Review: Batman and the Signal #1

UPDATE: The full “Batman and the Signal” series is now out. Click here for our review.

Quick Summary

Pros: The start of the book sets the context of the series and Duke’s character nicely. Duke’s powers are very interesting and have tons of potential. The conspiracy introduced here leaves fans eager to read more.

Cons: Portions of this storyline feel similar to an earlier Batman story.

Overall: This is a solid beginning to a new series and a great continuation for the story of Duke Thomas. On one side of the book, there is a compelling mystery that will intrigue detective oriented fans. On the other side, there is an equally compelling examination of Duke’s powers and place in the Bat-family. This is an issue that might change the mind of any fans who are skeptical of Duke and will delight those who already enjoy his character.

Story

The first issue of Batman and the Signal is Duke Thomas at the best and most entertaining level he has been thus far. It comes out swinging by immediately addressing any concerns that fans might have had, while simultaniously showcasing a unique hero and a compelling mystery. There is a lot to like here for fans who just like mystery to fans who just like Duke as a character. Tony Patrick writes him well and explains his newfound powers in a way that made them my favorite part of the book. If you haven’t enjoyed anything with Duke in it so far, give this book a shot and you’ll be pleasantly surprised. And if you’re already sold on Duke, you’ll definetly like this.

(spoilers start here)

In the first few pages of this issue, Tony Patrick seeks to tackle the criticism that has been levied against Duke’s character since his inception. People have constantly criticized Duke for being an overpowered “Mary Sue” and stated that he is ultimately unnecessary in the context of what is already a large Bat-family. This issue recognizes these complaints and explains the measures that have been taken to address them. First off, Duke’s physical and mental prowess seems to have been slightly scaled back from the unstoppable crime-fighter that he was before, to a more realistic level. Second, the issue positions Duke as a daytime hero with powers, in order to show his unique status among the Bat-family. For me personally, these justifications worked perfectly and helped to both mollify worries and set context for the series.

From here, we see Duke take on his first daytime villain and launch his first daytime investigation, which helps give a hint as to what this series is going to be about. Super-powered teenagers have been cropping up in Gotham, a city where events like this are not natural, and no one knows why. Further investigation into the matter suggests some sort of conspiracy which might also be linked to Duke himself.

This is compelling mystery to start off with and gives a significant reason to return to the series. Fans interested in Duke will be able to appreciate how the mystery connects to him and the potential for it to explain exactly where Duke’s powers come from. Meanwhile, fans simply looking to this series as another Bat-family book will be able to appreciate another mystery for a hero of Gotham to take on. My only complaint is that this entire concept seems eerily similar to the Mr. Bloom storyline from Batman Vol. 8: Superheavy, though it is still to early to say this for sure.

During this time, we also get to see Duke’s unique powers in action. His powers involve “seeing” light before and after it reflects off of a surface. This allows him to watch an “instant replay” of events that he wasn’t able to physically witness and, in theory, also gives him the ability to see limited aspects of the future.

I, personally, loved the explanation behind these powers and think they work perfect with how Duke is thematically positioned in the world. As part of the Bat-family and a denizen of Gotham City, it wouldn’t make much sense to give Duke powers on the scale of heroes from Metropolis or Central City; they would make him stand out like a sore thumb. Instead, this more passive and subtle power-set matches the detective nature of Gotham City and prevents Duke from being just another random superhero. I am also excited to see how these powers develop through the rest of the series as they have the potential to be used in a myriad of different and interesting ways.

(spoilers end here)

Art

Though not the most beautiful book on the shelves right now, the artwork in Batman and the Signal works for the story being told here. Cully Hamner draws a book that does well in relaxed character moments but falters slightly in scenes with more movement. His intense lines and Laura Martin’s bold colors are the real highlight, as they present a book that really stands out and grabs your attention. He then uses this to show Duke’s powers in a way that definitely helped to enhance my enjoyment of them. This

Continuity

Batman and the Signal #1 is the first issue in a brand new series from DC Comics. It mostly follows Duke Thomas and uses various pieces of his past as the basis for this story. However, it is also clearly designed to work on its own and can be read with little to no knowledge Duke’s history.

For a more detailed breakdown and explanation of the Signal’s rise to heroism see our “Who is Duke Thomas” Quick History right here.

This issue also references stories from other comic books, all of which are detailed below:

• The Signal’s superpowers are something that first manifested at the end of the All-Star Batman Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth backup story but were also relevant during Dark Days: The Casting (Review).
• Duke’s friends Izzy and Riko are reintroduced here. These two are friends Duke made in We are Robin Vol. 1: The Vigilante Business (Review).
• The absence of Duke’s parents from his life is explained by Batman Vol. 7: Endgame.
• When Duke travels through the Lucius Fox Center, he passes by a number of childish drawings on the wall. These drawings were shown back in the All-Star Batman Vol. 2: Ends of the Earth backup story.
• Batman mentions meeting Duke during the Zero Year. This is in Batman Vol. 4: Zero Year- Secret City (Review) and Batman Vol. 5: Zero Year- Dark City (Review).

 

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