One of my favorite comic book characters is Dick Grayson. I have watched him grow-up. Yes, the character is 78 years old but when I was a kid he started growing up. He graduated from high school and went to college. He was in several relationships, the two most popular with Barbara Gordon (Batgirl/Oracle) and Starfire. I felt as if we grew up together. In the comics Nightwing has made many mistakes but watching how he overcame and moved forward taught me to do the same.

Losing Badly

“…But making your mark isn’t always about winning, sometimes it’s about losing…Losing Badly…And getting right back up again!” - Nightwing *

Richard John (Dick) Grayson is best known for being the “first” Robin, the Boy Wonder and his partnership with Batman. His family was part of the Haley Circus as the Flying Graysons. But his family was killed and Dick was adopted by Bruce Wayne, Batman. Eventually Dick needed to let go of being Robin and grow up. He took up the name Nightwing. As Robin or Nightwing Dick has been part of all the major Superhero Teams – Teen Titans, Titans, Justice League and The Outsiders. Dick left Gotham and made his home in Blüdhaven (Gotham’s sister city). Nightwing’s greatest failure was when the Secret Society of Super Villains drops the chemical and nuclear based monster, Chemo, on the city. Causing a horrible explosion that killed 100,068 people and the city was destroyed. Nightwing was safe elsewhere but his home and friends were lost. Even though this loss pained him greatly, Nightwing let it strengthen his resolve.

Sometimes we fail – for whatever reason we fail. We practice peace and tolerance but behind the wheel we scream at our fellow drivers. We are on a no carb diet and we eat a slice of pizza. The movie night promised to the kids gets pushed back because of work. We make mistakes. We hurt people. We are human. Forgive ourselves and move forward. Get up brush off and change. Make the appropriate apologies. Make the appropriate amends. Don’t let the mistake stop the growth. Just keep going. Yes some mistakes are large and hurtful and guilt filled but even those have appropriate apologies and amends to make. The number one thing to do is to forgive. Forgive ourselves first. Mistakes are just landmarks on our journey we can use them to help other people.

Nightwing
First Appearance: As Robin, Detective Comics #38, 1940 DC Comics

First Appearance: As Nightwing, Tales of the Teen Titans #44, July 1984

Creators: (Robin) Bob Kane (plot), Bill Finger (script), and Jerry Robinson (art).

Creators: (Nightwing) Marv Wolfman (story) and George Perez (art)

*”CHEMWOW!” DC Universe Online Headline, SOE, DCUO 2011, Voice Joey Hood