Nightwing and Jobs

[AmiMizuno]

I wonder how bad would it be if DIck went undercovered and worked for one of the mobster places for a bit?

[Restingvoice]

I wonder how bad would it be if DIck went undercovered and worked for one of the mobster places for a bit?

He did that just before Infinite Crisis. Named himself Renegade. Trained Rose Wilson while he's at it. Deathstroke didn't buy that he goes evil.

[AmiMizuno]

What if he actually did the stripper job.

[Restingvoice]

What if he actually did the stripper job.

The press will have a field day if they find out a Wayne heir is stripping

[AmiMizuno]

I was joking. However, something like a Las Vega show would be good for him. I mean even those ciruses are dying there are stilll acorabts shows.

[WonderNight]

Maybe he starts a youtube channel.

[AmiMizuno]

Maybe he starts a youtube channel.

I mean wouldn't that be two public? Also, what would it be on?

[Ascended]

Yeah, I think that the triple life idea would probably go out of the window for the Batman Inc rebuild. While I enjoy the idea to no small degree, streamlining might not be a terrible idea. Also, Dick running Batman Inc would clearly keep him in the Batfamily and under Bat editorial, but it would give him an actually prominent role within that world. Keeping him in this department has its advantages. Tbf, it is, unless I'm mistaken, the most profitable of the departments at DC. I do, of course, see the benefits to moving him out of Batman editorial and into a department that would actually treat him as a marquee name.

Him working with Bruce, however, seems practical. Building am intelligence agency takes a fair bit of capital. That's not something Dick has in abundance.

Personally I'm ready to see Dick leave the Bat office. They're the most profitable department I'm sure, but what good has that done Dick over the last ten years? I'm happy they took him back when the Titans franchise was burning. Dick needed rescuing and doubling down on his Bat-isms was the right thing to do back in 94. But today the only thing the Bat office is doing is holding him back. I suppose as long as Didio is letting his personal bias make decisions it won't matter what editorial group Dick is in, but at this point I'd be willing to let virtually anyone take the character as long as they appreciated him, his history, and had plans beyond using him to prop up another hero.

And it would definitely streamline things to get rid of the "three identities" idea. But I'm not entirely sure it's the right bit to cut out. Not to toot my own horn but it *is* a fun concept and something we don't often see. And having to keep those secrets will provide a constant supply of low-impact drama as Dick wrestles with this position that he's not 100% suited for or comfortable with. That's just me, of course, YMMV.

You do, however, make an interesting point about this intelligence organization being one built specifically to be trustworthy and in the hero's corner. Checkmate is shady as hell, ARGUS has seeming always been a bit shifty as well? Spyral... well, a good part of Dick's story in our Spyral pitch would have been Dick pulling on the reigns with all his might to steer Spyral into the light while other members kept it more nefarious. But having Inc be something the heroes can really trust... well, that opens it up to funding outside of Bruce...

If only there were a Super character with deep pockets who ran their own multimillion dollar corporation... Maybe someone we'd all like to ship with Dick anyway... hmm...

I think if we were to try and set this in continuity we'd have to see where Leviathan ultimately lands and how they operate. I feel like they haven't had a chance to do enough after Event Leviathan for us to really get a good handle on what they're gonna be doing, now that they've established themselves. But what we could do is have Dick recognize that someone has to counter Leviathan, and he's the only one left standing who is both willing and able. So I'd have him pull the remaining vestiges of the spy world together that Leviathan didn't eat, and then fold Batman Inc into that. That'd be a solid foundation to build from and give him some infrastructure to work with. The new organization would be rather small and under-funded compared to Mark Shaw's outfit, which provides the always-enjoyable underdog element, and that would help offset the sheer power-up Dick would get from being at the head of an agency like this and help fend off complaints about him being Batgod-ed.

As for whether he should work with Bruce, I say no. I'm far more interested in Dick establishing himself as a solo IP and bringing Bruce into this will only result in Bruce eventually taking over and forcing Dick out. Stealing stuff that Bruce isn't using anymore (like Inc, the Heavy Metal mechs and tech, etc) is Bat-connection enough, I think. And, really, I'm not totally sure if Dick would actually want Bruce involved anyway. Bruce has done more than his fair share of shady stuff and his tendency to keep secrets has resulted in a lot of people getting hurt (Babylon protocols, friggin Metal!!). I'm thinking that Dick would demand a higher level of transparency and cooperation (at least from his own organization) than what Bruce would be willing to accept.

Karen.....man, that's a wrench, really. I'd want that ship to be built on trust and communication and written in a way that makes it sustainable, and Dick lying to Karen about being DC's super spy would be a huge hurdle, worse even than Clark Kent lying to Lois about being Superman. Maybe if we made Karen part of the organization? Gods know a bunch of wounded spies using the leftovers Leviathan didn't want could benefit from some Super muscle.

[AmiMizuno]

I don't know. Dick should have a job not really tied with a Superhero lifestyle. Rather on making people happy in his profession. I mean why have him work for Batman or something else. Why not bring joy for others.

[Godlike13]

How about the Titans becomes a reality TV show.

