Nightwing’s escrima sticks are secretly one of DC’s greatest gadgets, as the hero’s new creative team reveal their fascinating hidden functions.
Nightwing is one of DC’s oldest and most beloved heroes, but the newest chapter in Dick Grayson’s ongoing series has proven he has one of the best gadgets and weapons in all of comics. After transforming from Robin into Nightwing, Grayson’s weapon of choice is his escrima sticks, which have become an iconic part of the character’s arsenal. In Tom Taylor, Bruno Redondo, and Adriano Lucas’ Nightwing run, they’ve turned the sticks into a gadget that would make Batman proud.
In the comics, Nightwing’s escrima sticks have almost always been an offensive weapon, as the hero has turned the sticks, used mainly in martial arts, into his favorite tool in fighting crime. Dick’s escrima sticks work both as a throwable and bludgeoning weapon as most versions also have tasers at the end capable of electrocuting opponents. In Taylor and Redondo’s Nightwing run, they’ve turned the escrima sticks into an all-new gadget with many uses, ultimately making Dick a more effective hero.
Late last month, Redondo showed a sketch of Nightwing’s new escrima sticks and what they were capable of. In his concept design, Nightwing’s sticks are held on his back by a magnetic clamp. Much like Batman’s grappling gun, Dick’s escrima sticks have their own grappling function, as a wire can shoot out of the inside of both sticks and be used as a trapeze – which is a fun nod to Grayson’s origin as a flying trapeze artist.
Dick’s new gadgets have proven to be highly effective in the current run of Nightwing. He’s used the trapeze function to help get innocent people out of dangerous situations. The increased mobility allows him to cover more ground and get people to safety much quicker. The escrima sticks also can be turned into a staff, as Redondo and Lucas’ beautiful art shows how Nightwing can twist it apart into a new offensive weapon – in this case, used to team up with Tim Drake.
The sticks have become Nightwing’s best tool in defending Bloodhaven, as he can swing around with ease thanks to the new grappling device. The escrima sticks, whether they’re used to shock people, bounce around like a boomerang, transformed into a staff, or used as a grappling gun, have really become one of DC’s best gadgets. Considering Nightwing has inherited more money than he could even imagine from Alfred, it’s likely more upgrades will come (hello, boxing glove escrima stick?) – especially considering Taylor, Redondo, and Lucas are having so much fun in changing what the sticks can be for Nightwing. You can catch Nightwing and his upgraded escrima sticks in action when the next chapter arrives in comic book stores on August 17th.
About The Author
