Warning: contains spoilers for Batman Vs. Bigby #2
DC's comics first Robin, now Nightwing, is the arguably most famous sidekick in comics. He's evolved a lot since his introduction, but not always for the best. Both Dick and the other Robins have long debated whether their time with Batman was worth it, but in a new series, it seems Dick's time with Batman has turned him into someone that fans would barely recognize as the boy wonder.
The new DC Black Label miniseries Batman vs. Bigby! A Wolf In Gotham from Brian Level and Bill Willingham is a crossover with the popular series Fables. The series follows Batman working on a case of murders in Gotham that appear to be committed by a wolf. The investigation leads him to the sleuth Bigby Wolf, otherwise known as the big bad wolf, who's in Gotham for a reason that's not exactly clear yet. Both Bigby and the apparent villain of the story, Bookworm, seem to be looking for an invaluable book from another world. While this series has a lot of refreshing ideas, the most fascinating is its take on Dick Grayson, who never became Nightwing and instead kept the Robin mantle.
In issue #2 it's shown that not only did Dick remain as Robin, but he's begun an entire facility to train others to become 'Robins' as well. The kids are put through rigorous physical coaching as they move up through the ranks, eventually taking the title of Robin. Batman then uses them for various cases and investigations throughout the city. Dick and Bruce treat these children like militant forces, even using psychological tactics to make them tougher.
In DC's main universe, there have been many stories that imply Bruce turning Dick into Robin essentially made him into a child soldier in his war against crime. This story takes that to a whole new level with Dick, as Robin, training and breeding new children to become crime fighters in Batman's personal army. With him normally questioning his past, this is a completely different take on Dick Grayson. He has little to no empathy and comes off as a monstrous brute who only cares about destroying Gotham's criminal underworld. This version, while unique, is a harsh and scary look at what could have happened to one of DC's brightest heroes.
While his time as Robin may have been some of the best formative years he could have had, it's undoubtedly for the best that Dick went off on his own and became Nightwing.