Dick Grayson is one of those characters that has managed to constantly evolve with the times; he can tread the darkness while remaining a light, accessible character. He was Spider-Man before there was one. He even has his own fan-run database, which thankfully—though surprisingly—isn’t called Dickipedia. Dick Grayson is one of the oldest characters in DC Comics history with almost eighty years’ worth of adventures spanning dozens of continuities. To break down the best Nightwing comics is a difficult task.

There’s a limit to the number of Chuck Dixon stories on this list, because he could have easily taken it over. The list keeps it to the comic books, which is why Batman: The Animated Series classics like Robin’s Reckoning and Old Wounds didn’t make the cut. While primarily known for his roles as Robin and Nightwing, it's important to respect every aspect of his history, including his time as a spy and as Batman.

UPDATE: 2022/12/13 11:10 EST BY GEORGE CHRYSOSTOMOU

Fans continue to await Nightwing on the big screen, but with James Gunn taking over, it might be time for Dick Grayson to get the cinematic attention he deserves. These comic book narratives should surely be looked over, if the incoming creative team are looking influential stories to adapt, based on Batman's former protégé.

Batman: Prodigal

When searching for the best Nightwing comics it's hard to ignore the work on Batman: Prodigal from Chuck Dixon. The narrative is a part of the larger Knightfall saga and sees Bruce Wayne struggling with his back injuries, incurred from the wrath of the antagonist Bane.

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The narrative sees Dick Grayson don the cowl, stepping up as Batman in a way that perhaps only he could. He has massive shoes to fill, and the story spreads across multiple comic book runs, with DC's other heroes reacting to the new kid on the block as he continues to tackle the legacy of Wayne and how he has left Gotham.

Nightwing #140-146: Freefall

If Nightwing was to appear on the screen in the DCEU then Freefall might be a fantastic arc to look into further. Written by Don Kramer, Peter Tomasi, and Michael Bair with art from Rags Morales, the story calls on Dick to become the world's greatest detective in his own right.

The bodies of deceased villains have begun to vanish, leading Nightwing into a complex underworld of experimentation and the League of Assassins. Although Talia Al Ghul is a villain of note here, it's Dr. Creighton Kendall who adds something unique to the premise, with Nightwing looking to define himself outside of Batman's shadow in an iconic run in the character's history. Visually, the gothic tension permeates from the page.

Batman Chronicles: The Gauntlet

The Gauntlet is one of the few single issues to be specially published on its own, rather than as part of a collection. It details the night that Robin actually became Robin. Batman presents one final challenge to a young Dick Grayson: survive in Gotham on his own for one night. If Bruce can’t catch him in that time, he’s worthy of being The Dark Knight’s partner.

The Boy Wonder sets out, though he's not only on the run from his mentor, but the mafia has put a hit out on Robin. He must evade both parties and foil the mob. Realizing that there are other lives at stake, Dick leaves clues for Batman to find that will lead him to the bad guys. Naturally, things go a bit sideways, but it's nothing Robin can’t handle.

(Rebirth) Nightwing #15 & #16: Even in a Dream/Nightwing Must Die

These two stories are a microcosm of what makes Dick Grayson the beloved character that he is: he’s an every-man. Even in a Dream takes place over two months, showing his budding relationship with Shawn Tsang as the two fall in love, fight, makeup, and create a strange but stable life with each other. Writer Tim Seeley’s literate and careful structure build for the reader a sense of affection for the couple, and through Grayson’s voiceover and thematic usage of Euripides’ tale of Hercules, a sense of dread too. Seeley connects the concept of superheroes to Greek myths, and underlines the ingredients of tragedy that are in the DNA of both.

Dick handles falling in love like everything else—he just dives right in regardless of consequence—but when the realization hits him, it’s with a sense of both relief and terror, particularly the latter when finding out she might be pregnant or when he realizes she’s gone. The reactions are very human, and very accessible, which is incredibly rare for superhero comics.

Battle for the Cowl

Battle for the Cowl is a Hollywood blockbuster in comic form. Bruce Wayne is pretend dead (tax purposes), Gotham is burning, and Damian Wayne stole a Batmobile to pick up girls. Plus, Jason Todd has become a threat. He has declared himself the city’s savior and is shooting anything that moves. Tim Drake realizes that Gotham needs a bat and dons the cowl himself.

