“They all say I’m crazy. But they’ll see... you’re only crazy if it doesn’t work, right?”
INFO
Real Name: Duke ThomasAliases: Robin (formerly), Lark (formerly), SignalGender: MaleHeight: 5’9”Weight: 180 lbs (82 kg)Eyes: BrownHair: BlackPowers: Unique PhysiologyAbilities: Leadership, Indomitable Will, Martial ArtsUniverse: Prime-EarthBase of Operations: Gotham City
OVERVIEW
Duke Thomas is the son of Gotham City social worker, Elaine Thomas, and the immortal being known as Gnomon, and the step-son of Doug Thomas. During the events of Zero Year, Duke encountered the Batman after his family rescued the Dark Knight in the immediate aftermath of a hurricane caused by the Riddler. Years later, Duke and his family were kidnapped by the Joker, who desired to reenact Bruce Wayne’s parents’ death. Though Duke was saved by Batman, he was forced to leave his behind to an infected mob. Several months later, Duke helped organize the “We Are Robin” movement, a collective of young vigilantes who adopted Robin’s iconography to fight crime during Batman’s absence. After leaving the Robin movement, Duke resumed his search for his parents, and found them in a temporary shelter. However, due to long exposure to the Joker virus, they would suffer from the effects permanently. Duke was later invited to move into Wayne Manor as Bruce’s newest protégé and became an official member of the Bat-Family, where he befriended and developed a close bond with Cassandra Cain.After studying under Batman for over a year, Duke was granted his very own base of operation known as The Hatch and was gifted an upgraded suit for completing his training. Inspired by his mother’s social work, Duke took on the code name of The Signal and began his mission as the daylight protector of Gotham City. He also became a member of the newest iteration of the Outsiders, and was later promoted as Gotham’s sole protector during the daylight hours.
Personality
Duke’s most dominant traits are his emotional intelligence and his drive to help others, often willing to take calculated risks and put himself on the line in order to help those in need. Duke’s ambition to help others started from a young age, often citing his mother’s social work as an inspiration. At the age of eleven, during Zero Year, Duke took it upon himself to take on the Riddler’s challenge and save his city, impressing a young Bruce Wayne with his courage and sharp mind. Following the disappearance of his parents, entering the foster care system in his teen years greatly shaped Duke’s worldview. Feeling police were either unwilling or unable to help find his missing parents, and realizing the exploitative motives of his foster parents, Duke developed a deep mistrust of authority and a fierce sense of independence. This led to Duke going from a promising student to somewhat of a delinquent during his time in foster care, receiving grades below his ability and accruing a lengthy criminal record due to regularly breaking out of his foster homes to search for his parents.Duke’s habit of following his convictions, sometimes with reckless abandonment, often led to him defying Batman, during his training, by going out in the daylight to chase leads. This philosophy of operating in the daytime eventually evolved into a point of distinction between Batman’s and Signal’s particular brand of heroism. Since graduating into the Bat-Family, Duke often ponders what it means to be a hero in relation to Batman’s philosophy and began to seriously question Batman’s ideology during his time on the Outsiders.Duke is very emotionally intelligent. Inspired by his mother, he is an active member of his community and regularly mentors troubled youths in need of guidance at the Lucius Fox Community Center. Duke’s experience as a mentor and a leader has made him one of the most social members of the Bat-Family and the one who can be relied on to console, counsel, and relate to those in need. His talent for counseling and rallying others has even moved Bruce Wayne to act when he wasn’t sure of himself and is a skill Batman has relied on Duke for in the field. His empathy, willingness to act, and resolve to stand for what he believes in makes him a charismatic and confident leader. When he joined the We Are Robin movement, Duke naturally arose as the de-facto leader of the movement and led them in the Robin War against the Court of Owls, cementing the We Are Robin motto: “Robin doesn’t need Batman.”Duke has a healthy, somewhat dark, sense of humor and is quick to joke around. He is typically seen trading barbs with Jason Todd, who taught him to use his quips in battle to throw off his opponents. This is a tactic that Duke took to heart and often uses in his vigilante career.
