So, with a list of allies as far as the eye can see, who qualifies as my favorite Batman sidekick? My choice wasn't incredibly difficult, as this guy has long proved his stripes as one of Batman's closest friends and confidantes.
Dick Grayson debuted in April of 1940, not quite a whole year removed from the initial creation of Batman himself. With Batman being perceived as too dark and not kid friendly enough, the decision was made to create the first sidekick, which has since been copied and done to death, not necessarily to all bad results. Dick Grayson, the world's first Robin, proved to soften up Batman and allowed the Dark Knight to mentor an eventual heir to the mantle whether they both knew that at the time or not.
With his life also marred by the tragedy of his parent's death, Grayson took it a lot better than Wayne did, causing a distinct difference in attitude between the two. Sure, he realizes that tragedy exists in his life, but he decides to use it as a source of good and change, whereas Wayne does it more as a source of therapy and personal satisfaction. Grayson is also more jovial and humorous than his older counterpart, bantering with various villains as he beats them. But this doesn't mean he takes things or situations lightly. Being trained personally by the Batman creates an uncrushable level of discipline.
Eventually, he outgrew the mantle of Robin and became Nightwing. He continued to fight crime and was still a firm and loyal member of the Bat family. A lot can be said about these years, but Grayson mostly kept it on the down low in Blüdhaven. With the apparent death of Batman, Grayson was the only choice to replace the Caped Crusader. Although he kept his innate character traits, being Batman gave Grayson a better understanding of what his mentor Bruce went through. Also, he had to contend with temporarily raising Damian Wayne, which is by no means an easy task.
When Wayne returned, Grayson retook his post as Nightwing. Out of all the supporting characters in Batman's world, Dick Grayson has definitely been one of the most interesting characters as far as evolution and change. Granted, he's had over 70 years to do so. But the fact remains that one of the purest and true heroes may not even be the Dark Knight himself. Maybe it's the guy who survives and learns from the Batman himself.
Tomorrow: Least Favorite Batman Side Kick?
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