Make your way around the Internet and youll see that fans have been shouting for Nightwing to show up on Arrow. Hes so popular that actor Steven R. McQueen was briefly rumored to make an appearance as Dick Grayson, although it was later revealed that McQueen had simply campaigned to the producers of Arrow play the character. If youre going pick a non-powered hero outside of Batman to appear, Nightwing is your best bet, and hes a great example of a sidekick who became a hero in his own right. Like Bruce Wayne, Dick lost his parents at a young age, but was fortunate to be taken in by Bruce. Discovering Bruce was Batman, Dick joined the fight against evil as Robin the Boy Wonder. After several years as Batmans sidekick, Dick went on a journey of self-discovery and decided to take the next step forward in his life by adopting a new identity. Becoming Nightwing, Dick has continued to operate in Gotham City as well as cities like Chicago and Blüdhaven. He may not have all the wealth and resources Bruce has, but that doesnt make him any less effective of a crime fighter. Its unclear whether Arrow will connect with Foxs upcoming Batman prequel TV series Gotham, but if it is, Nightwing could be the connective tissue between the two shows. However, if they decide to introduce Nightwing as a separate entity, it would be wise for Arrow to tone the Batman references down. Although hes still a member of the Bat-Family, Dick is fortunate enough to have his own adventures and allies and not always be restricted by what happens in Batmans world. It should be established that Dick has been a vigilante longer than Oliver has, but dont be too transparent with the Batman and Robin references. Have Dick tell Oliver that he used to work in Gotham City with a man who has his own particular niche for fighting crime. If Oliver presses Dick for more information about his mentor, he should respond with something like, he doesnt like people revealing too much about him. Hes a very secretive person. Even if some viewers arent comic book fans, once they hear Dicks name and see his costume, theyll draw the right conclusions. Were also fortunate that Blüdhaven has already appeared on the show, so that should be where Dick operates and where the Nightwing/Arrow team-up should take place.
Adam Holmes is a writer who loves a good story whether it's fact or fiction. When he's not day-dreaming about time travel, he's usually immersing himself in all things film, television and comic books. He hopes to one day break into the entertainment journalism industry. Yes, he is aware of his resemblance to Clark Kent and McLovin. Keep up on the latest geek news by following his articles at Unleash The Fanboy: http://www.unleashthefanboy.com/author/adam-holmes
