Every Dick Grayson Death Ranked, Dramatic to Most Dramatic

In this article, we rank every Dick Grayson death, from dramatic to most dramatic. Dick Grayson is the original Robin and a fan-favorite character. He was Batman’s first sidekick and crime-fighting partner. He later outgrew his position and took the name Nightwing for many years, becoming an independent superhero. Eventually, he became a replacement for Batman himself.

However, Dick Grayson has died a number of times throughout the many decades of his existence. Some say the reason Dick Grayson gets killed off so much is the fact that much like Superman, he is a symbol of Hope and Compassion. Everyone in the multiverse respects him and he’s everyone’s friend! He is always confident, always kind, and always cool. So, when he dies, it’s like the heart of DC has been struck.

Whenever Dick Grayson dies, it’s almost guaranteed to be because the universe is meant to be virtually hopeless. Having said that, since it would be too devastating for writers and readers alike, Dick Grayson’s deaths have always resulted in him coming back to life. So, without further ado, let’s rank every Dick Grayson death, from dramatic to most dramatic.

Every Dick Grayson Death Ranked, Dramatic to Most Dramatic

12/12. The Rick Grayson Saga

dick grayson death
12/12. The Rick Grayson Saga, DC Comics

When Dick Grayson took a bullet to the head from the KGBeast in Batman #55, he nearly died. In a way, he did. The head wound gave him amnesia. He decided to call himself Rick. He didn’t remember his allies and developed a fear of heights that prevented him from conducting his usual Nightwing duties. Actually, he became a taxi driver. His personality drastically changed.

He acquired a drinking problem, anger management issues, and started gambling. The Dick Grayson we all know and love seemed to be gone forever. Later, though, all of Ric’s memories as Dick flood back into his head until he finally reverted back to Dick Grayson.

11/12. Hung by the Neck!

dick grayson death
11/12. Hung by the Neck! DC Comics

In Batman Volume 3 #16, Bane is back with a vengeance. When Gotham Girl, Bruce, and Alfred head down to the Batcave, Gotham Girl starts screaming. It turns out, that Bane had gotten into the cave and strung up three bodies. They are shocked to see Nightwing, Robin, and Red Hood hung by their necks in the Batcave with “I AM BANE” written in blood on their bodies. Later it is revealed that these were just three innocent people and not Batman’s allies.  

10/12. Robin Dies at Dawn!

Dick Grayson death. Robin dies at dawn! Batman volume 1  #156, DC Comics
10/12. Robin dies at dawn! DC Comics

In Batman volume 1 #156, Batman volunteers to participate in a special military experiment for NASA to test the long-term effects of isolation on the human mind. Consequently, he suffers a hallucination in which he witnesses Robin being killed on an alien world by a four-armed statue. Batman mourns the death of Robin and buries him, blaming himself for Robin’s death.

Even when Batman wakes up, he has a hard time getting back to his crime-fighting routine and keeps having hallucinations to the point that he decides to no longer be Batman.

Eventually, Batman overcomes his hallucinations, saves Robin in reality, and recovers. This story is famous for being the first time a Robin died in comics.

9/12. Vampire Grayson

dick grayson death
9/12. Vampire Grayson, DC Comics

In an alternate universe, Batman is a vampire who was responsible for the deaths of Dick Grayson’s parents. Dick Becomes obsessed with killing Vampire Batman. After a long investigation, he discovers Batman’s lair and finds Vampire Batman resting in his coffin. Before he manages to impale him, Batman awakens. Dick gets bitten by Batman and becomes a vampire sidekick to the Vampire Batman. Forever!

8/12. A shot of Adrenaline

Dick Grayson bleeding, Forever Evil, DC Comics
8/12. A shot of Adrenaline

In the Forever Evil crossover event, a group of evil counterparts to the Justice League from Earth 3 arrive at Earth and announce that the world belongs to them. They unmask Dick Grayson and hardwire him into a nuclear bomb. In order to prevent the bomb from killing everyone in the room, Lex Luthor was forced to stop Dick Grayson’s heart with a paralytic.

Batman was enraged by this, failing to realize that there is still a chance to save Dick, and attacked Luthor. Luthor managed to fence off the attack and explained that he used a cardioplegia pill to make Dick flat-line. He injects Dick with a shot of adrenaline and he soon coughs back to life. He immediately receives a big hug from the Dark Knight.

7/12. The Injustice Death

Dick Grayson death, The Injustice: Gods Among Us is one of DC's darkest universes.
7/12. The Injustice Death, DC Comics

The Injustice: Gods Among Us is one of DC’s darkest universes. In this universe, where Superman turned evil and forced many superheroes to adopt tyrannical ideologies, Dick Grayson is one hero who remains selfless. However, he does lose his life! In Injustice: Gods Among Us #16, during a fight at Arkham Asylum, Nightwing contains escaping patients alongside Damian Wayne, Batman’s son, and the current Robin.

When Damian starts brutalizing the patients, a quarrel starts between Nightwing and him, as Dick tells him: “Robin doesn’t beat people once they’re down!”. Robin angrily throws an escrima stick at Nightwing’s head while he’s busy with the Arkham inmates. The stick hits Dick’s temple, and he falls to the ground, breaking his neck on a rock.

