How do you feel about Duke Thomas?

[Atlanta96]

Far from it. People commented on it here, on Twitter, and similarly, the MOST common response to the initial reveal of the suit was saying that he looked like Wolverine.

LOL, his costume went from the world's lamest Power Ranger to a goofy hybrid character from the 90s. Duke is just a bad decision magnet at this point.

Also, gotta love how they've built this character up in 2 Batman books for a whole year, along with several appearances in the New 52 Bat-books, and he's still not popular enough for a solo book. Considering some of the other characters DC has recently given solo books to, that's pretty hilarious.

[DragonPiece]

At they managed to turn a lot of Damian fans against Duke with this title. Also, am I the only one who noticed that Duke looks like BatClaw now? Yeah, it will probably sell alright for a mini-series. But at the same time, what a sh*tshow.

Probably won't change your opinion, but the cover in the solicits is not Duke's final design. This is the final look: http://insidepulse.com/wp-content/up...lly-Hamner.jpg

[Assam]

LOL, his costume went from the world's lamest Power Ranger to a goofy hybrid character from the 90s. Duke is just a bad decision magnet at this point.

Also, once Cass ditches Orphan (Got that confirmed if you didn't see) , The Signal will take its rightful spot as the worst codename in the BatFam.

[Atlanta96]

Also, once Cass ditches Orphan (Got that confirmed if you didn't see) , The Signal will take its rightful spot as the worst codename in the BatFam.

She's ditching Orphan? Well well, at least someone at DC is capable of making good decisions.

Probably won't change your opinion, but the cover in the solicits is not Duke's final design. This is the final look: http://insidepulse.com/wp-content/up...lly-Hamner.jpg

I don't see a difference.

[Assam]

She's ditching Orphan? Well well, at least someone at DC is capable of making good decisions.

I think that's the first time I've seen you compliment Tynion. I actually learned quite a bit from him yesterday. See Cass's appreciation thread for details.

[JasonTodd428]

Also, once Cass ditches Orphan (Got that confirmed if you didn't see) , The Signal will take its rightful spot as the worst codename in the BatFam.

I don't know a lot of superhero names are pretty ridiculous and even lame when you take a step back and think about it. I'm not sure Duke's is really any worse then the norm. The only reason people don't think Batman's name is bad is because its iconic these days. Guarantee that if someone came up with the name today people would say it was a pretty dumb one. Same with most superheroes. To me it seems Duke's hero name is par for the course in that regard. YMMV on that of course.

[Assam]

I don't know a lot of superhero names are pretty ridiculous and even lame when you take a step back and think about it. I'm not sure Duke's is really any worse then the norm. The only reason people don't think Batman's name is bad is because its iconic these days. Guarantee that if someone came up with the name today people would say it was a pretty dumb one. Same with most superheroes. To me it seems Duke's hero name is par for the course in that regard. YMMV on that of course.

I mean, Duke's is kinda particularly bad considering, even if it didn't sound silly, he was still named by the Joker

[JasonTodd428]

I mean, Duke's is kinda particularly bad considering, even if it didn't sound silly, he was still named by the Joker

A writer is still behind the name though and all I'm saying is that it would be lame regardless of whether or not the Joker was involved. In any case Duke deciding to use the name though feels a lot like Jason's decision to use the Red Hood to me. In both causes the Joker is to blame for something terrible that happened in their lives and using names associated with him is kind of a way for them to give Joker a big middle finger. Its also a way of saying to him that you may have taken something from me but I survived. To me it feels empowering but again that's just my opinion. YMMV.

[Atlanta96]

A writer is still behind the name though and all I'm saying is that it would be lame regardless of whether or not the Joker was involved. In any case Duke deciding to use the name though feels a lot like Jason's decision to use the Red Hood to me. In both causes the Joker is to blame for something terrible that happened in their lives and using names associated with him is kind of a way for them to give Joker a big middle finger. Its also a way of saying to him that you may have taken something from me but I survived. To me it feels empowering but again that's just my opinion. YMMV.

The name "The Signal" is not associated with the Joker, especially not the way Red Hood is. It was a name suggested by the Joker, using the name Signal is more complementary to Joker than it is insulting. Its just lazy writing.

[skyvolt2000]

LOL, his costume went from the world's lamest Power Ranger to a goofy hybrid character from the 90s. Duke is just a bad decision magnet at this point.

