Nightwing (comic book)
 | This article contains an excessive amount of intricate detail. (October 2024) |
| Nightwing | |
|---|---|
 Cover of Nightwing vol. 1, #1 (Sep 1995 DC Comics), art by Brian Stelfreeze. | |
| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| Schedule | Monthly |
| Format | List
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| Genre | Superhero |
| Publication date | List
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| No. of issues | List
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| Creative team | |
| Written by | List
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| Penciller | List
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| Inker | List
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Nightwing is an American comic book featuring the character Nightwing and published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 in 1984, but he received his own ongoing series, which debuted in July 1996.
Publication history
[edit] | This section needs more citations. (October 2024) |
The series was launched in response to the character's growing popularity, beginning with Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1 (1995). A one-shot comic book where Dick Grayson travels to England to find Alfred Pennyworth, who has resigned from Bruce Wayne's service after the events of Knightfall. After he found Alfred, they thwart a plot by terrorists aiming to destroy the Channel Tunnel before returning to Gotham City. This was followed by a miniseries from September to December 1995,[1] written by Dennis O’Neil with art by Greg Land, where Dick contemplates retiring as Nightwing. However, a family document reveals a connection between his parents' murder and the Crown Prince of Kravia, prompting him to travel there. Dick ultimately helps to overthrow the corrupt ruler while uncovering more about his family's past.
"Titans Reunited"
[edit]In 1996, following the success of the miniseries, DC Comics launched a monthly solo series featuring Nightwing (written by Chuck Dixon, with art by Scott McDaniel), in which he patrols Gotham City's neighboring municipality of Blüdhaven.
Upon the request of Batman, Dick journeys to the city of Blüdhaven to stop the gangster Black Mask. He then becomes the arch-enemy of the villain Blockbuster. Dick decides to stay in Blüdhaven until he destroys Blockbuster's drug cartel. After Cyborg is put in danger by a galactic threat, Dick reunites the Teen Titans[1] to rescue him. They reform as the Titans, but Dick is pulled away to Gotham City when it is declared a No Man's Land. Following the recuperation of Gotham, Dick stays active as both the leader of the Titans and stays in Blüdhaven.
Following the deaths of Lilith Clay and Troia, Dick officially disbands the Teen Titans. Dick then returns to Blüdhaven and becomes more and more like Bruce, straining his relationships and eventually blurring the line between being a police officer and a vigilante.[2] The vigilante Tarantula then kills the Blockbuster, who Dick fails to save. Blockbuster's death haunts him to the point of temporarily retiring from crime-fighting.[2][3] At length, Nightwing shakes himself from his depression and takes responsibility for his inaction.
Infinite Crisis and The New 52
[edit]Due to a crisis of conscience, Dick adopts the new villainous persona of Renegade to infiltrate Lex Luthor's Secret Society of Super Villains. This ruse includes Nightwing aligning himself with his long-time enemy Deathstroke in order to track the manufacturing and distribution of Bane's Venom serum and to keep tabs on the Society's activities in Gotham and Blüdhaven. He also begins training (and subtly converting) Deathstroke's daughter Rose Wilson.
Deathstroke takes revenge on Nightwing after Blüdhaven's destruction. The Society drops the supervillain Chemo onto the city, killing 100,000 people. Dick tries to rescue survivors, but faced with radiation poisoning. He is then rescued by Batman, when Nightwing asks forgiveness from Batman about Blockbuster's death, Batman persuades Dick to finally move beyond. Inspired by his mentor, he then proposes to Barbara Gordon, who tearfully accepts.[4][5]
Batman then entrusts Nightwing to alert other heroes about the danger that the Crisis poses. Dick flies to Titans Tower, but due to the chaos resulting from the Blüdhaven disaster, the OMAC onslaught, and other Crisis-related events, the only hero who answers his call is Conner Kent. They are soon joined by Wonder Girl. Together, they locate and attack Alexander Luthor Jr.'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, stopping the destruction of the universe.
During the Battle of Metropolis, Nightwing suffers a near-fatal injury from Alexander Luthor Jr. when he attempts to save Batman's life. Originally, the editors at DC intended to have Dick Grayson killed in Infinite Crisis as Newsarama revealed from the DC Panel at WizardWorld Philadelphia:[6][7]
It was again explained that Nightwing was originally intended to die in Infinite Crisis, and that you can see the arc that was supposed to end with his tragic death in the series. After long discussions, the death edict was finally reversed, but the decision was made that, if they were going to be keeping him, he would have to be changed. The next arc of the ongoing series will further explain the changes, it was said.
Saved by the Justice Society,[8] Nightwing recovers with Barbara at his side. As soon as he is 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, Barbara becomes the major reason on Nightwing's decision to rejoin. 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 will come back to her one day.[9]
Soon after his journey with Batman and Robin ends, Nightwing returns to Gotham, following Intergang's trail. He works with the new Batwoman and Renee Montoya to stop Intergang from destroying Gotham.
"One Year Later"
[edit]One year later, Dick Grayson returns to New York City (his previous home base with the Teen Titans) in order to find out who has been masquerading as Nightwing. The murderous impostor turns out to be the former Robin, Jason Todd. Grayson leads the Outsiders once again, operating undercover and globally.
Nightwing follows an armored thief named Raptor, whom he suspects is responsible for a series of murders. Later, Raptor himself is murdered in a manner similar to the other victims by an unseen contract killer, who proceeds to bury Grayson alive. Nightwing frees himself, wondering the relation between his experience and a mysterious voice who tells him that he is "supposed to be dead". Nightwing is having trouble finding things to keep him busy during the day due to the cast on his right arm. Incapacitated from his injuries, he tries without luck to find jobs, which forces him to take a job as a low-paid acrobatic instructor at a local gym, and continues to research into the mysterious assassin.
