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Mostly indifferent. If some catastrophe were to take out the entire Bat Family (but not Batman/Bruce Wayne himself) and Batman needed a new supporting cast, Duke would be as good a place as any to start. As it is, though, he's one more player on an already crowded field, and leads to the question, "Is this character really necessary?" NOTE: I asked the same question when Cassandra and Damian were introduced, and I remain pretty indifferent to them as well.
[color=red]Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)[/color]
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[QUOTE=millernumber1;2308842]Duke, as being kind of a jerk to those girls at the beginning, and then treating Riko really badly[/QUOTE]
When happened this? Really, I don't remember that moment.
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I dislike him as much or less than I dislike Stephanie, Cassandra, Kate, and Harper. He just happens to appear more in the books that I actually read. His development is long overdue, I'm interested by his development in All-Star Batman and like him there, but he feels like and unnecessary and awkward addition to King's Batman book. He fills the role that Tim Drake used to fill, until he outgrew it. The Bat-Family is just too crowded currently.
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He's just a little too been-there-done-that for me.
It seems every civilian teen that comes into Bruce's orbit now must become a costumed ally. They did with Harper [I]just before[/I] Duke.
I thought his parts in the latter half of the [I]Bloom[/I] arc dragged the story down a bit.
I'm open to seeing what develops with him, though.
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[QUOTE=Orujo-man;2308893]0 Votes in Love him...[/QUOTE]
That will change now that you've pointed it out. Someone will feel the need to defend the character.
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Just another redundant character. I really dislike him.
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[QUOTE=ilovelocust;2308896]That will change now that you've pointed it out. Someone will feel the need to defend the character.[/QUOTE]
To me Duke is a bit indifferent, I enjoy We are Robin with him mostly. I understand some people don't like him, but sometimes I see all this hate unjustified to him.
Only my opinion
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There's not really a voting option that matches how I feel.
I liked Duke a lot in Zero Year, as this kid with the burning desire to beat Riddler at his own game. But I don't necessarily see why being a whiz at crossword puzzles, or even having a strong sense of justice, translates to suiting up and going out to physically fight crime.
In the same way, I preferred Harper when she was just using her skills as an electrician to do Batman a favour or two.
They were both more unique at that stage. Having them don costumes in some ways lessens them. And Gotham is pretty crowded. It needs distinctive civilians far more than it does more people in costume.
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Thruth to be told, I can't say that I hate Duke, because there has been occasions where I have liked him (ending of Robin War, for example), but unfortunately he is the culmination of everything I don't like about Snyder's Batman.
OCs replacing old, established characters instead of co-living with them, charactirization off, non-stop world destroying action that simulatneously takes too long and too little time to happen and character development that is told instead of shown.
And seriously, yes Robin does not necessarily need Batman as Damian (and his solo) has demonstarted, but too bad that Duke ain't one, as he desperately needs Batman to stay relevant on and off-page.
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I don't outright dislike or despise him as much as others do, but I wouldn't say I care for him much compared to other members of the Batfamily.
I'm not against new characters being added to or developed in Batman, but so far I don't think Duke has added much to the books he's appeared in, or treaded new ground that we haven't had with the other Robins or supporting cast members. Particularly now with how overcrowded the Batfamily is, I don't think it's easy to bring in and focus on a new character or finding a niche for them that isn't already covered or treated by someone else. Harper had this problem as well to some degree.
His attitude at times and going on and on about how "Robin doesn't need Batman" has also kinda grated on me, especially when the writers and stories are basically just treating him as a Robin in all but name for the most part and not really doing much to differentiate him. Maybe All-Star will fix this to some degree since it's emphasizing his development and making him into something different then the other sidekicks, but I really haven't been convinced yet.
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[QUOTE=Orujo-man;2308861]When happened this? Really, I don't remember that moment.[/QUOTE]
The very first issue of We Are Robin had him getting into fights and being very disrespectful to some girls at his school (he thinks he has good reason, but with what happens with Izzy and Riko in the rest of the book, I regard his self-justification as potentially unreliable). After Robin War, he ignores Riko's attempts to contact him, knowing that she has feelings for him (unless he's completely blind, which doesn't seem likely, given how smart he's supposed to be), and when she confronts him about dating Izzy, he plays dumb, hurting her more. Some of this could be Bermejo's...um...inexperience at writing, but it's not handled well at all, and seriously damaged my interest and liking for him.
