WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Robins #3 by Tim Seeley, Baldemar Rivas, Romulo Fajardo Jr, and Steve Wands and Nightwing #88 by Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, Adriano Lucas, and Andworld Design
Dick Grayson's place in the legacy of Batman is undeniable. The first (and often heralded as the best) Robin has long championed the heroism his mentor taught him. But he's also expressed doubt in the way Batman sees the world. This doubt has come once again as he just got a very first-hand reminder of this conflict in the most tragic way. Robins #3 proved that being a member of the Bat-Family has been notably rough on the Robins. Nightwing's forced to confront that pain, and at the same time recognize a much better support system in Nightwing #88 is the Teen Titans.
Dick Grayson is usually held up as the ideal result of being Robin. A brave young man who grew up surprisingly well-adjusted and noble, Nightwing is a lynchpin in the DC hero community. He's also treated as the elder brother within the Bat-Family. He only really realized his full potential by expanding his horizons though. This resulted in him becoming first a founding member of the Teen Titans, and then a major leader of the team. There, he developed friendships that still last to the present day. Both of these relationships have been getting highlighted in recent months, with Robins and Nightwing both featuring Grayson interacting with each group.
But it becomes apparent from both which one had been the better emotional outlet for the hero lately. In Robins, Tim Drake, secretly being impersonated by the First Robin, tried to convince the young heroes to allow murderers tied to his personal history to die. Although the Robins save the day, this fractured their fragile bond together. When Dick talked to Bruce about it, he's enraged by Batman's apparent lack of concern for his sidekicks. This prompted Nightwing to yell at him and decide the Robin experiment was always a failure. It's a harsh condemnation, but not an entirely inaccurate one. Batman's distance to others has become increasingly highlighted recently, including the effect it's had on his allies in the process. It's an unhealthy connection when it should be supportive and guiding.
Meanwhile, the Titans were significantly more optimistic and encouraging to Nightwing. After coming to Bludhaven to help protect Grayson from an assassination contract, the Titans quickly united around him. They protected him and gave him the chance to change his outfit, as well as openly support him. Each Titan not only reaffirmed their love for Nightwing but openly respected his recent actions. Together, the Titans were able to stop the event from descending into pure chaos. It's a far cry from Batman's tactic of rarely doling out any kind of affection. Instead, the Titans are open about their appreciation for one another and quickly worked well as a unit as a result. Dick isn't the only Robin to grow from such exposure, with Jason, Tim, Damian, and Steph also all growing when they joined other teams (including the Titans).
Nightwing's recent experiences with his fellow heroes have highlighted just how problematic the Bat-Family's way of contending with drama really is. They don't support each other or come to each other's aid as they should. When Tim seemed to lash out and challenge the other Robins, they either watched in horrified silence or actually attacked him as Jason Todd did. It's another reminder that despite his best intentions, Batman's actions have had some negative effects on his young allies too. It paints the Bat-Family's recent dramas in a more tragic light, especially when compared to more supportive groups such as the Teen Titans can be. Even though all of the Robins have had troubled times with them, it's clearly a lot better than what they've encountered as members of the Bat-Family.