gave birth to Melinda. Zucco always suspected that Melinda was not his child but would not admit it to save face; even years later, he insisted that it was a lie.[4][2]
Early Years
Meili divorced Zucco when Melinda was eight. She told Melinda the truth about her father and took her to Haly's Circus to reunite with John, but when they got there they learned that John and Mary had married and had a son, Dick Grayson. Meili did not want to ruin John and Mary's happiness after the kindness they had shown her, so they left before they were noticed. The mother and daughter instead remained in Bludhaven under the protection of the Maroni Crime Family. Meili always intended to one day take Melinda to meet her father and brother, but Zucco murdered the Graysons before she could.[4] Dick eventually moved to Bludhaven, but Melinda was unsure how to approach him.[3]
Political Career
When she grew up Melinda entered politics, eventually rising to be city council president of Bludhaven. Due to the deeply corrupt nature of Bludhaven's civic officials, her ties to organised crime were an asset rather than a hindrance. At the same time she also secretly began working with the FBI, posing as a corrupt politician to infiltrate the city's criminal underworld, and helped bring down two crime bosses from the inside.[5] She accompanied the mayor to a meeting with Blockbuster, the leader of Bludhaven organised crime. Blockbuster murdered the mayor for failing to protect his businesses, making Melinda the new mayor.[3]
That same night she had dinner with her former guardian Salvatore Maroni, who told her the crime families were excited to have one of their own as mayor of the city. A passing group of street kids tried to steal Maroni's wallet and were attacked by his bodyguards. Bludhaven's resident superhero Nightwing knocked the guards unconscious and allowed the children to escape, but the guards faced no legal punishment.[6]
Melinda was sworn in as mayor, and as was tradition, met with the heads of the crime families immediately afterwards and accepted a ceremonial bribe, although she asked that the money be transferred into a secret account rather than the typical suitcase filled with cash. She assured Blockbuster that she had no intention of challenging the entrenched power structure of the city's underworld. That night, Nightwing broke into her apartment but Melinda and her bodyguard Audre were able to overpower him and knock him out, as Nightwing was still suffering the effects of a concussion. Melinda removed Nightwing's mask and realised to her shock he was her brother Dick Grayson. When Dick regained consciousness, Melinda told him the truth about who she was[1] and introduced him to her mother, who told him the truth about Zucco's history with the Graysons and why his parents were killed.[4]
Suddenly the BPD, personally lead by Blockbuster, assaulted her home. She initially feared her cover had been blown and told Dick the truth about how she was secretly working against Blockbuster and the crime families. When they realised the police were actually chasing Nightwing, Dick tied Melinda and Audre up and escaped out of the window in costume to preserve Melinda's cover. Days later she, Audre and Meili watched Dick announce the Alfred Pennyworth Foundation on the news.[5]
Blockbuster
Dick promised to use his newfound wealth to improve Bludhaven, threatening the crime families' control. As such, Blockbuster tried to have him assassinated on multiple occassions, including at a groundbreaking ceremony for a community centre which Melinda was attending. Blockbuster did not consider it necessary to inform Melinda of the plan ahead of time.[7] After multiple failed attempts to have Dick killed, Blockbuster eventually contracted the hit out to KGBeast, who simply launched a drone strike on Dick's apartment building. Melinda texted Dick a warning, allowing him to evacuate the building just before the strike hit. Commissioner Maclean questioned the survivors and realised that somebody tipped Dick off. He told Blockbuster that there was a mole in his inner circle.[8]
Dick's community centre Haven was eventually completed, despite Blockbuster's legal challenges and the bureaucratic roadblocks that Melinda had to put up to maintain her cover. Blockbuster and Melinda attended the ribbon cutting ceremony, where Melinda secretly warned Dick that Bludhaven cops working for Blockbuster were planning to burn Haven down that night. With her warning, Nightwing was able to stop them.[9] Dick exposed the corrupt cops and they were arrested by the FBI. They admitted that Commissioner Maclean ordered the attack. Melinda "tipped off" Maclean that the Feds were after him and, as she expected, he attempted to flee with records of Blockbuster's criminal activities. Nightwing ambushed him and stole the records, giving him enough information to bring Blockbuster down. Maclean was arrested and Melinda appointed Maggie Sawyer to replace him.
