In Birds of Prey #19 by Chuck Dixon and Butch Guice, Tim Drake is helping Barbara Gordon hook up a simulation room in her headquarters. After testing out a simulation, Oracle is alerted to Nightwing, who’s hanging at her front door with flowers and pizza. The three hang out for a bit, enjoying one another’s company and trading war stories.

However, their night is interrupted by someone else who has arrived at the Clock Tower. Ted Kord, the former Blue Beetle. Nightwing sulks over Barbara’s guest as he is forced to hide in the simulation room to protect his identity.

Nightwing Was Seriously Jealous of Blue Beetle

Dick Didn't Like Ted Getting Too Close to Barbara Gordon

Everyone knows that Nightwing and Batgirl have a long and fairly complicated romantic history. As two of the Dark Knight's earliest sidekicks, Dick and Barbara share a bond that goes back years, but it wasn't until they were grown that they decided to pursue a romantic relationship. Of course, they both had different romantic partners over the years, but they eventually found their way back to one another. Eventually, Nightwing and Oracle settled down and actually began the process of building a life together. While it hasn’t always been perfect for the two heroes, they’ve found happiness together.

ittedly, it's a bit odd seeing Nightwing being jealous of anyone, especially Blue Beetle. Not knocking Ted, but let's face it. Dick Grayson is fit, attractive, and canonically has one of the best backsides in the DC Universe. But this was a younger Nightwing, who hadn't fully committed to Barbara yet. Plus, it must have been sore for him to see her go on a date with someone she had a lot in common with, particularly tech (an arena Nightwing isn't exactly a pro in). Honestly, it’s refreshing to see the ladykiller Nightwing actually on the defensive for once.

Nightwing Had a Lot to Learn to Really Understand Oracle

Even for Dick Grayson, There's Always Room for Growth

Sure, Nightwing is charming and conventionally attractive. But romancing isn't just about showing up with a nice smile. It's about understanding and shared interests, which is why Barbara had a brief romantic interest in Blue Beetle. He was a nice guy who shared Oracle's interests in technology. This moment was a humbling one for Nightwing, but it might have just shown him that he needed to put effort in to win Oracle's heart.

Blue Beetle wasn't a serious threat to Dick and Barbara's relationship, but Ted's fling with Oracle was a solid reminder that Barbara was worth more than just pizza and flowers. Thankfully, Nightwing grew as a person and really put in the work toward romancing Barbara. While Nightwing does indeed have a lot going for him, he had a lot to learn from his jealousy of the Justice League's Blue Beetle.

Nightwing

Created By

Edmond Hamilton, Curt Swan, Marv Wolfman, George Perez

Alias

Dick Grayson

Alliance

Teen Titans, Titans, Outsiders, Justice League, Batman Inc., Birds of Prey, Young Justice

Race

Human

Franchise

D.C.