DC's 'The Lost Carnival' Preview: Before Nightwing and Robin, who was Dick Grayson in his formative years?
Over the years, Dick Grayson has been Nightwing, Robin, Batman, and the Spyral operative known as Agent 37. He has defeated deranged criminals, deadly mercenaries, and his own dangerous birthright.
But before all of that, he was a member of Haly's Traveling Circus alongside his family, the Flying Graysons. Now the earliest years of Dick's life are explored in a brand new graphic novel by bestselling author Michael Moreci with art by Sas Milledge and colors courtesy of David Calderon.
"For Dick, I think the biggest angle for me was to explore his life before losing his parents," Moreci tells Syfy Wire. "We never really get to see Dick existing outside of this event, and I always wanted to see what he was like before he lost his parents. There's so much more to Dick than this tragedy, unlike Bruce, who's completely defined by his identical tragedy, and I wanted to figure out what his life was like at this point."
"Some of the research is from my life — I am a former carnie! And no, I'm not kidding," Moreci added. "I used to work at carnivals in the summertime. Worst job: making onion blossoms. That stink sticks to you for days. But I also had great carnival stories in mind, like The Night Circus or HBO's lost gem, Carnivàle. And, of course, Something Wicked This Way Comes. Then I'd go down the research rabbit hole, trying to really get a historically accurate feel for carnivals, as they were back in their prime."
This new graphic novel promises to be a treat for fans of the character, with a beautiful vintage feel and a narrative that soars like Dick's acrobatics while still keeping its feet firmly planted on the ground. Here's the official solicitation from DC Comics:
"Before Batman trained him to be Robin, Dick Grayson discovered the power of young love--and its staggering costs--at the dangerous, magical, and utterly irresistible Lost Carnival. Haly's traveling circus no longer has the allure of its glamorous past, but it still has one main attraction: the Flying Graysons, a family of trapeze artists starring a teenage Dick Grayson. The only problem is that Dick loathes spending his summers performing tired routines for a dwindling crowd. When the Lost Carnival, a wild and enchanting new attraction, opens nearby and threatens to pull Haly's remaining customers, Dick is among those drawn to its magical nighttime glow. But there are forces ancient and dangerous at work at the Lost Carnival, and when Dick meets the mysterious Luciana and her carnival workers--each stranger than the last--he may be too mesmerized to recognize the danger ahead. Beneath the carnival's dazzling fireworks, Dick must decide who he is and who he wants to be--choosing between loyalty to his family history and a glittering future with new friends and romance. Writer Michael Moreci and artist Sas Milledge redefine Dick Grayson in The Lost Carnival, a young adult graphic novel exploring the power and magic of young love."
'The Lost Carnival: A Dick Grayson Graphic Novel' is scheduled to release on May 5.