Duke Thomas: We Are Robin, Signal Appreciation 2018

[J. D. Guy]

It's not a bad concept (although I don't think it's too interesting, but that's up to the execution) but I am hoping there's an actual explanation for why ONLY Duke can do this.

That was my question too like no one else could do it? We have multiple former robins Tim could have done it. I get Bruce not doing it, but one of the former Batgirls or former robins could easily have filled this role. Also if there is a problem during the day Batman really wouldn't handle it? He would let the city go to crap and not go out until the sun is down. That is silly.

I don't recall it being said that "only Duke can do this", nor do I reckon that'd be the point.

Still, I'd say the "answer" to this, such as it is, lies more out of universe than in it. That is, it's never been on the writer's mind to do so in any meaningful capacity until now.

BleedingCool

Do you have a link?

I think Duke is the only one who wants to fight crime in the day versus the only who can.

I think its more he feels he's inadequate to fight crime at night because of recent failures with the Riddler (in All-Star Batman). There was also the issue where he visited the youth center run by Julie Madison and he got the inspiration for being the Signal from the kid's drawing(my take). So maybe he decides that he was wrong and that he can actually fight crime at night?

The interview was pretty cool and I'm pretty excited for the comic. I think they explained Duke pretty well and what he is going after and how Gothan by day works.

Is Juvy Arkham a person or a group tho? They used that name both ways.

I guess the former could work as an in-universe reason.

I'll need to read the interview myself when I get settled in before I can comment on it or the latter.

[batnbreakfast]

Do you have a link?

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/10...n-signal-2018/

[DragonPiece]

I'm confused with how the hurricane gives the book a two month delay. I noticed other big books only move a week or two. Guess it was just priorities. Idk, hopefully we will see Duke appear else where like how he is showing up in Batman.


I liked the art from the issue 1 preview. Not expecting to much from a 3 issue story, but it sounds like a good pilot run for the character.

[skyvolt2000]

I'm confused with how the hurricane gives the book a two month delay. I noticed other big books only move a week or two. Guess it was just priorities. Idk, hopefully we will see Duke appear else where like how he is showing up in Batman.


I liked the art from the issue 1 preview. Not expecting to much from a 3 issue story, but it sounds like a good pilot run for the character.

The recent interview they gave did state this was a test run and has hopes of an ongoing.

Now seeing Millstone line up and the mini would take place after Metal-now it sort of make sense to hold off.

http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/batman-...-gotham-by-day

If we are able to sustain an ongoing series beyond its initial three issues and become the hero we envision for the future, then we’ll see those battles with classic villains. Remember that Duke’s parents are in their current state because of Joker, we’ll get that showdown between the Signal and the Joker. Hopefully, I’ll still be around to pen it!

We knew he was a character that had a long deep mythology that we had built around his mother and some of the books coming out like Immortal Men, where he would have photo-kinetic powers where he would take light in through his eyes and be able to see things that other people wouldn’t. We wanted his abilities to be powers of detection, not big super powers like being able to fly around or something like that. We just wanted to give him a different way of seeing, because Gotham by day is something that Batman doesn’t see, being a nocturnal hero.

So when Duke goes to a crime scene, he absorbs light faster than we do, and he can manipulate the way that he processes light. He can see 5 to 6 seconds of what happened before, by seeing the ghosts of light that hit the objects in the room. So he can look back at the history of light in a room and see what happened right before. Imagine a crime scene for him, gives him these powers of detection that are really, really helpful that can open up whole new doors. Especially for a teenager at school, and he goes to the locker and a girl passes by him and he sees 5 to 6 seconds earlier, he sees her saying to her friend what a geek he is, so it’s an emotional power as well. It also plays right into his personality.

Sounds like Duke is a Profiler and the love child of Laforge from Star Trek.

[Katana500]

That interview makes me even more excited! It seems like we have alot to look forward to with Duke in the future. His powers certainly seem very interesting!

[DragonPiece]

That interview makes me even more excited! It seems like we have alot to look forward to with Duke in the future. His powers certainly seem very interesting!

as long as it sells well lol

[batnbreakfast]

That interview makes me even more excited! It seems like we have alot to look forward to with Duke in the future. His powers certainly seem very interesting!

Duke has powers now? (tradereader btw)

[Korath]

Duke has powers now? (tradereader btw)

Yeah, they awakened at the end of the All-Star Batman backups ere he appeared and he made the first conscious (somewhat) use of them during Dark Days : The Casting.

