Summary
DC totally foreshadowed that Batman’s original sidekick would lead the DC Universe — eight years beforeNightwingwas officially handed the crown. Following DC’s 2022Dark Crisisevent, Nightwing stood tall in the aftermath by becoming thecenter of DC Comics' new multiverse. He has proudly protected the DC Universe and has been mentoring the next generation of superheroes ever since.
WhileNightwing received the spotlight as DC’s greatest heroin 2022, eight years earlier, Dick Grayson was first foreshadowed as DC’s future leader in 2016’sJustice League#51 by Dan Abnett, Paul Pelletier, Sandra Hope, Adriano Lucas, and Carlos M. Mangual. When he was Robin,Batman declared that not only would Dick join the JLA one day, but he’d lead it.
This comes several years before Batman asks Nightwing to lead a new JLA inDark Crisis. Not only was the Prime Earth era ahead of the curve, but most importantly, so was Batman.
Nightwing’s New Nickname Is the Perfect Celebration of His Past
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Justice League#51 Cover by Paul Pelletier, Tony Kordos, and Adriano Lucas
Years before becoming Nightwing, Dick Grayson was still Robin as Batman brought him along on the Boy Wonder’s first mission alongside the Justice League. When a Fortean phenomenon occurs across the globe, the JLA decide to investigate, forcing them into a Crisis-level battle. Right beforehand, the League meets Robin and, understandably, they’re on the fence about bringing a child into battle. However, not only does Robin prove to be surprisingly helpful and efficient during that battle, butall the Leaguers immediately take a liking to Dick Grayson.
Dick Grayson shows early signs of the traits he’d beworld-renowned for as Nightwing— traits that would make him out to be the face of the DCU. These traits include being almost instantly likable and inspiring any and everyone when the moment calls for it. Being so likable is how Dick is able toform the Nightwing Familywith such a wide array of allies from all parts of the DC Universe, not just people he’s connected to through Batman.Nightwing adds something to any dynamic he enters, even a team who (as a child) are still leagues above him.
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths#7 by Joshua Williamson, Rafa Sandoval, Jack Herbert, Daniel Sampere, Giuseppe Camuncoli, Cam Smith, Romulo Fajardo Jr., Matt Herms, Alex Guimarães, Alejandro Sánchez, and Tom Napolitano
Fast-forward: several years after this comic is released, DC Comics launches an event that marks the official beginning of the next era of the DCU:Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths. At a time when the Justice League are presumed dead, the heft of the world is on Nightwing’s shoulders to carry the torch they left behind, even more so when Pariah and Deathstroke are planning to shroud the world in real darkness. Even whenDeathstroke becomes the ultimate villain,Nightwing rallies the troops together, as he always does, and saves the world.
Dark Crisis on Infinite Earthsis, in both name and story, an homage and sequel to 1985’s iconicCrisis on Infinite Earthsby Marv Wolfman and George Pérez, available now both digitally and in collected editions from DC Comics.
As Robin, Dick was quick to adapt alongside the Justice League and, though apprehensive, he proved to be instrumental in helping them save the world. InDark Crisisas Nightwing, at a time when he’s perfected his best traits as a leader, he puts them in practice to lead the cavalry at the end of the world in the midst of another crisis-level battle. When the JLA return, the Justice League decide to cease operations, but not withouttempting Nightwing with an offer to lead a new Justice League.
Batman and Nightwing’s Relationship Has Stood the Test of Time
Breaking Down the Significance of Batman’s Offer
Though Nightwing declines the offer, it’s important to note that Batman is the one to make the offer personally on the League’s behalf. More than just the significance of Nightwing’s ascent up the DC ladder being foreshadowed,it’s worth noting thatBatman is the one to get Dick Grayson to believe in himself as a leader. Before delving deeper into why that caveat is so important, one must understand the core of the relationship between Batman and Nightwing as a whole.
Instead of leading the Justice League, Nightwing chose to re-form his long-time team, the Titans, which readers can check out in the first arc of 2023’sTitansby Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott.
Nightwing and Batman have had a rollercoaster relationship, to say the least, with more downs than ups — making the dynamic between this duo more tumultuous than readers often give credit for. Things started off cheery when Bruce Wayne first took Dick in as his ward and sidekick, but in due time, that dynamic quickly became complicated, especially when Batmanhad to fire his first Robinafter he got shot. After that, and after he became Nightwing, Dick seemed to constantly be struggling to prove that he is equal to his mentor, often putting them at odds.
For all the times that Batman and Nightwing butted heads, the former always believed in the latter, whether Dick understood that was the case or not. Oftentimes, Batman would be a little too hard on Dick, even beating him and punching him down on occasion.Batman can be cruelto his sidekicks - too cruel, truthfully - but sometimes,that cruelty exists to push the Bat-Family to their full potential. Robin’s first Justice League mission is a good example of that.
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Batman Always Believed in Nightwing
Even if Dick Couldn’t See It
Understandably, when the Justice League first meet Robin, they are skeptical about whether a child should be on duty in the first place, let alone tagging along for a Crisis-level battle. However, during the battle,Robin proves himself to the League. It’s only Batman who doesn’t seem surprised. Despite how new Robin was to superhero duty at the time, Batman saw something in Robin that not even Robin could see in himself - this mission was Batman’s way of trying to get Dick to see it in himself.
Whether Batman is pushing Dick to reach his potential or Dick is reaching his potential because Batman pushes him is debatable. The fact of the matter is thatBatman has enough foresight to see that potential years before Dick reaches his prime.Batman may not havethe best track record as a parent or a mentor, but he can still see greatness in his sidekicks. Even when he pushes too hard, he still pushes to get his family to the level they need to be.
Batman pushes sidekicks like Robin into situations like this to get them ready for the future — maybe because he believes in them enough to believe they can handle it, even if it’s a rookie’s first Crisis-level event. One can argue that Batman pushing Dick Grayson into a high-pressure, Crisis-level scenario like this is exactly what prepared him to lead the DC Universe to victory during the scenario at the heart ofDark Crisis.Nightwingrose to the occasion because Batman pushed Dick Grayson to truly believe in himself.
Justice League#51is available now from DC Comics.
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
