Duke Thomas: The Signal Appreciation 2020

[lemonpeace]

I was thinking about different ways Duke's powers could be applied, I was wondering how far i could push his powers just based on the nature of his powers, and I landed on a couple ideas. first one is simple, he draws in, more or less absorbing, sunlight through his eyes so if you push that to an absurd degree he could rob Superman of his powers by snatching the sunlight from his body with a glance; hit 'em with that Aizawa mid-flight. the second idea came to be when thinking about his shadow powers, let's say the shadow ability isn't him spreading darkness but instead is an extension of his photokinetic eye abilities and he's now taking in light with his entire body, then naturally his ability to process light should expand as well. so my idea, if his body is taking sunlight from around him and then he should be able to manipulate the way he processes that light and achieve a form of photosynthesis

[9th.]

How do yall feel about Duke being a biker to add as one of civilian qualities? I'd also make him a mechanic.

Another question I wanted to ask was has he interacted with Jason at all? I feel like they could bond over the whole Joker thing even if it might turn out dangerously.

[Blanks]

Doomsday Clock might as well be an elseworld as far as I'm concerned, it barely resembles anything going on at DC when it started in 2017 or when it ended in 2019. however, only Stein got arrested so maybe one of the other halves linked up with Ronnie off-panel; fitting considering Doomsday Clock's finale. (lemme not with Doomsday Clock)

I’d rather they had brought Jason be back as Firestorm after that Stein reveal.

[lemonpeace]

How do yall feel about Duke being a biker to add as one of civilian qualities? I'd also make him a mechanic.

Another question I wanted to ask was has he interacted with Jason at all? I feel like they could bond over the whole Joker thing even if it might turn out dangerously.

I would be cool with him having some mechanic skills but I don't really see Duke as a biker or a mechanic. Duke and Jason have met, they appear to have a good rapport; there was a DC showcase story where Jason trains Duke one-on-one.

[sifighter]

I wonder given his involvement in the beginning of Metal, the Forge and the Casting, if Snyder has any plans for Duke in his sequel event coming up.

[lemonpeace]

I wonder given his involvement in the beginning of Metal, the Forge and the Casting, if Snyder has any plans for Duke in his sequel event coming up.

I feel Snyder has all but forgotten about Duke after handing him over to Tony Patrick for the disrespectfully short mini-"series", so I doubt it; especially considering Duke was nowhere to be found in the actual Metal event. I would like to be wrong because I would love for Duke to get more shine to insure his continued existence and the chance for progression, but I think Snyder was banking on his mini and Immortal Men enticing more writers into taking the character on and running with him but they were both stifled by woefully short runs. Hell, Immortal Men didn't even last long enough to play on Duke's connection, leaving a chasm of untapped potential for stories, world-building, and character mythology for Duke that feels like it'll never be touched again.

EDIT: just remembered Snyder does at least remember Duke because he does appear in Last Knight on Earth, nothing of consequence or substance but at least he appears. so maybe Duke will pop up in Metal 2, at least a cameo.

[Korath]

I'm not sure how I feel about Duke have large meta-powers. i like it more for him to use them to complement his detective skills, instead of using it to control/siphon light and darkness. Seeing where your opponent will be and what he'll do seconds in advance is already incredibly broken after all !

[lemonpeace]

did anyone get to read Duke's solo story in that Batman 100-page Walmart issue last year? I love my boy but I didn't want to buy the whole thing just for Duke and, I guess true to karma for not wanting to buy it, i can't seem to find it anywhere online.

[9th.]

I hate how short Batman and Signal was, 3 issues is not enough for me to get invested in anything.

[lemonpeace]

I hate how short Batman and Signal was, 3 issues is not enough for me to get invested in anything.

the more I think about it, the more I hate that choice. by making it that short they effectively cut that series' legs at the knees before the race. someone at DC clearly only allowed that series to be made because of Snyder but either actively didn't want him to or never intended/expected Duke to get off the ground. there is no way you could legitimately think 3 issues is enough, that's gotta be the shortest series DC's put out in years.

[lemonpeace]

I'm not sure how I feel about Duke have large meta-powers. i like it more for him to use them to complement his detective skills, instead of using it to control/siphon light and darkness. Seeing where your opponent will be and what he'll do seconds in advance is already incredibly broken after all !

understandable but that's the trick, it's about expanding what's there already to level the playing field. imagine the recon he could do with his sensory abilities if he didn't need to sleep or eat, or he could steal/manipulate the light in his vicinity to better hide. expanding his powers doesn't have to be about making him a DBZ chucking sunlight like a spirit bomb, ya dig? just a fun exercise in imagination, mapping out how his powers could be elevated to a Leaguer level asset while staying true to the nature of his powers.

[skyvolt2000]

did anyone get to read Duke's solo story in that Batman 100-page Walmart issue last year? I love my boy but I didn't want to buy the whole thing just for Duke and, I guess true to karma for not wanting to buy it, i can't seem to find it anywhere online.

It was too short.

It was Duke talking to an old friend that was deciding on what path to go on (good/bad).

The ending....it opens up for a sequel. A sequel that since this is Duke might not happen because Duke does not have his own book and the friend is not with some major group of baddies.

[J. D. Guy]

I hate how short Batman and Signal was, 3 issues is not enough for me to get invested in anything.

From what I gathered as time went by, the shortness ultimately had to do with Cullen Hamner's (the book's artist) schedule. It was originally slated to be your standard 6-issue mini-series length. Then it was slated 3 (in a way that was meant to imply it was always 3, but eagle-eyed anticipating viewers knew better). Sometime later, and I don't recall the channel this came from (an interview or tweet from Tony Patrick, I think), but it became known that Cullen Hamner had schedule-keeping issues, which was why the story was changed from 6 issues to 3. This information would also explain why the issues were delayed like they were (if anyone following the original release may recall).

I personally loved those 3 issues something firece. So much so that I still want Tony Patrick on Duke/The Signal to continue his vision, even now. Alas, as awesome as it was, there is only so much that can be accomplished within 3 issues of a standard US-styled comic book. Knowing that Hamner was the ultimate reason why, as much as I loved his redesign and the energy he brought to the character and the concept of "Gotham by Daylight" (dude was part of the design team who created Jaime Reyes' Blue Beetle, which is worth a lot of props), I wish now that another artist who was just as talented and full of potential had been paired with Tony Patrick. We'd have got the 6 issues, and likely on time as it was scheduled. Tony Patrick could have told the fuller version of his introduction story, with more room to flesh his concept out, and given how strong what we did get was, it would have been all the stronger and better for it.

[dietrich]

Realistic Fan portrait





https://ascender56.tumblr.com

[J. D. Guy]

Realistic Fan portrait





https://ascender56.tumblr.com

Interesting, but noticeably on the light-skinned side. Duke's complexion is darker than what the art here depicts.