Rebirth- Batman by Tom King

[DragonPiece]

Ehh, actually it wasn't till more Morrison's Batman and Robin that everyone began to love him. Till Batman and Robin he wasn't really even written to necessarily be liked though. Thats why Damian is refreshing. Hes not a safe character. U weren't necessarily suppose to even like him at first. To use wrestling terminology he came in as a heel. Beating up Tim like he did and what have u. It wasn't until Batman and Robin and his character journey with Dick that they then started to make us fall in love him so they could break our hearts with his death. But it was there that we actually got to experience him develop as a person and grow as character, and where fans started to really create an attachment with him because of that. But even now his personality still remains abrasive. He demands a reaction one way or the other.

I'm talking about the general perception. There was still lots of damian hate during morrison's batman and robin run

[Godlike13]

I'm talking about the general perception. There was still lots of damian hate during morrison's batman and robin run

Still it wasn't really when Peter Tomasi started writing him that his general perception started to change. People started coming around to Damian with Morrison's Batman and Robin. They brought Tomasi in after, and because, they were already getting a positive response, and so wanted to then extend Dick and Damian as Batman and Robin even after Bruce came back. Bringing in other writers to continue the series.

[Maxpower00044]

Really feel that when it's all said and done, Duke will have a different code name other than Robin. Damian will still be Robin (as he should be).

[Claude]

Really feel that when it's all said and done, Duke will have a different code name other than Robin. Damian will still be Robin (as he should be).

I think this will probably turn out to be the case - in fact, I think Snyder has specifically said that Dukewont take the "Robin" name even as he acts as ward and sidekick - but I think that "Damian - Son Of The Batman" is probably a strong enough hook for the character and for a solo title without "Robin" being a factor at all. Damian could certainly survive without it.

[The Whovian]

Does anyone really care about Duke?

[dan12456]

Does anyone really care about Duke?

Snyder does

[Kurtzberg]

Does anyone really care about Duke?

I like him more than I used to, but I think he's been dropped into an awkward place and his creator has actually helped out too much. I think Duke has potential, but Snyder seemed to deliberately position him to be the next Robin when the position wasn't really open, which was always going to be awkward and annoy some people. This scenario has not been improved at all or made anymore clearer despite Duke no longer being a new idea. King hopefully has some good ideas as how to use him, and maybe the final issues of WAR can launch him to greater heights, but right now he's an idea with potential but has been stuck in neutral for some time now, I can't see where they are trying to take the character.
Also, Snyder has handed off a lot of the character development to other writer's (WAR, Robin War, King's upcoming Batman, etc.) while using him rather sparingly in his own book. I struggled to get excited about Duke, because Snyder doesn't seem to be excited to actually write him, he's kind of an afterthought by his own creator. Maybe this will change with All Star coming up, but Duke doesn't seem to actually figure in the main story their either, he's in the backups. So again, hopefully King can do something with him, because Snyder hasn't really done much to push the boat out.

[gwangung]

I like him more than I used to, but I think he's been dropped into an awkward place and his creator has actually helped out too much. I think Duke has potential, but Snyder seemed to deliberately position him to be the next Robin when the position wasn't really open, which was always going to be awkward and annoy some people. This scenario has not been improved at all or made anymore clearer despite Duke no longer being a new idea. King hopefully has some good ideas as how to use him, and maybe the final issues of WAR can launch him to greater heights, but right now he's an idea with potential but has been stuck in neutral for some time now, I can't see where they are trying to take the character.
Also, Snyder has handed off a lot of the character development to other writer's (WAR, Robin War, King's upcoming Batman, etc.) while using him rather sparingly in his own book. I struggled to get excited about Duke, because Snyder doesn't seem to be excited to actually write him, he's kind of an afterthought by his own creator. Maybe this will change with All Star coming up, but Duke doesn't seem to actually figure in the main story their either, he's in the backups. So again, hopefully King can do something with him, because Snyder hasn't really done much to push the boat out.

Perhaps a unifying idea is that Batman is taking more seriously the idea of him being an inspiration. No more Bat-jerk. His struggle inspires normal people to do better....and extraordinary people to be exemplars themselves. But not the same example; they all have to struggle to define themselves...but part of Bruce's purpose is to inspire them to be the best they can be...and that best is different for everyone. Duke will not be Robin...but what he ends up as is something neither he nor Bruce can know, especially at the beginning.

