Real Name: Richard John ‘Dick’ Grayson
Aliases: Robin I, The Target
Occupation: Adventurer, former bartender, acrobat, police officer
Marital Status: Single
Known Relatives: John Grayson (father; deceased), Mary Grayson (mother; deceased)
Base of Operation: Mobile, formerly Blüdhaven/Gotham City
Group Affiliation: Outsiders III, Former leader of the Teen Titans, and the New Titans. Former partner of Batman.
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 175 lbs.
Eyes: Blue
Hair: Black
First Appearance: (as Robin I): Detective Comics #38 (April 1940)
(as Nightwing): Tales of the Teen Titans #43 (June 1984)
(as the Target): Nightwing: The Target (2001)
Young Richard Grayson was a trained acrobat, touring the country with his family in Haly’s Circus until they were murdered in the middle of their act. The stunned young boy was taken in by millionaire Bruce Wayne, who had also lost his parents at a young age, also killed in front of his eyes. He revealed to the boy that he was working out his revenge on criminals as Batman and trained the youth to fight crime at his side as Robin. Dick grew up to become the leader of the Titans group of young heroes – The Teen Titans, eventually stepping out of his mentor’s shadow by taking the new identity of Nightwing. He grew gradually more distant from Batman over the years, becoming more involved with leading the Titans and planning to marry his team-mate Starfire, though this went tragically wrong.
Recently, after spending a few months filling in for his mentor, he moved to his own city, Bludhaven, where he has trained as a police cadet and entered the largely corrupt police force. He is also leading a new group of Titans and tentatively beginning a romance with Barbara Gordon: Oracle, the former Batgirl.
HISTORY
Born on the first day of Spring into a family of circus performers, Richard John Grayson learned acrobatic skills at an early age. Dick was a member of the famous acrobatic team The Flying Graysons of the Haly Circus. Before one appearance in Gotham, in which The Flying Graysons were the main attraction, they were asked to pose for a photo opportunity with the Drake Family, including their young son Tim. From that time on Tim’s one and only hero in the world was Dick. During the Graysons’ portion of the show, Dick’s parents John and Mary, fell to their death after their trapeze snaps. All while many of Gotham’s elite, including billionaire socialite Bruce Wayne, and the young Tim Drake watched on.
Their deaths were not an accident, but actually planned by the gangster “Boss” Zucco, who was running a local protection racket and Haly refused to pay. Dick overhears gang members warning Haly of further accidents and makes a vow to avenge his parents death. Batman, while investigating the murders, overhears Dicks vow and takes the boy under his protective wing so that Dick will not hurt himself. Batman takes Dick to the batcave where Dick asks to become Batman’s partner in crime-fighting. Getting the consent of Dick’s nearest relative, Bruce Wayne becomes Dick’s legal guardian. He then proceeded to train Dick to the peak of physical and mental perfection. When the time was right, Bruce gave Dick a costume and dubbed him Robin. As Robin, the Boy Wonder, Dick captures Zucco, and who is sent to the electric chair.
 After many adventures with the Dark Knight and establishing himself as a crime-fighter in his own right, Robin soon met other teenage adventurers and formed the first group of Teen Titans. The original Titans was composed of the most well known sidekicks in the DC Universe: Kid Flash, Wondergirl, Speedy, Aqualad, and Robin as the leader. Through the Titans, Dick gained additional experience through adventures against new criminals, both at home and on other worlds.
Soon after his graduation from high school he left Gotham City and Batman for college at Hudson University. After a few months Dick dropped out and drifted around for a while, finally returning to Gotham City. Upon his return he went to Bruce and struggled to get Bruce’s respect as an adult. It was during this time period, that Robin was shot in the shoulder by the Joker, after which Bruce deemed the life of a superhero too dangerous for Dick. Thus ending Dick’s career as Robin.
Upon leaving the cave, and Robin forever, He moved to New York to became leader of The New Teen Titans. Adopting the name Nightwing and a new costume Dick set out to face a deadlier and darker world.
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 to Robin. It was Dick’s refusal to return that Tim started 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 fourth to wear the red and green (following a young Bruce, Dick, and Jason Todd). And, Dick gains a little brother.
In recent history Nightwing has returned to Gotham on more than one occasion to lend a hand. The most notable time was following the breaking of the Bat by Bane. After Bruce’s injury he asked the vigilante formerly known as Azrael, Jean Paul Valley, to fill in as the Dark Knight. Dick returned to investigate the new guy in town, and to find out why Bruce would intrust the job to an outsider. He even helped to bring in Jean Paul, after he had let a criminal die, while as Batman. After Jean Paul was finally defeated by a recovered Bruce, Dick was asked to fill in as the Batman, so that Bruce could sort out some things. This time as the Batman was probably most beneficial for Dick. He finally realized he and Bruce’s differences, and that he had to be his own man.
Nightwing can currently be found as the new, and overwhelmed, protector of Bludhaven, a city worse than Gotham in many ways, and “big brother” to Robin III (Tim Drake). Bludhaven is far enough away from Gotham for Dick to be his own man, yet close enough to the Dark Knight if needed. In the near future, he will also be rejoining with the original Titans as a regular, and hopefully very active member, of the new Titans.
Enjoy origin stories? Why not check out Deathstroke and Taskmasters Origin stories!
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