REVIEW: Batman and The Signal #3

DC Comics“ Batman and The Signal got off to a strong start with the first two issues in its limited three-issue run. Three issues may not be enough time and/or space for a proper comic book story arc, but readers who are fans of the Metal event titles and of the world of past and present Batman sidekicks, should be encouraged by what future stories might be told about The Signal in Gotham“s daytime hours.

Day vs. Night is at least one part of what The Signal brings to the over-flowing table of Batman titles. Duke Thomas, a young, witty Black kid who comes from a complicated parenting and domestic situation is shaping up to be one of ”“ if not the most interesting “robin”“ characters ever created. Like Batman he has a partner inside the Gotham Police Department and together they work the day shift ”“ an important distinction given the constant themes of darkness in nearly all of the other Dark Knight/Batman titles. In this series, it sometimes feels as if Batman is The Signal“s sidekick as opposed to the other way around. And that“s ok, at least for starters, as readers want to better understand how Duke Thomas comes to grips with his powers and learns the challenges of becoming a hero on his own terms.

The exploratory origin story is a staple in comics as it poses the questions: what powers do I have and am I responsible (and resourceful) enough to use them for good? These straightforward questions have immanently useful answers in the superhero comic book format and Duke Thomas/The Signal is written in a way (by Tom Snyder and Tony Patrick) that makes these answers work for our hero whose senses of light and time are paranormal. He is a speedster of sorts who has the potential to anticipate his enemy“s physical moves and as an acolyte of the DC world“s greatest detective, he is learning how to anticipate and decode the motives and goals of his current nemesis, a mysterious villain named Gnomon.

The Narrows, a neighborhood in Gotham that is “underserved,”“ is the setting for this miniseries. It may remind more seasoned readers of the inner city worlds built in the Milestone Media days. For these reasons and many more, The Signal and Static Shock demand to be united in a buddy series. Or, maybe The Signal could lead the team of Robins (past and present) in an ongoing monthly dedicated to Batman“s more pedagogical inclinations. The point is, DC needs more of The Signal in its monthly offerings. Maybe the perceived let down in the finale of this three-issue arc is simply a clarion call for more stories centering this interesting character in the Batman universe. 3/5.

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(W) Scott Snyder, Tony Patrick (A/CA) Cully Hamner