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Nightwing
Variant cover art of Nightwing (July 2016 vol.4) #1 from DC Comics Art by Ivan Reis, Joe Prado, and Brad Walker.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman: Superman #158 (January 1963) Richard Grayson: Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (July 1984)
Created by	Superman: Edmond Hamilton Curt Swan Dick Grayson: Marv Wolfman George Pérez
In-story information
Alter ego	Dick Grayson Superman (Pre Crisis Era) Power Girl Chris Kent
Team affiliations	Teen Titans Titans Outsiders Justice League Batman Inc. Birds of Prey Young Justice Spyral
Notable aliases	Robin Batman Red X Agent 37 Target Talon Gray Son of Gotham
Abilities	Genius intellect, expert detective Master martial artist, acrobat, and hand-to-hand combatant Master strategist, tactician, and field leader Building high-tech equipment and weapons

Nightwing is the name of several superheroes appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The most prominent is Dick Grayson, who takes the name when he leaves his role as Batman's partner and sidekick Robin in his adulthood.

Although Nightwing is commonly associated with Batman, the title and concept have origins in classic Superman stories. The original Nightwing was an identity assumed by Superman when stranded on the Kryptonian city of Kandor with Jimmy Olsen. Drawing inspiration from Batman and Robin, the two protect Kandor as the superheroes Nightwing and Flamebird. Following the Crisis on Infinite Earths and Zero Hour: Crisis in Time! continuity reboots in 1985 and 1994, respectively, Nightwing was reimagined as a legendary vigilante from Krypton whose story inspires Dick Grayson's choice of name when he leaves behind his Robin identity.

Other stories set among the Batman family of characters have seen acquaintances and friends of Grayson briefly assume the title, including his fellow Robin alumnus Jason Todd. Meanwhile, Superman stories have seen Superman's adopted son Chris Kent and Power Girl take up the name for brief turns as Nightwing. Various other characters have taken the name in stories set outside DC's main continuity as well.

In 2013, Nightwing placed 5th on IGN's Top 25 Heroes of DC Comics and Grayson as Nightwing was ranked the #1 Sexiest Male Character in Comics by ComicsAlliance in 2013.

Fictional character biography

Pre-Crisis Era

Superman

Nightwing is first depicted in the story "Superman in Kandor" in Superman #158 (January 1963). It is an alias used by Superman in pre-Crisis stories. The story is set in Kandor, a Kryptonian city that was shrunken and preserved in a bottle by Brainiac. In Kandor, Superman has no superpowers, and is branded an outlaw there due to a misunderstanding.

To disguise themselves, Superman and Jimmy Olsen create vigilante identities inspired by Batman and Robin. Because neither bats nor robins lived on Krypton, Superman chooses the names of two birds owned by his Kandorian friend Nor-Kan: Nightwing for himself, and Flamebird for Jimmy. Nightwing and Flamebird rename Nor-Kan's underground laboratory as the "Nightcave", and use it as their secret headquarters. They also convert Nor-Kan's automobile into their "Nightmobile", and use "jet-belts" to fly into battle.

In Superman's Pal, Jimmy Olsen #69 (June 1963), "The Dynamic Duo of Kandor" introduces Nightwing's dog Nighthound. In "The Feud Between Batman and Superman" in World's Finest #143 (August 1964), Batman and Robin themselves visit Kandor with Superman and Olsen and the two Dynamic Duos team up.

Van-Zee

In Superman Family #183 (May/June 1977), Superman's look-alike second cousin Van-Zee and his niece's husband Ak-Var take up the Nightwing and Flamebird identities. The vigilantes take on crime in their city as had Superman and Olsen before them.

Dick Grayson

After Dick Grayson gives up his Robin mantle, he wonders for a while about his new role. When the Titans are threatened with a new foe, he takes on the mantle of Nightwing, in a homage to the Graysons, Batman, and Superman.

Post-Crisis

Kryptonian mythological figure

Post-Crisis, there is a different originator of the Nightwing identity. Several hundred years before the birth of Kal-El, there was a Kryptonian man who was cast out from his family and decided to take on crime as the vigilante Nightwing, whose crimefighting tactics were similar to Batman's. When Superman tells Dick Grayson of this story, Dick takes the name for himself.

