The Batman character has existed in comic lore ever since Bob Kane first painted the Caped Crusader into inked infamy in May of 1939. By proxy, the Bat and his family have been a staple of comic book culture for the past 81 years. Specifically, Batman's first sidekick— Dick Grayson, aka the first Robin— has existed since 1940.

Related: Batman: 10 Major Changes To The Bat-Family Since Rebirth

When a superhero family so rich in history has existed for more than eight decades, writers go out of their way to freshen up the characters every so many odd years. Freshening up may entail having Batman use a gun, or rebranding Dick Grayson as a new hero named Nightwing. Sometimes, a fresh change may be as drastic as Dick Grayson developing a whole new name and personality, named Ric Grayson.

10 Dick Became Ric After A Head Wound Gave Him Amnesia

KGBeast Nightwing holding hostage

As far as why Dick Grayson became Ric Grayson, it's easy to assume that the writers simply ran out of ideas for the former sidekick. Whether that's actually true or not, in more canonical terms, it's because he took a bullet to the head from the KGBeast in Batman #55 back in 2018.

What would have fatally killed most men turned out to be only a flesh wound for Blüdhaven's favorite hero. However, this flesh wound provided a wound in his brain that gave Dick Grayson amnesia.

9 He Chooses A Different Variation Of His Full Name (Richard) In Order To Reinvent Himself

Nightwing Ric Grayson therapy

Characters getting amnesia and becoming someone else is a common enough trope. That still does not explain why Dick decides to settle on the name Ric. Sure, his name technically was always Richard, but it doesn't explain why he opts to start calling himself Ric despite reminders of his past from a a Bat family he struggled to remember.

Related: Batman: 5 Best Versions Of Robin (& The 5 Worst)

Grayson decides that he's too far removed from who he used to be to let people call him Dick anymore. Beyond just losing his memory, he suddenly develops a fear of heights that prevents him from conducting his usual Nightwing duties.

8 He Quit Being Nightwing After He Suddenly Developed A Fear Of Heights

Nightwing Ric Grayson therapy 1

So, about that whole "too far removed from who he used to be" thing— this is also the reason why Ric Grayson stopped being Nightwing, or being a superhero altogether.

Obviously, being a superhero becomes all the harder when the hero in question is suddenly afraid of leaping the tall buildings he used to glide across, but for Ric, he didn't think he had the juice to commit to anymore Nightwing. So, in returning to Blüdhaven, he settled on becoming a taxi driver.

7 His Personality Drastically Changed And He Developed Various Addictions

Both the physical and mental trauma from getting shot set the re-christened Ric Grayson completely spiraling down a downward path far removed from the gentler, charismatic, and happy-go-lucky charm accustomed to his classic days as both Robin and Nightwing.

As Ric, he was far more aggressive with a hard-boiled edge akin to a gritty, noir-ish detective story. Like a classic detective, Ric acquired a drinking problem and an even bigger anger problem. Now detached from his Nightwing persona and, of course, with his new fear of heights, he developed a new high: Gambling.

6 He Can No Longer Resist The Urge To Fight Crime And Becomes A New Version Of Nightwing

Ric Grayson

His attempts to leave his life as a superhero proved to be for naught. While roaming the streets of Blüdhaven, Ric couldn't help but step in whenever he saw crimes in front of him, be it ranging from a petty street crime to a bonafide fear toxin plot from Scarecrow. He kept feeling that familiar pull to get involved, perhaps as a knee-jerk reaction to what little he remembered from his Nightwing days.

Related: Batman: 10 Times Members Of The Bat Family Retired

So, naturally, he tries to be Nightwing again. Which, with a harder-edged personality and without his Bat gadgets, was easier said than done, especially while refusing the Bat family's urging for him to return to Gotham to conduct his rehab.

5 Both The Court Of Owls And The Joker Try To Take Advantage Of His Memory Loss

Nightwing in the Court of Owls

Here's when the amnesia storyline gets a little trickier and much more complicated. The Court of Owls gets wrapped into Grayson's life in the hope that he could one day join them as a Talon. In fact, they helped prolong his amnesia and clear his head so that he'd have a clear slate more likely to join them.

To help spice things up, a secret member of the Court of Owls, Doctor Haas, encapsulates everything the former detective had forgotten into a memory crystal. Naturally, the Joker steals this crystal and tries to manipulate Ric into joining him by making him think—or, rather, "remember"— that the Joker was the man who adopted Grayson when his parents died.

4 A Fight With William Cobb Starts To Reawaken His Memories

Nightwing Ric Grayson memories

In trying to recruit Grayson into their cult, The Court of Owls revives his great grandfather William Cobb to commit a bit of violent persuasion upon Grayson. Nightwing #68 sees the two square off and solely on the back of muscle memory, all of Ric's memories as Dick flood back into his head and help him defeat Cobb.

The eureka moment was almost completely redone a few issues later when the Joker altered his memory, but thankfully, he's able to come to before Joker convinces him to kill Jason Todd and the rest of the Bat family.

3 Joker And Punchline Prolong The Life Of "Ric" For A Bit Longer Before He's Finally Cured

Joker War Nightwing feature

His war with Batman had finally reached a crescendo that demanded one last battle, or rather, an all-out war. Needing a true soldier, the Joker traveled to Blüdhaven where he not only slaughtered the Nightwing police force one by one, he used the memory crystal to convince Ric to work on his behalf.

This saw Ric unwittingly work with the Joker and his new sidekick, Punchline. This saw Ric get in bonafide fights with Jason Todd where he nearly put a bullet through the Red Hood's head. However, with the Bat family in the mix now, this forced Ric's mind to try and balance three sets of memories at once. It mentally broke him down until he finally reverted back to Dick Grayson and became the Dick fans all know and love.

2 After Forgetting His Relationship With Barbara Gordon, He Finds A New Love Named Bea

nightwing with his arms around bea

Unfortunately, in losing his memories, his relationship with Barbara Gordon suffers irreparable damage. Ric doesn't remember anything about Barbara— or even her run as Batgirl— so his feelings for her are gone. He had no drive to rekindle a relationship he couldn't remember.

Related: DC Comics: 10 Best Dick Grayson's Love Interests, Ranked

During his alcoholic binge in Blüdhaven, he forms a close bond with bartender Beatrice "Bea" Bennett. Readers don't know too much about her yet outside of her connection with Grayson, but they do start dating and she eventually gets wrapped into his superhero life.

1 The Ric Grayson Arc Wasn't Well-Received, Which DC Poked Fun At Later

Nightwing-71-Joker-Header

Fans have never been quiet about their disdain for Dick Grayson's run as Ric Grayson and giving him an amnesia angle only highlighted previous qualms had about the company's treatment of the character in more recent years. The criticisms grew loud enough that not even DC couldn't ignore it.

Or, at the very least, Nightwing #71 writer Dan Jurgens certainly couldn't. As recollected by Fortress of Solitude, the issue features a series of panels where The Joker asks for Nightwing's name, he answers "Ric," and the Clown Prince of Crime answers, "Yuck. No one likes that name." It's clearly a wink and a nudge to Ric Grayson detractors around the globe.

Next: DC Best Alternate Versions Of Dick Grayson