[QUOTE=NightwingIvI;2308876]The Bat-Family is just too crowded currently.[/QUOTE]
This interests me, as I love all of the Batfamily, and never really think it's too crowded. To me, Batman as solo figure is too tragic - the Bat family is part of his glacially slow healing process - creating the family he lost in Crime Alley, promising each of them that he will not be shot and leave them alone. An impossible promise, but one that I love him for every time he makes it. (I should also mention that my favorite comic book character is Stephanie Brown. So that colors my whole perspective on Batman. :)
[QUOTE=irene;2308992]And seriously, yes Robin does not necessarily need Batman as Damian (and his solo) has demonstarted, but too bad that Duke ain't one, as he desperately needs Batman to stay relevant on and off-page.[/QUOTE]
And as Tim's 183-issue solo demonstrated before hand :). But Tim's quote is not that Robin needs a Batman, but that Batman needs a Robin, and that Robin will always answer Batman's call. I think that statement is true, and having Batman contradict it was really offensive to me - it shows a fundamental lack of understanding and appreciation for Batman's relationship to his family (though...um...this is the writer who though Death of the Family was a great idea, so...)
[QUOTE=Frontier;2308999]Particularly now with how overcrowded the Batfamily is, I don't think it's easy to bring in and focus on a new character or finding a niche for them that isn't already covered or treated by someone else. Harper had this problem as well to some degree.
His attitude at times and going on and on about how "Robin doesn't need Batman" has also kinda grated on me, especially when the writers and stories are basically just treating him as a Robin in all but name for the most part and not really doing much to differentiate him. Maybe All-Star will fix this to some degree since it's emphasizing his development and making him into something different then the other sidekicks, but I really haven't been convinced yet.[/QUOTE]
Why do people think the Batfamily is so overcrowded? Do they feel there is a character who isn't getting the love they deserve?
However, I agree with you that Duke needs to get his own thing. "Duke Thomas" will never have the same kind of ring as Batman, Robin, Batgirl, or even Black Bat, Spoiler, Orphan, or Bluebird. He needs to be Lark or someone **** quick. I hate how Snyder feels he's being so cute with not revealing Duke's identity. He should learn from the masters, like Chuck Dixon, or the failures of the masters, like Greg Rucka. Dixon created Spoiler first, and then revealed Steph's identity. Result: a character with almost 25 years of history and a passionate fanbase (and some equally passionate anti-fans :). Rucka tried so hard to make Sasha Bordeaux a thing (and I personally love her dearly), but...no one knows about her. When he's not writing her, no one cares about her. Now, if she were a Shield agent, she might have a chance - see also, Maria Hill. But Marvel and DC's secret organizations don't work the same way - DC's Checkmate etc are more likely to oppose our heros than work with them, so even though Rucka is a great writer, she's not one of his legacies, and I really think that's because he never bothered to give her a name, even when she got a costume.
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I've ranted about Duke before, so I'll try and go easier on him after this (by not mentioning him). Duke has been around for 3 years now. When they started pushing him in We Are Robin and Robin War, he was boring. His defenders said give him time to develop a personality. He is now being pushed in 2 major Bat-books. He is still boring. His defenders still say give him time to develop. What if, 2 years from now, he is still as boring as ever. Will his defenders keep urging his detractors to be patient with him? At what point do you just admit that a character is bland and poorly conceived?
This is why I have no patience with Duke, we shouldn't have to be patient to see his potential.
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[QUOTE=Atlanta96;2309059]I've ranted about Duke before, so I'll try and go easier on him after this (by not mentioning him). Duke has been around for 3 years now. When they started pushing him in We Are Robin and Robin War, he was boring. His defenders said give him time to develop a personality. He is now being pushed in 2 major Bat-books. He is still boring. His defenders still say give him time to develop. What if, 2 years from now, he is still as boring as ever. Will his defenders keep urging his detractors to be patient with him? At what point do you just admit that a character is bland and poorly conceived?
This is why I have no patience with Duke, we shouldn't have to be patient to see his potential.[/QUOTE]
To hammer my own dead horse, I think it's crucial for a new character to have two things: a name and at least one relationship outside of Batman (although that can't always save them, see also Bluebird, who had relationships with Steph and Cass, but thankfully Tynion realized she didn't work as well as the other two - at least, I hope that's what he realized. :). Duke has a relationship with Damian that potentially could have been really good for the character (I never liked Duke's character more than when King wrote him with Damian), but has been dropped because Damian is off in Teen Titans/Super Sons land. But his relationship with Batman isn't enjoyable - I don't want someone worshipping Batman (see also: Steph slapping Bruce is the best thing ever!), but the kind of disrespect Duke seems to have for Batman as an idea is just annoying, and doesn't make me want to learn more about him.
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I liked him in We Are Robin. He really isn't doing anything in Batman though
The 3rd option should be like instead of love.