Dick Grayson

Dick Grayson became Nightwing after Batman fired him from his own mantle of Robin for getting shot by Joker. Grayson's Flamebird was Bette Kane. After The New Teen Titans, Nightwing teamed up with old friend Speedy in Action Comics #613-618 & #627-634 later collected in New Friends Old Enemies. He featured in his own solo Nightwing series from 1995 to 2009; after Wayne's apparent death, Dick became the new Batman, retiring his Nightwing mantle temporarily.

Grayson's Nightwing costume was a high-tech suit specially designed for his high-flying acrobatic style. His gauntlets and boots each contained eight compartments in which he could store items. They had a self-destruct feature built into them, similar to the ones in Batman's utility belt, and, as another security measure, the suit contained a one-use-only taser charge, which automatically emitted a high-voltage electrical shock when someone attempted to tamper with either the boots or gauntlets.

Each gauntlet's sections could contain a wide array of equipment, such as sonic or smoke pellets, modified batarangs ("Wing-Dings"), knockout gas capsules, throwable tracers, and a sedative-tipped dart launcher. The right gauntlet was also equipped with a 100,000-volt stun gun. Like the gauntlets, his boot compartments could carry vital equipment such as flares, a rebreather as protection against any airborne non-contact toxins, a mini-computer equipped with fax, modem, GPS, and a minidisk re-writable drive. Other items were lock picks, a first-aid kit, a mini-cellphone, flexi-cuffs, antitoxin assortment, wireless listening devices, and a small flashlight. After coming to New York, Dick added a black utility belt to his costume, eliminating the need for his boots and gauntlets.

Held in spring-loaded pouches in the back of his costume, Dick carried a pair of eskrima clubs made from an unbreakable polymer that were wielded as both offensive and defensive weapons. Some depictions display these tools with the mechanism to shoot a grappling hook attached to a swing line, while, in other instances, they can act as "line guns" similar to the ones Batman uses. The clubs could also be thrown with such skill by Grayson (and possibly due to their design) that they would ricochet off walls and objects to hit multiple targets, then return to his hands. These clubs also have the capability to be linked together as well as grow in size to make a staff, as depicted in many series, such as Teen Titans and Young Justice (Robin uses these weapons).

Superman

In 2001's Superman: The Man of Steel #111, Superman and Lois Lane travel to a version of Krypton later revealed to have been created by the villainous Brainiac 13 and based on Jor-El's favorite period in Kryptonian history. Labeled as criminals, Superman and Lois become fugitives, adopting the Nightwing and Flamebird identities to survive, just as had Superman and Olsen in Superman (vol. 2) #158.

Tad Ryerstad

In Blüdhaven, a sociopath named Tad Ryerstad becomes a superhero, inspired by the retired hero Tarantula. He takes his name, "Nite-Wing", from an all-night deli specializing in chicken wings. Unstable, Nite-Wing beats people for minor offenses. Nite-Wing is shot on his first night out and Dick Grayson, as Blüdhaven's protector Nightwing, defends him from Blockbuster's gang, who think it is Nightwing who has been injured. After Nite-Wing is released from the hospital, he kills the gang who put him there. Not realizing how violent Ryerstad is, Grayson agrees to train him. The two attack Blockbuster's organization, but are captured and separated. After an undercover FBI agent frees Nite-Wing, Ryerstad beats him to death, and when Grayson realizes what he has done, Ryerstad flees. Nightwing subsequently tracks down and has Nite-Wing arrested by the police. In prison, Ryerstad is cell-mates with Torque (Dudley Soames), but the two escape by drugging the prison guard Amygdala.

Jason Todd

Nightwing (vol. 2) #118-122 run features Jason Todd wearing Dick's costume and killing in New York City which led to a police manhunt against Nightwing.

Cheyenne Freemont

The "One Year Later" storyline features a metahuman fashion designer named Cheyenne Freemont donning a modified Nightwing costume to help Grayson.

Cheyenne first met Dick when they had a one-night stand together. They only exchanged first names the next morning, Cheyenne stating she's superstitious. The two had breakfast together and then he left. When he left another man walked into her apartment. When he assaulted her, she hit him with a telekinetic blast.

Dick found out Cheyenne was a fashion designer from a friend of his from Blüdhaven. She ran into Dick again after he accidentally became a model for her. After seeing newspaper clippings of Nightwing (Jason Todd) she started creating superhero themed designs. Cheyenne wore a Nightwing costume to help Dick and Jason from a metahuman monster named Jakob. He ate her, but she used her powers to blow him up from the inside. Due to recent events she was left broke and soon left New York City.

