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C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus, more commonly know as Haly's Circus, is a small travelling Circus that tours throughout the United States. Haly's main show under the big top includes various acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, tightrope walkers, jugglers, and other stunt-oriented art

History

C.C. Haly and Norton Bros. Circus, more commonly know as Haly's Circus, is a small travelling Circus that tours throughout the United States. Haly's main show under the big top includes various acrobats, clowns, trained animals, trapeze acts, tightrope walkers, jugglers, and other stunt-oriented artists. Haly's aslo has a rather extensive midway where various amusement rides, food vendors, merchandise vendors, games of chance and skill, as well as sideshow curiosities can be found.

Perhaps best known as the former home of headliners The Flying Graysons, an acrobatic troup consisting of Jonathan and Mary Grayson as well as their son Richard "Dick" Grayson. They are most famous for performing without a net, making their act more dangerous. They would perform triple flips at one time, however Dick was the only one that could do four flips in a row. However, when Anthony "Fats" Zucco, a low-level thug and Edward Skeevers, a minor family head both attempt to take over Haley's Circus in order to use it's trucks for drug trafficking, this changed. To show the circus owner his seriousness, Zucco's crew sabotages the star attractions' ropes. So that when they went to perform, John and Mary Grayson died, leaving their son an orphan. In the end there was an upside to this, as Bruce Wayne a.k.a the Batman, was in the crowd when Dick's parents were murdered. Finding a kindred spirit, Bruce adopted young Dick Grayson as his ward, and eventual sidekick: Robin. They succeed in revealing Zucco's complicity, but he supposedly dies of a heart attack before his arrest, and Skeevers was killed by Mister Freeze during the Columbus Day Massacre.

Today Haly's though fallen from its days of granduer, still travels from town to town entertaining local crowds.


DCnU

The circus returns to Gotham City after many years and Dick Grayson, recently returning to the Nightwing identity, decides to visit after many years. After greeting some of his old extended family, including former crush Raya Vestri, he decides to participate in a practice session with the rest of the high wire performers.

Later, Raya informs Dick that the two of them need to go to Atlantic City, being called for by Mr. Haly himself. After arriving at a large warehouse containing different props and scenery from the circus, Mr. Haly informs Dick he knew of his identity as Robin and Nightwing, giving him the deed to the circus. [1] Mr. Haly is killed soon after by the killer Saiko, putting the change of ownership into effect, his last words to Dick being, "...answers in the heart..."[2]

While investigating the circus tent for an answer to Mr. Haly's cryptic message, Dick uncovers a black book containing several names, the last being his own.[3] Later, a tribute show to the Flying Graysons is held for the anniversary of the Dick's parents deaths. This is a plot between Saiko, Raya, and Bryan Haly to exact revenge on Dick, ultimately leading to a battle between Nightwing and Saiko in the rafters, the former eventually detonating explosives on the ground to destroy the big top.[4] Dick knocks down the large screen in the middle of the tent to break open the ground and send the flames into the catacombs of Gotham's underground to put it out.

Revealed in the New 52 Batman series, Haly's circus had a deal with the Court of Owls, a longtime gang that was ruling Gotham from the shadows for years. Their deal was that Haly's would exhibit their youth to the Court and the gang would choose one to succeed their current Talon. Grayson, as a child, was chosen to become their assassin and was even unknowingly given an electrum alloy tooth with the Court's marking in it. But, after the death of his parents, Bruce Wayne adopted Grayson before he was handed over to the Owls.

Following the events of Batman: Death of the Family, Haly's circus had disbanded as a result of Dick Graysons failure to protect the employees from the Joker, though deep down the employees are aware that it was not Dicks fault.[5]

Recommended Reading

Residents

  • C.C. Haly (Deceased)
  • Dick Grayson
  • Raya Vestri (Deceased)
  • Zane (Formerly)
  • Raymond McCreary (Deceased)
  • Jimmy Clark (Deceased)
  • Bryan Haly
  • Elinore the elephant
  • Gunther the tiger
  • Gurbel the tiger
  • Harry the Clown
  • Jacques
  • Joey the security guard
  • Samson/Mister Muscles the strong man (Formerly)
  • Pedro the dwarf (Formerly)
  • Wilhelm the lion tamer (Formerly)

See Also

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