University of Panels

17: Nightwing

(Dick Grayson)

 

Although there have been at least five individuals to bear the mantel of Robin, and each have been unique charaters in their own right, my personal favorite of the bunch will always be the original boy wonder, Dick Grayson. The main aspect that draws me to him over the other Robins is the development he has undergone through both his career as Robin and since then. He was first taken in by Batman when his parents were killed in a trapeeze accident in the circus he was part of. The dark knight later helped him discover that acid was sprayed on the ropes, and caught the mobster responsible. Since then, he fought alongside Batman for years, providing an anchor of light for the dark knight's shadowy world. But the biggest development Grayson has undergone was him growing out of his role as Robin, and becoming a solo crime fighter as an adult, going under the alias of Nightwing. It shows how he has grown beyond his role as Batman's sidekick, to develop his own identity while still providing support to the caped crusader. Only this time not as a kid he took in and raised like a son, but as an ally with stregnth equal to his former mentor.