Dick Grayson first appears as the original Robin in Detective Comics #38, by Bob Kane, Jerry Robinson, and Bill Finger. After witnessing his own parents’ murder, Grayson was adopted by Bruce Wayne, Batman himself. In time, Batman trained his ward to fight crime. Grayson first struck out on his own as Nightwing in Tales of the Teen Titans #44, by Marv Wolfman, George Pèrez, Mike DeCarlo, Dick Giordano, Adrienne Roy, and Todd Klein.
As Nightwing, Dick Grayson became the protector of Blüdhaven, a city geographically close to Gotham. As his own superhero, Nightwing has been depicted using all sorts of gadgets to aid his fight against crime. Most of these gadgets are ingenious, allowing Dick to fight on equal footing against overpowered enemies, and some are just downright cool.
10/10 The Nightwing Suit Is One Of Dick’s Most Valuable Assets
Nightwing has gone through several iterations of his infamous suit. Canonically, the Nightwing suit has always been one of Nightwing’s best assets in the fight against crime. The Nightwing suit is tailored to Dick’s more acrobatic fighting tendencies. Flexible, yet strong, this suit is durable enough to withstand gunfire.
The Nightwing suit has several compartments that Dick Grayson can use to store other gadgetry. The suit is also wired as a taser, although it only has enough charge for one shock. The sheer amount of features in the Nightwing suit, along with its invaluable nature, makes it one of Nightwing’s best assets.
9/10 Nightwing’s Domino Mask Is More Than Just A Way To Hide His Identity
Nightwing’s domino mask is a stunning example of a dual-purpose gadget. Created and worn primarily to hide his identity, Dick Grayson has included several other features that make this gadget a valuable tool to fight crime.
Nightwing can use the domino mask to track the GPS coordinates of a cellphone, a valuable resource when on his nightly patrols. Besides this, the domino mask has thermal vision capabilities and can detect radio waves. The capabilities of such a seemingly simple mask are truly astonishing and make this piece of technology so great.
8/10 Nightwing’s Gauntlets Are More Than Just Fancy Gloves
Nightwing’s gauntlets are some of the most essential tools in his arsenal. Gauntlets can be described as a type of strong glove, useful just in its base form, but Nightwing’s gauntlets are more than simple gloves. His gauntlets have other functions and stand up well compared to Nightwing’s other cool gadgets.
Nightwing’s gauntlets function as a super storage unit. They hold a multitude of secret compartments, storing devices such as Nightwing’s binoculars and escrima sticks. The gauntlets can also shoot things like explosive pellets and a sonic device, actively helping Nightwing manage large-scale fights against various opponents. All these capabilities make Nightwing’s gauntlets an awesome gadget.
7/10 The EMP Mask Is Pure Science Fiction
Deemed the EMP mask, this unique mask was one of the enhanced gadgets created by Lucius Fox as part of Batman Incorporated. Its first appearance was in Scott Snyder, Jock, David Baron, and Jared K. Fletcher’s Detective Comics #872. The EMP mask is a gadget that is pure science fiction.
The EMP mask comprised a type of webbed material that could warp and bend light. This allowed the wearer to assume the identity of almost anyone. This mask was first worn by Dick during his stint as Batman while trying to infiltrate the Mirror House. The implications of such a piece of technology are truly astonishing, proving this gadget is one of the best in Nightwing’s arsenal.
6/10 Nightwing’s Escrima Sticks Perfectly Fit His Combat Style
Some of Nightwing’s most iconic weapons are his escrima sticks. They’re a staple in the hero’s crime fighting arsenal. In order to improve their features, Dick enhanced the escrima sticks himself, adding several elements that improve their capabilities in a fight.
Like Batman, Nightwing is a non-lethal hero. His main weapons, the escrima sticks, reflect this ethos. Beyond their basic capabilities, Nightwing’s escrima sticks can function as tasers and can even hold a few smoke pellets. Additionally, Tom Taylor’s Nightwing run has shown the escrima sticks are even equipped with a grappling line. With all these additions, Nightwing’s escrima sticks are a genius invention.
5/10 Nightwing Has An Awesome Glider
Nightwing’s glider remains one of his more forgotten gadgets, until its resurrection in the video game Gotham Knights, developed by WB Games Montréal. This glider is a modified version of Batman’s own Bat-Glider, which was a gadget created by Bill Finger and Jim Mooney.
Nightwing’s glider is shaped to resemble his symbol, rather than Batman’s. The glider also sports retractable wings, making it more useful for transportation through narrow areas. Other features include autopilot functions and an automatic summoning feature that allows Nightwing to call his glider to his location. This blend of functional and fanciful elements solidifies the glider’s status among Nightwing’s best gadgets.
4/10 Nightwing’s Computer Is Both Holographic And Pocket Sized
As a detective trained by Batman, Nightwing’s cases often require tracking items and following up on evidence. This task is made several times easier by the addition of a computer. Its holographic nature makes it ten times cooler. The holographic computer is attached to Nightwing’s gauntlets, allowing him to perform complex computing tasks while on patrol.
Nightwing’s special computer has a cable attached to it that allows Nightwing to hack other forms of technology, giving him easier access to important information on the go. Additionally, the computer has a USB function. This pocket sized holographic wonder is a highly useful tool, and its function and form makes it one of Nightwing’s best gadgets.
3/10 The Rebreather Is Both Practical And Fantastical
Long time fans of DC Comics would recognize the rebreather. The first appearance of the rebreather was in the 1970s series Batman: Smack in The Middle, directed by Robert Butler. As an ally of Batman, and the first Robin, Dick Grayson adopted the rebreather concept, which utilizes “artificial gill” technology.
Functioning essentially as a large filter, the rebreather technology allows only oxygen molecules to pass through its membrane. This allows the rebreather to give the wearer an oxygen supply even when they’re submerged in water. An additional feature of the rebreather is the ability to filter out harmful gasses, which would give the wearer an edge in a fight with villains such as Scarecrow.
2/10 Nightwing’s Smoke Pellets Are The Bane Of Criminals
Like Batman, Nightwing is a non-enhanced individual. This means that Nightwing’s fighting style needs to be adapted in order to overcome enemies who are often stronger than he is. His multiple gadgets are a way to achieve this, and the explosive pellets are no different. When used, they grant him an edge when facing tougher or multiple opponents.
Nightwing’s pellets have multiple uses. Some of them emit smoke when thrown, in the same style as smoke bombs. These pellets can disorient foes and change the playing field, allowing Nightwing to attack while hidden and unseen. Other pellets function as small explosive devices. Due to the pellets’ highly functional nature, they are one of the best tools in Nightwing’s arsenal.
1/10 Nightwing’s Wingdings Are Functional Genius
While Batman employs Batarangs in his fight against crime, Nightwing has taken the basic function of these throwing devices and created his own called Wingdings. Wingding’s function as a non-lethal alternative to guns. At their core, seem like a basic gadget.
Wingdings function similar to a boomerang, allowing Nightwing to throw them at his enemies from a distance. These weapons are solid enough that they can disable most threats after a direct hit to the head. However, Nightwing modified some Wingdings to have additional qualities, such as electric and explosive properties. As a non-lethal ranged attack option, Wingdings remain one of Nightwing’s coolest gadget.
