Higgins discusses Dick Grayson's return as Nightwing

New Nightwing writer Kyle Higgins spoke to Newsarama about his work on the new book, launched in September. I've picked out the most interesting parts, but the full article can be read here.

Interesting that he mentions he collected the Nightwing series, but he didn't mention that Dick Grayson is co-owner of Haley's Circus. Must have slipped his mind.

Nrama: What interested you about Nightwing?

Nightwing as he will look in September

Higgins: He's my all-time favorite character. I'm not saying that as lip service. Literally, he was my way into DC comics when I was younger and in grade school. I remember stumbling across issue #15 or #16 of the Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel book where it's Nightwing on the cover fighting Man-Bat and his clothes are shredded. From there, I went back and started finding the earlier issues. It's really the first book I started collecting every month. From that point on, I read every issue that was ever published. So Nightwing is what kept me in comics and reading comics.
The chance to take him forward after, in my opinion, what Scott did in Detective Comics redefined him, I'm very excited about.

Nrama: As you take over Nightwing, Dick Grayson is a little different than he's ever been before, isn't he? Simply because he's been Batman?
Higgins: That's a big part of what we're doing in the series. I don't think you could do a Nightwing book at this point without dealing with the fact that he was just Batman. I'm not sure I should say much more than that, except that one of the reasons he's Nightwing now is because of him just being Batman. You'll have to keep reading to find that out.
But in terms of his skills and confidence level, Nightwing has an even greater experience behind him now. So in our comic, he's become the best version of Nightwing that he's ever been. It's what has made him better.

Reflections show Dick as Robin and his 1st Nightwing outfit

Nrama: He's working out of Gotham in this title, right?
Higgins: Yeah. Gotham City was always the one place he'd always avoided, but now he's been successful there. So he's staying in Gotham because the city has changed around him, and he feels like the city genuinely needs him.

Nrama: Since he's in Gotham, does he bump into other people in the Bat-universe?
Higgins: Yeah. The thing about Dick Grayson, and it's something we're playing a lot with in Gates of Gotham, is that in his nature, he's a very social person. That's one of the big things that separates him from Bruce.
He works well with people. He works well with other members of the Bat-family. So yeah, there will be people popping up in the comic. And Dick's direction in Gotham City is tied to him continuing his mission, because he feels the city needs him and he's done avoiding this place as he has over the last few years, which Scott has explored wonderfully in Detective Comics. So it's not just him isolated in the city.

Nrama: Will we see familiar villains from his rogues’ gallery? Or will you try to add to that?
Higgins: There will be some of both. With the direction he's going, as well as the fact that this city has changed around him and is still changing, there are a lot of new threats. That's not to say we're getting rid of, or jettisoning, the old villains. But because this is a new #1 and we're making this really accessible, this is a jumping-on point and there will be new characters and villains.

Nrama: The information that DC released indicated that he'll see his old circus come through town, right?

Dick as Batman

Higgins: Yeah. The circus coming back is something we're exploring in terms of what his earlier life was like. It's about seeing what his life would have been like if he'd stayed in the circus. I don't want to say too much more about it, but it'll be less about his origin story and more about the themes we're exploring in the book.

Nrama: You talked about him being more social. But is this a dark book? Or is it more adventure? I know Scott was doing a detective-oriented book. What is Nightwing's tone?
Higgins: It's a combination of things. Some of the stuff I'm plotting right now gets pretty dark, but it's also a character story about Dick Grayson as a superhero. But this is Nightwing in Gotham City, so everything that goes with that in terms of Gotham City as this violent, deadly, almost sentient thing is very much a part of the book.

Nrama: Then to finish up, is there anything else you want to tell fans about your upcoming run on Nightwing?
Higgins: I just want to stress that I know this character, and I'm writing a book that I would want to read because I feel like I know what people are looking for and I know what works best. This is definitely a dream project for me, but at the same time, I'm not letting that dictate the story. I'm looking forward to people seeing what we're doing.

