Maxine Michaels is a Pulitzer-winning journalist who came to Bludhaven, taking an interest in doing a story on the vigilante Nightwing. She also helped investigate the corrupt police department. After uncovering the hero's secret identity, she was shot through the head by Blockbuster simply as a way of getting to his nemesis.
History
Nightwing (Volume 2)
Her first appearance is in Nightwing #78, where the body of Torque, formerly inspector Dudley Soames, has been discovered in the sewers beneath the city streets, and numerous parties are interested, including Nightwing, Tarantula, the police and the press, including Ms. Michaels.
In Nightwing #80, Deathstroke warns Nightwing that he has a contract in Blüdhaven which he intends to carry out, whether or not Nightwing gets in his way, although he'd prefer it if Nightwing wasn't hurt. Meanwhile, Maxine tries to find out who Nightwing really is and how he seems to be doing his job really well.
In Nightwing #81, after an interview with reporter Maxine Michaels, Dick promises he will do just that, but when Batgirl brings him evidence that Deathstroke's target is Amy Rohrbach, he rushes straight to the police department.
In Nightwing #84, while Nightwing is drugged by Tarantula, who is met by her employer, Blockbuster, Maxine shows Amy Rohrbach the Ryerstad story she's about to publish.
In Nightwing #86, Yoska Graesinka decides to move into Dick's apartment block, and Maxine Michaels is approached by Blockbuster's man, Westbrook with a proposition. Dick's behaviour really pains Barbara, who desperately wants him to take care of himself.
In Nightwing #87, Maxine Michaels interviews the people from Dick's building to find out more about him, but ends up with more questions than answers for her employer, Blockbuster's man, Westbrook.
In Nightwing #89, as Tarantula is on the scene, he initially assumes it was her doing, but she has simply arrived too late to rescue John Law. Nightwing knows that Blockbuster is likely to be behind the attack, no matter who planted the explosives, and sets out to find him. Maxine sees that Dick Grayson is hiding more than he is showing, and that the explosion is just the beginning of her new story.
In Nightwing #91, at the funeral, reporter Maxine Michaels makes a surprising discovery and heads to the police headquarters, where she tells Amy that the building should be evacuated.
In Nightwing #92, Maxine Michaels has deduced Dick Grayson's secret, that he is also Nightwing and fears that Blockbuster will attack the police department next, as she knows Dick really cares about it and its staff. The building is evacuated and Amy Rohrbach tries desperately to contact Dick.
In Nightwing #93, Dick confronts reporter Maxine Michaels in her apartment, demanding to know how she could put so many lives in danger through her carelessness. She insists that she did not mean to help Desmond discover his secrets, it was an accident, and bound to happen anyway the way he lives his life. In mid-sentence, she is brutally shot through the head. Blockbuster bursts in through the window. He casually remarks that he is tying up loose ends.