WARNING: Contains Spoilers for Batman / Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1!
The DC Universe, specifically its timeline, has officially gone wacky, as two Nightwings now exist at the same time. These time-traveling shenanigans may have backed DC into a corner with their storytelling, as this new development could quite literally change everything about the Dick Grayson we all know and love.
DC is currently in the midst of its epic “We Are Yesterday” crossover event, with the third installment featured in Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1 by Mark Waid, Christopher Cantwell, and Dan McDaid. This crossover spans both Waid’s Justice League Unlimited and his Batman/Superman: World's Finest series, as the Legion of Doom once again sets its sights on world domination and the destruction of Earth’s heroes.
Flash’s telepathic nemesis, Gorilla Grodd, is leading the charge, traveling back in time to recruit past versions of DC’s most infamous and dangerous villains to form his Legion. On top of his own time-traveling shenanigans, Grodd has armed his fellow villains with time ray guns, a move that has created a Dick Grayson paradox.
We’re Seeing Double: Two Dick Grayson’s Exist at the Same Time
Cover C Salvador Larroca Variant for Batman / Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1
Batman/Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1 sees Batman and Dick Grayson’s Robin thrown into the chaos Grodd has unleashed as they face off against the Legion of Doom. Amidst the larger plot of the Legion’s attempt at total domination, Scarecrow goes rogue, targeting Batman with a time ray gun. At the last second, Robin leaps in front of the blast, much to Bruce’s horror, taking the full force of the tachyon beam. The result is a time shift that causes Batman to lose Robin entirely. However, where Dick ends up isn’t revealed until the very end of the issue.
In DC Comics, Tachyon typically refers to a type of particle with unusual properties, often associated with super-speed and time manipulation.
On the final page, the story jumps back to the present-day DC timeline at the Justice League Unlimited’s Watchtower. A disoriented Robin suddenly appears, calling out to Batman. Present-day Bruce is nearly speechless, stunned to see a version of Dick who is far younger than he should be. The moment becomes even more surreal when Nightwing (present-day Dick Grayson) appears beside his younger self. Batman sums up the situation with a single, ominous observation: “Something… is very, very wrong.” With that, DC introduces fans to the ultimate Dick Grayson paradox, one with major implications for the timeline.
Getting Dick Grayson Home Won’t Fix What’s Really Wrong
Cover D 1:25 Laura Braga Variant for Batman / Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1
The most immediate problem is figuring out how to return Robin Dick to his proper timeline. This will be a top priority, not only to place him back where he belongs, but also to avoid the consequences of having two versions of Dick Grayson existing in the same time and space. Still, fans are confident the heroes will manage to send him back, as that's usually how DC stories unfold. The bigger concern is how DC will handle Robin now that he knows he becomes Nightwing. Knowing the future can permanently alter it, creating a different path altogether. If that happens, the Nightwing fans know and love may never come to be.
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Batman / Superman: World's Finest 2025 Annual #1 is available now from DC Comics!
