Name: Richard (Dick) Grayson

Group: The Titans.

Origin: Haly Circus, USA.

First Appearance: (as Robin 1): Detective Comics #38 (1941); (as Nightwing): Tales of the Teen Titans #44 (1984)

Known Relatives:

Publisher:DC

BRIEF HISTORY

Mary and John Grayson were two trapeze artists that lived in the Haly Circus since they were children. They were born and grew up at the Haly Circus. Dick Grayson was born in this circus, too. Since he was a baby he began learning fromhis parents all the abilities a trapeze artist needs. He soon become a member of the "Flying Graysons", and he was the youngest artist who could do a quadruple hop in the air.

There was a blackmailer called Anthony Zucco who used to threaten Mr. Haly (Haly Circus' owner) with killing one of the circus artists if he didn't pay him money. One day Dick heard Zucco threatening Mr. Haly. Before the show a family asked Dick and his parents to pose for a photograph. Dick sat the boy (called... Tim Drake) on his legs. This was the last photograph of Dick's parents alive, because at the show the trapeze ropes broke suddenly when John and Mary were in the act. One of the spectators disappeared: it was Bruce Wayne, who appeared as Batman. When Batman checked the trapeze ropes, he realized they were cut by someone. Dick then remembered Zucco's threat, and explained it to Batman.

A judge decided a circus was not good for a child, so Mr. Haly could not adopt Dick. Bruce decided to become his guardian and tutor, because Dick was like him when he lost his parents. Bruce revealed his secret, and trained Dick to become the first Robin.

Batman and Robin worked together for a long time. Dick was so quick and agile that he soon become the perfect partner for the Dark Knight. He learned chemistry, criminology and detective abilities from Bruce. His trapeze-artist training gave him an incredible acrobatic ability, sometimes better than Bruce's.

Soon Robin and some other teen super-heroes (Wondergirl, Aqualad, Speedy, and Kid Flash) joined together to form the first version of a super-hero team called the Teen Titans. Robin was the leader of this team, and he was the leader of the second version of the Titans, too (new members: Guardian, Bumblebee, Beast Boy, Aquagirl, Hawk, Dove and Lilith).

The third version of the group, renamed the New Titans, was formed when Dick was 19. Robin was the leader of the group again. He then fell in love with one of the new members of the group: Starfire (a.k.a.: Princess Koriand'r, an alien girl from the planet Tamaran). Other new members of the group were Changeling (the former Beast Boy), Cyborg, Raven, Terra, Jericho and Kole.

Finally Dick decided to stop being Robin. Since he was Titans' leader he was not Batman's partner, so he gave Robin custom to Jason Todd (who become the second Robin). Dick created a new costume and a new hero-identity: NIGHTWING. Nightwing become the leader of the Titans.

One day a Tamaranian space ship arrived at Earth looking for Koriand'r. Starfire, Nightwing and Jericho traveled from the Earth to Tamaran. When they arrived Starfire was forced to marry a southern Tamaranian prince named Karras. Dick returned to the Earth so depressed that Wondergirl become the Titans' leader for a while. Finally Starfire came back to Earth, too, so Dick and Koriand'r reconciled.

Nightwing has no powers. Recently his costume has been changed, and now it has mini-wings that allow Dick to glide in the air for just a moment. It has a utility belt similar to Batman's belt, too. But Nightwing's best abilities are acrobatics and agility. Cyborg says Dick is able to get clues from anywhere, so he is considered a detective as good as Batman.

Recently Dick has aided Tim Drake (the boy Dick had on his legs once) to become the latest new Robin, (Jason Todd, the second Robin, was killed by the Joker).