Classified Intel:

Richard John "d**k" Grayson is the youngest in a family of acrobats known as the "Flying Graysons," d**k watched a mafia boss kill his parents in order to extort money from the circus that employed them. Bruce Wayne, secretly the superhero Batman, took him in as his sidekick and legal ward after their deaths.

Throughout d**k's adolescence, Batman and Robin were inseparable. However, as d**k grew older and spent more time as the leader of the Teen Titans, he decided to take on the identity of Nightwing to assert his independence.

After the disbandment of the Teen Titans, d**k continued to certify his independence by fighting crime in Bludhaven. Soon then d**k would establish himself as his own man and recognized among his peers as a great and respected hero. Upon his return to the present, Bruce Wayne has turned the concept of "Batman" into a global operation known as "Batman Inc.". d**k has retained the the Batman identity despite Bruce's return to the mantle. He continues to operate as Gotham City's primary defender with Damian Wayne continuing as his Robin. He has also joined the current incarnation of the JLA.



Real Name: Richard John "d**k" Grayson
Current Alias: Nightwing

Aliases
d**k, Nightwing, Robin; Freddie Dinardo; Freddy Loyd; The Target; Renegade; Pixie Boots, The Boy/Teen Wonder

Identity
Secret

Alignment
Good

Affiliation
Batman Family, Teen Titans; Outsiders (formerly), The New Titans, Justice League of America

Relatives
John Grayson (father, deceased), Mary Grayson (mother, deceased), Bruce Wayne (former legal guardian), Jason Todd (adoptive brother) , Tim Drake (adoptive brother) , Damian Wayne (foster brother)

Universe
New Earth

Base Of Operations: New York City; Bludhaven (formerly), Gotham City (currently)

Race: Human

Gender: Male

Age: 23

Height: 5' 10"

Weight: 175 (80 kg)

Eyes: Blue

Hair: Black

Citizenship: American

Marital Status: Single

Education: High school graduate, one semester of college

Occupation
Vigilante, Police Officer (formerly), Adventurer, Circus Acrobat (formerly)

Abilities:
* Master Detective
* Master Acrobat
* Intimidation
* Master Martial Artist
* Weapons Master
* Master of Stealth
* Expert Marksman
* Tracking
* Master of Disguise
* Escapologist
* Multi-lingual
* Skilled Leader



His gauntlets and boots each contain eight compartments in which he can store items. They have a self-destruct feature built into them, similar to the ones in Batman's utility belt, and, as another security measure (especially when the hero is unconscious), the suit contains a one-use-only taser charge, which automatically emits a high-voltage electrical shock when someone attempts to tamper with either the boots or gauntlets.

Nightwing Gauntles: Each gauntlet's sections can contain a wide array of equipment, such as sonic or smoke pellets, modified batarangs ("Wing-Dings"), and knockout gas capsules and throwing tracers. The right gauntlet is also equipped with a 100,000-volt stun gun.

Nightwing Boots: Like the gauntlets, his boots can carry vital elements like flares, a rebreather as protection against any airborne non-contact toxins, and a mini-computer equipped with fax, modem, GPS and a minidisk rewritable drive.

Other items are lock picks, a first aid kit, a mini-cellphone, flexi-cuffs, antitoxin assortment, signal flares, wireless listening devices and a small halogen flashlight.

Held in spring-loaded pouches in the back of his costume, Nightwing carries a pair of Escrima sticks made from an unbreakable polymer that are wielded as both offensive and defensive weapons. Some depictions have displayed these tools with the mechanism to shoot a grappling hook attached to a swing line, while, in other instances, he is seen using a "line gun" like the one Batman currently uses.




Transportation
Nightwing has a transformable car has a convertible chassis that can disguise it self as any similarly sized vehicle like a taxi cab or sports car. It houses a 3.7 McLaren racing engine, automatic transmission and all wheel drive, dual batteries and puncture resistant tires. The car is not only bulletproof, but also bullet absorbent in order to prevent stray ricochets from hitting innocent bystanders.

Nightwing once used a customized boat; this boat presumably has the same specs as the Batboat if it was not the Batboat itself.

Nightwing also has his own personalized model of the Batcycle, which he refers to as the "Wingcycle". The Wingcycle is equipped with a passenger sidecar.

Weapons
As Nightwing: Batarangs, smaller shuriken-like "Wing Dings", regurgitant gas (tear gas with an additive to make you throw up) pellets smoke capsules. His right gauntlet contains a 100,000 volt stun gun, although his preferred weapons are two shatterproof polymer Escrima Sticks.



