This Robin Coming Back to Life Ruined Another Great Batman Character

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I’m a huge fan of Duke Thomas, also known as the Signal! He’s one of the newer heroes in the Bat-Family, first showing up back in Batman #21 in 2011. He was a really big part of Scott Snyder’s Batman stories, and it was awesome seeing him inspire so many people to become ‘Robins’ during the We Are Robin series. Batman eventually took him under his wing and trained him, and Duke ended up developing his own cool powers involving light and shadow. After a lot of hard work, he became the Signal, protecting Gotham during the day. Honestly, though, I always felt like he deserved the Robin title – he really should have been Robin.

Looking back at the initial plans for the characters, it’s clear Duke Thomas was originally intended to be the next Robin. However, Damian Wayne’s death and subsequent resurrection changed those plans. While Damian has become a great Robin, it unfortunately eliminated Duke’s opportunity, which is a real loss for the character.

Born to Be Robin

Duke Thomas’s early story sets him up perfectly to become Robin. We first see his intelligence and cleverness when he meets Batman during the “Zero Year” event – a key trait for any Boy Wonder. Later, in the “Endgame” storyline, the Joker kidnaps Duke and his parents, intending to repeat the tragedy of Bruce Wayne’s parents. While Duke’s parents survived, they were permanently affected by the Joker, giving Duke a similar anger and drive to protect Gotham, and creating a strong connection between their backstories.

Duke Thomas later became a leader in the “We Are Robin” group. After the organization dissolved following interactions with various Robins, he formed a close friendship with Damian and began training directly under Batman. Despite having the potential and encouragement to become Batman’s next partner, Duke never officially took on the mantle of Robin. The reason for this comes down to the initial planning of Duke’s story, which assumed Damian Wayne would remain deceased.

Damian’s Return Ruined Duke’s Future

Damian Wayne was originally created by Grant Morrison with the intention of being removed from Batman’s life. He was killed in Batman Incorporated #8 (released February 27, 2013), only six months before the introduction of Duke Thomas. It’s likely Damian was meant to stay dead, and Duke was intended to become the new Robin, taking his place. However, those plans changed in September 2014 with the release of Robin Rises: Omega, which unexpectedly brought Damian back to life – something Morrison hadn’t written or planned. By the time Damian returned in 2015, Duke’s story had already progressed, ultimately hindering his development.

Bringing Damian back to life was a big deal for DC Comics, so they couldn’t just stop using him as Robin after such a significant storyline. In fact, the story of his return, “Robin Rises,” introduced the popular Hellbat armor for Batman. Because of this, Damian continued as Robin, which meant Duke Thomas couldn’t take on the role. Instead, Duke created his own hero identity as the Signal. While things haven’t always been easy for Duke, Damian has remained Robin. I enjoy Damian’s portrayal as Robin, but it makes me wonder – if Damian had stayed deceased, would Duke have become the new Robin instead?

It’s fascinating to consider how things could have gone differently in comic book history, like with the original K-Metal or if Bart Allen had stayed the Flash. While we’ll never know for sure if Duke Thomas was originally intended to be Robin, the evidence suggests he was heading in that direction. Even though I enjoy Damian Wayne as Robin, it’s disappointing that we haven’t seen Duke take on the role yet.

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2025-11-17 01:14