At one point, Dick agrees to attend a party for Bruce and their relationship seems to flourish. Bruce praises Dick for his success on the Raptor case, and also mentions to look into the Landman Building which hosted ex-LexCorp scientists; most likely those who worked on the Raptor project. Dick also continues to keep a close brotherly relationship with Tim Drake, and helps Tim deal with his many losses during the last year.
After dealing with the Raptor issue, NYC is 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 began to get 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 are trapped there.
Nightwing, along with a group of former Titans, are summoned again by Raven to aid the current group of Teen Titans battle against Deathstroke, who was targeting the latest team in order to get at his children, Ravager and the resurrected Jericho. Nightwing and the other former Titans continue to work with the current team soon after the battle with Deathstroke so as to investigate the recent murder of Duela Dent.
When the Outsiders were targeted by Checkmate, Nightwing agrees that his team will work with the organization, so long as their actions in Africa are not used against them in the future. The mission, however, does not go as well as intended, resulting in Nightwing, the Black Queen and Captain Boomerang being captured by Chang Tzu. Later, Batman is called in by Mister Terrific who then rescues Nightwing and the others. Afterwards, Nightwing admits to Batman, that while he accepts that he is an excellent leader, he is not suited to lead a team like the Outsiders, and offers the leadership position to Batman.
Batman accepts the position; however, he feels that the team needs to be remade, in order to accomplish the sorts of missions that he intends them to undertake. As such, he holds a series of try-outs for the team. The first audition involves Nightwing and Captain Boomerang, who are sent to a space station under attack by Chemo. During the mission, a confrontation erupts between Nightwing and Boomerang, who has grown tired of fighting for redemption. After a heated altercation, Boomerang quits the team. Nightwing then again furiously confronts Batman. This time, Nightwing resigns completely from the Outsiders. He goes back to New York and later finds himself confronted with one of his greatest enemy.
"Titans Return"
[edit]Nightwing joins a new team of Titans, with the same roster of the New Teen Titans,[10] to stop an as-yet unnamed offspring of Trigon from enacting his vengeance over Raven and the Titans of every generation. Nightwing yet again leads the team, and they manage to stop the sons of Trigon from accomplishing their first attempt at global destruction and again a few days later.
Following the defeat of Trigon's sons, the Titans are approached by Jericho, who had been stuck inhabiting the body of Match, Conner Kent's clone. The Titans managed to free Jericho, but found themselves once again in trouble, because Jericho's mind had become splintered due to all the bodies he had possessed in the past. Torn between evil and good, Jericho possesses Nightwing's body in order to keep from being captured. During this time, Jericho forces Nightwing to relive all of his greatest pains. Soon afterward the JLA arrived, intent on taking Jericho in, but they fail to apprehend him.[11]
Following this, Nightwing decides to leave the team again, due to the events of the "Batman R.I.P." storyline and Batman's apparent death, as Nightwing feels his attention is better aimed at protecting Gotham City. Nightwing thus moves on from relationship and keen on fighting crime.[12]
Supporting characters
[edit]Enemies
[edit]Like Batman, Nightwing has faced various villains ranging from common criminals to outlandish supervillains. While the character has primarily fought other Batman villains, he also has established villains that primarily oppose him. In addition, certain Batman villains have specific enmity with Dick Grayson.
Dixon rogues
[edit]| Villain | Creator(s) | First appearance | Fictional biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blockbuster | Roger Stern Tom Lyle | Starman #9 (April 1989) | Roland Desmond became the second Blockbuster after a severe illness forced him to be treated with experimental steroids. Like his brother Mark, Roland became a child-minded super-strong monster.[13] |
| Brutale | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing (vol. 2) #22 (July 1998) | Guillermo Barrera was a top-level interrogator/torturer for the secret police in Hasaragua until a revolution forced him to flee. He began a new career as a mercenary/assassin and eventually began working for Blockbuster. Barrera is an expert with all forms of knives and blades. |
| Double Dare | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing (vol. 2) #32 (June 1999) | Margot and Aliki Marceau are sisters who were circus performers in Cirque Sensationnel. While skilled aerialists and having achieved great fame, they were less well-known than the Flying Graysons and Boston Brand. The Marceau sisters eventually chose a double-life of crime as thieves, using their talents in service to Blockbuster, and became at odds with Nightwing, both of whom the sisters are infatuated with. |
| Giz | Chuck Dixon Jim Balent | Catwoman (vol. 2) #28 | Giz is an expert computer hacker who once worked alongside fellow thieves Sly Flox, Catwoman and Mouse (his girlfriend), forming a team. Eventually, Mouse and Giz split from the team, but remained together.
In DC Rebirth, Giz is named Brendon Li and is of Asian descent. Giz works with Nightwing briefly until he is killed by the Second Hand, a shell corporation of Spyral. |
| Lady Vic[14] | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing (vol. 2) #14 (January 1997) | Lady Elaine Marsh-Morton is a woman hailing from a long line of British mercenaries and carries an arsenal of exotic weaponry, relics of her ancestor's plundering throughout the centuries. She operates as a hired killer to prevent foreclosure on her family estate. |
| Mouse | Chuck Dixon Mike Parobeck | Robin (vol. 2) #18 | Mouse is an expert thief trained by Catwoman and involved in a relationship with Giz. She was among the many operatives in Blockbuster's criminal organization. |
| Shrike | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing Secret Files and Origins #1 (October 1999) | Several characters share the name Shrike and serve primarily as enemies of Dick Grayson:
|
| Stallion | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing (vol. 2) #14 (November 1997) | Randy Hanrahan was a wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys until he suffered a anterior cruciate ligament injury during a pre-season game.
