Nicola Scott returns to Nightwing for Future State

(Image credit: Nicola Scott (DC))

Several new visions of DC's future will be presented in early 2021 with Future State, and among those is that of Nightwing - with long-time Dick Grayson fan Nicola Scott drawing his story.

In Future State, Nightwing is "the poster boy of the resistance" according to Batman group editor Ben Abernathy, and will be "bringing sexy back" to borrow a popular phrase.

(Keep in mind, Nicola Scott drew that meme-inducing Robin/Nightwing variant back in 2019.)

"Batman is gone! Now, Nightwing has taken on the mission of keeping the citizens of Gotham City safe from the Magistrate. But to do that, he'll have to stay one step ahead of the Magistrate!," reads DC's solicitation for Future State: Nightwing two-issue series. "And you know things have gotten bad in Gotham when the safest place for Dick to hide out is the abandoned Arkham Asylum! When Nightwing gets a visit from a mask claiming to be the new Batman…does he fight like one?"

Hot on the heels of Future State's big reveal, Newsarama spoke with Nicola Scott about the upcoming Future State: Nightwing series, working with writer Andrew Constant, the fandom around Dick Grayson, and what future her version of Nightwing could have after Future State ends.

Newsarama: Nicola, you and Andrew are working on the upcoming Future State Nightwing story together. Tell us more about that.

Nicola Scott: Yes, Andrew pitched the idea, when we were approached to do this Nightwing corner of the Future State story. Andrew pitched his idea and has delivered both scripts, and they're great and I'm currently drawing the first one.

Nrama: What can you tease about the project?

Scott: Well it's definitely Dick Grayson and I don't know what I can say about Future State itself so maybe I'll leave that to the editors and the writers, but certainly I'm drawing Dick Grayson's corner of this event. There is another significant character that comes into play over the two arcs.

It's really about the importance of Nightwing within the Gotham city hero community that his status is amongst the most important status within the superhero community.

Nrama: Could this lead into something more?

Scott: I don't know if there's a bigger book that goes for longer, but certainly our Nightwing Future State story goes for two issues. I don't quite know what else I can say. It's me drawing Nightwing. I'm trying very hard to keep it contextually appropriate, but I've been given a few gifts in the script for myself to draw and for the readers to look at.

Nrama: For hardcore Nightwing fans, what do you think they should most look forward to?

Scott: I think this story really highlights how significant, important, and good at his job, Nightwing is.

If you're a fan of Nightwing, this'll make you feel very good about his impact on the world around him, and if you like the look of him I'm keeping him as classic as possible with updates that are appropriate for the story.

Nrama: How self-contained will this be?

Scott: I don't know that you need to have previous information about Future State. I don't quite know what I can say about the story itself in terms of the broader Future State story.

I wouldn't worry about pre-knowledge. I think you can probably read the Nightwing story by itself or read it amongst some of the other Future State titles that are happening in January, February.

Check out our rundown of what to expect on the Gotham City side of Future State in our article talking with group editor Ben Abernathy.

Kat has been working in the comic book industry as a critic for over a decade with her YouTube channel, Comic Uno. She’s been writing for Newsarama since 2017 and also currently writes for DC Comics’ DC Universe - bylines include IGN, Fandom, and TV Guide. She writes her own comics with her titles Like Father, Like Daughter and They Call Her…The Dancer. Calamia has a Bachelor’s degree in Communications and minor in Journalism through Marymount Manhattan and a MFA in Writing and Producing Television from LIU Brooklyn.