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Batman Adventures (1992-1995)
Batman Adventures: Nightwing Rising
What happens when Dick Grayson is done being a sidekick? Come witness the birth of NIGHTWING!
Dick Grayson has been incredible at playing Batman's sidekick, Robin--but when Robin decides to leave Batman and fight crime on his own...what does that mean for Gotham? To leave Robin behind and truly make a name for himself as a hero, Dick Grayson must leave Gotham and train on his own! Witness the next generation of Robin begin, and the first generation of NIGHTWING!
The Bat Family begins to take form as Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin are ready to defend Gotham by Batman's side!
Collects The Batman The Lost Years #1-5, Gotham Adventures #1
Dick Grayson has been incredible at playing Batman's sidekick, Robin--but when Robin decides to leave Batman and fight crime on his own...what does that mean for Gotham? To leave Robin behind and truly make a name for himself as a hero, Dick Grayson must leave Gotham and train on his own! Witness the next generation of Robin begin, and the first generation of NIGHTWING!
The Bat Family begins to take form as Nightwing, Batgirl, and Robin are ready to defend Gotham by Batman's side!
Collects The Batman The Lost Years #1-5, Gotham Adventures #1
176 pages, Paperback
First published October 6, 2020
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42 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews
December 18, 2023
Good fun, a version of Dick Grayson's journey from petulant Robin to a Nightwing able to stand on his own consistent with Batman: The Animated Series' aesthetic.
A mullet truly worthy of his travelling circus roots.
A mullet truly worthy of his travelling circus roots.
July 11, 2021
Had all the makings of a good Nightwing (origins) story...but the poor dialogue and choppy writing by Bader got in its own way.
Art was fantastic throughout (by Bo Hampton, and then Rick Burchett) & reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series.
About the writing:
I thought the book started off strong enough with Chapters 1 & 2 (Lost Years & Graduation Day). Bruce shares his (& Dick's) secret identity with Barbra.
Dick and Bruce haven't been seeing eye to eye on the way Bruce handles being Batman. Or the way Bruce calls Dick in to be Robin no matter what he's up to (especially when he's in the middle of a hot date with Babs). There is a little bit of awkward romantic triangle tension between Babs and Batman & Dick, but it all adds to the drama. (And nothing that reads new to me.)
Things/the writing start to get "eh" when Dick has the page to himself in Chapter 2. He stumbles upon some criminal activity at the docks and jumps in to break it up (in his civies, no less). Everyone is down & the guy Dick just saved taps him on the shoulder to get his attention (to thank him, we assume), and Dick in the heat of it all, pulls back for a right hook.
Man: "Whoa! Please don't hurt me! I've got kids!"
Dick (turns away & covers his face): "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean... I thought."
Man: "I understand. Adrenaline. Excitement of the hunt. You must have been pumped. It's all right."
Dick (turning on him aggressively): "No, it's not all right! Losing it is never all right. Acting in anger is wrong. It's wrong."
Man: "I... I just wanted to thank you and all."
Dick: "I don't do it for thanks. I... I don't know why I do it anymore."
Man: "What you did... it's a good thing. You were a real hero."
Dick: "But I don't want to be a hero. I want to be an ordinary guy. I want a wife. Kids. I won't be like him."
Dick (runs away dramatically from the man he saved and then just shared too much information with): "I wont."
Pgs. 40-41
There's a lot to unpack there. The stilted back and forth. The guts spilling. All that dialogue that really should have been internal and put in a text box...
Dick then quits in dramatic fashion (sick of Batman's games & manipulations = Bruce knowing about Barbra being Batgirl & not telling him/allowing it) & spends almost the whole rest of the book (about 2 1/2 years) on a journey to find himself and learn all the secret martial arts the world has to offer by visiting far-flung locations and gaining masters in all skills (like invisibility). Which actually makes no sense, if he just said in Chapter 2 he wanted to be normal & have a family and not be in the superhero business anymore... why would he then quit being Robin to go off on his own training expedition to see what comes after being Robin??
More on the writing:
Beginning of Chapter 5:
"Mindalauki. Day 850." Dick is fighting blindfolded on the beach against four armed assailants.
Master Hetalai (removing Dick's blindfold): "Enough! You have sharpened your battle senses well, Jaohahn. But sharpened senses are far more than just combat. There is a whole other part of life. You must learn that."
Master Hetalai: "But I have nothing more to teach you."
Dick: "Then I will be going."
Master Hetalai: Your thirst for knowledge is overshadowing all other elements. Your life is without balance. And any life without balance is like a volcano. The pressure will build... until it explodes."
Dick: "I do what I must."
Master Hetalai: "What will you learn now?"
