Whether you loved him as Robin or Nightwing, Dick Grayson has become one of the most beloved and significant DC Comics characters over the years. But according to former DC Comics Co-Publisher Dan Didio, who has stated a dislike for the character in the past, there were plans to kill the former Boy Wonder during the Infinite Crisis series event.
Richard Grayson was adopted by Bruce Wayne after the murder of his parents and adopted the identity of Robin to be Batman's first sidekick. As he grew older, he not only worked alongside many of the world's greatest heroes but also alongside other teenage sidekicks in the Teen Titans. Eventually wanting to escape Batman's shadow and be his own hero, he created the costumed identity called Nightwing which took cues from both Batman and Superman, the two heroes that helped inspire him the most. He took on the responsibility of being the guardian of a crime-ridden city called Bludhaven, both as Nightwing and as a police officer, while still working alongside the Bat-Family and other superhero teams such as the Outsiders when needed. Although his crimefighting career would experience highs and lows, he experienced a serious crisis of conscience after failing to stop the vigilante Tarantula from killing the mob boss Blockbuster.
DiDio spoke with Games Radar, where he discussed his thought process about why Dick Grayson had to die in Infinite Crisis, citing that his death was not a personal choice but one that was story-driven. "By putting him in that role that if he died, he would bring Superman and Batman together again and unite our heroes against the great threat, I think that's a noble death, and I think that's something that had value. Same type of death happened in Crisis on Infinite Earths. You want to have that level of importance."
In the series event by writer Geoff Johns and artist Phil Jimenez (and others), Batman, Wonder Woman, and Superman are dealing with the consequences of their fractured relationships and what fate those actions have caused upon their world (and the multiverse at large). While they deal with the coordinated assault of powerful villains, Batman and Nightwing meet where Dick talks to his former partner about Blockbuster's death and the role he played in it, asking for the Dark Knight's forgiveness. In an unexpected moment of kindness, Batman tells him his forgiveness is not important but that Dick needs to forgive himself. They both momentarily reminisce about the old days before returning to their mission.
His spirits lifted, Nightwing goes to propose to his long-time love interest Barbara Gordon before leaping into battle against the forces at hand. He assists Superboy (Connor Kent) in discovering and attacking mastermind Alexander Luthor's tower, ending his threat to the world as well as the multiverse at the cost of Connor's life. The casualties appear not to end there as Nightwing almost perishes at Luthor's hands, jumping in front of a energy blast meant for Batman.
Didio's comparison of Nightwing's near-death to the death's of Supergirl and The Flash in Crisis on Infinite Earth's shows the level of the high regard the character has among both the creative and fan community. Both of those deaths were notable moments in the character's history, with changes that reverberated for years afterward. Death is a commonly used catalyst in comics, using grief and anger as a rallying force for characters toward a cause, and Nightwing's death would have been quite palpable, even if it didn't remain forever. But the powers at be changed their mind and the sacrificial lamb for Infinite Crisis was Connor Kent, murdered at the hands of his obsessed, now-evil Earth-2 counterpart.
The often-criticized Didio's explanation not only gives us an idea of a different sense of loss for this pivotal DC story-line but also re-confirms that good storytelling trumps personal bias any day of the week. Although he isn't a fan of the character, Didio felt that Nightwing's death would not only unite the heroes but also save them from themselves. "I felt the death of one of the characters that touched them all in a way was going to be the perfect way to do that. Dick Grayson was that character." Nightwing would live and regardless of the costume, team, or identity, he remains one of DC's finest.
Source: Games Radar