Here is what Mikel Janin told Newsarama.

Janín: I've read some online discussions, and I'm delighted there are huge expectations on the book. There are some upset fans because of the changes, and because Dick is handling a gun, but there are also a lot of excited fans waiting for what we're delivering. For those worried fans, I'd recommend that they wait and see. Dick is not an assassin. He's not shooting heads or something like that. He is the same Dick we know and love.

Source: http://www.newsarama.com/21326-mikel-janin-promises-totally-different-but-same-dick-in-grayson.html

@jayc1324: Saying that having a gun as a cop isn't the same as having a gun as a spy is completely wrong! What's the difference? One is a secret cop and is a out in the open cop? Cops are issued guns, and Spies are issued guns. They both are trained in the use of fire arms. Sure they may use them differently, but the fact of owning the gun is completely the same. And the use of them being different is the struggle that dick is going to be facing throughout the duration of the story. While as a cop he didn't have to fire it unless it was his only option, while as a spy they are practically expected to use them during any given mission, if you are talking about the ones you see on TV Shows and Movies anyways. And since this is an internal struggle, the whole "expected to use it but doesn't want to use it" makes sense!

@nathaniel_christopher: but having a pencil while everyone else only has the wood to carve the pencil is more beneficial. If that metaphor even makes sense. Dick Grayson has the qualifications to be the spy is all I'm saying, and the fact that he is able to sneak around is very essential to being a spy, as spies are known to be sneaky, Tom King mentioned something like that in his interviews.

I wasn't saying because he is sneaky he can be a spy, I was just saying an example of one of the many skills he possesses that can easily help him be a spy of high caliber

And I acknowledged that. My point was again that he at the moment isn't a spy, just because he has certain qualities that could allow him to be one down the line.

Though I also don't even think he'll really become a spy anyways. As i've also said, i'm a person who thinks him becoming Nightwing again is inevitable, just like it was inevitable that Bruce would take the Batman mantle back. I think there are certain roles and titles that characters become identified with that never really change for long.

They have also said that Dick will struggle using it as the way we think. How can you not understand fans that are unsure of the new direction? This is a guy who has never fired a gun in all of his 75 years. Not just in the main cannon universes but elseworld tales to. For fans It's like Superman suddenly using a gun who by the way is Dick's mentor or was pre52.

To be fair how many times have writers said that? You can't seriously expect people to take writers words for granted RIGHT? They get payed to say good things about their book and they I'll face trouble if they say anything negative. Business is business at the end of the day.

I don't get why some fans are so mad about this. Grayson has a great writer as well as artist. One of their interview I read a while ago made me even more excited for this. Higgins was good but still not good enough and now Dick finally got a really great team and I hope it will become a sucess; this comic might the best way to make people remember his real name and not "Robin" or "Nightwing". I can't wait to see the result; I bet we will see some great fighting and new conflicts (like the gun; stop being an annoying brat, there are many ways to use a gun and different bullets to use and not just to kill besides it will be interesting to see his conflict if he is forced to use the gun to shot at someone) and he has a great partner. I can't wait to see how his relationship with Helena will turn out. I hope for a serious relationship or a close friendship ~

I also think that this mission might fail (or almost) and he will have to link up with the JL which might gain him the respect of the other heroes which he had pre-reboot and it might lead to his own team but one thing is obvious, he will return to his Nightwing persona.

@nathaniel_christopher: I do think the will go back to Nightwing at somepoint, but I think he might be Nightwing: Master Spy of the DCU. Also, as you say, Dick is not a spy yet, which is why Helena B is there to train his raw talent into an actual spy, which I think was an interesting move.

@redwingx: Honestly man, I think they've said in almost every interview they've done. They've made sure to point out that this isnt just some generic spy story that could have been told with any character, but a story specific to Dick Grayson, with Dick maintaining the personality that makes him, well, him.

I understand the concern that this could be a generic James Bond knock off. I just think that Dick i switching genre's a little bit, if that makes sense. I think he'll be in James Bond type stories, but he won't be a James Bond knock off anymore than he has been a Batman knock-off. To be fair, as street-level vigilante, most of the stories told with him were either Batman type stories or Daredevil type stories. I don't think they [always] felt like knock of stories because Dick maintained his personality.

Also, Seeley has, to my knowledge, never been accused of being derivative in his work on Hack/Slash or Revival, both of which have garnered universal praise. I understand your skepticism, but I really would urge you to give this a chance. I really think our boy is in good hands.

Oh I'm definitely giving this book a shot. I love the new Helena and Spyral.

@jaken7:

Wouldn't a "Slothstronaut" be someone who explores sloths?

@nathaniel_christopher: Of course he isn't a spy yet. Well, actually, he kind of is as he is employed by Batman to go undercover, in a way spies get sent to go on undercover missions, but for an Agent of Spyral type of spy, he was only recruited. He still has half a month left before he officially becomes a spy.

But as Nightwing, he has done things that a spy would be doing. So he may not of intended to be a spy, but he has done things spies have done in the past, sure maybe not as much in the new 52, but he has done it throughout the course of his long 74 year venture

And I agree with the "He will be Nightwing again" because what is he going to do when Spyral is taken down? They can't stay operational forever, when Dick's whole mission is to get information from them to shut them down. If Dick Grayson doesn't become Nightwing again, he'd be the Nick Fury of the DCnU and take over Spyral probably. But that's only a guess. He'll be Nightwing again, it just the when and why he'll be it again. Mostly depends on how successful Grayson the book is

Ok, so we agree he's not a spy yet. And i've also already admitted that he has the qualities to be one. No reason to restate what I already said.

Wait what? By that logic Batman isn't a detective because he doesn't have the degree for it when hes one of the best if not the best one.

The only spy skill Dick would be lacking is maybe information gathering but even that is debatable.

I apologize, I thought you were trying to get across the idea that "Dick Grayson may have the skills to become a spy, but the character of Dick Grayson can't be a spy because it would be out of character" sort of idea

Spy comics haven't been that popular but Dick is star so he could make it happen

@nightwingism Naah. He's not currently a spy, but he could become one. And honestly, i'd be surprised if Spyral just asked him to join their group and didn't evaluate his skills, as well as train them in their operations, along with whatever weapons or techniques they also require members to have. So for the time being I think we'll see him become a spy, entering the lifestyle and changing things up. If he stays exactly the same I think it'll be a waste and that this shouldn't have ever been done at all.