Dick: "When I was in Tibet I heard of a cult of mystics in the Himalayas who, it is said, have mastered the secret of flight."
Master Hetalai: "You may learn to fly. But do not forget then how to walk."
Dick (already at the Himalayas): "I will forget nothing you have taught me, Master."
Pg. 105
Such awkward dialogue!! The whole book is like this. Just stilted back and forth as Dick travels on his own, reminiscent of the training Bruce must have gone through before he became Batman. But none of the motivation is there. Why is Dick doing this? It still makes no sense to me as a reader.
And one more thing regarding this book that didn't make sense to me: changing Tim Drake's origin story. While Dick is off traveling, we get to see what's going on in Gotham with Batman (and Tim Drake). Here Bader makes Tim's father a low-level crook who works for Two-Face and ends up washing up in the Metropolis River. Tim has been obsessed with Batman and Robin his whole life & somehow has been following the action IRL, and was quick enough on his feet to help save Batman after he's injured when Two-Face's goons try to get info from Tim on the disappearance of his father... Long story short, Tim is the new Robin, just in time for Dick to return from his travels abroad and introduce himself as Nightwing.
Chapter 6 (the last chapter of the book) is written by Ty Templeton, bringing back the quips and puns I expect from a Batfamily story. Templeton's writing sadly isn't enough to redeem the whole book for me, but I did really enjoy reading the last chapter with the entire Batfamily (as fractured as they are) with the Joker in their custody. The dialogue between the Joker and Batman was very strong. The scene with the Joker beats Batgirl ("You're more irritating than the boy." i.e. Jason) was super dark & so was the Joker's admission that he lets Batman keep beating him so they can keep the game going forever and ever in a circle. I also loved the whole plotline of a grieving father putting out a hit on the Joker to stop him once and for all (and then his inability to kill the Joker himself)...
Too bad Templeton didn't also write Chapters 1-5. Maybe I would have enjoyed this whole book instead of just liking the very last chapter. :-/
Art was fantastic throughout (by Bo Hampton, and then Rick Burchett) & reminiscent of Batman: The Animated Series.
About the writing:
I thought the book started off strong enough with Chapters 1 & 2 (Lost Years & Graduation Day). Bruce shares his (& Dick's) secret identity with Barbra.
Dick and Bruce haven't been seeing eye to eye on the way Bruce handles being Batman. Or the way Bruce calls Dick in to be Robin no matter what he's up to (especially when he's in the middle of a hot date with Babs). There is a little bit of awkward romantic triangle tension between Babs and Batman & Dick, but it all adds to the drama. (And nothing that reads new to me.)
Things/the writing start to get "eh" when Dick has the page to himself in Chapter 2. He stumbles upon some criminal activity at the docks and jumps in to break it up (in his civies, no less). Everyone is down & the guy Dick just saved taps him on the shoulder to get his attention (to thank him, we assume), and Dick in the heat of it all, pulls back for a right hook.
Man: "Whoa! Please don't hurt me! I've got kids!"
Dick (turns away & covers his face): "I...I'm sorry. I didn't mean... I thought."
Man: "I understand. Adrenaline. Excitement of the hunt. You must have been pumped. It's all right."
Dick (turning on him aggressively): "No, it's not all right! Losing it is never all right. Acting in anger is wrong. It's wrong."
Man: "I... I just wanted to thank you and all."
Dick: "I don't do it for thanks. I... I don't know why I do it anymore."
Man: "What you did... it's a good thing. You were a real hero."
Dick: "But I don't want to be a hero. I want to be an ordinary guy. I want a wife. Kids. I won't be like him."
Dick (runs away dramatically from the man he saved and then just shared too much information with): "I wont."
Pgs. 40-41
There's a lot to unpack there. The stilted back and forth. The guts spilling. All that dialogue that really should have been internal and put in a text box...
Dick then quits in dramatic fashion (sick of Batman's games & manipulations = Bruce knowing about Barbra being Batgirl & not telling him/allowing it) & spends almost the whole rest of the book (about 2 1/2 years) on a journey to find himself and learn all the secret martial arts the world has to offer by visiting far-flung locations and gaining masters in all skills (like invisibility). Which actually makes no sense, if he just said in Chapter 2 he wanted to be normal & have a family and not be in the superhero business anymore... why would he then quit being Robin to go off on his own training expedition to see what comes after being Robin??
More on the writing:
Beginning of Chapter 5:
"Mindalauki. Day 850." Dick is fighting blindfolded on the beach against four armed assailants.
Master Hetalai (removing Dick's blindfold): "Enough! You have sharpened your battle senses well, Jaohahn. But sharpened senses are far more than just combat. There is a whole other part of life. You must learn that."
