The hero, Batman, has trained a lot of young heroes over the years. Dick Grayson was the first person to join the Bat-Family in DC Comics. He has proven himself to be an amazing hero, sometimes a better hero than the mentor that trained him.
Dick established Robin as a mainstay in the DC Universe. He helped form the Teen Titans, giving him a chance to be a good influence on other young heroes. Once he reached adulthood, he decided to strike out on his own. He would eventually move on from being Robin and rename himself Nightwing. Before he was a hero, he was just an ordinary person.
10 The Origin Of The Character
Robin was created by Bill Finger, Bob Kane, and Jerry Robinson. His introduction was meant to bring in new readers to Detective Comics. His young age was meant to draw in younger readers.
The character's creators drew inspiration from Robin Hood. His name came from the legendary hero, while his design drew inspiration from N.C. Wyeth's illustrations of the character. The colors of his costume were inspired by the colors of a robin.
9 Dick Grayson Started As A Young Child
Dick Grayson was first introduced in Detective Comics Volume 1 #38. When he first premiered in that 1940's comic, his age was unclear. Over the years, his age has been set at some time between eight to ten years when he initially became Robin.
His age has fluctuated over the years from eight all the way up to sixteen. DC Rebirth has stated that he was 8-years-old when he began his life as a hero. This means that he was only 8 when he lost his parents.
8 Mary Grayson Helped Inspire His Name
While the creators drew inspiration from Robin Hood when naming the character, the in-comic story goes a little differently. Dick Grayson adopted the name in honor of his mother, Mary Grayson.
Mary seemed to enjoy watching birds fly. She seemed to have a fondness for robins. Some versions of the character gave her young son the nickname, Robin. She is said to have been reminded of Robin when watching her son perform acrobatics. The name gave him a way to connect with his deceased mother.
7 Dick Was An Only Child
Dick Grayson is sometimes depicted as having siblings or an extended family. He is only rarely seen with the larger family though. Most of the time, he is an only child being raised by his parents. John and Mary Grayson are depicted as circus stars.
John and Mary work for Haly's Circus. Dick developed a close relationship with the rest of the Haly's performers. The circus becomes an extended family, and Dick remains in contact with the circus after the deaths of his parents. After the death of Haly in the New 52, Dick inherits the circus.
6 His Skills Went Beyond The Average Acrobat
Dick Grayson was raised as a member of the Flying Graysons. His parents were gifted trapeze artists. They raised him to follow in their footsteps. At a young age, he managed to master incredibly complex moves that made his style incredibly unique.
People familiar with Dick Grayson's style were sometimes able to deduce he became Robin. Mr. Haly recognized Robin's style. Tim Drake would also figure out Robin's secret identity after seeing Robin perform a fairly unique flip in New Titans Volume 1 #60.
5 Dick Struggles With Survivor's Guilt
Tony Zucco was just another mobster in Gotham City. He offered Mr. Haly protection in exchange for cash. Haly refused to make a deal with Zucco. Dick Grayson would later overhear Zucco threatening the circus. He didn't say or do anything when he heard the threat.
After the deaths of his parents, he quickly realized Zucco's involvement. Dick began to wrestle with survivor's guilt. He began to feel that his parents would still be alive if he had told someone what he'd heard. This guilt is a component in most versions of the character and plays a role in his decision to become a hero.
4 Dick Spent Some Time In Juvie
In the original version, Batman took in Dick Grayson almost immediately after the loss. This action has made some fans complain that Batman, or Bruce Wayne, basically kidnapped the recently orphaned boy. The Millerverse version of the character devolved into villainy after an encounter with the crazed Batman who took him in.
The story has been updated over the years, placing Dick in an orphanage or a youth center before his adoption. The youth center was something like a Juvenile Detention Center.
3 He Wasn't Adopted Right Away
Dick suffered greatly from the sudden loss of both his parents. It was a loss that Bruce could relate to. Dick didn't originally want to be adopted by Bruce. Bruce was willing to comply and instead became Dick's guardian.
Instead of being Bruce's son, Dick was his ward. Over time, their relationship would change. Dick began to think of Bruce as a father figure. In Batman: Gotham Knights, Dick finally agrees to be adopted by the man who had long ago become his father.
2 His Early Efforts Lead To A Near-Death Experience
Batman: Dark Victory goes into detail about Dick Grayson's initial fight against Zucco. When Dick first went to live in Wayne Manor, he spent long hours all alone. He was left to plot his revenge on Zucco. He had no idea that his new guardian was trying to capture his parents' killer. Dick began to pursue the idea of bringing Zucco to justice himself.
He managed to track down Zucco and his men. While it initially looked like he was getting the upper hand, he was eventually captured by a criminal named Eddie Skeevers. If Batman hadn't intervened, Dick would have probably died.
1 Haly Was Training Him For Something Evil
The New 52 put a darker twist on Dick's origin story. Nightwing Volume 3 delves into Dick's past. He is brought back to Haly's Circus and begins spending time with people from his past. He learns that the Court of Owls had a foothold in his past.
Haly's Circus had been recruited by the Court of Owls to train the next Talon. They had decided to recruit Dick Grayson, but the death of his parents changed their plans. The court would continue to try and control him, but he always chose to be the hero.