Is Nightwing Gay, Bisex, or Straight?

Dick Grayson is one of the longest-tenured characters in DC Comics. He was introduced decades ago as Robin, Batman’s ultimate sidekick, but later grew into his own when he became the superhero Nightwing. With a huge influx of LGBTQ representation in comics, fans wonder – is Nightwing gay, bisexual, or straight in the comics?

Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, was never anything but heterosexual in the comics. He’s had several relationships and affairs over the years, and all of them were with female characters. He eventually married Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl. However, in the video game, Gotham Knights, he appears to be bisexual.

It was never explicitly stated, but a message in the game between Dick Grayson and Barbara Gordon would suggest that Nightwing is bisexual, as opposed to the comic book version that’s straight. That being said, other versions of Robin – such as Tim Drake – are bisexual, so let’s dig into Nightwing’s history in comics and other media.

Is Nightwing gay, straight, or bisexual in the comics?

I’m a huge fan of newer comics finally giving the proper representation for various communities in the form of character diversity. Let’s be honest, the comics were quite white-washed and all-straight in the past, and that’s just not a realistic picture of society in general. 

That’s why fans rejoice when we see more LGBTQ characters, as well as racial, ethnic, and even religious diversity. However, changing the narrative on some characters that have been around for decades just doesn’t make sense, and that is the case with Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, as well.

Canonically, Nightwing has never been queer in the comics. It was never even implied-  even as Robin, Dick Grayson was always portrayed as a straight. His tight leggings and colorful costume surely garnered some jokes about his queerness, but it was never the case.

There’s another version of Robin called Tim Drake, that often struggled with his identity in the comics. He was, indeed, confirmed to be at least bisexual, if not gay, in the ‘Batman: Urban Legends’ storyline. In one issue, a boy asks Tim out on a date. He accepts, and the two go out for a nice dinner.

Grayson and Drake were Robins in the past, so it’s easy to see why people get confused about Dick. Sorry, I just HAD to use that pun.

In reality, as I’ve already said, Nightwing was always straight. He’s had several relationships and affairs in the comics, and all of them were with women. In fact, he was a part of one of the biggest, most intriguing love triangles in DC Comics’ history.

You see, Nightwing’s biggest love interest was always Barbara Gordon, aka Batgirl. However, the two have a tumultuous relationship that was always riddled with arguments, breakups, betrayals, and mistrust.

That is because Dick has had another big love interest in Starfire, aka Koriand’r. Dick and Kori’s relationship was strong from the start, and it actually caused quite an outrage for some fans. Some rejoiced and found the pairing to be perfect, while others protested and wanted Dick to go back to Barbara.

I was one of those who rooted for Barb all the way, and luckily, it eventually came to fruition. Despite their wild relationship and the crazy love triangle they found themselves in, the two rekindled their flames of love and actually tied the knot.

There’s really no need to dive into this further. The bottom line is Nightwing is straight in the comics and has never shown any interest in men whatsoever, despite what some fans would like to see happen. However, the situation might be different in other media and different versions of Dick Grayson.

Is Nightwing gay, straight, or bisexual in Gotham Knights?

So, in the comics, Nightwing is clearly heterosexual. But that doesn’t mean it couldn’t change in the future. It seems like it has already changed in the highly popular video game ‘Gotham Knights.’

At one point in the game, we get a message sent to Barbara Gordon from Dick Grayson that states the following:

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree, it seems. Dick Grayson, much like the recently departed Bruce Wayne, is an irrepressible flirt. The tabloids are flush with mentions of his exploits and the gorgeous company that he keeps. 

I asked Dick if he had a specific type, and he leaned close then, his voice lowered to an intimate purr, his gaze for me and no one else. ‘People are gorgeous. All of them. Why restrict myself to an archetype when this world is full of beauty? Gorgeous, gorgeous people everywhere. Including the ranks of Gotham’s Elite.”

Now, that doesn’t really confirm anything, as no genders are actually mentioned. But, if you interpret ‘all people’ as both men and women – which you should – then it’s clear that Dick Grayson is bisexual in Gotham Knights. The message actually came from an interview with Dick Grayson that was sent to Barb, but you get the gist.

So, Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, aka former Robin, is heterosexual in the comics, unlike Tim Drake, aka another version of Robin, who was confirmed to be bisexual, if not gay, in the ‘Batman: Urban Legends’ storyline. 

In Gotham Knights, however, Dick Grayson is bisexual, as he claims not to limit himself to an archetype, but loves all people.