Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (2024)

Contains spoilers for Nightwing #112!

Summary

  • Nightwing's emotions drive him as a hero, setting him apart from Batman's emotional detachment.
  • Batman respects Nightwing's emotional connection to his work, highlighting their differences.
  • Nightwing proves his ability to control his anger, choosing justice over revenge, unlike Batman's occasional emotional outbursts.

Nightwing and Batman have a lot of similarities, considering Bruce Wayne trained Dick Grayson, but a new team-up between the original Dynamic Duo confirms their one defining difference. Dick Grayson has tried to separate himself from his mentor in the past. In fact, it's part of why he went to Blüdhaven. That being said, their biggest difference becomes most apparent when they're working together.

Nightwing #112 by Tom Taylor and Sami Basri follows an investigation from the point of view of Batman, giving a unique perspective on Dick Grayson. Specifically, this issue focuses on Nightwing's emotions and motivations throughout his life, from his earliest days training as Robin to the present-day as he leads the Titans. These motivations are brought to the forefront as Nightwing works to save a young orphan from his manipulative (and murderous) uncle.

Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (1)

More important than this guided tour through his history is Batman's thoughts on how Dick's emotions impact him ​​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​detective ​​​​​​​and a ​​​​​​​hero. ​​​​​​​This focus on the emotional core of his motivations ​​​​​​​is what really separates ​​​​​​​Dick Grayson ​​​​​​​and Bruce Wayne — but different ​​​​​​​doesn't always ​​​​​​​mean ​​​​​​​better. Despite ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​heroes ​​​​​​​having ​​​​​​​different ​​​​​​​influences ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​work, ​​​​​​​both ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​styles serve a ​​​​​​​purpose, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​this team-up ​​​​​​​proves it.

Related

DC Exposes Nightwing's Rage, Confirming His Inner Darkness Is More Intense Than You Think

In Nightwing #112, Dick Grayon's secret darkness is on full display — something he learned to manage in order to become the leader and hero he is now.

Nightwing Has Always Been Led by His Emotions

Batman Admires Nightwing's Attitude

Nightwing ​​​​​​​is an ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​person, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​he and ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​confirm ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​this ​​​​​​​issue that ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions fuel ​​​​​​​him ​​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​hero. Dick is often ​​​​​​​driven by ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​to save ​​​​​​​those ​​​​he ​​​​​​​cares ​​​​​​​about. ​​​​​​​While ​​​​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​can tell ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick is acting ​​​​​​​due to ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​rather ​​​​​​​than​​​​ ​​​​​​​logic​​, ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​admits ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​doesn't ​​​​​​​let ​​​​​​​his anger or personal connections ​​​​​​​cloud his judgment, which ​​​​​​​is an ​​​​​​​accurate assessment.​​​​​​​ Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​good ​​​​​​​at ​​​​​​​being ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​hero, leader, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​mentor. Even ​​​​​​​when ​​​​​​​mentoring Damian Wayne during his time as Batman, ​​​​​​​Dick never ​​​​​​​let ​​​​​​​his frustration ​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​better ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​him. ​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​a testament ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​heroes ​​​​​​​being ​​​​​​​able ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​be ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​without being ​​​​​​​weak or irrational.

Nightwing ​​​​​​​knows ​​​​​​​better ​​​​​​​than ​​​​​​​anyone ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​revenge ​​​​​​​won't ​​​​​​​bring ​​​​​​​back ​​​​​​​the dead.

At ​​​​​​​the end of this issue's central fight, ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​assumes ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is going ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​let his trauma-induced anger win; however, Nightwing proves ​​​​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​Wayne ​​​​​​​wrong ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​beats ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​inner ​​​​​​​darkness. ​​​​​​​This triumph ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​significant moment ​​​​​​​for ​​​​​​​Dick. ​​​​​​​It ​​​​​​​contrasts ​​​​​​​with the issue's flashback scene, in which ​​​​​​​he can't ​​​​​​​control ​​​​​​​his anger ​​​​​​​about ​​​​​​​the deaths ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​parents. ​​​​​​​In the present day, ​​​​​​​when ​​​​​​​faced with ​​​​​​​someone ​​​​​​​who orphaned a ​​​​​​​boy ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​cares ​​​​​​​about, ​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​able ​​​​​​​to restrain ​​​​​​​himself. While ​​​​​​​understandably ​​​​​​​angry, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​Nightwing knows ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​justice ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​more ​​​​​​​important ​​​​​​​than ​​​​​​​anger ​​​​​​​or revenge, and he ​​​​​​​knows ​​​​​​​better ​​​​​​​than ​​​​​​​anyone ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​revenge ​​​​​​​won't ​​​​​​​bring ​​​​​​​back ​​​​​​​the dead.