Nicknamed "Stallion" throughout his life, he would work as a bouncer for Penguin, later becoming a freelance agent and assassin. In DC Rebirth, the character was re-introduced with most of his origin intact although he is instead cast as a reformed villain as part of the Run-Offs and a closeted homosexual. |
| Torque | Chuck Dixon Scott McDaniel | Nightwing (vol. 2) #1 (October 1996) | Dudley Soames is the former police inspector of Blüdhaven and a corrupt cop who serves as a secret informant for Blockbuster. After Blockbuster attempts to kill him by snapping his neck, Soames survives, but is left with his head permanently facing backwards. He is rehabilitated from radical drug therapy and uses special glasses with rear-view mirrors to see forwards. |
Higgins rogues
[edit]| Villain | Creator(s) | First appearance | Fictional biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archeron the Demon | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #5 (August 2013) | Archeron is a rhyming demon summoned by Zohna, a witch who is obsessed with a Jimmy Allen Clark, a clown in Haly's Circus who was once her lover. Serving Zohna, she used Archeron to force Jimmy into a soul-binding ceremony. Through his ingenuity, Nightwing manages to banish the demon back to his realm. |
| Feedback | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #3 (January 2013) | A former circus performer at Haly's Circus whose real name is Zane, he was a former friend of Dick, Raymond, and Raya. Later in his life, he gained implants that allowed him to transmit radio-based waves to trigger specific emotions, creating illusions of a person's fears and insecurities. Zane became a booking agent for contract killers, operating in Chicago. |
| Ghostwalker | Kyle Higgins Brett Booth | Nightwing (vol. 3) #21 (August 2013) | Maxwell Morgan is a detective of the Chicago Police Department with a notable hatred for vigilantes in Chicago and a proponent for their ban in the city. Morgan begrudgingly worked alongside Nightwing during his tenure in the city to stop Prankster. In secret, it revealed that he is the vigilante known as "Ghostwalker", a former vigilante sidekick to Chicago's resident hero, Aether, and is responsible for the later systematic slaughter of Chicago's vigilantes. |
| Prankster | Kyle Higgins Brett Booth | Nightwing (vol. 3) #19 (June 2013) | Oswald Loomis is Prankster, a criminal hacker who sets up death-traps for his victims in his crimes. Loomis would adopt a super-villain vendetta when his father, an electrical engineer, was killed from a sour deal while working on train lines by a group of criminals known as the Cole brothers. Although one was apprehended, he did not rat out his brothers and Oswald promised revenge and was an opponent of Nightwing when he sought to defame Wallace Cole as mayor of Chicago. Nightwing eventually teamed up with Tony Zucco, who faked his death and turned over a new leaf, to stop Prankster from destroying Chicago. Arrested, he would escape and became a member of the Secret Society of Super Villains. |
| Mali the Mimic / Marionette | Kyle Higgins Brett Booth |
Nightwing (vol. 3) #19 (June 2013) |
Mali the Mimic is an anti-villain who developed dissociative identity disorder after being psychologically manipulated by the Mad Hatter. Most of her crimes focus on stealing a highly controlled, anti-psychotic drug known as Cranium, which temporarily heals her mental damage. In addition, Mali is a mimic capable of mimicking abilities she has visually seen. |
| Paragon and the Republic of Tomorrow | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows |
Nightwing (vol. 3) #2 (December 2011) |
Paragon is a cult leader of a Gotham-based group known as the Republic of Tomorrow, a cult with hatred for Gotham-based vigilantes for perceived negligence of their actions on ordinary citizens. A genius in the field of thermodynamics and engineering, Paragon created technology that allowed him to utilize electrified whips, has suitable combat skills, and is a skilled manipulator. |
| Saiko | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #1 (May 2012) | Raymond McCreary was a former circus acrobat and one of Dick Grayson's childhood friends following the new continuity established from Flashpoint. When Dick's parents were killed and he was consequentially taken in by Batman, McCreary was chosen by the Court of Owls as his replacement, the shadowy society faking McCreary's death. Failing to meet their expectations despite his brutal training and scarring in the eyes, he was released and Raymond sought revenge on Dick, attempting to kill him and using Raya to lure him into a trap. He is killed when he was eventually defeated by Nightwing, choosing to end his life rather than having Nightwing save him. |
| Shox | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #6 (April 2012) | A minor villain that acts as a right-hand man to Terrence Clark, a well-known booking agent for assassins and contracts killers in the Southwest region of the United States. Shox is most notable for using a robotic suit in combat. |
| Spinebender | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #4 (February 2012) | Spinebender is a shape-shifting thief with powers of elasticity that has an interest in advanced technology. Foiled by Nightwing and Batgirl, he held a grudge against the former and followed him to Chicago and made an attempt on Nightwing's life in suicidal rage though he survives his own suicidal attempt to kill Nightwing. |
| Zohna | Kyle Higgins Eddy Barrows | Nightwing (vol. 3) #5 (August 2013) | Zohna is a witch who was once the lover of Jimmy Allen Clark, a clown of Haly's Circus who broke up with her due to following the supernatural. Obsessed, she sacrificed her family and created a magical ring to summon Archeron, binding the demon to her will and using him to kidnap Jimmy and perform a soul-binding ceremony. She was foiled by Nightwing and taken into custody. |
Seeley/King Grayson rogues
[edit]| Villain | Creator(s) | First appearance | Fictional biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mister Minos | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #1 (July 2014) | The former director of Spyral during Dick Grayson's tenure as Agent 37. He aims to collect the biological robotic parts of "Paragon", an android whose super-powered organs grant him powers associated with the Justice League, to learn their secret identities through DNA testing. It would be later revealed that he was unwittingly a mole intended to infiltrate Spyral and use their resources to learn the identities of the Justice League. Minos was killed by Agent Zero before he could publicly reveal the identities of the Justice League. |
