If you’ve read Batman Rebirth #1, you probably know at this point Bruce has pretty much officially adopted Duke Thomas into the Batfam.
But because of alienation many fans feel from the Nu52, a lot of people who haven’t read many recent comics are wondering just who Duke Thomas is. So I’m going to try and answer that the best I can.
Back in Zero Year, when Bruce was first starting out as Batman, the Riddler challenged the city to get smart or die by “natural selection”. So Duke started swatting up to, you know, not die. The Thomas family also rescued a unconscious Bruce Wayne when a sudden hurricane hit Gotham around the same time as Zero Year. Bruce thanks Duke, then he’s off to tackle the Riddler.
Look at how cute baby Duke is.
Anyways, Duke disappears for a little while then reappears during Endgame. The Joker having figured out Batman’s true identity and his connection to Duke, kidnaps Duke and his family and plans to recreate the Wayne murders in front of Bruce and Duke by using Duke’s parents. It’s all pretty grisly stuff.
Bruce manages to rescue Duke from the Joker, but Duke’s parents succumb to the mind controlling gas of the Joker.
After that, I’m not sure what happens to Duke’s parents. I think they were missing at first, then get found but there is still no cure for the Joker gas, so I think they still aren’t well enough to look after Duke which explains why he’s being shuffled around foster homes in We Are Robin #1.
He’s also a massive nerd.
Throughout the We Are Robin run, though short-lived, we see Duke grow from an immature, unruly teenager into a mature leader of his little gang of Robins. (Although there is still some sassiness left in this boy yet.) We also see the significance of Duke as a leader and a kind of “stand-out” Robin and the bond that begins to form between him and some of the Batfam members, particularly Dick and Damian, in the crossover event, Robin War.
And finally the bonding. Let’s start with Damian first. Basically Robin War is all about the repercussions of reckless Robins that leads to the police arresting all kids associated with Robin in any way, as simple as wearing the Robin logo or even wearing red shoes like in the above panel. But of course, nothing is ever that simple in Gotham and the Court of Owls is secretly pulling the strings in an attempt to draw Dick out and have him join the club.
So anyways, Duke and Damian’s first meeting goes down exactly how you would expect it to. Damian beats Duke (and his friends) up.
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