Power Girl

In Supergirl (vol. 5) #6 (April 2006), Power Girl and Supergirl assume the identities of Nightwing and Flamebird in a story set in Kandor, just as in the original pre-Crisis stories featuring Superman.

Chris Kent

Chris Kent, son of General Zod, was Nightwing during Superman: New Krypton. In that storyline, Superman was coming to terms with the death of his adoptive father; he was also dealing with 100,000 Kryptonians now living on Earth, which he had released from the bottled cities on Brainiac's ship (the same ship that contained the lost Kryptonian city of Kandor). At the end of the fourth issue of the arc, a new Nightwing and Flamebird appear in Superman's Fortress of Solitude to stop two of Zod's followers (who were living in Kandor) from releasing the Kryptonian General from his Phantom Zone imprisonment. While guarding the projector to prevent any Zod loyalists from freeing him from the Phantom Zone, both Flamebird and Nightwing exhibit powers that are not inherent to normal Kryptonians. Flamebird projects flames from her hands, and Nightwing uses "natural tactile telekinesis".

The pair seems to be stronger than normal Kryptonians: they knock out the two Zod loyalists with one blow apiece. In a later appearance, the duo is seen in Gotham City. Unlike previous portrayals, it seems Flamebird believes herself to be the dominant partner. When the Kryptonians led by Zod and Alura flee to a new Krypton orbiting the Sun, Nightwing and Flamebird stay in Gotham. In Action Comics #875, that Nightwing is revealed as the son of Zod and Ursa, Chris Kent. The "Nightwing" identity is revealed to be based on a mythical Kryptonian creature, whose existence is intertwined with that of its partner beast, the Flamebird. Inside the Phantom Zone Chris' mind interfaced with a piece of Brainiac technology, awakening a long-dormant connection to the Nightwing, and linking his mind to that of Thara Ak-Var, who had a connection to the Flamebird.

Bruce Wayne

Following the events of Nightwing (vol.4) #114-116 Bruce adopts the suit and name while Dick Grayson has left Blüdhaven to cure his fear of heights. Bruce does this under the belief that "Blüdhaven has lost too much. It needs a hero. Blüdhaven needs Nightwing."

Alternative versions

• Terry McGinnis briefly moonlights as Nightwing in Batman Beyond #4, after Detective Ben Singleton claims to know Dick Grayson's past as Nightwing, which turns into a media fiasco.

Other uses in DC comics

• In the DC Comics Tangent Comics series, "Nightwing" is a secret government organization which appears throughout the series. Headed by Marcus Moore and Francis "Black Lightning" Powell, who act to protect the US and also conceal the true nature of The Atom's involvement in the Cuban Missile Crisis.

Ongoing series

Story arcs

Based on Nightwing's increasing popularity, DC Comics decided to test the character's possibilities with a one-shot book and then a miniseries.

First, in Nightwing: Alfred's Return #1 (1995), Grayson travels to England to find Alfred, who resigns from Bruce Wayne's service following the events of KnightSaga. Before returning to Gotham City together, they prevent a plot by British terrorists to destroy the undersea "Channel Tunnel" in the English Channel. Later on, with the Nightwing miniseries (September 1995 to December 1995, written by Dennis O'Neil with Greg Land as artist), Dick briefly considers retiring from being Nightwing forever before family papers uncovered by Alfred reveal a possible link between the murder of the Flying Graysons and the Crown Prince of Kravia. Journeying to Kravia, Nightwing (in his third costume) helps to topple the murderous Kravian leader and prevent an ethnic cleansing, while learning his parents' true connection to the Prince.

"A Knight in Blüdhaven"

In 1996, following the success of the miniseries, DC Comics launched Nightwing, the hero's first ongoing monthly series (the first 70 issues of which are written by Chuck Dixon, with art by Scott McDaniel through the first 40 issues), in which he patrols Gotham's neighboring city, Blüdhaven. During Dixon's tenure, Dick gains a cast of supporting characters and villains. His primary villain quickly becomes the crime lord Blockbuster. For some time, Dick also becomes an officer of Blüdhaven Police Department. After leaving the series with the 70th issue, Devin Grayson took on the role of author for the series. Many plot lines established by Dixon were continued by Devin Grayson in the proceeding 30 issues. Devin Grayson's run is also notable due to its controversial depiction of sexual assault in Nightwing #93. She would write until issue 100 where a vast majority of Dixon's plotlines had been tied up. Her run would then take a brief break for Dixon and McDaniel's return with Nightwing Year One (Nightwing #101-106). Devin Grayson then returned to the book to write the "Mobbed Up" plotline that involves Dick going undercover to take down a New York mafia family.

