Bruce Wayne is currently MIA in DC Comics’ various Batman titles. Possibly dead, possibly living in the distant past.
And, in his absence, it appears that Dick Grayson the original Robin, and currently Nightwing, will don the cape and cowl of Batman.
This was revealed accidentally, when Batman artist Tony Daniel released the follow image of Batman’s new costume on his website:
Here’s a blow-up of the one of the notes on the side of the picture:
If you can’t read that it says: “Pitch black cape can envelope Dick & hide him completely.”
Although DC hasn’t confirmed this, fans seem now convinced that Dick Grayson will take over the role of Batman at least for a while.
Dick Grayson first appeared as Robin in Detective Comics #38, published in 1940. Grayson was introduced as the son of circus acrobats, the “Flying Grayson.” When his parents died at the hands of a mafia boss, he became the ward of Bruce Wayne (Batman), and eventually joined him in his crimefighting exploits as “Robin.”
Robin was brought into the Batman universe to lighten the comic, and appeal to younger readers. He was an extremely successful character and ushered in a wave of kid sidekicks in super hero comics.
Robin fought crime at Batman’s side for over forty years. But, in the early eighties, he broke away from Batman, and became a member of the Teen Titans. In 1984, in Teen Titans #44, Dick Grayson dropped the “Robin” moniker and adopted the super hero identity “Nightwing.” And he’s continued in that role ever since.
Since the creation of the Nightwing identity the role of Robin has been taken over by other people. First Jason Todd who served as Robin between 1983-1988, and Tim Drake who has been Robin from 1991 to the present.
