Zatanna would probably have to dye her hair red before Dick would notice her. The last day or so, I've been thinking about Caitlyn Fairchild for him. Actually, I was thinking about an abortive plot device from long ago. Right after Dick went off to college, Bruce started a VERY short-lived VIP project, short for "Victims Incorporated Program", where he had a focus on helping crime victims. I wouldn't mind seeing Dick restart something like that. There are a lot of cold cases, as well as miscarriages of justice. Families are devastated by various crimes and nobody follows up with them afterward. Dick would be a natural, given his compassionate nature, and his mission wouldn't be so inchoate.
It's back to Gotham for me with Dick in...
Nightwing & Flamebird: Gotham has a new Dynamic Duo! Seen as young entitled elitists by the majority of Gothamites, Dick Grayson and Bette Kane and all their masks move into Gotham's new high-rise, luxury Excalibur complex as roommates to rub shoulders with the scions and princesses of Gotham's old and new money - and stop some of their mad impulses and dark dealings in Gotham and the world. Sick of literally being in the Shadow of a Bat, Dick and Bette strike out as professional partners and try to save 99% of Gotham by targeting the 1%. Don't miss the action and adventure - from disco lights to street fights and galas to gallows.
First up: What happens when two notorious Gotham villains find love and date night turns into fright night for Gotham's young "nobility."
Plus!: Introducing Flamebird's new costume!
Plus, Plus!: Meet Dick and Bette's surprising next door neighbors!
With the mysterious Red X dropping by to troll both Dick and Bette from time to time. Though Dick can't help but feel he's known Red X as someone else for a long time...
Meanwhile, Damian, with Jon, are once again getting into all sorts of shenanigans. This time, dealing with the ultimate fanboy and troll, Control Freak!
Tim, meanwhile, has joined back up with Connor and Bart, with Spoiler, Orphan, and Wonder Girl joining in on their missions of getting into trouble.
And Bruce has found out Selina is pregnant, and unlike the others, even Damian, now has to go through the "3 Men and a Baby" scenario with Alfred and Duke.
Kate meanwhile, is picking up the slack for Bruce as he deals with baby issues. And is having to deal with being called "Aunt Kate" by her cousin's horde of kids.
I would put him back in Gotham and I would add Jon Kent as Flamebird, Dick's new sidekick. The stories would mostly be like the detective/whodunnit stories from the Golden Age era of Batman and it would focus on the friendship of Dick and Jon and Dick training Jon.
“Somewhere, in our darkest night, we made up the story of a man who will never let us down.”
- Grant Morrison on Superman
If anyone else is taking the Flamebird identity, I'd rather it be someone from Superman's end of things. No one in Gotham has a right to anything Super except for Dick. I'm fine with Bette using Flamebird simply because she's had it for so long, and I do wish they'd do *something* with her (like make her Dick's sidekick) but that's the only exception for me.
If Bette stops being Flamebird, the name returns home to Metropolis and goes to Conner (or whoever). Who can then become Dick's sidekick.
One way or another, I'll get Nightwing and Flamebird back together!
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
Yeah, Bendis is the guy bringing Conner back in Young Justice, and I doubt we'll often see Conner anywhere else, at least initially.
And as far as I know, Conner is going to remain "Superboy" alongside Jon Kent. I'm just saying, if Bette ever gets rid of the Flamebird identity, the name should return to the Super office where it belongs, and one Clark's "kids" can use it.
I'd actually be all over a Nightwing and Flamebird book where Dick trained or partnered with a Super.
"We all know the truth: more connects us than separates us. But in times of crisis the wise build bridges, while the foolish build barriers. We must find a way to look after one another, as if we were one single tribe."
~ Black Panther.
In one of his interviews, Bendis spoke of starting his own "company-within-the-company" project, Wonder Comics. Hopefully DC will give the copyright to Tim Dreck to him and Wonder Comics will go belly-up like Wildstorm Comics did (due to Jim's lack of interest) when DC paid a zillion dollars for Jim Lee to draw a cover every five years. It might be that Connor will be Wonder Comics' Superboy and Jon will be DC's, with a similar case for Timmy Wimmy and Damian. I WOULD be curious, though, for you to update us on how Bette should be utilized now. I haven't seen her in years and I could use a Bette 101 refresher.