| Doctor Elizabeth Netz / Frau Netz | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #1 (July 2014) | Daughter of the founder of Spyral Otto Netz and the sister of the first Batwoman, Kathy Kane, she appeared as both a scientist of Spyral and an assistant to the directors of Spyral. Frau Netz invented the nanite technology used by Spyral and gave up her dreams of singing to follow in her father's footsteps. After Netz refuses to join Leviathan, Mark Shaw responding by having her obliterated. |
| Christopher Tanner / Old Gun | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #3 (September 2014) | A one-shot villain; the Old Gun was an assassin for hire who became blind after being attacked by a madman during a school shooting, in which said man gunned down his two sons. He underwent experimental surgery that allowed him to visually see through the tip of his guns and became an assassin. He comes into conflict with Spyral during their arms race for Paragon's body parts as he comes across the android's eyes to restore his sight and have the ability to see his only surviving son, Christopher Tanner Jr. Not compatible with his body, Dick appeals to his better nature to give it up, but Old Gun is gunned down by Agent 8. |
| Agent 8 | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #3 (September 2014) | One of the top agents of Spyral, she appeared to have a romantic relationship with Agent One while briefly having a one-night stand with Dick Grayson despite Spyral's policy against romantic ties with other agents. While initially appearing to be Dick's ally, she was later revealed to be a double agent for Frau Netz and Leviathan. After Frau Netz is defeated and Otto Netz's resurrection is foiled, Agent 8 is killed by Agent 1. |
| Doctor Poppy Ashmore | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #2 (August 2014) | A former member of the British Secret Intelligence (T.H.E.Y), biologist, and member of several think tanks. She was also secretly an agent for Batman's villain and human trafficker, Mother, who took in traumatized children and molded them to suit the needs of her clients. Having been disturbed by the supernatural and extraterrestrial findings and conspiracies witnessed during her tenure in T.H.E.Y, she would come across an opportunity to arm humanity against conflict by experimenting with Paragon's stomach, an enhanced organ that contained the powers of the Flash. She would implant the organ into her body, discovering her super-speed also gave her insatiable hunger, forcing her to become a cannibal. |
| The Syndicate | Tim Seeley Tom King Mikel Janín |
Grayson #9 (June 2015) | A group of spies who are considered the top espionage agents in the world and work to maintain peace and alliances between all intelligence organizations. They come into conflict with Spyral over time, whose members were seemingly testing the status quo. The Syndicate would later become directly involved as Agent Zero's ultimate agenda of resurrecting Otto Netz came to fruition as well as Maxwell Lord's attempt to wipe out Spyral and gain the Minos files (which contained the list of the Justice League's secret identities).
Membership included existing DC and Vertigo characters such as King Faraday, Bronze Tiger, Frankenstein, Grifter, and Tactical Augmented Organism (aka Tao). It also featured newly created characters such as Gwisin and Keshi. |
Other rogues
[edit]| Villain | Creator(s) | First appearance | Fictional biography |
|---|---|---|---|
| Court of Owls / Parliament of Owls | Scott Snyder Greg Capullo | Batman (vol. 2) #3 (December 2011) | During the "Robin War" storyline, the Court of Owls created a global off-shoot of their organization and became known as the "Parliament of Owls". A shadowy society like the off-shoot, they work to expand their influence globally through their highly trained agents known as "Talons". Due to his bloodline from William Cobb, the Parliament is equally persistent in recruiting Dick Grayson as a Talon due to his skills and status, willing to use both blackmail and even forms of mind-control to achieve their goals. |
| Talon (William Cobb)[15][16] | Scott Snyder Greg Capullo | Batman (vol. 2) #2 (December 2011) | William Cobb is one of the talons of the Court of Owls, a near-mythical organization in Gotham City and the paternal great-grandfather of Dick Grayson. Born into a middle-class family, Cobb lost his father at a young age during an occupational accident working on a bridge in Gotham. Unable to support himself and his mother, Cobb joined Haly's Circus. Cobb is eventually indoctrinated into the Court of Owls as Talon. |
| Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) | George Perez Marv Wolfman |
The New Teen Titans #2 (December 1980) |
Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) is a mercenary with enhanced physical abilities akin to that of a super-soldier. Initially introduced as a Teen Titans villain, Deathstroke has a complicated history with Dick Grayson. |
| Kathy Kane / Agent Zero | Edmond HamiltonSheldon Moldoff | Detective Comics #233 (July 1956) | The original Batwoman, Kathy Kane's character, and history were revised in the Grayson title while keeping most elements of her previous history intact. While still the daughter of German director and founder of Spyral, Otto Netz, her history also includes a sister with whom she established a fierce rivalry as their father purposely manipulated and pitted them against one another throughout their childhood in an attempt to have suitable heirs. |
Critical reception
[edit]Nightwing Vol. 3 (2011 – 2014)
[edit]Erik Norris's review of Nightwing #1 on IGN was generally positive but with some reservations. He acknowledged that while the issue wasn't a phenomenal debut, it was a solid and reassuring start for fans of Dick Grayson. Norris appreciated how writer Kyle Higgins demonstrated a strong understanding of the character, as shown previously in Batman: Gates of Gotham. However, he didn't consider it groundbreaking, and the review reflected a cautious optimism for the series going forward.[17] IGN Jesse Schedeen's reviews of issues #13 to #17 highlight both the emotional depth and the action-packed moments that define the series. He consistently praises Kyle Higgins’ writing and Eddy Barrows’ artwork for their ability to balance the character personal struggles with thrilling sequences.[18][19][20]
Melissa Grey's reviews of issues #18 to #25 are generally mixed. She notes that while these issues tackle significant emotional themes, such as Dick Grayson's mourning of Damian Wayne in issue #18, the heavy dialogue sometimes weakens the impact.[21] As the series progresses, Grey points out that the art often struggles to capture the emotional nuances effectively. However, in issues like #25, she praises the balance of darker tones with hopeful themes, appreciating how the art contributes to the overall storytelling.[22][23][24][25][26][27]
Collected editions
[edit]Most of the original ongoing Nightwing series was collected in several trade paperbacks while the series was being published. Beginning in 2014, the series was reprinted, with new editions including material that had previously been omitted.