Master Hetalai: "But I have nothing more to teach you."
Dick: "Then I will be going."
Master Hetalai: Your thirst for knowledge is overshadowing all other elements. Your life is without balance. And any life without balance is like a volcano. The pressure will build... until it explodes."
Dick: "I do what I must."
Master Hetalai: "What will you learn now?"
Dick: "When I was in Tibet I heard of a cult of mystics in the Himalayas who, it is said, have mastered the secret of flight."
Master Hetalai: "You may learn to fly. But do not forget then how to walk."
Dick (already at the Himalayas): "I will forget nothing you have taught me, Master."
Pg. 105
Such awkward dialogue!! The whole book is like this. Just stilted back and forth as Dick travels on his own, reminiscent of the training Bruce must have gone through before he became Batman. But none of the motivation is there. Why is Dick doing this? It still makes no sense to me as a reader.
And one more thing regarding this book that didn't make sense to me: changing Tim Drake's origin story. While Dick is off traveling, we get to see what's going on in Gotham with Batman (and Tim Drake). Here Bader makes Tim's father a low-level crook who works for Two-Face and ends up washing up in the Metropolis River. Tim has been obsessed with Batman and Robin his whole life & somehow has been following the action IRL, and was quick enough on his feet to help save Batman after he's injured when Two-Face's goons try to get info from Tim on the disappearance of his father... Long story short, Tim is the new Robin, just in time for Dick to return from his travels abroad and introduce himself as Nightwing.
Chapter 6 (the last chapter of the book) is written by Ty Templeton, bringing back the quips and puns I expect from a Batfamily story. Templeton's writing sadly isn't enough to redeem the whole book for me, but I did really enjoy reading the last chapter with the entire Batfamily (as fractured as they are) with the Joker in their custody. The dialogue between the Joker and Batman was very strong. The scene with the Joker beats Batgirl ("You're more irritating than the boy." i.e. Jason) was super dark & so was the Joker's admission that he lets Batman keep beating him so they can keep the game going forever and ever in a circle. I also loved the whole plotline of a grieving father putting out a hit on the Joker to stop him once and for all (and then his inability to kill the Joker himself)...
Too bad Templeton didn't also write Chapters 1-5. Maybe I would have enjoyed this whole book instead of just liking the very last chapter. :-/
October 22, 2020
A great exploration of Nightwing's journey with the Dark Knight
May 25, 2025
I’ve enjoyed the other Batman Adventures books, so I thought I’d check this one out.
”Lost Years” has Batman and Robin waiting in the sewers for some criminals to finish robbing a bank and trying to escape through the sewers.
Batman and Robin ambush the crooks but Robin gets a little cocky and gets clonked. Luckily Batgirl comes along just in time.
”You’re starting to trust her more than you trust me.”
Barbara plays tennis with Dick and Bruce the next day and goes to Dick’s college graduation at night. Dick takes her out on a date but has to leave when he gets a call.
”I’m afraid he had something more ‘important’ to do.”
Later Batman, Robin and separately Batgirl are all called to a crime. They fight the Jokers minions but the Joker gets away. Batman and Robin chase a henchman and Batman tries to intimidate him into telling where the Joker is.
”Batman, not like this. Not in front of his family.”
Robin leaves the scene. Batgirl catches up and asks what’s wrong with them. Batman says he doesn’t know. Batgirl and Robin stake out the henchman’s home, thinking that he’ll get contacted soon. Batgirl tries to get Batman to talk about him and Robin. But he’s not having it. The goons show up and Batgirl attacks with Batman content to watch. They’re actually a pretty good team.
This is shown in the other Batman Adventures books as well, and it’s actually kind of a neat twist. I don’t remember if the Animated Series reflected this but it’s a nice thing to see in the books, and helps explain some things in the future.
Barbara comes to see Bruce, apparently really worried about Dick and Bruce’s relationship. Bruce decides to take her to the Batcave.
There’s a great joke here that I won’t spoil.
More pleasant surprises from this line of books. 5 stars easily. I might even have to pick these up in hard copy!
Actually I did pick up hardcopy. I love the fact that they are smaller than normal comic books. Not quite digest-sized but in between digest and comic books size.
”Chapter 2: Graduation Day” shows Jokers latest plan - that he has to broadcast on Gotham news stations.
He’s going to scramble radar all across Gotham, making it impossible to fly a plan over Gotham city. How you make money from this crime I’m not sure… oh, wait, he’s blackmailing the city for forty million dollars.
Bruce and Barbara are still in the Batcave and Bruce tries to page Dick. He tosses his pager in the river.