Batman Tries to Separate His Feelings from Investigations

Nightwing's Emotional Connection to His Work Separates Him from Batman

Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (3)

Whereas Nightwing is fueled by his emotions, Batman tries to keep emotions an arms-length away.Bruce ​​​​​​​Wayne ​​​​​​​considers ​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​Grayson his ​​​​​​​son, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​definitely ​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​as Dick, ​​​​​​​if ​​​​​​​not more so. ​​​​​​​But Batman works to ​​​​​​​keep his ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​check. ​​​​​​​After ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​Joker killed ​​​​​​​Jason ​​​​​​​Todd, for example, ​​​​​​​Bruce held back — and continues to hold back — ​​​​​​​from enacting ​​​​​​​justice. ​​​​​​​However, ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​does fail ​​​​​​​sometimes. After Alfred ​​​​​​​Pennyworth's death, Bruce blamed ​​​​​​​Damian ​​​​​​​out ​​​​​​​of anger, proving that, ​​​​​​​while ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​tries ​​​​​​​to minimize ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions, he's ​​​​​​​not ​​​​​​​always successful.

Jason Todd's death is featured in Batman: A Death in the Family by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo. During this storyline, the Joker becomes the ambassador to Iran, giving him diplomatic immunity, which means he can't be prosecuted for Jason's murder.

Generally ​​​​​​​speaking, everyone ​​​​​ ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​the Bat-Family ​​​​​​​is emotional, ​​​​but ​​​​​​​how ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​Nightwing handle ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​what ​​​​​​​sets ​​​​​​​them ​​​​​​​apart. They ​​​​​​​may acknowledge and respect ​​​​​​​these ​​​​​​​differences, ​​​​​​​but ​​​​​​​it can ​​​​​​​still ​​​​​​​cause ​​​​​​​tension ​​​​​​​between the ​​​​​​​duo. ​​​​​​​It's been ​​​​​​​established ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick's ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​are ​​​​​​at an all-time high, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​with ​​​​​​​his new ​​​​​​​fear ​​​​​​​of heights, ​​​​​​​he's ​​​​​​​only going ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​more ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​from ​​​​​​​here. ​​​​​​As ​​​​​​​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​​​​​​​continues ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​struggle ​​​​​​​​​​​​​through ​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​​​​​​​fall ​​​​​​​​​​​​​from ​​​​​​grace, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​​​​​​​may ​​​​​​​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​​​​​​​point ​​​​​​​​​​​​​where ​​​​​​​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​can't ​​​​​​hold ​​​​​​​​​​​​​back ​​​​​​​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​​​​​​​emotions. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​If ​​​​​​​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​​​​​​​happens, ​​​​​​readers will have to wonder if ​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​​​​​​​will be ​​​​​​​​​​​​​there ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​help ​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​​​​​​​fight ​​​​​​​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​darkness.

Nightwing #112 is available now from DC Comics!

NIGHTWING #112 (2024)

Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (4)
  • Writer: Tom Taylor
  • Penciler: Sami Basri
  • Inkers: Sami Basri and Vicente Cifuentes
  • Colorist: Adriano Lucas
  • Letterer: Wes Abbott
  • Cover Artist: Bruno Redondo
Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (5)
Batman

Created by
Bob Kane , Bill Finger
First Film
Batman (1989)
Latest Film
The Batman
Upcoming Films
The Batman Part II
First TV Show
Batman 1960s

Latest TV Show
Batman: The Brave and the Bold
Video Game(s)
Batman: Arkham City , Batman: Arkham Asylum , Batman: Arkham Knight , Gotham Knights , Batman: The Telltale Series

Summary

One of the core leading characters of DC Comics, Batman is the face behind his multimedia franchise that has been in circulation for over eighty years, initially conceived by Bob Kane and Bill Finger, appearing in the 27th issue of Detective Comics at the end of the 1930s. The Caped Crusader is the alter ego of billionaire playboy philanthropist Bruce Wayne, a man tormented by the death of his parents who has dedicated his life to cleaning up the streets of Gotham. Batman's media works range from comic books to tv shows to films and video games. In the films, several actors have donned the cape and cowl, such as Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale, and Robert Pattinson, in the most recent incarnation of the character. The franchise continues to enjoy success more than ever, especially with The Dark Knight trilogy of films and the Batman: Arkham video game trilogy. With a commanding rogue's gallery of some of the most recognizable villains in the superhero genre, Batman caters to several audiences and offers a wide variety of options to keep him at the forefront of the genre.

  • Comics
  • Nightwing
  • Batman

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Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They'll Never Be the Same (2024)

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