Place of Birth: Gotham City

Origin: For many years, Richard "d**k" Grayson was Batman's sidekick Robin.
The name "Robin the Boy Wonder" and the medieval look of the original costume were inspired by the legendary hero Robin Hood, as well as the red-breasted American Robin, which continued the "flying animal" motif of Batman.
Young d**k Grayson was born on the first day of spring. His mother nicknamed him "little Robin". Little did she know how prophetic this term of endearment would be in her son's life.

d**k Grayson was an twelve-year-old Romany circus acrobat, the youngest of a family act called The Flying Graysons of The Haley Circus. d**k joined the act at a very young age, having been trained in acrobatics from birth. Before one appearance in Gotham, in which The Flying Graysons were the main attraction, they were asked to pose for a photo opportunity with the Drake Family, including their young son Tim Drake. From that time on Tim's one and only hero in the world was d**k.
While on tour in Gotham City, he overheard "Boss" Tony Zucco, a well-known and feared crime-lord, threaten the performers unless the circus's owner paid extortion money. The owner refused, and that night d**k watched in horror as his parents' high wire snapped, sending his parents hurtling to their deaths, all while many of Gotham's elite watched on. Young d**k felt responsible, because he didn't warn his parents in time.



Teen Titans
The formation of the Teen Titans mainly happened due to the sidekick's mentor's making them feel lesser of themselves. Which they quickly knew wasn't right about their mentors. d**k with Wally West, at the time Kid Flash, and Garth, then Aqualad teamed-up and later on Donna Troy, the then Wonder Girl joined the team along with Speedy, at this time was Roy Harper.
They cured their mentor's from their mind control and their mentors (Batman, Flash, Aquaman, and Wonder Woman) supported the teens to become the Teen Titans! d**k became the leader of this team.
Eventually, the team would disband when they grew older.

Nightwing
Uncertain what to do, he turned to someone he knew would understand: Superman. Very briefly, d**k had considered giving up the whole crime fighting gig, but he couldn't imagine his life any other way; but if he couldn't be Robin, who would he be? Superman had the answer. Long ago on Krypton, a man was cast out by his family - just as d**k had been. He dreamed of a world ruled by justice, and set out to protect the helpless of Krypton. His true identity was never revealed. He was known only as Nightwing.

The Post-Crisis version of Grayson had him become the first and only Nightwing, with his costume partially inspired by his father, who at one time wore a circus costume that was a variant of colleague Boston Brand's Deadman costume.
When all his teammates were captured by Deathstroke the Terminator, and delivered to the HIVE, d**k assumed a new identity of Nightwing and helped to free them, with the help of new ally (and future Titan), Jericho.
Nightwing had finally moved out of the shadow of the Bat, and would lead the Titans through some hard times. d**k endured brainwashing at the hands of Brother Blood, his relationship with Starfire would suffer due to her marriage of state, he would be deeply affected by the fact that Batman trained a new Robin (Jason Todd) only for him to be seemingly killed at the hands of the Joker.
Shortly after this, during Batman: Year Three, d**k learned that Tony Zucco, the man who killed his parents, had not actually died but rather passed into a coma. As revealed in Robin: Year One, Batman feared d**k would want the gangster dead, so he "protected" the boy by telling him that Zucco was dead. After spending nearly seven years in prison with good behavior, Zucco applied for parole, in exchange for becoming a state informant of mob activity. His real intentions, however, were to retrieve a ledger containing his secrets. Just as d**k arrived to see him step out of the prison, he was gunned down by an enemy mobster from a helicopter. Despite catching the assassin and getting some closer to his parents' deaths, d**k was upset with Bruce for lying to him and keeping him away, to which Bruce explained that was not his intent.
Feeling hurt and betrayed, Bruce and d**k would remain at odds with each other, never fully sorting out their strained relationship. While serving with the New Titans, d**k was searched out by an older Tim Drake, who had only one goal on his mind, for d**k to return to Robin. It was d**k's refusal to return that Tim started down the road toward becoming the new Robin. After weeks of persuading and proving his potential, d**k then returned to the Batman to plead Tim's case, with help from Alfred. Due to their arguments and the realization that the Batman needs a Robin, Tim Drake becomes the third Boy Wonder.
Soon after, various members of the Titans were abducted by the Wildebeest Society. This event shook up the team in a big way. The group entered into tumultuous times, where members came and went, longtime friends were maimed or destroyed, although d**k persevered through it all, and remained the heart and center of the team.

