Duke Thomas: We Are Robin, Signal Appreciation 2018

[lemonpeace]

Thanks for the source link. It's always good to see where stuff comes from whenever possible.

It seems that even though the context was in response to someone wanting to know how to better write Duke in their fanfiction, and even though the responder holds some shipping opinions (but places like that are a given when it comes to shipping opinions, and this post doesn't actually have any), the responder still shows they have a handle on who Duke is as a character.

Also, I wonder how accurate their take on the general fandom's outlook to Duke's character is? That is, does the GF really see Duke as nothing more than his (so far canonically only 2: after a fellow We Are Robin-er died and not long after becoming The Signal in the mini) lowest points of self-doubt, ignoring everything else?

Yeah, it's more a criticism of the tumblr fandom. They claim to love the character but tend to characterize him as the worrywart or the out of his depth black prop for their Batfamily fanfiction. It's usually due to lazy writing because they rarely make reference to any of Duke's growth in-continuity. I don't think it's how the larger fandom sees him.

As long as they keep going about like in The Unexpected (and it'd have been nice if The Signal could have stuck around for a bit), I think that close to the right direction. But yeah, we'd need someone to do that as part of some kind of ongoing that starred or prominently featured Duke, and blend is Social Heroism background with his meta/immortal background in such a way that both backgrounds enhance the other and each background ties into Gotham and the greater DC Universe.

One of the things I would like is for Duke/The Signal to meet up with and ultimately befriend Derek/Sideways. That would be good on many levels, and each characters' ties would benefit the other. Derek could always use the positive hero influence from Duke and Duke would benefit from Derek's metahuman/Dark Matter affairs. In a perfect world where Duke/The Signal wasn't underutilized, this would have happened already.

I agree with the idea of Duke teaming up with Sideways. I figured having Derek gain his powers in Gotham would lead to a team up but they appear to be diverging on different paths for the moment. Sideways is going strong and if Outsiders continues to drum up interest for Duke it would make sense too much for DC not to get they're newly prominent teen heroes together; especially with their ties to Metal.

[lemonpeace]

Something that popped in my head last night: given the premise of Duke's powers (the ability to take in light through his eyes amd manipulate the way he processes said light), what's an interesting application of his power you can think of?

[skyvolt2000]

Thanks.

Honestly, I would like to see Duke confronting an Immortal who wouldn't understand all the fuss about slavery and civil rights. A being so old that for him, all those institutions which seems ingrained in today's life in the West (nation-states, democracy, etc.) would be strange novelties, possibly the quizzical behaviour of unruly children.

I really think that D.C. isn't making the best use of its Immortals, be they Vandal, Ra's or the Immortal Men and their houses. They should devote more time to display how those beings are, pasted a certain point, utterly unrelatable to mortals, with Duke thus facing what may wait for him in the future. Or he could face an Immortal who did champion what was seen as progressive positions on social issues in the past, be it the end of slavery, or something older, only to now appears set in his ways and unable to accept that the world still has to change.

It could be interesting if done right.

And the cat calls of "forcing politics into comics" would come pouring down on Duke while it IGNORED a event certain book with a kid in a hoodie.

Never mind what you proposed would fit the writing of Tom King or G Willow Wilson.

In fact with what you proposed-would be a very good book to offer to Scholastic.

Duke deals with a villain and in between the case-he seeks advice from the Immortals who tell him about a past event or something that he can eventually use to beat the villain.

Lets say he is dealing with Kite Man-an Immortal tells him about Ben Franklin and that key on a kite. Duke uses what he learned to win.

Make it kid friendly and a series for Scholastic like Moon Girl. Meanwhile you have in OUtsiders and that way you are exposing him to kids and adults at once.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

It be interesting to see Duke try to do a version of the Sherlock scan.

[lemonpeace]

It be interesting to see Duke try to do a version of the Sherlock scan.

I think that's likely to happen. I remember an interview with either Scott Snyder or Tony Patrick where they talk about Duke's powers being used to look at crime scenes in a different way. Him having a Sherlock moment would line up perfectly. It would be a terrible missed opportunity if they don't do it.