Fabian Nicieza talks Dick Grayson and Batman

This interview popped up on CBR and I had to cut and paste it over just to be able to read it (adverts floating over first cm of text).

Currently in “Batman,” DC Comics’ ongoing monthly comic book series written and drawn by Tony S. Daniel, Dick Grayson has been patrolling the night skies as the new Caped Crusader, picking up the reins while Bruce Wayne traverses the globe in writer Grant Morrison’s “Batman Incorporated.” While this is only the second time Dick has acted as Batman (the previous being in “Batman: Prodigal”), this is not the first time the character has put his life on the line for Gotham City, Dick being one of the few DC characters that date all the way back to the Golden Age.

Bill Finger and Bob Kane originally created Richard “Dick” Grayson in 1940. Introduced in the pages of “Detective Comics” as the son of murdered circus acrobats, Dick went on to become Robin, Batman’s sidekick and Bruce Wayne’s legal ward. His origins remained pretty much the same after “Crisis On Infinite Earths,” with Dick joining the Teen Titans as Robin before becoming the masked vigilante Nightwing. In 2009 after the “Battle For The Cowl” storyline, Dick took up the Batman persona and has been Gotham’s Dark Knight ever since.

While the current “Batman” ongoing series is both written and drawn by Daniel, “Batman” issue #713, the last issue before DC’s September relaunch, features the talents of Steve Scott and Ryan Winn on art and Fabian Nicieza writing, who is the regular scribe of "Red Robin." Nicieza swooped into THE BAT SIGNAL to talk about his issue, his feelings on Dick Grayson’s overall run as Batman, and how he became a fan of the first Boy Wonder.

CBR News: All right, so the solicits for “Batman” say Dick is at an identity crossroads--what does that mean?

Probably that Dick is a little confused about the solicitation copy and it's causing him agitation? That copy was very early in the process so it's not totally accurate to how the story turned out.

So what is your story in “Batman” #713 about?

It's about a boy who loses his parents to a violent crime and grows up to become a Dark Knight for a dark city!

Touché! Any other DC character you care to condense 70-odd years of history into a snappy sentence for us? Extra points if its 10 words or less.

Sugar and Spike, brother and sister with the uncanny ability to annoy. Damn, that was 12!

Now, we’ve got Red Robin, Bruce Wayne Batman, and Robin all on the issue cover--

Since the story covers many aspects and evolutions of the Bat family that means all those characters need to be involved in some way.

Will Catgirl or any of series regular writer Tony S. Daniel’s other recent “Batman” characters (Riddler, Enigma, Two-Face, etc.) be involved?

No, the story is much more an overview of who Batman has been and what his extended family is all about then it is current continuity.

Did Tony give you an outline for this issue, or were you able to come up with your own tale to end “Batman” before September’s relaunch?

No, [editor] Mike Marts just asked me to write a self-contained story that thematically encapsulates the 70-year history of the character. Sure, Mike, no prob!

Since this issue is you thematically capturing the whole history of Dick Grayson, do you personally have a favorite Dick Grayson era?

For me, personally, the Batman TV show, because that was when I was first really exposed to the character. Then the Mike Friedrich/Gil Kane shorts that started Dick on the road to independence, followed by the Marv Wolfman/George Perez “Teen Titans” and finally the Chuck Dixon/Scott McDaniel “Nightwing” solo series.

You said before you feel Dick is a reticent Batman as he didn’t really see himself in training to replace Batman before the “Cowl” storyline. Is Dick still reticent? Is Batman a mantle he doesn’t wish to wear anymore?

I think Dick was reticent because he never wanted to be Batman and never planned for it. The role and expectations were sort of dropped on his lap when Bruce "died." I think he is such a self-confident guy that he knew he could handle the role in his own unique way, and subsequent writers across the DCU have shown that to great effect. I think he could keep playing the role of Batman as long as Bruce thought it was necessary, but conversely, he could drop the role and call himself Nightwing or Banana Man tomorrow and he would still be the same person.

