S4E79 - Issue 79 - Dick Grayson

We head to Bludhaven to take on the man of many names, Dick Grayson! Whether he's Robin, Nightwing, or Batman, he's the Bat-family's Jack of all Trades. According to Doc, he's also like Saved by the Bell - listen in to find out why! SHOW NOTES: Intro Shoutout to Connor Carrick podcast - NHL defenseman Connor Carrick does a deep dive into improving mentally, emotionally, and spiritually - not just promoting this because he's a Devils player, it's a compelling listen - https://connorcarrick.podbean.com/ NEW SWAG! Check out our TeePublic store! Background (4:13) Dick Grayson created by Bill Finger and Bob Kane in Detective Comics #38 (April 1940) Dick Grayson is a trapeze artist whose parents were killed by gangsters - Batman helps him seek revenge against the crime boss responsible, and he trains under Batman to become Robin the Boy Wonder Later leads the Teen Titans, a group of sidekicks Post-Crisis, he chafes under the sidekick role, and renames himself Nightwing, starting to operate as a solo hero in Bludhaven, neighboring city to Gotham First operates as Batman after Bruce leaves Gotham after the Knightfall storyline - begins to appreciate what Bruce goes through on a regular basis Reunites with the Titans, although after two teammates die, he disbands the team once again After Battle for the Cowl, he works as Batman, with Damian Wayne as the new Robin New 52 - still Nightwing, just a few years younger than before His identity is revealed to the world by the Crime Syndicate - they believe him dead after attaching him to a machine connected to his heart rate - Lex Luthor stops his heart to free him from the machine before reviving him with a shot of adrenaline Working undercover, he infiltrates the criminal Spyral organization - this storyline is told in the Grayson book by Tim Seeley & Tom King Briefly returns as Robin to help other members of the Bat-Family while Bruce is amnesiac Rebirth - Spyral wiped his identity clean, so he resumes operating as Nightwing, and starts a new Titans team Shot by KGBeast and nearly dies - gives him memory loss, and he stops fighting crime for a spell until he's attacked by the Court of Owls (specifically his grandfather, who is a Talon), and the fight triggers his memory Issues (10:15) Transition from angry teen in the New Teen Titans to a more carefree, relaxed adult in modern comics - is this natural development or just a character retcon? Shared trauma with Bruce led to interesting mentor-mentee relationship (21:42) Mental adaptation as a "Jack of all trades" within the Bat Family (29:00) Break (37:22) Plugs for Grief Burrito & Now You've Seen It, plus Gail Simone Treatment (38:45) In-universe - Doc is the man in the chair Out of universe (44:54) - treatment similar to those of first responders Skit (51:19) Ending (57:41) Recommended reading: Grayson by Seeley/King Next episodes: Laura Kinney (X-23), Superboy Prime, Azrael (Jean-Paul Valley) References: Sidekicks episode - Anthony (05:38) Bane episode - Anthony (07:31) Pulp Fiction - Anthony (08:30) Saved by the Bell - Doc (14:18) Scott Adams - talent stack - Doc (33:00) Apple Podcasts: here Google Play: here Stitcher: here TuneIn: here iHeartRadio: here Spotify: here Twitter Facebook Patreon TeePublic Discord