Nightwing Confirms His Biggest Difference to Batman, & Why They’ll Never Be the Same

Contains spoilers for Nightwing #112!

Nightwing and Batman have a lot of similarities, considering Bruce Wayne trained Dick Grayson, but a new team-up between the original Dynamic Duo confirms their one defining difference. Dick Grayson has tried to separate himself from his mentor in the past. In fact, it’s part of why he went to Blüdhaven. That being said, their biggest difference becomes most apparent when they’re working together.

Nightwing #112 by Tom Taylor and Sami Basri follows an investigation from the point of view of Batman, giving a unique perspective on Dick Grayson. Specifically, this issue focuses on Nightwing’s emotions and motivations throughout his life, from his earliest days training as Robin to the present-day as he leads the Titans. These motivations are brought to the forefront as Nightwing works to save a young orphan from his manipulative (and murderous) uncle.

More important than this guided tour through his history is Batman’s thoughts on how Dick’s emotions impact him ​​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​detective ​​​​​​​and a ​​​​​​​hero. ​​​​​​​This focus on the emotional core of his motivations ​​​​​​​is what really separates ​​​​​​​Dick Grayson ​​​​​​​and Bruce Wayne — but different ​​​​​​​doesn’t always ​​​​​​​mean ​​​​​​​better. Despite ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​heroes ​​​​​​​having ​​​​​​​different ​​​​​​​influences ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​work, ​​​​​​​both ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​styles serve a ​​​​​​​purpose, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​this team-up ​​​​​​​proves it.

Nightwing Has Always Been Led by His Emotions

Batman Admires Nightwing’s Attitude

Nightwing ​​​​​​​is an ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​person, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​he and ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​confirm ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​this ​​​​​​​issue that ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions fuel ​​​​​​​him ​​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​hero. Dick is often ​​​​​​​driven by ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​to save ​​​​​​​those ​​​​he ​​​​​​​cares ​​​​​​​about. ​​​​​​​While ​​​​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​can tell ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick is acting ​​​​​​​due to ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​rather ​​​​​​​than​​​​ ​​​​​​​logic​​, ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​admits ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​doesn’t ​​​​​​​let ​​​​​​​his anger or personal connections ​​​​​​​cloud his judgment, which ​​​​​​​is an ​​​​​​​accurate assessment.​​​​​​​ Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​good ​​​​​​​at ​​​​​​​being ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​hero, leader, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​mentor. Even ​​​​​​​when ​​​​​​​mentoring Damian Wayne during his time as Batman, ​​​​​​​Dick never ​​​​​​​let ​​​​​​​his frustration ​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​better ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​him. ​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​a testament ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​heroes ​​​​​​​being ​​​​​​​able ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​be ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​without being ​​​​​​​weak or irrational.

At ​​​​​​​the end of this issue’s central fight, ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​assumes ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is going ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​let his trauma-induced anger win; however, Nightwing proves ​​​​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​Wayne ​​​​​​​wrong ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​beats ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​inner ​​​​​​​darkness. ​​​​​​​This triumph ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​significant moment ​​​​​​​for ​​​​​​​Dick. ​​​​​​​It ​​​​​​​contrasts ​​​​​​​with the issue’s flashback scene, in which ​​​​​​​he can’t ​​​​​​​control ​​​​​​​his anger ​​​​​​​about ​​​​​​​the deaths ​​​​​​​of ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​parents. ​​​​​​​In the present day, ​​​​​​​when ​​​​​​​faced with ​​​​​​​someone ​​​​​​​who orphaned a ​​​​​​​boy ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​cares ​​​​​​​about, ​​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​able ​​​​​​​to restrain ​​​​​​​himself. While ​​​​​​​understandably ​​​​​​​angry, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​Nightwing knows ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​justice ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​more ​​​​​​​important ​​​​​​​than ​​​​​​​anger ​​​​​​​or revenge, and he ​​​​​​​knows ​​​​​​​better ​​​​​​​than ​​​​​​​anyone ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​revenge ​​​​​​​won’t ​​​​​​​bring ​​​​​​​back ​​​​​​​the dead.

Batman Tries to Separate His Feelings from Investigations

Nightwing’s Emotional Connection to His Work Separates Him from Batman

Whereas Nightwing is fueled by his emotions, Batman tries to keep emotions an arms-length away. Bruce ​​​​​​​Wayne ​​​​​​​considers ​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​Grayson his ​​​​​​​son, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​Bruce ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​definitely ​​​​​​as ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​as Dick, ​​​​​​​if ​​​​​​​not more so. ​​​​​​​But Batman works to ​​​​​​​keep his ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​check. ​​​​​​​After ​​​​​​​the ​​​​​​​Joker killed ​​​​​​​Jason ​​​​​​​Todd, for example, ​​​​​​​Bruce held back — and continues to hold back — ​​​​​​​from enacting ​​​​​​​justice. ​​​​​​​However, ​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​does fail ​​​​​​​sometimes. After Alfred ​​​​​​​Pennyworth’s death, Bruce blamed ​​​​​​​Damian ​​​​​​​out ​​​​​​​of anger, proving that, ​​​​​​​while ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​tries ​​​​​​​to minimize ​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​emotions, he’s ​​​​​​​not ​​​​​​​always successful.

Generally ​​​​​​​speaking, everyone ​​​​​ ​​​​​​​in ​​​​​​​the Bat-Family ​​​​​​​is emotional, ​​​​but ​​​​​​​how ​​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​Nightwing handle ​​​​​​​their ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​is ​​​​​​​what ​​​​​​​sets ​​​​​​​them ​​​​​​​apart. They ​​​​​​​may acknowledge and respect ​​​​​​​these ​​​​​​​differences, ​​​​​​​but ​​​​​​​it can ​​​​​​​still ​​​​​​​cause ​​​​​​​tension ​​​​​​​between the ​​​​​​​duo. ​​​​​​​It’s been ​​​​​​​established ​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​Dick’s ​​​​​​​emotions ​​​​​​​are ​​​​​​at an all-time high, ​​​​​​​and ​​​​​​​with ​​​​​​​his new ​​​​​​​fear ​​​​​​​of heights, ​​​​​​​he’s ​​​​​​​only going ​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​more ​​​​​​​emotional ​​​​​​​from ​​​​​​​here. ​​​​​​As ​​​​​​​​​​​​​Dick ​​​​​​​​​​​​​continues ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​struggle ​​​​​​​​​​​​​through ​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​​​​​​​fall ​​​​​​​​​​​​​from ​​​​​​grace, ​​​​​​​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​​​​​​​​may ​​​​​​​​​​​​​get ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​a ​​​​​​​​​​​​​point ​​​​​​​​​​​​​where ​​​​​​​​​​​​​he ​​​​​​can’t ​​​​​​hold ​​​​​​​​​​​​​back ​​​​​​​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​​​​​​​​emotions. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​If ​​​​​​​​​​​​​that ​​​​​​​​​​​​​happens, ​​​​​​readers will have to wonder if ​​​​​​Batman ​​​​​​​​​​​​​will be ​​​​​​​​​​​​​there ​​​​​​​​​​​​​to ​​​​​​​​​​​​​help ​​​​​​Nightwing ​​​​​​​​​​​​​fight ​​​​​​​​​​​​​his ​​​​​​darkness.

Nightwing #112 is available now from DC Comics!