Dick wanders across a crime and even though he is in civilian clothes he rescues someone from some crooks. He’s upset though. He doesn’t want to be a hero. He wants to be a normal guy.
Dick goes to the Batcave and sees Barbara’s car. He asks Alfred where they went and suits up just in time to rescue Batgirl from being ‘sidewalk stroganoff’.
They capture the Joker but Robin thinks Batman manipulated Batgirl into assisting, at the risk of her life. He quits, punching Batman. That’s the official superhero way of quitting a team I understand.
Dick goes back to the Batcave, and leaves the Robin uniform.
It’s an interesting take on Robin quitting and in this reading it’s really all Robin’s fault. Not as two-sided as in other tellings. It’s also abbreviated, but that’s understandable. But it’s still really well written, with Barbara being an unwitting catalyst in a way that’s new but makes perfect sense. 5 stars.
”Chapter 3: Now You See ‘em” starts with Dick in Brazil putting on a Capoeira (martial arts) show.
Dick is traveling as ‘John Smith’ with is even lamer than ‘Matches Malone’.
He has learned a lot in Brazil and takes off to Santo De La Rosa to learn from the ‘Invisible People’. There is a festival going on there. The Festival of Death.
He stumbles across Two-Face doing some kind of deal with locals so he gets a disguise/costume as ‘Senior Death’.
He blends in at the festival and then finds festival goers with masks that have half-faces. He suspects these are Two-Faces hired help.
Dick sees the masked thugs forced onto a helicopter to find some factory in the forest. Dick hops on as well.
The copter lands but Two-Face notices the weight is off and sends thugs to find out who jumped off the copter. Dick races into the jungle and hopes it doesn’t kill him before the thugs finds him.
Dick stumbles across the Invisible tribesmen who wear a symbol on their chests that looks like a thunderbird. Through clever hand signals Dick convinces them to take him into hiding with them.
Many days (Dick counts them) goes by while Dick tries to learn the art of invisibility from his willing teachers.
”We will never forget you, friend of the Invisible, never.”
It comes time for Dick to leave but he must foil Two-Faces drug buys before he leaves. He manages to run the buy and get Two-Face to run home to Gotham.
Dick heads out to Tibet for more learning.
It’s a year today sir.
”A year since what?”
”A year since Master Dick went off on his… journey.”
I LOVED this story! Taking it in a whole new and surprising direction! We’re on page 77 and Dick hasn’t even become Nightwing yet! Nice way to keep the reader in suspense, not matter how much they think they know (I mean me!).
5 stars for surprise!
”Chapter 4: As the Twig is Bent” centers on Tim Drake. He spies on Batman and Robin. He plays throwing a batarang. He even protects kids from getting bullied.
But his dad is a crook.
”I’m a crook. It’s what I do. And it’s what you’ll do someday, too.”
But that’s why his dad has to go on the run leaving Tim alone. (This sounds like it could just easily be Jason Todd’s story!)
Sure enough, Tim has to steal to get by. Two-Face eventually comes looking for Shifty Drake, but just as the coin flips kill for the kid, Batman rescues him, but gets taken out, by a flaming explosion. Everyone runs except Tim who tries to rescue Batman. They get to the batboat and autopilot it to the batcave.
Tim snoops around and discovers Batmans’ secret identity. Batman and Batgirl go after Two-Face.
Oddly, this is a story that doesn’t have Dick in it all! This belongs in the ‘Robin’ collection. Also there is a continuity error. When Tim uses Robin’s costume, it’s actually Tim Drake’s costume rather than Dick Graysons.
I don’t mind re-tooling Tim’s origin story, but I don’t see what it’s got to do with Nightwing and I don’t think it’s better than it was before being re-tooled. I’m giving this 2 stars. And why was Batgirl there at all?
”Chapter 5: You Can’t Go Home Again”
Dick Grayson is still training with the Mindalauki natives. Having learned all he can his masters dismiss him and he heads to the Himalayas to find a cult of mystics who it is said, have mastered the secret of flight.
”You may learn to fly. But do not forget how to walk.”
Dick find there is already another party going to find the monks. He hires on as one of the sherpas to carry their equipment. One night he overhears that they are working for Ra’s Al Ghul and want to steal something from the monks.
When they come to an dangerous area near a potential avalanche, the sherpas refuse to go on and the party of thugs start to threaten them with guns. Dick doesn’t like this. He fights them enough to let the sherpas get away, but they overpower him and kick him off the cliff. Then they pour a lot of snow on him.
He uses breathing techniques to stay alive. But after a while someone in a cowl digs him out. The stranger tells Dick that the men found the monastery and stolen a great and powerful treasure and that dick must get it back for them. Dick must do it because they have taken it to the western world and they cannot go there.
