Dick Grayson's harrowing transformation from Robin to Nightwing gets an early anniversary treatment

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It’s the end of an era for DC in June 2024, with the final full month of the 'Dawn of DC' — and also the end of the 'House of Brainiac' crossover in the Superman titles, and maybe the end of Batman’s inner conflict, as well. (Nah, that’ll never happen.) What’s behind all of this? Well, just the oncoming event that is Absolute Power, in which Amanda Waller puts her master plan into action and tries to save the DC Universe from… itself…? As if that weren’t enough, and one iconic Superman villain is getting a bit of a historical makeover. It’s not all endings, however — one fan-favorite beginning is getting the deluxe treatment, as well.

Dick Grayson was once the world’s most famous sidekick, but that all changed when he struck out on his own and became Nightwing. Suddenly, he had become one of comic history’s biggest success stories, the rare sidekick that managed to escape his mentor’s shadow. The modern-day classic 2005 storyline 'Nightwing: Year One' told how that journey shaped Grayson as Nightwing as well as how Jason Todd became his successor as Robin in a way that left readers rooting for both young heroes - and now its getting a massive reprint for its 20th anniversary.

Nightwing: Year One is getting its 20th anniversary treatment a touch early – the original comic came out in January 2005 – when it hits shelves in August this year. Like so much comic book lore, the story of how Grayson cast aside the title of Robin and became Nightwing isn’t a new one, but Year One updated the story for modern readers and gave new insight into how characters like Superman, Alfred, and Batgirl all fit into the tale. Dick Grayson had been Nightwing for decades before the events of Nightwing: Year One, but this collection almost immediately became the established story of how he made that transition.

The new 20th anniversary edition of Nightwing: Year One also includes a couple of behind-the-scenes extras that make it worth picking up even if you know the story already. These include a brand-new introduction by writer Scott Beatty, plus the outline and notes and the full script for Nightwing #104. The updated version also has a new cover by penciller Scott McDaniel to give it that fresh-off-the-shelf feel.

Nightwing: Year One 20th Anniversary Deluxe Edition hits shelves on August 6, 2024.

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