[AmiMizuno]

That would be interesting but also wouldn’t that be a security risk and dangerous to the villains and other things they keep in the tower? Maybe instead Duck tries to have a tv show on something that would help keep the mob? Like Dicks works in either a night club or acrobat place where the mob attacks

[Godlike13]

The risks from the increased exposure would be part of the fun.

[bearman]

I like the idea of Dick running Batman inc. he could have a parallel “cover” job as the head of the charitable Martha Wayne Foundation... he could travel the globe looking for social wrongs to help right....and be in a position to help, of course. dicks always been portrayed as empathetic and kind... a social work-y cover would be great for him.

[dropkickjake]

Personally I'm ready to see Dick leave the Bat office. They're the most profitable department I'm sure, but what good has that done Dick over the last ten years? I'm happy they took him back when the Titans franchise was burning. Dick needed rescuing and doubling down on his Bat-isms was the right thing to do back in 94. But today the only thing the Bat office is doing is holding him back. I suppose as long as Didio is letting his personal bias make decisions it won't matter what editorial group Dick is in, but at this point I'd be willing to let virtually anyone take the character as long as they appreciated him, his history, and had plans beyond using him to prop up another hero.

And it would definitely streamline things to get rid of the "three identities" idea. But I'm not entirely sure it's the right bit to cut out. Not to toot my own horn but it *is* a fun concept and something we don't often see. And having to keep those secrets will provide a constant supply of low-impact drama as Dick wrestles with this position that he's not 100% suited for or comfortable with. That's just me, of course, YMMV.

Oh yeah, don't get me wrong, the triple identity is fun! Honestly, I feel like that pitch has become so perfected for each of us that I'm just looking at other possibilities for fun at this point. Haly's/Nightwing/Spyral, with each of our own spins on supporting cast (I do, honestly, quite like my Talon and Flamebird ideas) and Spyral executive organization (your ruling council v my "arms of the spyder" concept), just feels so developed in my head at this point it could almost be like I've read the comics. Like there's a scene I have in mind to start the second TPB taking place at Haly's with on sort of a balustrade with Kathy giving Dick his first "goal" (in an "accomplish this however you see fit" type of way). Kathy is like... weirdly but subtly seductive in a James Bond flick way. Dick is still very mistrusting of her. They never make eye contact, they spend most of the scene facing opposite directions, and Kathy's face is never in frame for the reader. I feel like I've read that scene. That's how developed that pitch is for me.

I think if we were to try and set this in continuity we'd have to see where Leviathan ultimately lands and how they operate. I feel like they haven't had a chance to do enough after Event Leviathan for us to really get a good handle on what they're gonna be doing, now that they've established themselves. But what we could do is have Dick recognize that someone has to counter Leviathan, and he's the only one left standing who is both willing and able. So I'd have him pull the remaining vestiges of the spy world together that Leviathan didn't eat, and then fold Batman Inc into that. That'd be a solid foundation to build from and give him some infrastructure to work with. The new organization would be rather small and under-funded compared to Mark Shaw's outfit, which provides the always-enjoyable underdog element, and that would help offset the sheer power-up Dick would get from being at the head of an agency like this and help fend off complaints about him being Batgod-ed.

I just realized how behind the times I am on comics. Did Leviathan, formerly the baddest of baddies, make a face turn or something recently?

As for whether he should work with Bruce, I say no. I'm far more interested in Dick establishing himself as a solo IP and bringing Bruce into this will only result in Bruce eventually taking over and forcing Dick out. Stealing stuff that Bruce isn't using anymore (like Inc, the Heavy Metal mechs and tech, etc) is Bat-connection enough, I think. And, really, I'm not totally sure if Dick would actually want Bruce involved anyway. Bruce has done more than his fair share of shady stuff and his tendency to keep secrets has resulted in a lot of people getting hurt (Babylon protocols, friggin Metal!!). I'm thinking that Dick would demand a higher level of transparency and cooperation (at least from his own organization) than what Bruce would be willing to accept.

I can see this. To me, this is an in world, pragmatic question of funding. Surely starting a clandestine spy outfit from the ground up would be expensive. Where is Dick going to get this funding? I'd rather not brush that under the rug. There is something to be said for him trying to get this done on a shoestring budget though. That concept is actually quite interesting.

Karen.....man, that's a wrench, really. I'd want that ship to be built on trust and communication and written in a way that makes it sustainable, and Dick lying to Karen about being DC's super spy would be a huge hurdle, worse even than Clark Kent lying to Lois about being Superman. Maybe if we made Karen part of the organization? Gods know a bunch of wounded spies using the leftovers Leviathan didn't want could benefit from some Super muscle.

I was honestly more thinking of Karen being (renamed) Inc's financier. Dick realizes that his organization is going to need some more capital to make a difference. He refuses to go to Bruce, both for long standing reluctance and for the reasons you've mentioned. He decides, ultimately, to go to Karen. This is going to require some finagling. Starr Enterprises would have to still be a thing, but Karen has been in the wind for quite sometime. That honestly sounds like a great story to me as well: Dick tracking down Karen. Fits with her disappearance from that main universe as well, actually. You could spin that to say that she's been working from the shadows.

[Agent Z]

How about the Titans becomes a reality TV show.

When has a superhero reality show ever made for a good story idea?