"Graduation Day"

For several years, Nightwing leads various incarnations of the Titans and becomes the most respected former sidekick in the DC Universe. However, in the Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day crossover, a rogue Superman android kills Lilith and Troia, an event that tears apart both Young Justice and the Titans. At Troia's funeral, Dick declares he is tired of seeing friends die and disbands the team, officially ending the Titans. A few months later, Arsenal persuades Nightwing to join a new pro-active crime-fighting team: the Outsiders, who would hunt villains, acting as co-workers rather than an extended family. He reluctantly accepts.

"One Year Later"

One year later, Dick Grayson returns to New York City 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 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 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 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 to accomplish the sorts of missions that he intends them to undertake. As such, he holds a series of tryouts 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 from people like Batman and Nightwing. After taking a beating from Nightwing, he manages to throw him into a shuttle heading for Earth and quits the team. Afterwards, Nightwing furiously confronts Batman. Batman does not deny his actions, and states that this is the sort of thing that the new Outsiders will have to deal with. At this, Nightwing resigns completely from the Outsiders, which Batman feels is best, judging Nightwing too good for that sort of life.

To help himself regain a sense of purpose, Nightwing opted to stay in New York City again, and play the role of the city's protector. He takes on a job as a museum curator; and uses the museum as his new base of operations. During his short time there, Dick finds himself once again confronted with Two-Face, who years ago delivered Dick's greatest defeat. This time however, Dick soundly defeats Two-Face.

"Titans Return"

Nightwing joins a new team of Titans, with the same roster of the New Teen Titans, to stop an offspring of Trigon, which has not yet been named, 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, Superboy's clone. The Titans managed to free Jericho, but found themselves once again in trouble, due to the fact the 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 to keep from being captured. During this time, Jericho forces Nightwing to relive all of his greatest pains. Soon after, the JLA arrived, intent on taking Jericho in. Unfortunately they fail to apprehend him.

Following this, Nightwing decides to leave the team again, due to the events of the "Batman R.I.P." storyline, and due to Batman's apparent death, Nightwing feels his attention should be better aimed at protecting Gotham City.

"Batman R.I.P" and "Battle for the Cowl"

As a precursor to "Batman R.I.P.", at the New York Comic Con 2008, DC Comics gave away pins featuring Nightwing, Jason Todd, and Hush with the words "I Am Batman" beneath them. During the storyline, Nightwing is ambushed by the International Club of Villains. He is later seen in Arkham Asylum, frothing at the mouth and presumably drugged, believed by the staff to be Pierrot Lunaire, a member of the club. Scheduled for an experimental lobotomy by Arkham himself, he's spared by the ICoV taking hold of the Asylum, wanting to use him and Jezebel Jet, Bruce's fiancée at the time, as bait.

As Jezebel's capture is revealed to be a red herring, due to her being a part of the Black Glove, Nightwing's lobotomy is still pending, but he manages to escape by besting Le Bossu, and joining the fray between the Batman Family, the International Club of Heroes and the Black Glove itself. While he's forced to witness Batman's dragging down Simon Hurt's helicopter and seemingly die in a fiery explosion with his foe, he's shown holding Batman's cape, discarded during the fight.

Following the events of Batman's apparent death during Final Crisis, Nightwing has closed down shop in New York so as to return to Gotham. He has opted to give up on having a normal job, and instead intends to put all his effort into protecting the city. After his returns he confronts Two-Face and Ra's al Ghul, proving two of his mentor's greatest enemies that he is an equal to Batman after he defeated them. He also finds himself being tasked to raise Bruce's biological son Damian with Alfred.

During the events of the Battle for the Cowl, Nightwing is said to have become unapproachable and less emotional. He is seen by the Bat-Suit display cases, still mourning the loss of Batman. Nightwing is said to be resisting the idea that someone needs to take up the mantle of Batman, in spite of arguments from Robin and Alfred Pennyworth that it is necessary. It is later revealed he has no objections to becoming the new Batman, but was ordered not to in Bruce's prerecorded message for him, saying that Nightwing and Robin could carry the torch.

