Can A Nightwing Solo Ever Really Be Great

[Claude]

Nightwing *might* be able to work as a solo, or as a *really great* solo, but its noticeable that it hasn't. Ask anyone to name a good Dick Grayson story, you'll get some New Teen Titans answers, Black Mirror, and the Morrison run on "Batman and Robin".

Any title under the name "Nightwing" isn't just missing its "Sinestro Corps War"s and "Batman RIP"s, it's also lacking any decent, memorable above-average arcs. The closest its got recently was when Snyder brought him into the heart of Court Of Owls, but that was still a Batman story!

[Bruce Wayne]

If they don't let Dick Grayson be the bigger better hero than the Bat then he never will be.

But he is not and never will be better than Batman short of taking the Bat mantle.

[Don C]

Mark Waid has been writing a great Nightwing series for years. Only it's called Daredevil.

[ReverseReverseFlash]

I don't get the Nightwing and Daredevil comparisons...What, because they both use sticks?

Any book can be a great solo title. Nightwing isn't cancelled forever, "Grayson" is just a story experiment. It will end with him back in his costume before too long.

[oasis1313]

I don't get the Nightwing and Daredevil comparisons...What, because they both use sticks?

Any book can be a great solo title. Nightwing isn't cancelled forever, "Grayson" is just a story experiment. It will end with him back in his costume before too long.

Are we sure of that?

[sidekick77]

I don't get the Nightwing and Daredevil comparisons...What, because they both use sticks?

Any book can be a great solo title. Nightwing isn't cancelled forever, "Grayson" is just a story experiment. It will end with him back in his costume before too long.

Mark Waid was one of the notable writers that wanted on the Nightwing book a few years back and was rather vocal about it, but DC refused to facilitate putting a top writer on what can be assumed a non-legacy title. While other editorial issues would sour Waid's relationship with DC, Waid's move to Marvel put him on the Daredevil title in which he launched several impressive storylines that just screamed Dick Grayson's personality and skillset.

Now fans are just left with 'what could've been', hence the comparison. I think fans of both characters understand that they are two different heroes, but where Devin Grayson bombed with her DD Born Again ripoff, Mark Waid succeeded with original story arcs which could have easily gone to Nightwing if DC wasn't routinely alienating their talent away.

[Kid A]

Daredevil is novel because it was a huge tonal shift from what guys like Miller and Bendis were doing on the book. Outside of that, a hypothetical Waid & Samnee Nightwing would have probably been better than New 52 Nightwing, but would still get really rote and boring after a year or so. You need more than just a jovial tone to make a book interesting.

[oasis1313]

Mark Waid was one of the notable writers that wanted on the Nightwing book a few years back and was rather vocal about it, but DC refused to facilitate putting a top writer on what can be assumed a non-legacy title. While other editorial issues would sour Waid's relationship with DC, Waid's move to Marvel put him on the Daredevil title in which he launched several impressive storylines that just screamed Dick Grayson's personality and skillset.

Now fans are just left with 'what could've been', hence the comparison. I think fans of both characters understand that they are two different heroes, but where Devin Grayson bombed with her DD Born Again ripoff, Mark Waid succeeded with original story arcs which could have easily gone to Nightwing if DC wasn't routinely alienating their talent away.

Another instance is the excellent and exciting beginning of the Court of Owls, but a decent storyline was bent in midstream to promote Bruce (who doesn't need it) instead of Dick. If I were DC editorial, I would try to find out WHY Grayson fans are so devoted and tenacious and then proceed to ENCOURAGE them, rather than continually rubbing their collective nose in the dirt.

[Kingcrimsonprog]

I think to make NIGHTWING work, you really have to just embrace the "batman-lite" and roll with it.

Sounds good to me.
Isn't Batman-lite a good thing?

[Harpsikord]

I always thought that the Robin you liked was a generational thing more often than not. My Robin was Dick Grayson, and I not only enjoyed Higgins' run on Nightwing, but I can't wait for Grayson, it sounds awesome.

Umm, well, that isn't always the case. Myself being an obvious exception. My Robin would have to be Damian Wayne, but I believe that Tim Drake was the best Robin in the Robin role, and Stephanie Brown and Dick Grayson are my two favorite bat characters. Am I odd?

And yeah, Nightwing can and will one day again be great, but until then Grayson looks FUCKING FANTASTIC and I'm going to sit back and enjoy the ride.

[Chazro]

My favorite Nightwing run were issues 140-152 by Tomasi/Morales/Kramer, reprinted in the TPB 'Nightwing, The Great Leap'. It wasn't 100% great (what is?), but pretty damn near.

[R0NIN]

But he is not and never will be better than Batman short of taking the Bat mantle.

That's your opinion, and part of the mindset that has him stuck where he is at.

[Flash Gordon]

Daredevil is novel because it was a huge tonal shift from what guys like Miller and Bendis were doing on the book. Outside of that, a hypothetical Waid & Samnee Nightwing would have probably been better than New 52 Nightwing, but would still get really rote and boring after a year or so. You need more than just a jovial tone to make a book interesting.

Agreed. I love Waid's DAREDEVIL, but I do find myself hankering for a darker book lately. DAREDEVIL is one of my favorite characters, and I don't see why Waid's book can't coexist with a Marvel Knights style book even if it's set in the past.

It wouldn't be a big deal for NIGHTWING, but it would be a good comic.

[godisawesome]

I'd say the first fifty or so issues of Nightwing under Chuck Dixon were great in that they focused on different ways to play Nightwing in contrast to Batman, and they allowed Dixon to do some serious world building with the book. Bludhaven remains one of the most creative settings in comics, and the fact seems to be that most creators love it, considering its ubiquitous position as another DC city to span multi-media adaptations. I've always felt that Dick lost some forward momentum when they blew it up, and the move always seemed pointless considering the in-story logic was "to make a point."

I'm curious how Grayson will do, since I could see the new status quo giving the creative team time to make their own storylines and major events without quite having to sit around for other books. I'm not saying that Dick needs to be separate from Bats to succeed; most of the aughts prove that point. But maybe this will keep him far enough away to succeed again.

[HLOTS]

Yes of course, but DC has to first believe Nightwing is a great character, the way Marvel Studios believes in Iron Man/Captain America/Thor.