Also, gotta love how they've built this character up in 2 Batman books for a whole year, along with several appearances in the New 52 Bat-books, and he's still not popular enough for a solo book. Considering some of the other characters DC has recently given solo books to, that's pretty hilarious.

Okay lets see this rage for Simon & Jessica who are in two books with more page time than Duke.

Funny this rage seems to only be aimed at Duke who is BARELY in the Batman books and yet we get cat calls of he's being shoved in our faces. A character shoved in your face would be Inhumans, Harley, Deadpool, most of the X-Men, Gwenpool and even Carol Danvers. Not someone with a one page cameo every blue moon in a Batman's book.

Excluding this mini, backups and the one shot of Dark Forge (so far)-where are all these Duke lead stories that dominate Batman? Fake Wally has had more stories with him than Duke. Yet Duke is being shoved in our faces.

Duke gets targeted and everyone else who has gotten more than WALLY & TIMMY get free passes. Yes know Simon, Jessica, Mother Panic, Shade, Cave Carson, the Wildstorm guys, Future Quest gang, Super sons, Ragman, Dark Metal titles, Flintstones, the Jetsons, Space Ghost and all the rest who got books over the "icons" Wally West & Tim Drake.

Go throw fits about them. Because right now the wrong message is being sent out and you might not like the results that trolling causes.

[Assam]

For the billionth time Skyvolt, the reason no one complains about Simon and Jessica (and the like) is because they're good characters. In cases like theirs, even AMAZING. If Duke was as fleshed out as most Pre-Flashpoint BatFam members, I would think of him the same way I do Damian, Kate and to a lesser extent Jason. Ergo, I'd still dislike him on a meta level, but I'd enjoy him on the page.

[Atlanta96]

Okay lets see this rage for Simon & Jessica who are in two books with more page time than Duke.

Funny this rage seems to only be aimed at Duke who is BARELY in the Batman books and yet we get cat calls of he's being shoved in our faces. A character shoved in your face would be Inhumans, Harley, Deadpool, most of the X-Men, Gwenpool and even Carol Danvers. Not someone with a one page cameo every blue moon in a Batman's book.

Excluding this mini, backups and the one shot of Dark Forge (so far)-where are all these Duke lead stories that dominate Batman? Fake Wally has had more stories with him than Duke. Yet Duke is being shoved in our faces.

Duke gets targeted and everyone else who has gotten more than WALLY & TIMMY get free passes. Yes know Simon, Jessica, Mother Panic, Shade, Cave Carson, the Wildstorm guys, Future Quest gang, Super sons, Ragman, Dark Metal titles, Flintstones, the Jetsons, Space Ghost and all the rest who got books over the "icons" Wally West & Tim Drake.

Go throw fits about them. Because right now the wrong message is being sent out and you might not like the results that trolling causes.

LOL. All the other characters you mentioned either:

A) Have some kind of merit that makes their existence worthwhile.
or B) Are part of a separate imprint, some of them not even taking place in the main DCU, and aren't fighting for the same fanbase as the Bat-Family, Justice League etc.

Except for Nu Wally, who really is terrible.

Enough with the non-sequitor/straw man arguments already.

Edit: I noticed that you had "most of the X-Men" listed as characters being shoved in readers faces. What. Are. You. Talking. About?

[Assam]

Except for Nu Wally, who really is terrible.

I thought you didn't have any problem with NuWally as a character, just that he was bad for Wally.

[Atlanta96]

I thought you didn't have any problem with NuWally as a character, just that he was bad for Wally.

I changed. I now realize that DC is trying to permanently replace Ginger Wally with Nu, and make him the main Wally West that readers care about for the rest of time. That is so freaking disgusting and insulting to fans, that any merit Nu Wally started out with is irrelevant.

Honestly he's almost as bad as Duke or Harper now, if not worse. It all depends on how things play out.

[Montressor]

Disliked his portrayal in The Casting (I think it's called, the very first one of the series).

His getting the drop on a veteran like Hal Jordan--drawing blood, even--was ridiculous. Also, he spoke to Hal as if he were speaking to a peer. He's still 'new' to this, he should've been in awe of Hal (not that I'm a huge Hal fan, but it just came across as silly).

I love how Hal talked down a bit to him, though--'Awww, you're doing the voice, and everything'.