Robin later informs Grayson that someone is masquerading as Batman, using similar weaponry to their own. Nightwing is later forced to rescue Damian after he is ambushed by Killer Croc and Poison Ivy. However, Nightwing's glider is shot down, and the two are forced to crash land into a skyscraper. To give Damian time to escape, Nightwing offers himself up to the hit squad that is after them. He is about to be shot when he is rescued in a hail of gunfire by the Batman impersonator.

This eventually leads to Dick confronting Jason Todd, who has been posing as Batman. After a long battle between the two, Jason refuses Dick's help, while hanging on to a protruding ledge over Gotham's bay, Jason lets himself fall into the water. After returning to the cave, Dick assumes the identity of Batman, with Damian as the new Robin.

The New 52

In September 2011, The New 52 rebooted DC's continuity. In this new timeline, Grayson's costume changed the color of the "Nightwing symbol" from blue to red, and the emblem rolled over the shoulders, rather than traveling down the arm onto the middle and ring fingers. The costume also shifted from a skin-tight unitard look to an armored, full body suit, with spiked gauntlets such as Batman's rather than simply long gloves. Dick, along with all other members of the Batfamily, was a few years younger than previous incarnations. Despite being in his early twenties as opposed to his mid-late twenties, he was drawn a bit shorter than in his pre-relaunch frame. Starting with issue 19 there was a change in the suit.

On January 21, 2014, DC Comics announced that the series would end in April with issue 30. It was succeeded by Grayson, a solo series focusing on Dick's exploits as an agent of Spyral. The series lasted until June 2016 and was succeeded by a new Nightwing series with DC Rebirth.

DC Rebirth

Following the erasure of the knowledge regarding his secret identity from most of the world in the final issue of Grayson Dick went back to the Nightwing identity in the DC Rebirth era solo series, and the costume's colors were changed back to the traditional black and blue. At the start of the series (rebirth) Nightwing is still a member of the Court of Owls (after Robin War) and he goes on missions around the world for the Court. They give him a partner named "Raptor" and like Nightwing he wears a costume, but he is much more violent than Dick and multiple times Dick has to try to stop him from killing. Throughout the story arc, Dick must work as an undercover agent but also has to keep his morals and not kill even if the Court tells him to. Later on in the series, an event causes him to lose his memory, which leads him to the name change of Ric Grayson and temporary retirement of the Nightwing alias.

Infinite Frontier

In March 2021, the series became part of DC's new relaunch Infinite Frontier. Tom Taylor became the new writer with Bruno Redondo as the artist. The series follows Dick Grayson's return to Blüdhaven as he fights crime while grappling with newfound responsibility from inheriting billions in wealth from Alfred Pennyworth. Dick begins to mentor Jon Kent and decides to use the money to launch a nonprofit organization named after Alfred to support the people of Blüdhaven, which puts him into conflict with Blockbuster and Heartless, a mysterious serial killer preying on the homeless. Dick also meets Melinda Zucco, his long lost half-sister who becomes Blüdhaven's mayor. Taylor and Redondo's celebrated run was nominated for 11 Eisner Awards and won two, including Best Continuing Series.

In other media

Television

• Nightwing appears in the DC Animated Universe, voiced by Loren Lester.
  • Nightwing appears in The New Batman Adventures. Additionally, a spin-off focused on him and Catwoman was considered at one point before being shelved.
  • Nightwing's costume makes cameo appearances in Batman Beyond, being on display in the Batcave. In the episode "Lost Soul", Terry McGinnis borrows the Nightwing mask to protect his identity after his Batsuit is stolen.
  • Nightwing makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the Justice League Unlimited episode "Grudge Match".
• An alternate timeline version of Nightwing appears in the Teen Titans episode "How Long is Forever?", voiced by Scott Menville.
• Nightwing appears in The Batman episode "Artifacts", voiced by Jerry O'Connell.
• Nightwing appears in Batman: The Brave and the Bold, voiced by Crawford Wilson.
• A Nightwing animated series was in development before being shelved in favor of Young Justice.
• Nightwing appears in Young Justice, voiced by Jesse McCartney. This version is the leader of the Team, before leaving by the end of the second season, Invasion, and joining the Outsiders.
• Nightwing appears in Teen Titans Go!, voiced again by Scott Menville.
• Nightwing appears in Titans, portrayed by Brenton Thwaites.
• Nightwing appears in Harley Quinn, voiced by Harvey Guillén. This version initially struggles to cooperate with the Bat Family, until they are forced to brave the Riddler's escape room alongside Harley Quinn and her crew. In the fourth season, he is killed by a sleep-deprived Harley, with Joker taking credit. He is resurrected by Talia al Ghul in the season finale "Killer's Block", and swears to get revenge on Harley.
• Nightwing appears in Batwheels, voiced by Zachary Gordon.