But his relationship with Starfire became strained, and problems in Gotham demanded d**k's attention. Impulsively, d**k proposed marriage to Starfire. The two almost wed, but the ceremony was interrupted by Raven, now reborn as an evil avatar of her father, Trigon. Her brutal attack on Starfire triggered changes in d**k and Kory's relationship. Starfire was implanted with a demon "seed" which causes her to leave Earth and go on a spiritual journey. The two grew apart, and Starfire eventually returned to her home planet of Tamaran.
Meanwhile, in Gotham, Bruce Wayne had left the mantle of Batman to the unstable Jean Paul Valley. d**k intervened with new Robin Tim Drake, and when Bruce returned to Gotham, he brought Valley down and re-assumed the mantle of Batman. When d**k returned to the Titans, he found there to be changes. The government interceded, placing Arsenal (the former Speedy) as leader of the team. d**k stepped aside and left the Titans, concentrating on problems in Gotham City. Still recovering from his broken back, Bruce asked d**k to substitute for him as Batman for a time; d**k accepted. During this time, d**k was able to confront Two-Face and lay some demons to rest. He also established a wonderful partnership with Tim. Bruce eventually returned to Gotham to reclaim his role as Batman. For the first time in a long time, Bruce and d**k began to heal their strained relationship. Bruce's respect for d**k was at last obvious.




Battle for the Cowl
Gotham has gone to hell and Robin and Nightwing are trying their hardest to set it right, they have developed the Network, made up of their best allies to help. Robin and Squire tracked and was about to take down some robbers but before they could take them down some else does, Robin and Squire don't see the person but he leaves them a note saying " I AM BATMAN" but before anything can be said Nightwing call's Robin for back up with a gang, they take the gang down. Meanwhile a coach full of Gotham's most dangouras criminal's on their was to Arkham but the coach is stopped by a small army of goons lead by the Black Mask after the criminals are off the coach Arkham is blown up [by the Joker] also they have caught on that Batman is no longer around, back in the Bat-cave Nightwing is looking at all of Batman's different suits when Tim walks in saying that one of them (Tim or d**k) needs to become the new Batman but Nightwing shrugs this off so Tim tells d**k about a man running around in a custom made Batman suit fighting crime (possibly Jason Todd) but this was no beginner he was experienced and knew what he was doing.
Tim uses his brilliant detective skills to work out where the phony Batman's hideout is, but Tim decides not to confront the fake Batman as Robin but as Batman, he uses the silver age Batman suit. Mean while Damian is joy riding in a Batmobile with a friend when Oracle calls him to do swoop of the docks, Damian's friend starts talking, Oracle takes control of the car and press's the eject button on Damian's friends seat and she goes flying into a small stream where Killer Croc and Poison Ivy are trying track the Batmobile, Croc eats the girl then knocks the car of the road into the stream, Damian is terrfied and tries to talk his way out of it, Croc was about to eat Damian but Nightwing flies in on a hand glider and saves Damian but while their flying they are shot out of the air, on the ground they are quickly surrounded by goon but suddenly the phony Batman comes in shooting the goons.

d**k begins to fight the phony Batman, while their fighting d**k reveals he knows the phony Batman is Jason Todd, Jason shoots Damian in the chest then flees the fight. Back at Black Masks hide out and is planning to blow up Gotham police headquarters with Firefly and Adam Bomb meanwhile Tim (dressed in the Silver Age Batman suit) has found Jason's Batcave but he is not alone, Catwoman has followed Tim thinking he was the one killing people. At the same time d**k discovers that Tim had taken the Bat suit.

The New Batman Begins
As Nightwing pursues the Black Mask while also attempting to prevent the authorities from destroying Gotham, Nightwing sends Damian to retrieve Tim unaware of Jason's attempted murder of Tim wearing the Batman costume. Damian saves Tim while d**k confronts the murderous Jason in his makeshift Batman outfit. The battle between d**k and Jason ends with Jason saying he will meet d**k again when d**k defeats Jason knocking him into the river. Fearing Jason will destroy the Batman identity d**k reluctantly returns to wearing the Batman costume with Damian as his Robin rather than Tim. d**k chose Damian instead of Tim because he sees Tim as an equal, not a sidekick: he chose Damian to be Robin so Damian can be guided down the right path of bringing criminals to justice or he could kill someone once again.
Quickly after d**k's becoming of the Dark Knight, he had made his first debut as Batman when he had to take down Scarecrow who was terrorizing people in the road. Other adventures d**k had when he became Batman would be against Two-Face, a new villain named Pyg and Pyg's henchmen/doll people, Jason who became Red Hood again, and Black Mask!



Creators: Bob Kane, Bill Finger, Marv Wolfman, George Pérez

First Appearance (As Robin): Detective Comics #38 (April, 1940)

First Appearance (As Nightwing): Tales of the New Teen Titans #44 (July, 1984)

First Appearance (As Batman): Batman #512 (November, 1994)