Volume 1 and 2 (Post-Crisis)
[edit]| # | Title | Material collected | Released | ISBN | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Original trade paperbacks | |||||
| Nightwing: Ties That Bind | Nightwing: Alfred's Return; Nightwing (vol. 1) #1-4 | Sep 1997 | 978-1563893285 | ||
| Nightwing: A Knight In Blüdhaven | Nightwing (vol. 2) #1-8 | Aug 1998 | 978-1563894251 | ||
| Nightwing: Rough Justice | Nightwing (vol. 2) #9-18 | Sep 1999 | 978-1563895234 | ||
| Nightwing: Love And Bullets | Nightwing (vol. 2) #½, #19, #21-22, #24-29 | Apr 2000 | 978-1563896132 | ||
| Nightwing: A Darker Shade Of Justice | Nightwing (vol. 2) #30-39; Nightwing: Secret Files And Origins | Dec 2000 | 978-1563897030 | ||
| Nightwing: The Hunt For Oracle | Nightwing (vol. 2) #41-46; Birds of Prey #20-21 | Jan 2003 | 978-1563899409 | ||
| Nightwing/Huntress | Nightwing/Huntress #1-4 (mini-series) | Jan 2004 | 978-1401201272 | ||
| Nightwing: Big Guns | Nightwing (vol. 2) #47-50; Nightwing: Secret Files and Origins; Nightwing 80-Page Giant | Feb 2004 | 978-1401201869 | ||
| Nightwing: On The Razor's Edge | Nightwing (vol. 2) #52, #54-60 | Jun 2005 | 978-1401204372 | ||
| Issues #71-100 are yet to be compiled into any collected edition | |||||
| Nightwing: Year One | Nightwing (vol. 2) #101-106 | Aug 2005 | 978-1401204358 | ||
| Nightwing: Mobbed Up | Nightwing (vol. 2) #107-111 | Mar 2006 | 978-1401209070 | ||
| Nightwing: Renegade | Nightwing (vol. 2) #112-117 | Nov 2006 | 978-1401209087 | ||
| Nightwing: Brothers In Blood | Nightwing (vol. 2) #118-124 | Mar 2007 | 978-1401212247 | ||
| Nightwing: Love And War | Nightwing (vol. 2) #125-132 | Oct 2007 | 978-1401214630 | ||
| Nightwing: The Lost Year | Nightwing (vol. 2) #133-137, Nightwing (vol. 2) Annual #2 | Mar 2008 | 978-1401216719 | ||
| Nightwing: Freefall | Nightwing (vol. 2) #140-146 | Nov 2008 | 978-1401219659 | ||
| Nightwing: The Great Leap | Nightwing (vol. 2) #147-153 | Aug 2009 | 978-1401221713 | ||
| New edition trade paperbacks | |||||
| Nightwing: Old Friends, New Enemies | Material from Secret Origins (vol. 2) #13; material from Action Comics Weekly #613-618, #627-634 | Aug 2013 | 978-1401240448 | ||
| 1 | Blüdhaven | Nightwing Vol. 1 #1-4; Nightwing (vol. 2) #1-8 | Dec 2014 | 978-1401251444 | |
| Apr 13, 2025 | 978-1799501381 | ||||
| 2 | Rough Justice | Nightwing (vol. 2) #9-18, Nightwing Annual #1 | Jun 2015 | 978-1401255336 | |
| 3 | False Starts | Nightwing/Huntress #1-4; Nightwing (vol. 2) #½, #19-25 | Jan 2016 | 978-1401258559 | |
| 4 | Love And Bullets | Nightwing (vol. 2) #26-34, #1,000,000; Nightwing Secret Files and Origins #1 | Apr 2016 | 978-1401260873 | |
| 5 | The Hunt For Oracle | Nightwing (vol. 2) #35-46; Birds of Prey #20-21 | Nov 2016 | 978-1401265021 | |
| 6 | To Serve And Protect | Nightwing (vol. 2) #47-53; Nightwing 80-Page Giant #1 | Jul 2017 | 978-1401270810 | |
| 7 | Shrike | Nightwing (vol. 2) #54-60; Nightwing: Our Worlds At War #1; Nightwing: Targets #1 | Feb 2018 | 978-1401277567 | |
| 8 | Lethal Force | Nightwing (vol. 2) #61-70 | Nov 2018 | 978-1401285050 | |
| Issues #71-100 are yet to be compiled into any collected edition | |||||
| Nightwing by Peter Tomasi | Nightwing (vol. 2) #140-153 | Jan 2020 | 978-1401291716 | ||