What follows is pure bubblegum fun with Batman vs. Batman, followed by Batman vs. Batman II. The GD is attacked, Killer Croc eats a tween because Oracle ejected her from the Batmobile, Mr. Zsasz continues to be a failure. Dogs and cats living together, mass hysteria! On a character level, Battle for the Cowl is about which one of Bruce's sons is worthy of taking up his mantle. While it’s obvious that Dick is the right choice, the moment needed to feel like a mythic revelation for Grayson. The miniseries is quick, and sets up the explosive, kinetic ride that the new Batman and Robin would become known for.

Nightwing #25: The Boys

Back in the '90s, Chuck Dixon essentially wrote every Batman book on the stands, including Nightwing and Robin. Here, Dick and Tim Drake hang out to do some blindfolded parkour crimefighting in Blüdhaven, Nightwing’s city that makes Gotham look like Paradise Island. If the action was removed from the script, and excise any reference to the superhero game, they'd be a complete and normal character story between brothers. Being the younger one, Tim feels like he must live up to the expectations Dick set, while Grayson himself is trying to become his own man and remain independent. Tim is trying to understand relationship dynamics within the family and with girls, Dick is imparting brotherly advice, and they’re both subtly worried about the future.

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By far the best part of their conversation is Nightwing’s reaction to Tim mentioning his girlfriend was pregnant. It’s an absolutely perfect, realistic response, and a testament to what can be done when a writer is allowed to slow down the pace for a minute and let the characters do the work.

The White Knight

This is a forgotten gem in Peter J. Tomasi’s pre-New 52 Batman & Robin run, where Dick is still Batman, and Gotham had conformed to the new Dynamic Duo. The city they protect was definitely still Gotham, but it’s presented very differently. The gothic patterns remain, but there’s more light; fluorescent neon gives the series a kinetic feel, making this feel younger. Dick and Damian are Batman and Robin here, and they’re much younger than their previous counterparts. They investigate the murders of villains’ family by a maniac looking for revenge; himself literally as luminescent as the city.

Of course, the underlying theme hits hard; nature vs. nurture. Are the families innocent, or is there really something there an evil gene? This leads to a divide between Dick and Damian, and it ends not with Robin going too far to catch the villain, but Batman. It’s heady stuff, and it’s technically a filler arc, but the pace is fast, the character work is tops, and Pat Gleason’s death tableaus are worthy of Hannibal.

Nightwing: Year One

Another Chuck Dixon story (this one co-written with Scott Beatty)! Many of Dick Grayson’s adventures have been metaphors for coming of age, and Nightwing: Year One is no exception. Here, dad’s kicked him out of the house, and he needs to find a way to survive. By the time Dick was in his late teens, he and Bruce were not getting along. Bruce fired him, and Nightwing was born.

wants to go into the Bat-family business, and through his many connections to the various sections of the DCU, realizes that in Barbara Gordon, Boston Brand, the Teen Titans, and the Justice League, he already has a family. He takes the name Nightwing out of respect for Superman. The point was to give Nightwing the hero’s journey he needed and further differentiate the former Boy Wonder from Batman. Yes, both of them are orphans because of criminals, but while Batman fights in the name of vengeance, Nightwing does it because it’s the right thing to do.

Batman: Nine Lives

Presented in old newspaper strip format, Nine Lives is a noir callback taking place in the 1940s, and is grittier than a dried-up oil derrick. This is Batman by way of Raymond Chandler and James Ellroy, the sort of tale that would have made Bill Finger proud.

While it is a Batman title, Dick Grayson is the focus of the story; here, a former soldier turned drunken private eye who is investigating the murder of Selina Kyle, a madam whose clients served the richest and most influential in Gotham. The miniseries reimagines everyone in the Batman oeuvre. It’s vicious and nasty, but the essential chords of the characters remain the same. It’s a character study—especially of Dick Grayson—showing us that there are certain traits hardwired into the character. Even when he’s a drunken, bankrupt mess in a rumpled, lived-in suit, Dick Grayson will always try to do the right thing. He’ll improvise rather than plan. He’ll put his life on the line.