You say Dick a very self-confidant guy--as a writer, is that something you like to play up?

The few--far, far, far too few chances I've had to write him--I've always approached him as absurdly self-confident, but hopefully not arrogant. Seriously, why shouldn't he be? He wore green scaly shorts and pixie boots and he still scored the hottest alien princess in the universe.

What do you think will be lasting affect of Dick Grayson’s run as Batman on the DCU? Or will there be one?

I don't think you can predict history. Come back and ask me in 10 years!

As a fan of the character for over 40 years, I am very happy with how his role as Batman has elevated his status in the DCU--and I mean that across the board, both in the world of fiction and in reality.

I think many editors, writers and readers now see him a little differently than they might have before, and learned a lot about the character that they might not have previously considered. I also think many DCU characters see him in a new light, whereas other characters who knew him well only gained a reaffirmation of what they knew all along--that Dick is the coolest cat in town!

How do you feel Dick was viewed before his Batman run?

As the "sidekick in green shorts and pixie boots" by many readers, creators and editors. Now the smarter ones have joined the club. The club being officially called, "The Club Of Those Of Us Who Got A Clue A Long, Long Time Ago."

You’re obviously a fan--how did you first come to know and love the character?

When I first came to this country, we watched the Batman TV series on ABC and I immediately got into the character. I don't know if it was the costume or the fact I felt I could be Robin, but I didn't think I could be Batman--same reason I thought I could be Chekhov but not Kirk! I don't know, it's dorky, but I always thought any kid in shorts and green pixie boots (have we mentioned he wore pixie boots?) who could hold his own up against Batman, much less all the villains in Gotham, was cool by me.

Many writers have talked about why they think "Batman" is so enduring--but what do you like about the Batman universe? What parts of Gotham and Dick and Bruce and the rest of the gang appeal to you?

All of them. I go back a ways; I'm old enough to appreciate the Dick Sprang Gotham City as well as Neal Adams. I loved Marshall Rogers' visual approach and Mike Golden’s. My favorite Bat-art team of all time remains Don Newton and Alfredo Alcala. I don't know why, I know they might not have been technically the best, but they were my favorite. I haven't always followed Batman's titles faithfully, but on and off for 40 years I've always dropped in on Gotham to see what was percolating. Getting to play in that sandbox just a little the last few years has been a blast and I really thank Mike Marts, Janelle Siegel and Rachel Gluckstein for having given me that opportunity.

Now, DC has announced that in September they will be relaunching all their titles. Does your issue of “Batman” wrap up plot points and ongoing arcs from the larger “Batman” run?

No, geez, that would be a bit much to ask in one issue! I think the story serves to very nicely summarize the evolution of the Batman character and the Bat family, but that will be for readers to decide.

We've also heard that you are working on the new "Teen Titans" after the September relaunch. Is there anything you can tell us about that?

I can only say two things. One, though my comic book writing time is very limited right now--check out www.fungoplay.com starting June 15--I am very happy that the comics I'm writing still have a DC bullet on their covers. And two, not everything you read on the Internet is correct. [Note: after this interview was conducted, it was revealed that Scott Lobdell is in fact writing "Teen Titans," while Nicieza is writing "Legion Lost."]

Overall, how do you feel about Dick's run as Batman? Were there things that surprised you about how he handled the role?

I was glad to see him "elevated" in terms of fan perception. I was glad to see editors and other writers maybe learn to appreciate the character more. The only thing that could've made it better is if I'd been able to write the arc myself!

Tony Daniel art preview from Batman 713

Right, try not to get too excited, but Tony Daniel just previewed this page on his blog.

That's right, both Batmen, Red Robin and Robin team-up!

Here is what he had to say (it's brief):

Cover for Batman 713.