They’ll trade the secret of flight for the return of the statue. They give him a suit similar to what the stranger was wearing. Dick decides to put a bird on the chest.
Dick finds Ra’s Al Ghul and overhears him talking about the power of the statue. He busts in and fights Ra’s for the statue. Ra’s pushes him out the window, but Dick takes the statue.
”Not ready to be sidewalk stroganoff just yet, Ra’s.”
Using the flight suit Dick doesn’t have to worry about the fall.
Back at the batcave Bruce is training Tim and wiping the floor with him. Dick comes in. Alfred is happy to see him. Barbara is iffy. But then the Bat-signal goes off.
This was a whole re-imagining of Nightwing’s origin and it’s as good a take as any.
The fight with Ra’s was a little short and we just assume that Dick got the statue back to the monks rather than seeing it, but all told it was a good story. 4 stars.
”Chapter 6: With a Price on his Head!” is another reprint that I have read. I’d tell you where I read it but Apple decided in one of their upgrades to remove the search functionality for notes. Genius bar my ass.
This is the story where a guy offers a reward for anyone who kills the Joker. It’s not a particularly Nightwing heavy story so I really don’t know what it’s doing here. Since I can’t find the grade I gave it originally I’ll have to just guess I gave it 4 stars. It’s a neat idea. Marred by leaving Batgirl alone in the batcave with the Joker.
There is a short preview of ‘The Lost Carnival - a Dick Grayson graphic novel’.
So overall, while there are some weaknesses it comes out to 5 stars book. The good definitely making up for the bad.
”Lost Years” has Batman and Robin waiting in the sewers for some criminals to finish robbing a bank and trying to escape through the sewers.
Batman and Robin ambush the crooks but Robin gets a little cocky and gets clonked. Luckily Batgirl comes along just in time.
”You’re starting to trust her more than you trust me.”
Barbara plays tennis with Dick and Bruce the next day and goes to Dick’s college graduation at night. Dick takes her out on a date but has to leave when he gets a call.
”I’m afraid he had something more ‘important’ to do.”
Later Batman, Robin and separately Batgirl are all called to a crime. They fight the Jokers minions but the Joker gets away. Batman and Robin chase a henchman and Batman tries to intimidate him into telling where the Joker is.
”Batman, not like this. Not in front of his family.”
Robin leaves the scene. Batgirl catches up and asks what’s wrong with them. Batman says he doesn’t know. Batgirl and Robin stake out the henchman’s home, thinking that he’ll get contacted soon. Batgirl tries to get Batman to talk about him and Robin. But he’s not having it. The goons show up and Batgirl attacks with Batman content to watch. They’re actually a pretty good team.
This is shown in the other Batman Adventures books as well, and it’s actually kind of a neat twist. I don’t remember if the Animated Series reflected this but it’s a nice thing to see in the books, and helps explain some things in the future.
Barbara comes to see Bruce, apparently really worried about Dick and Bruce’s relationship. Bruce decides to take her to the Batcave.
There’s a great joke here that I won’t spoil.
More pleasant surprises from this line of books. 5 stars easily. I might even have to pick these up in hard copy!
Actually I did pick up hardcopy. I love the fact that they are smaller than normal comic books. Not quite digest-sized but in between digest and comic books size.
”Chapter 2: Graduation Day” shows Jokers latest plan - that he has to broadcast on Gotham news stations.
He’s going to scramble radar all across Gotham, making it impossible to fly a plan over Gotham city. How you make money from this crime I’m not sure… oh, wait, he’s blackmailing the city for forty million dollars.
Bruce and Barbara are still in the Batcave and Bruce tries to page Dick. He tosses his pager in the river.
Dick wanders across a crime and even though he is in civilian clothes he rescues someone from some crooks. He’s upset though. He doesn’t want to be a hero. He wants to be a normal guy.
Dick goes to the Batcave and sees Barbara’s car. He asks Alfred where they went and suits up just in time to rescue Batgirl from being ‘sidewalk stroganoff’.
They capture the Joker but Robin thinks Batman manipulated Batgirl into assisting, at the risk of her life. He quits, punching Batman. That’s the official superhero way of quitting a team I understand.
Dick goes back to the Batcave, and leaves the Robin uniform.
It’s an interesting take on Robin quitting and in this reading it’s really all Robin’s fault. Not as two-sided as in other tellings. It’s also abbreviated, but that’s understandable. But it’s still really well written, with Barbara being an unwitting catalyst in a way that’s new but makes perfect sense. 5 stars.
”Chapter 3: Now You See ‘em” starts with Dick in Brazil putting on a Capoeira (martial arts) show.
Dick is traveling as ‘John Smith’ with is even lamer than ‘Matches Malone’.