| Compendiums | |||||
| 1 | A Knight in Blüdhaven Compendium Book One | Nightwing (vol. 1) #1-4; Nightwing (vol. 2) #1-25, #1,000,000; Nightwing Annual #1; Wizard Presents Nightwing #½; Nightwing/Huntress #1-4; Green Arrow (vol. 2) #134-135; Robin (vol. 2) #55; Detective Comics #723-725, #1,000,000 | Apr 7, 2024 | 978-1779525864 | |
| 2 | A Knight in Blüdhaven Compendium Book Two | Action Comics #771; Batman Annual #23; Nightwing (vol. 2) #26-59; Birds of Prey #8, 20–21; Nightwing Secret Files; Nightwing 80-Page Giant; Nightwing: The Target | Apr 20, 2025 | 978-1799501480 | |
| 3 | A Knight in Blüdhaven Compendium Book Three | Batman #600, 605; Nightwing #60-82; The Flash Plus Nightwing; Birds of Prey #37; Batman: Gotham Knights #14, #16-17, #20-21; Nightwing: The Target; Batman: The 10-Cent Adventure; Joker: Last Laugh Secret Files and Origins; Joker: Last Laugh #1-6; Nightwing: Our Worlds at War | Apr 5, 2026 | 978-1799508120 | |
Volume 3 (The New 52)
[edit]| # | Title | Material collected | Legacy | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trade paperbacks | ||||||
| 1 | Traps And Trapezes | Nightwing (vol. 3) #1-7 | #158-164 | 160 | Oct 16, 2012 | 978-1401237059 |
| 2 | Night Of The Owls | Nightwing (vol. 3) #0, #8-12 | #165-169 | 144 | Jul 30, 2013 | 978-1401240271 |
| 3 | Death Of The Family | Nightwing (vol. 3) #13-18; Batman (vol. 2) #17, material from Young Romance #1 | #170-175 | 176 | Dec 10, 2013 | 978-1401244132 |
| 4 | Second City | Nightwing (vol. 3) #19-24 | #176-181 | 144 | Jul 15, 2014 | 978-1401246303 |
| 5 | Setting Son | Nightwing (vol. 3) #25-30, Annual #1 | #182-187 | 200 | Dec 16, 2014 | 978-1401250119 |
| Omnibus | ||||||
| Nightwing: The Prince Of Gotham Omnibus | Nightwing (vol. 3) #0-30, Batman #17, Young Romance: A New 52 St. Valentine's Day Special #1, Nightwing Annual #1, Secret Origins #1 | #158-187 | 824 | Jan 29, 2021 | 978-1779507006 | |
| May 6, 2025 | 978-1799501312 | |||||
Grayson
[edit]After the events of Nightwing (vol. 3) #30, Dick Grayson left behind his superhero life to become an agent of the fictional spy agency Spyral.
- Main article: Grayson
| # | Title | Material collected | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Agents Of Spyral | Grayson #1–4, Grayson: Futures End; material from Secret Origins (vol. 3) #8 | Jun 9, 2015 | HC: 978-1401252342 |
| Jan 26, 2016 | TPB: 978-1401257590 | |||
| 2 | We All Die At Dawn | Grayson #5–8, Annual #1 | Feb 2, 2016 | 978-1401257606 |
| 3 | Nemesis | Grayson #9–12, Annual #2, DC Sneak Peek: Grayson | May 24, 2016 | 978-1401262761 |
| 4 | A Ghost In The Tomb | Grayson #13–16, Robin War #1–2 | Oct 18, 2016 | 978-1401267629 |
| 5 | Spiral's End | Grayson #17–20, Annual #3, Nightwing: Rebirth | Jan 17, 2017 | 978-1401268251 |
| Omnibus | ||||
| The Superspy Omnibus | Grayson #1-20, Grayson: Futures End #1, Grayson Annual #1-3, Robin War #1-2, Nightwing: Rebirth, material from Secret Origins (vol. 3) #8 | Oct 24, 2017 | 978-1401274160 | |
| Aug 27, 2019 | 978-1401295059 | |||
| Nov 15, 2022 | 978-1779517326 | |||
Volume 4 (DC Rebirth, post-Rebirth, Infinite Frontier, and Dawn of DC)
[edit]Following the events of Grayson #20, Dick Grayson returns to Blüdhaven, and life as Nightwing.