Working on my next story. Can't reveal much, but at least I have some new art.

Respect for Robin

If you are under 10, then you are already aware of what only a relative handful of your elders know: Robin can be really cool.

Kids love Robin for two reasons:

1- He is more relatable to them than Batman. They can find it easier to imagine themselves going on adventures with Batman than actually being him.

2- They aren't embarrassed about liking Robin. By the time teenagerism kicks in most people become so self-conscious that they would claim to dislike oxygen if the other kids at school thought it was lame. So how are they going to react when Robin is treated as a joke by sitcoms, magazines and the general public? Unfortunately this attitude sticks with them, probably until they have kids themselves.

Robin & me: a brief history
My first experience of Robin was Burt Ward in the 1960s Batman TV series. At three or four years old I was hooked on Batman and Robin. Every day at play group (nursery/pre school) my friend and I would play as Batman and Robin. This is one of my earliest memories - watching the show, playing the game, getting in a scuffle because some kid took the 'batmobile' from us.

I saw the Burton movies probably far too young (got turned away at the cinema for Returns, but saw it on VHS as soon as it was out).
I can still get upset when I think of how my little sister sat on and broke the leg off a Batman figure.
The Animated Series had me glued to the TV for half an hour each week. Here Robin is shown as a young college student who is smart and capable. The episode that highlights his origins was excellent (Robin's Reckoning).

I collected the Batman Returns action figures (including Tim Drake Robin!) and dipped into the Animated Series figures for the villians. My sister and I would spend hours making up stories with these figures, often with Robin as the hero, as an essential part of Batman's arsenal.

By this time I was living in the states (for a year) and would stand in the supermarkets and pharmacies reading comics (something that we never had in the UK stores) and Robin had his own comic! My prized possession book was the junior novelisation of Knightfall and the issue of TV Guide that had a Batman run down (must have been 55 year anniversary), including a whole page devoted to the three Robins (4 with Carrie Kelly).

We moved back to the UK and Batman Forever came out, again showing Robin. Even at 11 though, I knew that this version of Robin wasn't quite what I wanted, needed or expected.
Then, in 1997, came Batman & Robin. Following this farse I had a couple of years in which I didn't look for new Batman. I still watched the Burton movies, but that was it. Until 1999ish when I picked up Batman vs Predator III. Wow. This is what I'd been missing. Not a fully grown Chris O'Donnell, not a Holy-tights Burt Ward, not a child, but a competent, a strong, smart, independant teenager who was an apprentice to the Batman. This triggered my love of comics and I soon grew my collection. As I went to university and had my own income, this collection grew exponentially as I started buying the single issues each month as well as catching up on collected editions. Robin has also been featured on Teen Titans, The Batman and Young Justice TV shows and the awful video game Batman: Dark Tomorrow.

Where does the hate come from?
The problem is that for most people, my first experience of Robin is their only experience of Robin. As I grew and matured, I found other sources to feed my love of the characters, but most people have only ever seen the Adam West show and the (currently) 6 movies released since 1989 (of which Robin only featured in the worst two). Thus their view of Robin is somewhat skewed toward the camp and the buffoonish. The whole 'Robin is gay' joke that has been strung along in sitcoms like Friends, is one that has become cliche, but still damages public perception of the character. This of course stems from the 1954 book Seduction of the Innocent by American psychiatrist Fredric Wertham. Here he, essentially, suggests that all modern media is being created to warp children's mind and that violent and sexual themes have been hidden within the pages of comics and storybooks. He has created an idea that Batman & Robin are in a gay relationship and that Wonder Woman is a lesbian. His own pre-occupation with homosexuality in a time of repression aside, this is exactly the type of thinking that leads to claims of Marilyn Manson causing the Columbine shootings or Grand Theft Auto being responisble for car crime. Ill-informed, extremist scape-goating, yes, but damaging nonetheless.