[the illustrious mr. kenway]

I'm curious if there is a Duke Thomas on Earth M like how Wildstorm has versions of Oliver Queen/Barry Allen?

just fun to think about.

[Korath]

I don't think that we'll see a Duke Thomas of Earth M, considering that he is still a minor character and furthermore, since there is a lot of Black Heroes in Milestone, I don't really see the point of adding him there right now.

[J. D. Guy]

Got a chance to read the interview, and it was as meaty as I was hoping!

It pretty much reaffirms what I realized from before: that Tony Patrick is super enthused to be writing Duke. He'll do right by the character.

I also loved how we finally got some kind of lowdown on the Signal's powers. I love this especially because of how much it ties into Duke's mom and her small but now extremely impactful and relevant role in the flashbacks from a couple of the "Cursed Wheel" back-ups in early All-Star Batman. As a social worker, Duke's mother mentioned that she prefers to see the kids she works with in the day, to get a better idea of who they really are as people, and sometimes, they're not so good. I'd have never thought those scenes would have such a poignant foreshadowing slant about them with regards to Duke's newly awakened abilities (though it makes some sense in hindsight, especially considering the original timing of the reveal during All-Star). It's also interesting that they make a point to say that his powers are more for detecting things, as opposed to being more typically bombastic like flight and stuff.

They sound cool and extremely useful, though. I look forward to seeing them in actual action.

Plus, we got groundwork on Duke's new base of operations, and fitting that it's underneath Julie's place (glad she's still around) at the Fox Center from the Superheavy arc. Last but not least, since we know that Tony Patrick has read We Are Robin in his pursuit to learn more about this new Black Robin he discovered back when, we also now that he knows about Duke's crew. Given enough time and the mini being able to become an on-going, I'd say it's would be safe to assume that they'd have roles in it.

Sad for the delay, and still confused about the details, but this interview was what I needed. I'm even more hyped for this!

https://www.bleedingcool.com/2017/10...n-signal-2018/

Thank you.

So, they don't go into details, they ust say it's "hurricane related". They also claim it'll be 6 issues, but perhaps that's a typo.

[J. D. Guy]

An excellent interview. I like all the news from it :
-the clarification of Duke's powers
-his base of operation under the Fox Centre
-the fact that he deals with threat which will grow worse and have to be adressed by Batman by night if no one intervene
-the WAR are mentioned
-Tony Patrick seems extremely enthusiastic about writing Duke
-the mention of Batman's difficulties should he operate by day (I hadn't even thought about polcie shifts, but it makes sense)

Overall, pretty bummed that I'll have to wait for January to read it, but happy that the foundations seems strong.

Completely agreed.

Also, here're the pages of the interview had. I'm so happy we finally have something from book that's not just the cover.

Is Juvy Arkham a person or a group tho? They used that name both ways.

Having read the interview, I can pretty much say with confidence that they appear to be "a group." That is, basically an Arkham Assylum specifically for juveniles. Here's a quote from Snyder that best explains it from the interview.

SS: One of the early ideas we had was what if we created Juvy Arkham for him? They’re young villains that for some reason are being activated, becoming alive, or are attacking Gotham by day.

I'm especially curious as to the context of the "In-costume Batfamily Dinner". Perhaps a kind of "coming of age" Bat-Hero party for Duke? Cool to see even Batwing/Luke there, but I wonder what Damian's fussing to Duke about? (I'm hoping that Duke and Damian's rapport that they built during Robin War will be acknowledged here in whatever capacity is appropriate).

[DragonPiece]

Ya know, I'm curious if we will see Julie's reaction to Bruce getting married.

[J. D. Guy]

Ya know, I'm curious if we will see Julie's reaction to Bruce getting married.

Even off-handedly, that would be cool to see.

[DragonPiece]

A hour and 16 minutes there is a new interview for batman and the signal with tony patrick and cullen bunn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q2zgtW08B1o


two new pages from the book is shown also, not in the other preview. Also 1 hour 50 minutes in there is a interview with Scott about the book. Scott does the best explanation I have seen for Dukes meta powers yet. Duke can see anything that happened in the light like 5 minutes before hand. Also if Duke's book gets to continue past 3 issues we may get a confrontation between him and Joker.