Why Nightwing and the Teen Titans are Perfect for TV

Nightwing and the Teen Titans are probably coming to television, via a potential pilot from Akiva Goldsman for TNT, and the timing couldn't be better. Arrowis about to enter its third (increasingly successful) season. The Flash is about to premiere behind some serious goodwill for the pilot and cast. Constantineis taking a similarly comic-lore heavy approach to the mystical corner of the DC Universe. Batman prequel Gothamis garnering some critical acclaim. Supergirlis in development. To top it all off, Warner Bros. is readying a slate of superhero movies to rival Marvel's.

At a time when superhero dramas, particularly DC Comics related ones, are in an almost impossible ascendancy on TV, Titans has the potential to mine some of the best comic storytelling of its era, particularly Marv Wolfman and George Perez's incredible run on New Teen Titans in the '80s. Thanks in no small part to the groundwork laid in those comics, Nightwing and the Teen Titans are uniquely suited for cable TV. Here's why.

Nightwing

Fans have been clamoring to see Nightwing in live-action for nearly twenty years. Sure, they teased us a little in the Joel Schumacher Batman films (notably with elements of Chris O'Donnell's Robin costume in Batman and Robin), and even more in The Dark Knight Rises (I'd still pay several times to see Christopher Nolan direct Joseph Gordon-Levitt in a Nightwing movie), but we've never properly seen Dick Grayson strike out on his own in the black and blue (or black and red, depending on which era you're reading) garb.

Nightwing has proven relentlessly popular over the last thirty years. There's a combination of factors at work: the cool name, the even cooler costume (not the disco v-neck one), and the fact that Dick Grayson brings a little more swagger and humor to his brand of superheroics than his pointy-eared mentor. Acrobatic showmanship, a hint of martial arts, some tonfa sticks, a sleek outfit, and you've got a character who is about as fun and appealing as a superhero can be this side of Spider-Man.

Nightwing is also unique in that there's an implicit understanding with the audience. All anyone has to know is that "he was Robin" to get the fact that he already has ten years of crime fighting experience under his belt, and the showrunners won't have to fill in too many blanks. Popular culture does the work for them.

While this may seem shallow, it's worth pointing out one more time that Nightwing has a perfect, remarkably simple superhero costume that should look terrific in live-action. You get someone with the build and athleticism that Stephen Amell has brought to Arrow, put him in a functional Nightwing costume, and it will be awfully tough to screw this up. Just take the costume from the Young Justice animated series and duplicate that as closely as possible, and this should look just fine.

The Batman Connection

Despite the continued success of Arrow, the positive early buzz on The Flash, and Superman getting the honor of launching DC's cinematic universe, the simple fact remains that Batman is Warner Bros.' safest, most bankable media star. Note who gets top billing in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice. The easiest way to introduce a bevy of lesser-known characters to a TV viewing audience is to anchor them firmly in a world that casual fans understand.

While it's been fifteen years since we've last seen Dick Grayson in the flesh, and folks who are less familiar with comic book lore may not know the name Nightwing, they all know the name Robin. For many, the concept of Batman's kid sidekick growing up and stepping out of his mentor's shadow will seem like quite a novel concept. And even if we never actually see Batman/Bruce Wayne (although it seems unavoidable), the knowledge that he's only a batphone call away for Dick if the situation (or the ratings) get dire should be enough to keep folks tuning in.

The Team

So far, all we know for sure is that the team will consist of Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, "and others." But, oh, those others. Wally West/Kid Flash may present some difficulties simply because it seems there are plans for him over on the CW's The Flash TV series, and Vic Stone/Cyborg is on his way to the movies in Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice (but don't rule him out here). Donna Troy/Wonder Girl is probably a safe bet, as is Changeling. At the very least, we're going to see a significant representation of the most potent Titanslineup, even if everyone can't make it to the party right away.

Then again, keep in mind all we've got to go on at the moment is a fairly brief official description, so what the hell do I know? But here's the most important part...

It's unlikely (although not impossible) that we'll see Titanshit TV before 2016, assuming we see it at all. That being said, it won't take much longer than that if TNT moves forward. In other words, it's all but certain that Titanswill arrive before the Justice Leaguemovie in 2017, making this the first team of DC superheroes to ever exist in live-action. And no, I'm not counting the Legends of the Superheroes TV specials from the '70s or the unaired JusticeLeagueTV pilot because, well...they don't need to be counted.

The Storylines

Keep in mind that when Marv Wolfman and George Perez took over creative duties on Teen Titans in 1980, DC Comics wasn't exactly known for the kind of extended superhero storytelling that Chris Claremont and John Byrne had been busy perfecting over on Uncanny X-Men at Marvel. Wolfman and Perez were "writing for the trade" long before there was such a thing, and several of their stories are so tailor-made for season-long cable TV arcs that you would almost think they were written with exactly that in mind.

"The Judas Contract," something probably better suited to a second season, is probably the defining Titanstale. Involving the infiltration of the team by a new young hero and the subsequent betrayal, the collected edition practically reads like a short season of a cable drama.

While we haven't heard anything yet to officially indicate that Donna "Wonder Girl" Troy will be part of the team, she's part of the same iconic lineup that includes the confirmed Nightwing, Starfire, and Raven, and it just wouldn't feel like the Titans without her, right? The "Who is Donna Troy" storyline about Donna discovering more about her difficult past, is something which could easily drive a b-plot all season long.

And don't even get us started on Raven, daughter of a demon, and her Dad, the demon Trigon. In fact, let's talk about some of those villains...

The Villains

If there is one substantial stumbling block for Titans, it might be that two of its most important villains were recently big baddies on Arrowseason two. But while the Brother Blood of Arrowbore only passing resemblance to the supernatural cult leader of the comics (despite a terrific performance by Kevin Alejandro), leaving him open to a much more powerful/supernatural interpretation on this show, Arrowdid a much more thorough job with Slade "Deathstroke" Wilson (played by Manu Bennett). That one may be a tougher act to follow. That aside, Slade can still function quite adequately as a shadowy puppet master for the Titan who will ultimately betray the team until they've put enough distance between Titansand Arrowseason two.

Trigon, Brother Blood, and Deathstroke may not be household names like the Joker or Lex Luthor, but without spoiling any of this for fans less familiar with the comics, each are capable of manipulating an entire season's worth of twists and turns all on their own. And who knows what lesser villains they may enlist, or who might make their way over from Gotham City to annoy Nightwing?

Of course, it's going to be awhile (if ever) before we actually get to see Titans. But if the pace at which Warner Bros. Pictures Television and the CW were able to move The Flash from announced project to "backdoor pilot" to standalone pilot to series order is any indication, it may not be as long as you think. In the meantime, enjoy the fact that yet another corner of the DC Universe may get some serious exploration...and break new ground on cable TV, no less.

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