| # | Title | Material collected | Legacy | Format | Pages | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Better Than Batman | Nightwing: Rebirth; Nightwing (vol. 4) #1-4, #7-8 | #188-191, #194-195 | TPB | 168 | Jan 31, 2017 | 978-1401268039 |
| Batman: Night Of The Monster Men | Batman (vol. 3) #7-8; Nightwing (vol. 4) #5-6; Detective Comics #941-942 | #192-193 | HC | 144 | Feb 28, 2017 | 978-1401270674 | |
| TPB | Oct 31, 2017 | 978-1401274313 | |||||
| 2 | Back To Blüdhaven | Nightwing (vol. 4) #9-15 | #196-202 | TPB | 168 | Jun 20, 2017 | 978-1401270858 |
| 3 | Nightwing Must Die | Nightwing (vol. 4) #16-21 | #203-208 | TPB | 128 | Sep 26, 2017 | 978-1401273767 |
| 4 | Blockbuster | Nightwing (vol. 4) #22-28 | #209-215 | TPB | 176 | Jan 23, 2018 | 978-1401275334 |
| 5 | Raptor's Revenge | Nightwing (vol. 4) #30-34 | #217-221 | TPB | 128 | May 1, 2018 | 978-1401278816 |
| 6 | The Untouchable | Nightwing (vol. 4) #35-43 | #222-230 | TPB | 216 | Sep 18, 2018 | 978-1401287573 |
| 7 | The Bleeding Edge | Nightwing (vol. 4) #44-49, Annual #1 | #231-236 | TPB | 160 | Dec 31, 2018 | 978-1401285593 |
| 8 | Knight Terrors | Nightwing (vol. 4) #50-56 | #237-243 | TPB | 192 | Jun 11, 2019 | 978-1401291280 |
| 9 | Burnback | Nightwing (vol. 4) #57-62 | #244-249 | TPB | 144 | Nov 12, 2019 | 978-1401294588 |
| 10 | The Gray Son Legacy | Nightwing (vol. 4) #63-69, Annual #2 | #250-256 | TPB | 208 | May 19, 2020 | 978-1779500212 |
| The Joker War | Nightwing (vol. 4) #70-77, Annual #3 | #257-264 | HC | 248 | Mar 2, 2021 | 978-1779505699 | |
| TPB | Aug 15, 2023 | 978-1779521149 | |||||
| The Joker War Saga | Batman (vol. 3) #95-100; plus tie-in stories from Batgirl; Red Hood And The Outlaws; Catwoman; Harley Quinn; Nightwing; Detective Comics | HC | 336 | Feb 23, 2021 | 978-1779511799 | ||
| TPB | Jan 10, 2022 | 978-1779514967 | |||||
| The series saw a soft reboot after The Joker War, with Tom Taylor taking over as writer | |||||||
| 1 | Leaping Into The Light | Nightwing (vol. 4) #78-83 | #265-270 | HC | 160 | Dec 14, 2021 | 978-1779512789 |
| TPB | Jun 6, 2023 | 978-1779516992 | |||||
| Fear State | Nightwing (vol. 4) #84-86, Annual #4 (2021); material from Batman: Urban Legends #10 | #271-273 | HC | 152 | Jun 21, 2022 | 978-1779515506 | |
| TPB | Sep 5, 2023 | 978-1779520050 | |||||
| 2 | Get Grayson | Nightwing (vol. 4) #87-91; Superman: Son of Kal-El #9 | #274-278 | HC | 160 | Dec 27, 2022 | 978-1779517456 |
| TPB | Dec 26, 2023 | 978-1779523020 | |||||
| 3 | The Battle For Blüdhaven's Heart | Nightwing (vol. 4) #92-96 | #279-283 | HC | 176 | Jun 27, 2023 | 978-1779520166 |
| TPB | Jun 11, 2024 | 978-1779525222 | |||||
| 4 | The Leap | Nightwing (vol. 4) #97-100, Annual #5 (2022) | #284-287 | HC | 192 | Dec 12, 2023 | 978-1779520869 |
| TPB | Jul 30, 2024 | 978-1779528025 | |||||
| 5 | Time Of The Titans | Nightwing (vol. 4) #101-105 | #288-292 | HC | 152 | Sep 10, 2024 | 978-1779525239 |
| TPB | 978-1779529534 | ||||||
| 6 | Standing At The Edge | Nightwing (vol. 4) ##106-109, #111-113 | #293-296, #298-300 | HC | 192 | Dec 24, 2024 | 978-1779528544 |
| TPB | 978-1779529435 | ||||||
| 7 | Fallen Grayson | Nightwing (vol. 4) #114-118 | #301-305 | HC | 152 | Mar 25, 2025 | 978-1799500889 |
| TPB | 978-1799500896 | ||||||
| The series saw a soft reboot after Fallen Grayson, with Dan Watters taking over as writer | |||||||
| 1 | On With The Show | Nightwing (vol. 4) #119-124 | #306-311 | HC | 160 | Jul 1, 2025 | 978-1799501985 |
| TPB | 978-1799502005 | ||||||
| 2 | Death Traps | Nightwing (vol. 4) #125-129 | #312-316 | HC | 176 | Jan 20, 2026 | 978-1799502548 |
| TPB | 978-1799502562 | ||||||
| 3 | The Cirque du Sin | Nightwing (vol. 4) #130-135 | #317-322 | HC | 152 | Jul 21, 2026 | 978-1799508656 |
| TPB | 978-1799508663 | ||||||
| DC Compact Classics | |||||||
| 1 | Nightwing: Leaping Into The Light | Nightwing (vol. 4) #78-88 | #265-275 | Digest | 296 | Mar 3, 2026 | 978-1799507703 |
| Deluxe Oversized Hardcovers | |||||||
| 1 | Nightwing: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol.1 | Nightwing: Rebirth; Nightwing (vol. 4) #1-15 | #188-202 | OHC | 384 | Oct 31, 2017 | 978-1401273750 |
| 2 | Nightwing: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 2 | Nightwing (vol. 4) #16-28 | #203-215 | OHC | 312 | May 22, 2018 | 978-1401278922 |
| 3 | Nightwing: Rebirth Deluxe Edition Vol. 3 | Nightwing (vol. 4) #29-43 | #216-230 | OHC | 352 | Jan 29, 2019 | 978-1401285678 |
| Omnibuses | |||||||
| Nightwing: Rebirth Omnibus | Nightwing: Rebirth; Nightwing (vol. 4) #1-49, Nightwing: Rebirth #1, Batgirl #14-17, Batman #7-8, Batman: Prelude to the Wedding: Nightwing vs. Hush #1, Detective Comics #941-942, Green Arrow #32, Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1, Suicide Squad #26, Teen Titans #12 and stories from Batgirl #25, DC Rebirth Holiday Special #1 and Robin 80th Anniversary 100-Page Super Spectacular #1 | #188-236 | Omnibus | 1,496 | Apr 22, 2025 | 978-1799501169 | |
