Related
Warning : Spoilers for World ’s Finest : Teen Titans # 6 !
Summary
As they swan themselves at the front blood line of the DC Universe , Nightwingand the Titans have officially surpassedBatmanand his Justice League . For the past year , DC has continued to promote the Titans as their new top team of their macrocosm , with Nightwing being the face of a Modern geological era in DC Comics . This only makes sense , as Nightwing has always had a more natural leading trend than the notoriously taciturn Batman .
As that transition between teams have place , Batman spendsWorld ’s Finest : Teen Titans#6 by Mark Waid , Mike Norton , and Emanuela Lupacchino elevating and validating Dick Grayson fordoing the one thing that Bruce ca n’t : lead a team successfully . As Batman read himself , " You led a squad . I do n’t know that I could do that . " Batman tells Dick this during his day as Robin , but the point still stands .
In fact , the point becomes especially marked considering that Batman give Dick his props while he ’s still Robin , a time during which Dick is painfully survive in the shadow of his mentor — evenwhile leading the Teen Titans . This moment can be contextualized as vital in Robin ’s heroic procession , specially as Dick ease out of Batman ’s shadower . This one moment pave the manner for the student to surpass the schoolmaster as the face of the DC Universe .
Batman Incorporated was once one of the farthest - reaching share of Batman ’s lore , but after a immense failure , the squad has been all disbanded .
Nightwing Led a Team Where Batman Couldn’t
This series chronicles thehumble outset of the Teen Titanswithin the existence of theBatman / Superman : World ’s Finestseries by Waid and Dan Mora . From the beginning ofWorld ’s Finest : Teen Titnas , the squad ’s alchemy was n’t the yet the most cohesive , with their biggest item of contention being Robin ’s disinclination to share his orphic identity . Everyone else on the team have it away who each other was under the masquerade , but due to the vow he made to Batman at the start of his superhero life history , Dick refused . become into this issue , the Titans were facing their toughest challenge yet and need to be on the same page — which led to Robin get a major decision .
The Teen Titans finally become a cohesive whole after Robin decides to uncloak in front of his mate , reach the room access for the achiever of their missionary post even as Dick jazz Batman would never gibe with his choice . of course , Dick after feels compel to tell Bruce that he broke their sanctified vow . Dick expects to be burn from his duty , but or else , Batman just ground him for a month . After apply his penalization , Bruce leave room for parole of encouragement , telling this young variant of Robin thathis leadership acquirement are something that even Batman envies .
The Batman Approach to Leadership Doesn’t Work for Nightwing
This for sure checks out , specially from a historic position . Batman has led several team in the past , include Justice League International , the Outsiders , Batman Incorporated , and others , but none of them are active in the current loop of the DC Universe . Even in the prescribed Justice League , he ’s always been a conscientious objector - leader and rarely — if ever — the only leader . Even if he were the loss leader of the Justice League , the team is still on a fracture after the events ofDark Crisis . The Titans are still animated and kick largely thanks to Dick ’s leadershipas both Robin and Nightwing , and under that same leadership , Nightwing has bring the Titans into prominence at the forefront of the DC Universe .
Batman run to take more of a"tough love " glide path to his leadershipthat does n’t always understand into camaraderie . Batman is the kind of leader to punchhis teammates in the face and then be surprised when their chemistry does n’t improve from there . Even in the Bat - Family , ruffianly love has never helped affair for his in - team relationships . For good example , when Bruce Wayne was framed for execution during the " Bruce Wayne : Murderer / Fugitive " discharge , Batman not only leave his family in the dark and pass up to clarify things to his brother , but he was quick to toss his Bruce Wayne identity altogether in favor of always being Batman without any input from his family members .
Batman’s Leadership Style Has Rarely Worked for His Teams
Batman has always been something of a one - man army throughout his superhero vocation . While he does bring well with a select few hero , he is naturally more of a solo hero than a team loss leader . Thus , that approach never quite translate whenever he has to conjoin up with a team — or more significantly , whenever he has to lead a team . Even as a supporting player , Batman always has his own solo agenda , such as during the iconic Justice League storyTower of Babelarc — mostly by Waid and Howard Porter — wherein he feels compelled to produce contingency plans for his teammates in the Justice League .
Dick Grayson , meanwhile , has always treated his Titans teammates as equals , specially after realizing how well that formula work . The start ofWorld ’s fine : Teen Titansshowcased Robin trying to take his squad with the kind of approaching Batman would take : leaving his mate in the night and being excessively harsh . His approaching only worsen their adherence and lead to frequent in - fighting between him and other members . It is n’t until he decides to start doing his own thing and to do what he thinks is skilful to boost squad esprit de corps that their chemical science start to meliorate . Dick cover to take this approaching with the Titans in current continuity , and that ’s whytheTitans have more of a family dynamicthan the Justice League ever could .
Nightwing Has Officially Stepped Out of Batman’s Shadow
As any son who adore his Father-God would do , Dick Grayson grew up wanting to emulate Batman when he first started being Robin . This series shows how allowing himself to be swallowed by Batman ’s phantasma just does n’t exercise for Dick . He was trying to be Batman rather than himself without understanding the fundamental principle of the Batman role , specially as a leader . Historically , Dick start take out himself out of Batman ’s shadower when he was fired from Robin inBatman#408 by Max Allan Collins , Chris Warner , Mike DeCarlo , Adrienne Roy , and Todd Klein , making Dick ’s fear of being sack inWorld ’s Finest : Teen Titansa bit of prefiguration . After being fired from his original office at Batman ’s side , Dick dove deeper intoworking with the Titansand , in turn , finally takes on the role of Nightwing .
In the same path that he has helped the Titans become a more cohesive team , the Titans have sharpened Dick , get out the good in himself . Despite idolizing his father , Dick Grayson grew up seeing the big sides of Batman , and it inspired him to bring more compassionateness and sensibility into his persona not just as an single hero , but as a leader . These experience helpedNightwingbecome the loss leader thatBatmancould never be , and if he never became that leader , the Titans would n’t be leading the DC Universe right now in the Justice League ’s spot ..
WORLD ‘S FINEST : TEEN TITANS # 6 ( 2023 )
World ’s Finest : Teen Titans#6is available now from DC Comics .