[JasonTodd428]

Backups are probably a good place for Snyder to further develop Duke's character so I don't mind if Snyder uses them in All Star Batman for that purpose. I also don't mind seeing King or other writers adding to what Snyder has already done with the character. As for Duke actually ever being "Robin" I don't really expect him to ever be. He might become Bruce's ward or what have you and he may partner up with Batman eventually but I think he'll go by a different name. We've already got two other active "Robins" in Damian and Tim so we don't really need a third.

[DragonPiece]

Does anyone really care about Duke?

I like him, he had some really weird writing in We are Robin, but whatevs.

[Jbreeny]

Very happy to see King and Janin are on the book, they have done some excellent work together on Grayson. Can't really say I am to pumped about the idea of Finch on the book, I think he is a good artist however he seems never to be able to keep on schedule which is something that will be paramount with these double shipped books. I'd much rather have an artist such as Stephen Mooney on the book because I really enjoy his work and it seems so far he has no issue with handing things in on time.

[JediKage]

yeah Snyder spent all his effort on BlueBird.

[ZuLuLu]

I like him more than I used to, but I think he's been dropped into an awkward place and his creator has actually helped out too much. I think Duke has potential, but Snyder seemed to deliberately position him to be the next Robin when the position wasn't really open, which was always going to be awkward and annoy some people. This scenario has not been improved at all or made anymore clearer despite Duke no longer being a new idea. King hopefully has some good ideas as how to use him, and maybe the final issues of WAR can launch him to greater heights, but right now he's an idea with potential but has been stuck in neutral for some time now, I can't see where they are trying to take the character.
Also, Snyder has handed off a lot of the character development to other writer's (WAR, Robin War, King's upcoming Batman, etc.) while using him rather sparingly in his own book. I struggled to get excited about Duke, because Snyder doesn't seem to be excited to actually write him, he's kind of an afterthought by his own creator. Maybe this will change with All Star coming up, but Duke doesn't seem to actually figure in the main story their either, he's in the backups. So again, hopefully King can do something with him, because Snyder hasn't really done much to push the boat out.

While I don't think Snyder created Duke with the intention that he would be the next Robin, I think the fact that the Futures End story had him as Robin not to long after Damian died and the position for Robin was open, readers were left to wonder if this future would hold true and began to associate Duke with the Robin title, so naturally fans became suspicious of Snyder's intentions once the character started to show up more in the Batman,plus it didn't help that Snyder admitted to not wanting to write Damian.

I don't think King would have used Duke if he didn't have plans for him and he probably like the fact that Duke is a new enough character not bog down with a complicated history so he can develop him as he sees fit.

[Kurtzberg]

While I don't think Snyder created Duke with the intention that he would be the next Robin, I think the fact that the Futures End story had him as Robin not to long after Damian died and the position for Robin was open, readers were left to wonder if this future would hold true and began to associate Duke with the Robin title, so naturally fans became suspicious of Snyder's intentions once the character started to show up more in the Batman,plus it didn't help that Snyder admitted to not wanting to write Damian.

I don't think King would have used Duke if he didn't have plans for him and he probably like the fact that Duke is a new enough character not bog down with a complicated history so he can develop him as he sees fit.

Except Snyder and DC created that mess themselves. That Future's End issue was in like September 2014, by that time the Hunt for Robin/Robin Rises had already been started back around March, and DC was running ads/promotional material with a skeletal Damian in his Robin suit saying He's Back... With that happening, who didn't think Damian was going to be back as Robin by the end of Robin Rises? DC wasn't being subtle, the kid was coming back and going to be Robin again. The Future's End story was written in a time where it seemed pretty certain what was on the horizon, Damian was alive and hugging his daddy by December. Then DC went and put Duke in a book called We Are Robin and Snyder had him playing a role in the main book wearing the R, it's not hard to see why some people had a level of confusion as to what they were trying to do with Duke's character.
I think Snyder initially created Duke to be his Robin because he knew Morrison would kill Damian off, but editorial brought Damian back almost immediately, so Snyder couldn't go the way he wanted to and Duke got caught in a confusing limbo. They could have made the situation less muddled in several ways, but didn't. It's not Snyder's fault completely, he's something of a victim of circumstance, but he did have a hand in the some of it.

[DragonPiece]

yeah Snyder spent all his effort on BlueBird.

Snyder hardly wrote bluebird honestly. Every issue that even focused on her tynion was cowriting.