More recently, I have been on message boards where people say that the love Batman, but hate Robin. How can you possibly hate a character that has been part of the mythos for nearly the entire publication history? Batman was first published in 1939. Robin was introduced in 1940. This is like saying you love Reggie Jeeves, but hate Bertie Wooster. You love Sherlock Holmes, but hate John Watson. To say that you find him uninteresting or irrating, fine, but hate? I think you might have only watched Burt Ward and Chris O'Donnell, little troll. Try reading some actual source material.
To use a very British comparison; to say that you hate Robin after only watching the '60s TV show or The Schumacher Batman movies is like saying you hate Miss Marple after only watching the new ITV series. You need to watch Joan Hickson or actually read some Christie to appreciate it.

Tim Drake
To my mind, Tim Drake has revolutionalised Robin. Don't get me wrong, in the 1970s and 80s Dick Grayson was doing alot of good things as Robin, but he didn't really flurish until he became Nightwing. Since 1989, when, at 13, he first revealed that he had deduced the identity of the batman, Tim Drake has grown as a character. He was never reckless like Jason, nor a dare-devil like Dick. Tim has been something else, rather than contrast Batman, Tim's Robin compliments him. He is happier to hold back and use the shadows to pick his moment, he is first and foremost a detective and we have seen that he doesn't mind getting his hands a little dirty to acheive his goals. Over the last few years, he has undergone personal tragedies that have forced him to become more serious about his chosen vocation. His evolution has taken him from a self-concious Peter Parker to a chess grandmaster crossed with Batman. Tim started out as the kid who played Dungeons and Dragons in his friend's basement and couldn't talk to a girl without going a bit funny. Now he is the teenager who struggles to maintain friendships because 110% of his time is dedicated to 'the job'. This is a character who has starred in his own ongoing series and mini-series for over 200 issues. Who has supported, not just in Batman and Detective Comics, but in Young Justice and Teen Titans as well as the whole host of Bat-books.

The Future
Now we have real opportunites in significant media to promote this 'new' style of Robin (that has been developing since the 1970s).

Arkham City and The Dark Knight Rises are coming out in 2011 and 2012 respectively. Both have rumours of a Robin inclusion. I doubt that we will see Robin feature in the main story for either of these, but as a side-line? Easily.

Could we see a turn from Robin in a co-op mulitplayer for Arkham City?

Just a glance at some of the websites devoted to videogames and you can tell thatthere is a buzz question. Will we see Robin? If there is co-op multiplayer for the Challenge Rooms, it seems obvious that Robin would be included, doesn't it?
UPDATE (21.06.2011): It has just been announced that Tim Drake's Robin and Red Robin costumes will be playable in Batman: Arkham City's Challenge Mode. He will have his own gadgets and combat moves. The first image is on the right. This is definitely a step in the right direction. Now everyone who plays Arkham City (and that'll be a lot) will know how cool Robin can be.

 

 

Could we have a visit to Haley's Circus to see the Flying Graysons as the epilogue to The Dark Knight Rises?
After all, Nolan apparently put the Joker card at the end of Batman Begins, simply as a way to raise excitement at the end of the movie and to hint that it really was just the beginning of his career as Batman. This was before he knew that he was going to make the sequel. He could very well do the same with the end of his swan song. As Bruce and Alfred settle down in the Batcave at the end of the movie the latter could hand an invitation to a charity bash at Haley's Circus starring the Flying Graysons to the former. What would get people more excited, what would symbolise the next step in the Batman's career more, than a hint at Robin?

Can we start getting some respect for Robin from the general public, will he stop being seen as a joke? I hope so, because, Goddamn, is some respect due his way.

Recommended reading:
Dick Grayson
Batman: Dark Victory, Batman: The Gauntlet, Robin: Year One

Tim Drake
Robin: A Hero Reborn, Robin: Flying Solo, Robin #116-120, Robin: Search for a Hero