Dick Grayson dies instantly. Bruce disowns Damian for his actions, and part of him never truly heals. However, this tragedy inspires Batman to fight Superman’s regime with extreme determination.

See also: 10 Reasons Why Dick Grayson’s Batman is Better Than Bruce Wayne’s

6/12. The Gift that Keeps on Giving

dick grayson death
6/12. The Gift that Keeps on Giving

In Batman #45, Booster Gold, the time-traveling hero, is searching for the perfect wedding gift for Bruce Wayne. But what gift can you possibly give to “The Man Who Has Everything“? The “brilliant” idea Booster Gold comes up with is to go back in time and stop Bruce’s parents from being murdered. He does that for Bruce to see how much better his life turns out if history unfolds as it was intended to. Of course, the whole plan blows up in his face!

His interference creates a sick and twisted timeline, where Dick Grayson becomes ruthless, and cruel like Batman. Worse still, Dick Grayson is killed by Bruce after breaking into Wayne Manor to deal with the murderous Catwoman.

5/12. DCeased

Dick Grayson death
5/12. DCeased

In the DCeased comic book miniseries, Dick Grayson was infected with the corrupted version of the Anti-Life Equation and turned into one of the Anti-Living. Hence, Dick Grayson turned into a zombie-like creature. He attacks Alfred Pennyworth in the Batcave along with Tim Drake. The two corner Alfred, but Batman arrives and manages to hold the two off for Alfred to escape. However, Batman is bitten and infected. Later, Jason Todd goes to the Batcave and discovers the bodies of Nightwing, Batman, and Tim Drake. He sadly buries them.

4/12. Casualty of War

Dick Grayson death, Justice League Dark: Apokolips War
4/12. Casualty of War, DC Comics

Justice League Dark: Apokolips War sees members of the Justice League, Justice League Dark, Suicide Squad and Teen Titans join forces against Darkseid to save Earth. Their epic war against the New God resulted in the death of many popular heroes. During a raid by a massive army of Paradooms, sent by Darkseid, Dick Grayson jumps on the back of a Paradoom to save a cornered Damian.

However, he is overpowered and stabbed in the chest by the Paradoom and bleeds out as he is lifted above the Paradoom’s head, before being tossed aside. Along with the rest of the Teen Titans, except for Damian and Raven, Dick sacrificed himself to save the world.

Two years later, Damien reveals that he revived Dick Grayson, using the Lazarus Pit. Sadly, this ended in failure as Dick didn’t come back as his full self. Instead, he was reduced to a mentally handicapped and insane state, forced to be bound by a straitjacket.

3/12. Son of Batman

dick grayson death
3/12. Son of Batman, DC Comics

In a tale set fifteen years from now in a future Gotham torn apart by terrorism, plagues, and bizarre super-crime, Damian Wayne, Bruce’s biological son, is a teenager who still goes by the name Robin. While he and Batman are out on patrol, they are caught up in a grenade explosion. Damian survives, but Batman dies! Damian decides that he’s going to be Batman.

However, it soon turns out that it’s not actually Bruce wearing the cowl, it was Dick Grayson who died in the explosion. Bruce has actually been retired for years. Damian sets out to avenge his friend’s passing and winds up killing some of Batman’s minor rogues.

2/12. Something is Wrong With Batman

2/12. Something is wrong with Batman, DC Comics

On Earth-22, Joker launched on a deadly rampage that pushed Batman into finally executing him. But the Clown Prince of Crime did not go gentle into that good night. Embedded within him and activated upon his death was a purified strain of the Joker toxin, which transformed his nemesis into “The Batman Who Laughs”.

Knowing that the Bat-Family would be the first to notice something was wrong with him, Bruce summoned them to the Batcave and massacred them with two submachine guns, including Dick Grayson. He only spared his son, Damian.

1/12. Emperor Joker

1/12. Emperor Joker, DC Comics

After tricking Mister Mxyzptlk into donating 99.9% of his reality-shaping powers to him, Joker became near-omnipotent and reshaped the universe in his image As part of his daily routine Emperor Joker, as he was now called, repeatedly tortured and killed his rival, Batman, only to bring him back to life and do it all over again.

Dick Grayson, however, wasn’t so “lucky”. He dies along with Tim Drake, and Jason Todd. Dick’s body appears bloated. There is something that has been shoved into his mouth, resembling a bomb. Eventually, after Emperor Joker loses control of his powers and reverts to his usual form, Mxyzptlk manages to rebuild reality from the moment the Joker messed up everything, but Batman is left broken from experiencing multiple deaths. Superman is forced to steal Batman’s memories so that Bruce can go on.

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So, that was our list of every Dick Grayson death, from dramatic to most dramatic. Hope you enjoyed it! If you think we left out anything, please let us know.

A musician and film buff. I'm a Film graduate of The Sam Spiegel Film and T.V. School program. Creative writing by nature, a very curious girl, exploring all geek fandom.