Powers
Duke Thomas’ powers come from the meta-gene, a genetic variation caused by naturally occurring traces of Nth Metal (also known as Ninth Metal) in the bloodstream. (Dark Days: Road to Metal) Duke inherited this genetic trait from both his parents, Elaine Thomas and Gnomon, and his powers are photokinetic in nature. Gnomon has claimed that Duke possesses his immortal blood, implying Duke may possess similar immortality. (Batman & The Signal #3) His powers were originally limited to manipulating the way he processes light, but, after experiencing the touch of Ishmael, (Batman & The Outsiders #7) they have “evolved” into manipulating light and darkness in more abstract ways. Meta-Humans also react on a cellular level to Duke’s presence, their powers increasing in close proximity to him. (Batman & The Signal #1)Photokinesis: Duke is a meta-human with ability to absorb, redistribute, and manipulate both light and darkness. Duke’s most notable ability is what he calls his “Ghost Vision”, the ability to perceive the “ghosts” of where light has been in his vicinity to see a few minutes into the past. He can also glimpse into the future by sensing the “ghosts” of where light will be. (Batman & The Signal) Duke’s photokinetic vision is not limited to his Ghost Vision; his eyes possess a superior sensory array compared to normal humans and can detect changes or variations in light invisible to the naked eye. He can process light faster than humanly possible, able to track the movement of light. (The Unexpected #4) He can also manipulate the light around him to illuminate the reflective surface of his chest plate, radiate light, (Batman & the Outsiders #6) and even render himself completely invisible. Duke can also manipulate the way he processes light absorbed through his eyes to perform a variety of visual tasks.Cosmic Perception: Duke can perceive the entirety of, and even beyond, the known electromagnetic spectrum. He can perceive light originating from across dimensional and temporal boundaries, able to see into the history of a previous universe; under the right conditions. (The Unexpected #4)X-Ray Vision: Duke can detect and track someone through walls, ceilings, (Detective Comics Vol. 8: On the Outside) smoke, (Batman & the Outsiders #3) and most other materials.Telescopic Vision: Duke can focus his vision to see things at great distance, even at high speeds. Duke is capable of tracking the movement of light (or a person moving at light-like speeds) as it passes over the horizon. (The Unexpected Vol. 3 #4)Microscopic Vision: Duke also has the ability to see extremely small objects and images down to the subdermal level. (Batman & The Signal #2)Darkness Manipulation: Duke’s photokinetic powers include the ability to manipulate shadows and darkness. Duke describes the ability as “behaving like a tide” that pushes and pulls shadows to himself. (Batman & The Outsiders #8) Duke can pull shadows toward and into himself, revealing more light, or expel shadows from himself, enveloping everything in a wave of darkness. (Batman and the Outsiders Vol. 2: a League of Their Own) He can shape and move darkness like a physical object, able to use shadows to augment his melee combat, (Batman & The Outsiders #13) or ensnare a target. (Batman & The Outsiders #15) Duke can also use shadow to transverse distance, which he can use on his allies for coordinated attacks or for a quick retreat. Duke can charge up the darkness he generates with photoelectricity before sending at his target. (Dark Nights: Death Metal Robin King #1)Photo-Shadow Transversal: Duke can utilize both sides of his power in tandem. First envisioning a path, Duke can then transverse through light and shadow simultaneously. While in motion, everything around him appears to stand still. (Batman: Secret Files - The Signal)Healing Factor: Gnomon, Duke’s biological father, claims to be an immortal over a thousand years and that Duke may possess his “infinite blood”, implying Duke may possess similar immortality. This claim is supported when it is discovered that Duke’s powers allow him to heal rapidly in dire situations. (Batman: Secret Files - The Signal)
Skills & Training