Warning! Spoilers ahead for Future State: The New Batman by John Ridley, Nick Derington, and Tamra Bonvillain & Future State: Outsiders by Brandon Thomas, Sumit Kumar and Raul Fernandez
In a future Gotham dominated by a private security police-state, Batman associate and sidekick The Signal has made himself a high priority target. Since the events of Zero Year, Duke Thomas has repeatedly answered the call whenever Gotham was in need, and that hasn’t stopped during Future State.
Future State occurs on the heels of Dark Knights: Death Metal and propels readers into a new vision of the DC Universe. In Gotham, that equals an oppressive rule via a private security army and anti-vigilante laws enacted to relieve citizens from the continual catastrophic events that plague the city. The Magistrate has deployed drones, facial recognition, and armed forces with “shoot on sight” orders for anyone in a mask. Bruce Wayne is missing in action, but a new Batman has taken to the streets. Not content to depend on any Dark Knight, Duke Thomas resolves to help where he can.
Although The Signal has typically operates out of the spotlight Batman brings, opposing the Magistrate Security Force’s presence in Gotham City has garnered him “Most Wanted” status. In a Future State: The New Batman bonus story, Future State: Outsiders, Thomas is seen brazenly opposing the new status quo in the city. The Signal is pursued by Magistrate forces while attempting to ferry “hostages,” aka innocent citizens with targets on their backs, out of the city. The Magistrate wants him bad enough that a couple of sentries are willing to venture beyond their jurisdiction until Katana appears and repels them.
Bruce Wayne first encountered Duke Thomas when the Thomas family rescued him during the Riddler’s Zero Year reign of terror. Later, Duke’s family was targeted by the Joker, resulting in his parents being poisoned with the Joker’s latest toxin. This led to Thomas joining the We Are Robin movement before ultimately becoming a member of the Bat-Family officially, adopting the moniker The Signal and learning he was a meta-human. Tasked with being Gotham’s daytime protector, The Signal also found a place as a member of the Outsiders team alongside Katana and Black Lightning before the squad recently dissolved.
As Future State unfolds, the landscape of this new Gotham will be revealed. The Bat-family often comes together to overcome Gotham’s largest obstacles and it remains to be seen if they will coalesce around the new Batman. Until that happens, someone has to help the citizens of Gotham and unless the Magistrate can do something about it, Duke Thomas will continue to be that person.