Film

Live action

Batman film series

In the character's second appearance within the film series, Batman & Robin, Dick Grayson pursues being a vigilante on his own and wears the Nightwing costume design. With Chris O'Donnell reprising the role from the previous film, the character continues to go by his Robin alias.

DC Extended Universe

• Nightwing was considered to appear in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, portrayed by Adam Driver, but was ultimately scrapped.
• Warner Bros. Pictures was developing a Nightwing live-action film centered on the character, set in the DC Extended Universe, with Bill Dubuque writing the script and The Lego Batman Movie director Chris McKay signed on to direct. Discussing why he likes the character and signed on for the project, McKay cited the character's showman personality and background as an entertainer and expressed his excitement for depicting that in the film. He later stated that he wants to introduce a complete adaptation of the character, something that hasn't been done in previous film interpretations of him before. McKay continued to state that the director-driven approach is why he loves Warner Bros., and how the franchise is differentiating itself from other popular shared universes. McKay also confirmed that the film would acknowledge the titular character's past from the source material, including his time as a part of Haly's Circus, and also reaffirmed that the film will be a straightforward action film with minimal use of CGI special effects and grounded realism. Although the script was nearing its final draft, McKay said in 2021 that the project was delayed due to DC having "other priorities", but also reaffirmed his intentions to still make the film. He also said that the film could possibly be reworked to remove its connections to the DCEU continuity. In August 2023, Umberto Gonzalez of TheWrap reported that it had been cancelled.

Animation

• Nightwing appears in Batman: Under the Red Hood, voiced by Neil Patrick Harris.
• Nightwing appears in the DC Animated Movie Universe, voiced by Sean Maher. This version is the leader of the Teen Titans. In Justice League Dark: Apokolips War, he is killed by Parademons before Robin revives him using a Lazarus Pit.
• Nightwing appears in the Batman Unlimited film series, voiced by Will Friedle.
• Nightwing appears in Lego DC Comics Super Heroes: Justice League – Gotham City Breakout, voiced again by Will Friedle.
• Nightwing appears in Batman and Harley Quinn, voiced again by Loren Lester.
• A Feudal Japan version of Nightwing appears in Batman Ninja, voiced by Adam Croasdell.
• Nightwing appears in Lego DC Batman: Family Matters, voiced again by Will Friedle.
• Nightwing appears in Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, voiced again by Sean Maher.
• Nightwing appears in Injustice, voiced by Derek Phillips.

Video games

• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Batman: Rise of Sin Tzu, voiced again by Loren Lester.
• Nightwing appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Joey Hood.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Lego Batman: The Videogame, voiced by James Arnold Taylor.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Batman: Arkham City, voiced by Quinton Flynn.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 2: DC Super Heroes, voiced by Cam Clarke.
• Nightwing appears in Young Justice: Legacy, voiced again by Jesse McCartney.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Infinite Crisis.
• Damian Wayne as Nightwing appears as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced by Troy Baker.
• Nightwing appears as an NPC in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham, voiced by Josh Keaton.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Batman: Arkham Knight, voiced by Scott Porter.
• The Lego Batman Movie version of Nightwing appears as a playable character in Lego Dimensions.
• Nightwing appears in Injustice 2, voiced again by Scott Porter.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in DC Legends.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced by Matthew Mercer.
• Nightwing appears in DC Battle Arena, voiced by P. M. Seymour.
• Nightwing appears as a playable character in Gotham Knights, voiced by Christopher Sean.

Miscellaneous

• Nightwing appears in Smallville: Season 11. This version is a police officer for the Gotham City Police Department.
• Nightwing appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic. After being accidentally killed by Damian Wayne, he is given Deadman's powers and takes on his mantle.

Rides

A Nightwing ride is currently in operation at Six Flags New England.

References

1. Grayson #1
2. Schedeen, Jesse (2013-11-19). "The Top 25 Heroes of DC Comics". IGN. Retrieved 2014-05-13.
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4. Fleisher, Michael L. (2007). The Original Encyclopedia of Comic Book Heroes, Volume Three: Superman. DC Comics. p. 250. ISBN 978-1-4012-1389-3.
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