You’re reading The Complete Infinite Crisis, a Comprehensive and Encyclopedic look through the universe-changing superhero event published by DC from 2005 to 2006. Shelfdust are proud to provide a complete overview of the story, and everything that happens in it. We’ve had to get some experts in though – there’s so much going on that needs to be explained!

We’re still in the first few pages of the first issue, but we’re confident we’re going to make it through to the end! But hey – who is that superhero character, with his back to us? He seems to have a lot, ahem, going for him. Grace Kaluba, could you please explain who this is?!

Grace! This page says “a young man raised in the bright colours of the circus hopes to save this place” and has a guy dressed… mainly in black. Who is this man?

Grace Kaluba: Nightwing, of course! Also known as Dick Grayson, former Robin for Batman. Heart of gold.

What does the “circus” bit mean? Did he used to be in a circus?

Kaluba: Yes, Dick Grayson was raised in the circus by his parents, John and Mary Grayson, who together performed as the trapeze group ’The Flying Graysons’!

John and Mary were tragically murdered by falling to their death mid-performance after Tony Zucco’s thugs messed with their trapeze wires – due to the circus owner refusing to pay protection money towards Tony Zucco. This event was witnessed by Bruce Wayne (aka Batman) and, through relating to Dick Grayson suddenly becoming an orphan like him, adopted Dick Grayson and took him in.

Eventually, Dick Grayson became an assistant to Batman, through the alias ‘Robin’. And then he became Nightwing.

What are the main things we should know about Nightwing? Please could you give us a rundown of his main assets!?

Kaluba: Nightwing is a great acrobat, due to his upbringing and constant training as Robin, and he constantly uses his flexibility and gymnast skills in his fighting style and when he’s rooftop chasing! He’s also known to be a great detective, of course influenced by his experience working with Batman (who is also known as THE best detective according to Ra’s Al Ghul) and has used this to his advantage working his vigilante cases. He was also briefly an actual police detective in the fictional city, Bludhaven.

Nightwing is admired for his leadership abilities, especially during his time leading the Titans, and is also admired for his strive to be a hero that is ‘guided by the light instead of the darkness’, inspired by another iconic mentor, Superman.

…And he’s also known in canon and out of canon as being the most attractive hero which he has used to his advantage while undercover numerous times!

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Thank you Grace! So clearly he’s a fan favourite character, it sounds like. But who is that orange woman next to him? Is she a fan, or is she… something else? We’ll have to find out next time!

 

Grace Kaluba is a magical girl who lives in London and draws the webcomic Free Sailing Villains. You can find her on Tumblr here and over on Twitter here!