[skyvolt2000]

Someone made this suggestion on Twitter

https://twitter.com/RandyS0725/statu...72953070850049

#TeenTitans, but instead of just plain ol' Teen Titans, or #Titans, or #TitansEast...

Titans South:
-#Cyborg (leader)
-#Bumblebee
-#MalDuncan (Vox)
-#Static
-#Hotspot
-#Aqualad
-Tanya Spears (#PowerGirl)
-#DukeThomas (#Signal/#TheSignal)

Set in either New Orleans or Atlanta, GA. I need it!

[lemonpeace]

Someone made this suggestion on Twitter

https://twitter.com/RandyS0725/statu...72953070850049

TeenTitans, but instead of just plain ol' Teen Titans, or #Titans, or #TitansEast...

Titans South:
-#Cyborg (leader)
-#Bumblebee
-#MalDuncan (Vox)
-#Static
-#Hotspot
-#Aqualad
-Tanya Spears (#PowerGirl)
-#DukeThomas (#Signal/#TheSignal)

Set in either New Orleans or Atlanta, GA. I need it!

A predominantly black Titans team? I'd buy the hell outta that ****. I'd make Duke the leader and swap Cyborg for Wallace; Cyborg should be their Justice League liason. I'd also drop Vox (too old for this group to be a regular member for me) and Hotspot (too...dead) for Jaime Reyes and Sideways. Get some Latinx representation on the team. Plus it widens the possibilities of their adventures, Blue Beetle gives them a foot in the cosmic and Sideways gives them interdimensional access (making it easier to get static on the team).

[skyvolt2000]

A predominantly black Titans team? I'd buy the hell outta that ****. I'd make Duke the leader and swap Cyborg for Wallace; Cyborg should be their Justice League liason. I'd also drop Vox (too old for this group to be a regular member for me) and Hotspot (too...dead) for Jaime Reyes and Sideways. Get some Latinx representation on the team. Plus it widens the possibilities of their adventures, Blue Beetle gives them a foot in the cosmic and Sideways gives them interdimensional access (making it easier to get static on the team).

His name was mentioned in that thread too.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

maybe this team would work better if it was a more equal mix of latinx and african american characters? just touch upon race issues outside of non-white people versus white people.

[lemonpeace]

maybe this team would work better if it was a more equal mix of latinx and african american characters? just touch upon race issues outside of non-white people versus white people.

That's makes sense. Well if we're dropping Vox then we could also drop Bumblebee too. Use that spot to introduce a new Latino character. I noticed (I could be wrong) that DC doesn't have afro-latino characters (or at least not many prominent ones that I would kmow) so introducing one on this particular team would a good way to touch on certain issues in and around the latino community. Especially with someome like Sideways who's latino but was adopted by white parents. Pulling from all over the spectrum of the Latinx experience could lend itself to some interesting character dynamics.

[Korath]

It's been a long time, so fan art !

[lemonpeace]

Some more fanart

[DragonPiece]

Duke was in Detective 990, talking with Bruce about the time they fought 2face in all star batman & how he was enjoying being the signal. Too bad the artist drew him with his old costume and as if he was 30 years old.

[lemonpeace]

Duke was in Detective 990, talking with Bruce about the time they fought 2face in all star batman & how he was enjoying being the signal. Too bad the artist drew him with his old costume and as if he was 30 years old.

I noticed that too and it irked me a bit. I didn't mind that they drew a little too matured (they do that with characters all the time. meh) but the costume thing....like, that HAS to be deliberate right? No one is that oblivious. I'm just glad to see my boy kicking about though, so I'm happy.

[Korath]

I didn't even noticed the costume. Somehow, I like to think that Duke alternate between his two costumes, just to confuse his foes : will he be resorting to the blindsing signal on his chest or defeat them another way ? That sort of thing.

And it was cool to see him depicted as competent and trusted by Bruce in 'Tec.