The next day, Blockbuster took Melinda to the docks and told her that he had discovered a mole in their organisation. However, he did not suspect Melinda but believed it was the Electrocutioner. Blockbuster showed Melinda where he had been torturing Electrocutioner and she asked to be left alone with him. Melinda cut Electrocutioner loose and called Dick for help, but he blasted her and told Blockbuster that Melinda was the one working for Grayson.[10]
Blockbuster called Dick from Melinda's phone to tell him that he had her. Audre, and Dick as Nightwing, came to the docks and rescued her. Melinda and Nightwing met with Sawyer and told her that they, along with the Batman Family and the Titans, had a plan to catch most of Blockbuster's associates in the act. They also gave her a list of police officers who were on the take and asked her and the few officers she could trust to help them. The operation was a success and Blockbuster's organisation was decimated.[11]
Zucco Returns
Blockbuster was murdered by a new villain called Heartless, and Boss Maroni agreed to turn state's evidence in exchange for protection from his enemies.[12] With his testimony and Maclean's files, Sawyer and the few honest officers in the BPD arrested multiple high-level criminals and many of the corrupt cops, politicians and bureaucrats on their payroll. With the crime families dismantled, Melinda was planning to reveal the truth about herself, as she no longer needed the cover of being a mobster's daughter. However, Tony Zucco came to Bludhaven planning to fill the power vacuum left by Blockbuster's death. He told her that they could rule the city together, and the name Zucco would mean everything in Bludhaven.
Melinda told Dick Zucco's plan to steal Boss Maroni's stash and use the money to buy control over the remaining gangs in the city. Dick was able to capture Zucco and he was reimprisoned. Melinda went to visit Zucco in prison, and told him that she knew her real father was John Grayson, and that Zucco had killed him. Zucco denied this, claiming that Meili had lied to her, but Melinda told him that the GCPD had reopened the investigation into the Grayson's deaths, and that Meili would be testifying against him. She also revealed that she had legally changed her name to "Grayson-Lin", and that she would make sure the name Zucco meant nothing. After she left Zucco in prison she met up with Dick again, and warned him that others would have the same idea Zucco did to swoop in and take Blockbuster's throne.[2]
After Heartless' attack on Bludhaven Private Prison, Melinda cancelled the company's contract as the Prison had mostly been used to generate money for the criminal and corrupt city officials by imprisoning innocent people or minor criminals in hellish conditions. At Dick's request, she sold him the site to build a new Titans Tower.[13]
Heartless
Dick was framed for Heartless' crimes and fled the city.[14] Melinda was accused of being in league with Dick and using her power to shield him, and so had to go into hiding. Zucco, now working for Heartless, broke into the safehouse where Melinda was hiding with Audre and Meili. His henchmen overpowered Audre and Zucco told Melinda that Heartless wanted him, but hadn't said anything about Meili. Just as Zucco was about to kill Meili in front of Melinda, Dick swooped in and beat up Zucco's henchmen. Tony fled and Dick chased after him.[15]
Powers and Abilities
Abilities
- Bilingulaism: Melinda is both a native English speaker and fluent in Mandarin which was taught to her by her mother.[10]
- Deception: Melinda spent years undercover among Bludhaven's organised criminal gangs without being detected.[5]
- Political Science: Zucco, as the former council president of Bludhaven, likely had an understanding of local politics.[3]
Related
- 21 Appearances of Melinda Zucco (Prime Earth)
- 5 Images featuring Melinda Zucco (Prime Earth)
- Quotations by or about Melinda Zucco (Prime Earth)
- Character Gallery: Melinda Zucco (Prime Earth)
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Nightwing (Volume 4) #81
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Nightwing (Volume 4) #99
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Nightwing (Volume 4) #78
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Nightwing (Volume 4) #82
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Nightwing (Volume 4) #83
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #79
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #88
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #90
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #92
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Nightwing (Volume 4) #94
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #95
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #97
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #100
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #116
- ↑ Nightwing (Volume 4) #117