He has learned a lot in Brazil and takes off to Santo De La Rosa to learn from the ‘Invisible People’. There is a festival going on there. The Festival of Death.
He stumbles across Two-Face doing some kind of deal with locals so he gets a disguise/costume as ‘Senior Death’.
He blends in at the festival and then finds festival goers with masks that have half-faces. He suspects these are Two-Faces hired help.
Dick sees the masked thugs forced onto a helicopter to find some factory in the forest. Dick hops on as well.
The copter lands but Two-Face notices the weight is off and sends thugs to find out who jumped off the copter. Dick races into the jungle and hopes it doesn’t kill him before the thugs finds him.
Dick stumbles across the Invisible tribesmen who wear a symbol on their chests that looks like a thunderbird. Through clever hand signals Dick convinces them to take him into hiding with them.
Many days (Dick counts them) goes by while Dick tries to learn the art of invisibility from his willing teachers.
”We will never forget you, friend of the Invisible, never.”
It comes time for Dick to leave but he must foil Two-Faces drug buys before he leaves. He manages to run the buy and get Two-Face to run home to Gotham.
Dick heads out to Tibet for more learning.
It’s a year today sir.
”A year since what?”
”A year since Master Dick went off on his… journey.”
I LOVED this story! Taking it in a whole new and surprising direction! We’re on page 77 and Dick hasn’t even become Nightwing yet! Nice way to keep the reader in suspense, not matter how much they think they know (I mean me!).
5 stars for surprise!
”Chapter 4: As the Twig is Bent” centers on Tim Drake. He spies on Batman and Robin. He plays throwing a batarang. He even protects kids from getting bullied.
But his dad is a crook.
”I’m a crook. It’s what I do. And it’s what you’ll do someday, too.”
But that’s why his dad has to go on the run leaving Tim alone. (This sounds like it could just easily be Jason Todd’s story!)
Sure enough, Tim has to steal to get by. Two-Face eventually comes looking for Shifty Drake, but just as the coin flips kill for the kid, Batman rescues him, but gets taken out, by a flaming explosion. Everyone runs except Tim who tries to rescue Batman. They get to the batboat and autopilot it to the batcave.
Tim snoops around and discovers Batmans’ secret identity. Batman and Batgirl go after Two-Face.
Oddly, this is a story that doesn’t have Dick in it all! This belongs in the ‘Robin’ collection. Also there is a continuity error. When Tim uses Robin’s costume, it’s actually Tim Drake’s costume rather than Dick Graysons.
I don’t mind re-tooling Tim’s origin story, but I don’t see what it’s got to do with Nightwing and I don’t think it’s better than it was before being re-tooled. I’m giving this 2 stars. And why was Batgirl there at all?
”Chapter 5: You Can’t Go Home Again”
Dick Grayson is still training with the Mindalauki natives. Having learned all he can his masters dismiss him and he heads to the Himalayas to find a cult of mystics who it is said, have mastered the secret of flight.
”You may learn to fly. But do not forget how to walk.”
Dick find there is already another party going to find the monks. He hires on as one of the sherpas to carry their equipment. One night he overhears that they are working for Ra’s Al Ghul and want to steal something from the monks.
When they come to an dangerous area near a potential avalanche, the sherpas refuse to go on and the party of thugs start to threaten them with guns. Dick doesn’t like this. He fights them enough to let the sherpas get away, but they overpower him and kick him off the cliff. Then they pour a lot of snow on him.
He uses breathing techniques to stay alive. But after a while someone in a cowl digs him out. The stranger tells Dick that the men found the monastery and stolen a great and powerful treasure and that dick must get it back for them. Dick must do it because they have taken it to the western world and they cannot go there.
They’ll trade the secret of flight for the return of the statue. They give him a suit similar to what the stranger was wearing. Dick decides to put a bird on the chest.
Dick finds Ra’s Al Ghul and overhears him talking about the power of the statue. He busts in and fights Ra’s for the statue. Ra’s pushes him out the window, but Dick takes the statue.
”Not ready to be sidewalk stroganoff just yet, Ra’s.”
Using the flight suit Dick doesn’t have to worry about the fall.
Back at the batcave Bruce is training Tim and wiping the floor with him. Dick comes in. Alfred is happy to see him. Barbara is iffy. But then the Bat-signal goes off.
This was a whole re-imagining of Nightwing’s origin and it’s as good a take as any.
The fight with Ra’s was a little short and we just assume that Dick got the statue back to the monks rather than seeing it, but all told it was a good story. 4 stars.
”Chapter 6: With a Price on his Head!” is another reprint that I have read. I’d tell you where I read it but Apple decided in one of their upgrades to remove the search functionality for notes. Genius bar my ass.
