DC Comics Kills Off Batman’s Sidekick ‘Robin’ And Gives Him Solo Spy Series ‘Grayson!’
Dick Grayson, the first and original boy wonder, leaves his Robin costume behind and trades it for a 007 secret agent suit. This July, DC Comics is giving Batman's former sidekick his own superspy series, Grayson.
USA Today got the inside scoop on the new spy/adventure series from DC Comics. Known for his horror comics, Hack/Slash, and Revival, writer Tim Seeley joins Tom King, an ex-CIA counterterrorism operations officer, and artist Mikel Janin as they embark on Grayson's newest adventure, without the Bat-family by his side.
After growing up, Dick Grayson handed over his Robin costume and became his own hero, Nightwing. Now, the Nightwing series ends with the final issue in May. Currently in the DC Universe, following after the events in Forever Evil, Nightwing was captured, tortured, and murdered by the Crime Syndicate of Earth 3. Though everyone else thinks he is dead, including Batgirl and Alfred, Batman has to keep secret that his former sidekick is really alive.
While the rest of the world thinks he's dead, Grayson will eventually join the superspy agency, Spyral. Seeley explains Grayson's mindset, "Obviously, he's a part of a legacy. He's been Robin. He's been Batman. And now, he's out in the cold by himself."
Most notably, there will be a wardrobe change. In Janin's character design, Grayson gets rid of the tights and mask. His spy suit harkens back to the Nightwing blue and black color scheme. Instead of an "R," which symbolized Robin, he will have a "G" icon on his chest.
Grayson will be much in tone with the hit FX TV show. King states, "It's DC's The Americans. This is something where, at the end of it, you have to go and talk about it."
Check out the trailer to The Americans to understand King's statement:
Nightwing #30, the final issue, hits stands on May 28th. Grayson #1 will be released on July 2nd, just in time for Independence Day.