WARNING: Contains Potential Spoilers for Nightwing #122!
DC has all but confirmed that one thing keeps Batgirl. Barbara Gordon has always been a significant part of Dick Grayson’s life, but she has now officially proven just how essential she is to Dick remaining the hero we know and love today.
Dan Watters and Dexter Soy’s #122 continues to follow Dick Grayson as he fights a three-front war in Blüdhaven, a conflict that spirals further out of control with each issue. Gang wars are breaking out, a newly militarized police force is wreaking havoc, and Nightwing’s latest adversary, Spheric Solutions, is fueling the chaos by arming the police and destabilizing the gangs.
After yet another setback in his efforts to quell the unrest, Dick retreats to the now-abandoned Titans Tower, where he broods in the dark, questioning whether saving a city as corrupt as Blüdhaven is even possible—a moment that feels like it’s been lifted straight from Batman’s playbook.
Nightwing Locks in on Batman’s Trademark Brooding (& It’s Giving Copycat)
Comic Page Comes From Batman: Dark Patterns #1 (2024) – Art by Hayden Sherman
Superficially, Batman and Nightwing seem as different as two heroes can be, with Dick embodying an extroverted, talkative nature in contrast to Bruce’s introverted silence. However, as the saying goes, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree—something that becomes increasingly evident in Nightwing #122. After yet another failed attempt to untangle the chaos orchestrated by Spheric Solutions’ CEO Olivia Pearce, Dick slips into full “Bat-Brooding” mode. Standing alone in the dark and abandoned Titans Tower, he reflects on his and the Titans' efforts in Blüdhaven, even musing, “Maybe this city doesn’t want to be saved.”
Dick’s moment of solitary introspection, sulking in the dark while questioning the savability of Blüdhaven, mirrors many of Bruce’s own brooding sessions as Batman. Bruce often finds himself questioning the viability of his mission to save Gotham, another city resistant to redemption. The scene in Nightwing #122 echoes a recent moment in Dan Watters’ Batman: Dark Patterns #1, where the Dark Knight laments, “...there are heinous things in Gotham that I can do nothing about. I cannot save people from themselves.” Clearly, Nightwing shares Batman’s susceptibility to brood when heroism begins to feel futile.
This similarity shouldn’t come as a surprise, given the many ways Nightwing and Batman are alike. Their shared backgrounds, shaped by tragedy and a deep sense of justice, have significantly influenced their life choices and approach to heroism. Additionally, Bruce raised Dick as both his son and sidekick, making it natural for Nightwing to adopt some of Batman’s habits. After all, Dick and Bruce are the original Bats of the Bat-Family. With it firmly established that Nightwing takes after Batman in many ways—evident in Dick’s brooding sessions and heroic methodology—the real question becomes: What keeps Nightwing from being a Batman clone? A question that Nightwing #122 answers.
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Batgirl Proves She’s the One Thing Preventing Nightwing From Becoming a Batman Clone
Comic Comes From Nightwing #122 (2025) – Art by Dexter Soy
Nightwing standing alone in the dark, sulking as he overlooks the city he swore to protect, is a very Batman-esque scene. However, a key difference between the two heroes' typical brooding sessions soon emerges: Batgirl arrives to literally and metaphorically turn on the light for Nightwing. Without hesitation, she calls him out on his sulking, bluntly saying, “Okay, okay. Enough brooding in the dark, Boy Wonder.” In this moment, the fundamental distinction between Nightwing and Batman becomes clear—Dick has someone steadfast in his life (that he is willing to listen to) to pull him out of his moments of self-pity, while Bruce does not.
If the roles were reversed, with Bruce brooding in the dark, no one would likely step in to provide physical or emotional . With Alfred Pennyworth—Bruce’s unwavering pillar of stability—now gone, Batman is left without the grounding presence that Dick has. This contrast underscores a crucial difference between Batman and Nightwing: the presence of a system. While Batman shoulders the weight of his mission in isolation, Nightwing has others to rely on, including the Titans and, most notably, Barbara Gordon. Batgirl is Dick’s strongest anchor, ensuring he remains balanced and distinguishing him from his mentor by preventing him from slipping into the Dark Knight's lackluster coping mechanisms.
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Barbara Gordon Is One of Dick Grayson’s Greatest Strengths (Seriously)
Comic Comes From Nightwing #122 (2025) – Art by Dexter Soy
To clarify, this article isn’t suggesting that Barbara Gordon and her relationship with Nightwing are the sole factors distinguishing Dick Grayson from Bruce Wayne. However, it does emphasize that Barbara’s presence in Dick’s life is undoubtedly a key element that sets him apart from Batman. It’s also important to acknowledge that Barbara plays a significant role in Batman’s narrative and shares a unique relationship with Bruce. However, what Bruce and Barbara share is fundamentally different from her relationship with Dick, which is deeper and has a more profound impact on Nightwing as an individual.
Although Batgirl and Nightwing’s relationship has experienced its fair share of on-again, off-again moments, Barbara remains one of Dick’s greatest strengths. As demonstrated in Nightwing #122, she redirects his brooding, listens to his concerns, and offers her own perspective while encouraging him not to give up on his mission. Without Barbara, Dick would be more prone to falling into a pessimistic mindset and staying there. Her fortifies him both as a hero and as a person, playing a critical role in preventing Nightwing from becoming a complete Batman clone—especially given Bruce’s tendency to succumb to and dwell in pessimism.
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Batman May Have Catwoman, But Can They Really Rival Nightwing & Batgirl’s Partnership?
Cover B Card Stock Variant by Dan Panosian for Nightwing #123 (2025)
Some might argue that Catwoman serves the same role for Batman that Batgirl does for Nightwing, but the comparison falls short. While Selina Kyle has occasionally ed Bruce and helped him through dark moments, her unreliable nature and conflicting priorities undermine her as a dependable partner. Selina’s morals and goals frequently clash with Bruce’s, leaving their relationship unstable and often at odds. In contrast, Nightwing and Batgirl share a steadfast partnership built on mutual respect, aligned values, and a common mission. Batgirl’s role in Nightwing’s life far sures anything Catwoman offers Batman, especially when it comes to providing a stable foundation in times of need.
Nightwing #122 is available now from DC Comics!
Nightwing
Nightwing is the superhero moniker taken up by Dick Grayson, upon his aging out of the Robin role and becoming a superhero of his own. Inspired by the original Kryptonian hero of the same name, Grayson has risen to comic book immortality with the identity, earning respect as one of the greatest leaders in the DC Universe.