This is the story where a guy offers a reward for anyone who kills the Joker. It’s not a particularly Nightwing heavy story so I really don’t know what it’s doing here. Since I can’t find the grade I gave it originally I’ll have to just guess I gave it 4 stars. It’s a neat idea. Marred by leaving Batgirl alone in the batcave with the Joker.
There is a short preview of ‘The Lost Carnival - a Dick Grayson graphic novel’.
So overall, while there are some weaknesses it comes out to 5 stars book. The good definitely making up for the bad.
November 27, 2023
This was a great telling of Robin's development into Nightwing. Many comics have told parts of this before, and in a much grittier way, but this can be read by a wide range of ages and it is well done in the style of the animated series. I really think this is a strong project from start to finish.
November 7, 2020
This is Nightwing's origin story from the Batman Animated Series. It takes a couple of the storylines from the TV series and expands upon them to see what happened with Dick Grayson between quitting as Robin and returning as the fully fledged Nightwing.
This story feels a lot closer to Bruce Wayne's origin in a lot of ways. Dick travels the globe training with various groups around the world, learning what he needs to become the hero he thinks he wants to be.
The relationship between the Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson of the animated series is one of my favourites because it was one of my first experiences (outside of the amazing live action series from the 60s), so these incarnations of the characters are the most formative for me.
We also get to see more of Tim Drake's origin. In a lot of ways he's closer to Jason Todd, but I understand why they went with calling him Tim, as it avoids the need to address the Death In The Family storyline... although it still ends up happening to some degree.
The overall tone is very all-ages, which makes sense considering it's based on the Animated Series, and honestly it doesn't hurt the story itself. This does feel like it could easily be expanded into an animated feature.
Not my favourite Nightwing origin story, but it's fun and goes in some directions I wasn't expecting.
This story feels a lot closer to Bruce Wayne's origin in a lot of ways. Dick travels the globe training with various groups around the world, learning what he needs to become the hero he thinks he wants to be.
The relationship between the Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson of the animated series is one of my favourites because it was one of my first experiences (outside of the amazing live action series from the 60s), so these incarnations of the characters are the most formative for me.
We also get to see more of Tim Drake's origin. In a lot of ways he's closer to Jason Todd, but I understand why they went with calling him Tim, as it avoids the need to address the Death In The Family storyline... although it still ends up happening to some degree.
The overall tone is very all-ages, which makes sense considering it's based on the Animated Series, and honestly it doesn't hurt the story itself. This does feel like it could easily be expanded into an animated feature.
Not my favourite Nightwing origin story, but it's fun and goes in some directions I wasn't expecting.
September 25, 2021
I believe, in this world, probably 99% of the people in it just loves The Animated Series. The other 1%, maybe they're just babies that still doesn't watch cartoons.
On this book, although is a Nightwing origin book on this universe, we see Tim Drake's origin as Robin as well. But, even with this and the name on it, is a book with some adventures of Batman and his crew.. Actually, we really don't see Dick in action a lot, as i was expecting. But his origin, how he leaves Batman and Gotham trying to find his own path, his training and how he became Nightwing is really nice. Maybe is even better than his origin in the normal DC Universe.
If you love the Batman Animated Series universe and Nightwing, give this book a try. Hilary Bader, Bo Hampton, Ty Templeton and all just did a great job. It is true what we hear and see about Bruce Timm, Paul Dini e Alan Burnett's creation everywhere: it's a pop culture legacy for ages.
On this book, although is a Nightwing origin book on this universe, we see Tim Drake's origin as Robin as well. But, even with this and the name on it, is a book with some adventures of Batman and his crew.. Actually, we really don't see Dick in action a lot, as i was expecting. But his origin, how he leaves Batman and Gotham trying to find his own path, his training and how he became Nightwing is really nice. Maybe is even better than his origin in the normal DC Universe.
If you love the Batman Animated Series universe and Nightwing, give this book a try. Hilary Bader, Bo Hampton, Ty Templeton and all just did a great job. It is true what we hear and see about Bruce Timm, Paul Dini e Alan Burnett's creation everywhere: it's a pop culture legacy for ages.
September 21, 2021
This is supposed to fill in the gaps between Batman the Animated Series and the New Batman Adventures to show us Dick Grayson’s journey from Batman’s sidekick to a hero in his own right. The art was consistently nice throughout, but the story felt not so much about Nightwing because of how often it shifted focus to Tim. I have nothing against Tim personally, but I have never liked anyone besides Dick having the role of Robin. Robin was very personal to him and it wasn’t Batman‘s place to give that mantle to anyone else. Still, a perfectly enjoyable read for anyone who enjoys the Bat family or the old cartoons.