| Nightwing by Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo Omnibus Vol. 1 | Nightwing (vol. 4) #78-96; Batman: Urban Legends #10; Nightwing Annual 2021; Superman: Son of Kal-El #9 | #265-287 | Omnibus | 624 | Jul 22, 2025 | 978-1799502197 | |
| Nightwing by Tom Taylor Omnibus Vol. 2 | Nightwing (vol. 4) #101-118; Nightwing Annual 2022 | #288-305 | Omnibus | 600 | Jul 7, 2026 | 978-1799508502 | |
- Prestige one-shots
- Nightwing: The Target
- Batman/Nightwing: Bloodborne
Other collected editions
[edit]| Title | Material collected | Format | Released | ISBN |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batman: Cataclysm | Nightwing (vol. 2) #19-20 | TPB | Jun 1999 | 978-1563895272 |
| Jun 16, 2015 | 978-1401255152 | |||
| Batman: No Man's Land Vol. 2 | Nightwing (vol. 2) #35-37 | TPB | Apr 17, 2012 | 978-1401233808 |
| Batman: New Gotham, Vol. 2: Officer Down | Nightwing (vol. 2) #53 | TPB | Aug 2001 | 978-1563897870 |
| Batman: Bruce Wayne: Murderer? | Nightwing (vol. 2) #65-66 | TPB | Aug 2002 | 978-1563899133 |
| Nightwing (vol. 2) #65-66, 68–69 | May 20, 2014 | 978-1401246839 | ||
| Batman: Bruce Wayne: Fugitive Vol. 1 | Nightwing (vol. 2) #68-69 | TPB | Dec 2002 | 978-1563899331 |
| Batman War Games Book 1 | Nightwing (vol. 2) #96 | TPB | Nov 3, 2015 | 978-1401258139 |
| Batman War Games Book 2 | Nightwing (vol. 2) #97-98 | TPB | May 24, 2016 | 978-1401260705 |
| Batman: The Resurrection Of Ra's al Ghul | Nightwing (vol. 2) #138-139 | HC | May 20, 2008 | 978-1401217853 |
| TPB | May 12, 2009 | 978-1401220327 | ||
| Batman: Night Of The Owls | Nightwing (vol. 3) #8-9 | HC | Feb 19, 2013 | 978-1401237738 |
| TPB | Nov 12, 2013 | 978-1401242527 | ||
| The Joker: Death Of The Family | Nightwing (vol. 3) #15-16 | HC | Oct 22, 2013 | 978-1401242350 |
| TPB | Apr 22, 2014 | 978-1401246464 | ||
| Dark Nights: The Road To Metal | Nightwing (vol. 4) #17 | HC | May 22, 2018 | 978-1401278199 |
| TPB | Jan 8, 2019 | 978-1401278199 | ||
| Dark Nights: Metal: The Resistance | Nightwing (vol. 4) #29 | TPB | Jul 3, 2018 | 978-1401282981 |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- 1 2 Fabricius, Charlotte Johanne (2020-06-22). "Precarious Lines. Heroism and hyper-capability 90s Nightwing comics". Academic Quarter | Akademisk Kvarter (in Danish): 92–109. doi:10.5278/ojs.academicquarter.vi20.5850. ISSN 1904-0008.
- 1 2 Mathis, Kylie (2019-04-09). "Sexual Violence and D.C. Comics". Proceedings of GREAT Day. 2018 (1).
- ↑ "A Specific Look at Nightwing #93". January 28, 2006.
- ↑ Cambro, Ed (2017-01-28). "15 Things Nightwing Can Do That Batman Can't". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ↑ Najarian, Jonathan (2023-02-01). "Lauren R. O'Connor, Robin and the Making of American Adolescence". American Literary History. 35 (1): 658–661. doi:10.1093/alh/ajac296. ISSN 0896-7148.
- ↑ "WizardWorld Philadelphia: DCU panel". Archived from the original on October 12, 2007.
- ↑ Mollo, Drew (2020-06-25). "Nightwing Almost Died To Become One of DC's Greatest Heroes". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2025-03-31.
- ↑ "Justice Society of America | Official DC Character". DC. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ↑ Nightwing Annual #2
- ↑ Mably, Timothy (2022-02-23). "Nightwing Proved Why the New Teen Titans Deserve a Reboot". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2025-04-01.
- ↑ "The Superhero book: the ultimate encyclopedia of comic-book icons and Hollywood heroes". Choice Reviews Online. 42 (8): 42–4372-42-4372. 2005-04-01. doi:10.5860/choice.42-4372 (inactive 1 July 2025). ISSN 0009-4978.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: DOI inactive as of July 2025 (link) - ↑ Titans #11 (2009)
- ↑ Wallace, Dan (2008). "Blockbuster II". In Dougall, Alastair (ed.). The DC Comics Encyclopedia. London: Dorling Kindersley. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1.
- ↑ "What's New In The New 52 – Introducing Lady Vic". DC Comics. May 2013.
- ↑ "Batman vs Robin Blu-ray review". Batman-News. April 24, 2015.
- ↑ "Gotham's "Gray Son" NIGHTWING Gets a New Role in Gotham". Newsarama. 3 January 2024. Archived from the original on January 26, 2014.
- ↑ Norris, Erik (2011-09-21). "Nightwing #1 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (2012-10-18). "Nightwing #13 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (2013-01-24). "Nightwing #16 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Schedeen, Jesse (2013-02-21). "Nightwing #17 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-03-21). "Nightwing #18 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-04-18). "Nightwing #19 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-05-16). "Nightwing #20 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-06-13). "Nightwing #21 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-07-11). "Nightwing #22 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-10-10). "Nightwing #24 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
- ↑ Grey, Melissa (2013-11-14). "Nightwing #25 Review". IGN. Retrieved 2024-10-12.
