Nightwing is best known as a founder and leader of the Teen Titans, but Batman’s former protégé has actually led the Justice League in multiple lineups, even managing to save the world on more than one occasion. Dick Grayson has always been one of the DC Universe’s most beloved heroes, both in-continuity and among readers. Grayson is a born hero and a natural leader, making him the logical choice when it comes to heading up a team of the world’s premier superheroes.
Dick has led the League in multiple iterations, first when the Justice League was seemingly killed during the “Obsidian Age” storyline and again years later after the team reorganized following James Robinson and Mauro Cascioli’s Justice League: Cry for Justice. In both versions, Dick quickly assumed command of the team. And while his time with the League is frequently forgotten, both of his teams impacted the DC Universe in more than a few ways.
Nightwing first joins the League in JLA # 69 by Joe Kelly and Yvel Guichet after the mainstays of titular team are trapped in ancient Atlantis and seemingly killed. As a part of Batman’s notorious contingency plans, the JLA Watchtower contacts a variety of heroes including Green Arrow, Etrigan the Demon, and Hawkgirl to act as the new JLA in their stead with Nightwing at the helm. And when introducing the new League to their field commander via recorded message, Batman says, “He is the best. The only one I could have picked to lead you.” Not only did Grayson’s JLA serve admirably in their predecessors’ stead, but they were vital in restoring the original team back to the present. But that wouldn’t be the only time Dick would lead the Justice League. Years later, after Justice League: Cry for Justice shatters DC’s greatest heroes, Dick Grayson and Donna Troy bring them together again in a new iteration of the team. Now operating as Batman in Bruce’s absence, Dick leads this new team against threats like Thanagar, the Crime Syndicate, and even the evil Eclipso. This iteration quietly disbanded before The New 52 but without them, the DC Universe wouldn’t have survived.
Growing up as both Batman’s partner and a mainstay of the Teen Titans, Dick Grayson is the ideal choice to lead any team of heroes, and both of the Justice League lineups prove he has what it takes. Not only was he able to work well with more experienced heroes like Green Arrow or the Atom, but he was able to collaborate with younger heroes like Supergirl and Firestorm, all while helping unify the team as a whole in two separate incarnations. Dick’s role as JLA leader was the ultimate fulfillment of Bruce’s essential wish for his prodigal son: to be a better Batman, even while using the Nightwing identity.
In recent years, especially during his time as Ric Grayson, Nightwing has frequently been relegated to being the second-tier Batman of the DC Universe when both fans and the Dark Knight himself know his adopted son is capable of so much more. With the latest season of HBO Max’s Titans appearing to embrace the idea of Dick surpassing Bruce, it makes total sense for the DC Universe to start reinvigorating the man formerly known as Robin as the A-list character he really is – something that Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s ongoing Nightwing run seems to be doing in-continuity.
Infinite Frontier has brought back more than a few fan-favorite moments to the DC Comics canon, so it’s not impossible for Dick’s time with the League to have been restored. Whether or not the JLA remembers, they would’ve failed a dozen times over without Grayson in charge, and the world would’ve been lost. Without a doubt, Nightwing is one of the best leaders the Justice League ever had, even if they don’t know it.