April 26, 2021
A great way to get back in touch with your favorite "Batman: The Animated Series" characters. Some of the stories felt familiar; I wasn't sure if they were taken from episodes or were from other comic collections I'd read in the past. Either way, if you're a Dick Grayson fan, you'll enjoy this take on how he went Boy Wonder to Nightwing. (Though no mention of him being inspired by Krypton's Nightwing, which I thought was an interesting choice.)
May 2, 2022
I thoroughly enjoyed reading a graphic novel about how Robin became Nightwing in Batman The Animated Series. I love comics about Robin or Nightwing because he is my favorite DC Comics character. ~ Lizzie :)
September 22, 2023
These are just weirdly fun, I think I love the art style more than anything else. Everything's very clean here, and I wasn't expecting there to be such a good throughline of plot, this is stronger than it first appears, and if you enjoyed the cartoon it's a heavy recommendation.
October 8, 2020
Nothing special. It scratches just enough of that BTAS itch, but it's ultimately forgettable.
October 16, 2020
Great all ages story, something here for everyone!
October 23, 2020
There's some pretty good moments for BTAS in there.
June 8, 2021
Time pass read. Origin of the Nightwing
October 21, 2021
karaktere karşı nötr idim.
okurken hikaye beni içine çekti sevdim .
Fiyatı da ucuz ,şans verilmeli
okurken hikaye beni içine çekti sevdim .
Fiyatı da ucuz ,şans verilmeli
February 13, 2022
An origin story on Nightwing’s hair and his costume.
May 11, 2023
Quick impressions: This was overall a fun volume with good colorful art. It was a nice easy read. I will be looking for other volumes in the series.
(Longer review on my blog.)
(Longer review on my blog.)
October 13, 2023
Another version of the origin of Nightwing.
October 14, 2021
This was fun! Picked it up to try to read more of Dick’s stories and appreciated it a lot. Also Bruce really just adopts anyone willing to give him a chance, huh.
”Colors for a child. Not a man.”
Dick’s personal growth was a story I think a lot of non-vigilantes can relate to. Disagreeing with your authority figure, be it parents or boss or Batman, can lead to needing time to find out what you really want. I’ve been going through that a lot lately, too, so it was a little too relatable. It’s hard to find yourself when you’re neck deep in someone else’s shadow.
Also long hair Dick never ceases to amaze.
Think I’d prefer seeing this plot in the show versus reading it in a comic like this, but still engaging! The style is so distinctive, forever love eyes that are just slits of white in the masks. Perhaps this is a sign I should revisit the original show sometime soon.
”Colors for a child. Not a man.”
Dick’s personal growth was a story I think a lot of non-vigilantes can relate to. Disagreeing with your authority figure, be it parents or boss or Batman, can lead to needing time to find out what you really want. I’ve been going through that a lot lately, too, so it was a little too relatable. It’s hard to find yourself when you’re neck deep in someone else’s shadow.
Also long hair Dick never ceases to amaze.
Think I’d prefer seeing this plot in the show versus reading it in a comic like this, but still engaging! The style is so distinctive, forever love eyes that are just slits of white in the masks. Perhaps this is a sign I should revisit the original show sometime soon.
May 31, 2024
The first five chapters were just kinda meh, but I LOVED the sixth chapter which is why this is four stars and not three. The Joker was absolutely hilarious in this and him interacting with serious Batman is one of the best things I’ve ever read. There were so many moments in the sixth chapter that made me laugh. But, the font was awfully small to read and in the middle chapters when Dick was in the foreign countries, when it was his thoughts it was on a tan background and italicized, that was extremely hard to read.
February 14, 2023
The stories were rushed. This volume could have (and probably should have) been easily 5+ volumes. Each story would've been better if stretched out.
We don't really see Grayson growing into his own. Watching him copying Bruce's pathway pattern to herodom was a let down and boring. And what's with all the secretive folks giving away their trade secrets so easily to the young Grayson? We needed more on how he earned their trust, wisdom, and teachings.
We don't really see Grayson growing into his own. Watching him copying Bruce's pathway pattern to herodom was a let down and boring. And what's with all the secretive folks giving away their trade secrets so easily to the young Grayson? We needed more on how he earned their trust, wisdom, and teachings.
April 8, 2025
i love intellectual reading
October 21, 2025
Good adventure
This is just like Batman the animated series cartoon I enjoyed it. It really plays the cartoon on your mind.
This is just like Batman the animated series cartoon I enjoyed it. It really plays the cartoon on your mind.
January 26, 2021
Good read for the kids, okay for adults.
Displaying 1 - 25 of 25 reviews