#Duke week 2023

[awzominator]

Duke Thomas Week Day 3: Fav Quote

I was gonna do something motivational or deep but like…..I couldn’t pass this up

[pannotian]

Just found out about duke week

Happy normal day

[emilyarmadillo]

[matchahater]

It’s ten-thirty, and night’s settled heavy as sin over the city, stripping the streets of all the right kinds of foot traffic. Duke’s alone on the sidewalk. He’s walking fast but not too fast, earbuds in with no music playing, hands solidly in pockets. He should be heading home from class and prepping for an early shift. Instead, he’s looking for trouble.

Tonight’s trouble is a particular guy Duke’s had his eye on for days. He’s a dealer, a guy in his thirties who dresses like he’s sixteen and sells to his “peers.” Three kids overdosed on his shit last month, and Duke caught him bragging about it online. He hadn’t been hard to find: Tommy Donovan, white, thirty-two, five foot ten, lives with his ex-wife in the Financial District. Mostly, he’s been selling to rich kids over in that area. But tonight, according to his Snapchat story, he’s seeking out a new audience in the Narrows. In Duke’s neighborhood.

Bruce had explicitly told him to avoid it. Maybe it just hadn’t sounded worth it, to him. Duke doesn’t make a habit of guessing what the guy’s thinking.

“Take it easy,” Duke mumbles to himself, pulling his hood over his ears. He breathes slow, easing his heartbeat. He’s not in trouble yet. Batman had told Signal not to get involved. Technically, he hadn’t said anything about Duke. And Duke knows how to deal with assholes in his neighborhood. His block, his problem, his solution.

The streetlights above him flicker slightly as he passes by, just a couple lumens drifting in and out. He’s stopped trying to control that. It doesn’t unsettle him anymore. The particles of light shifting just makes it feel like he’s got company: like wherever he is, he’s never alone.

He doesn’t mind that feeling. The Signal is all about light. That’s why he’s got the day shift. Manipulating the angles, bouncing it off of the curves of his armor to fill gaps and shadowy spaces, all of that is easy. Compared to what Batman does, Signal’s playful, kinda. It opens folks up, eases their nerves. He’s built a relationship with the community.

But at night, when there’s no daylight to wash the shadows out — at night Duke can fuck with the dark, too.

He finds Tommy Donovan at the rendezvous point, out back of the Irish pub where they never fixed the flickering streetlight. By then, Duke’s draped his earbuds over the back of his neck, his hood pulled way up. It had been easy to add an extra swath of shadow over his eyes, to make him unrecognizable — not that Tommy’d recognize him anyway. He’s probably never been to the Narrows before.

Donovan smirks when he sees him, already palming a baggie from his pocket. Asshole. “Hey, kid,” he greets. Duke resents that, too. “You came to the right place.”

Fuck the formalities, Duke decides. He shoves up the sleeves of his sweatshirt. Shadows flicker ink-dark across his knuckles and curl around his wrists, dripping off the pads of his palms. He likes it when they look alive like that. Like he’s got some unholy creature at his beck and call.

“I did, huh?” he asks, darkening his voice too. He yanks the shadows from the back of the alley and pools them at the guy’s feet, coaxing them up the wall behind him. Donovan’s surrounded.

It’s just light and its absence. Just tricks, nothing substantial. But the guy looks terrified. Duke thinks this must be how Bruce feels all the time, this sick kind of triumph. He feels powerful.

“I,” the guy starts, stuttering, “I— I don’t know what you want from me, man, I’m not- I’m not doing- this is a misunderstanding.”

The baggie’s still in his damn hand. Duke scoffs. He rolls his wrist the way he’s practiced, flicking his fingers, and darkness spatters heavy as blood across the ground. “A misunderstanding?” he echoes, stepping forward. “Nah, I understand perfectly. I understand you’re in the wrong business, man.”

Donovan starts to press his back against the concrete wall, then yelps as the shadows sneak onto the curves of his shoulders. Duke decides that’s too much. He pulls them back, just a little. “Quit selling to kids,” he says fiercely. “Matter of fact, stop selling at all. Find a new line of work. I see you around again, you’re done. You got it?”

The man nods, trembling. Duke pulls a glimmer of light from the old streetlamp into his eyes, piercing through the shrouded mask of his face. “Cool. Get the fuck out of here,” he growls. And Tommy Donovan obliges, nearly tripping over himself on his way back to the sidewalk.

When he’s sure the coast is clear, Duke lets the shadows seep back into position in the hollows and gaps of the alley, retreating from his face. His heart is pounding, he realizes, quickened with the strain of holding himself back. That scares him a little. Fighting giant plants or killer robots or mobs of men with machine guns, or chasing away assholes like Donovan, all of that is simple. It’s what Duke could do, in the right circumstances, that freaks him out the most. Sometimes he thinks he’s got no idea what he’s capable of.

As if he’ll feel something different, Duke reaches up to touch his cheek, but skin is skin. Illuminated or not, his is always warm.

His mom had always said that was the sun in him. Whenever Gotham was gray too many days in a row, she’d cup his cheek and ask: You been taking bites out of that sun again? I see it in your smile, baby. It had been a sweet nothing to her. But he remembers being six, staring at his face in the mirror, imagining the burns on his lips, tasting the heat. All that light in his belly. Like if he opened his mouth wide enough, it’d all come rushing out.

Duke shakes off the memory, watching the darkened street. He wonders how much light he would swallow down, how much darkness he’d release, to save his city. He wonders if it’d ever be enough.

[graypark214]

Duke week 2023 day 1 - Rebellion

Robin of the streets, the sidekick without name, lonely hero of daytime, Duke Thomas.

Happy Duke Week!

@duketectivecomics

[igwebuike]

☀️ Happy Duke Week 2023 ☀️

did not realize it was Duke Week already! while I am still working on The Signal Tape "omni-mix", in the meantime, in celebration of our favorite solar powered superhero I went back and remixed my original Signal Tape project. now collecting two additional stories, I feel this new edition works as a more cohesive read and (in my opinion) does a better job of catching you up on Duke's superhero career to date; so you'll be better prepared for whatever comes next for our boy. the link includes a cbz version and a pdf version (the cbz version is better imo). link is in green, i hope you all ((enjoy))!! ☀️✊🏾🦇⚡

feel free to share it with anyone curious about or a fan of Duke Thomas/The Signal.

[zuzuzuko]

[ID: a digital drawing of Duke in profile facing left. He has curly hair on top and a fade, and his eyes are closed. There is a sun shaped halo around his head, and clouds at the top corners of the tarot card. A pink banner that says, "The Sun" is right below his neck. End ID]

Meant to make this for Duke week but I just didn’t have the drawing mojo. Better late than never I guess 🤷‍♀️ I just like Duke and sun imagery

[milfmisspiggy]

CAVE RECORDING, FILE NAME CCAM2101809

Bruce works, in a black turtleneck, in his usual place in front of his fleet of monitors. The elevator opens. Duke enters the cave in a pink sweatshirt leaning on a crutch with a wrap on his foot and one earbud dangling down his chest.

BRUCE WAYNE: You're supposed to be resting.

DUKE THOMAS: I have been!

for the free space of duke week (@duketectivecomics) because i love to be fashionably late, evidently

[redroseworks]

Wizard Duke for Duke Week @duketectivecomics

Also i only know realize the r is backwards fuck

[betterthanbatman1]

Quick little sketch of Dukeeee

[reineydraws]

Granted the Serenity by @faiasakura

What does it mean to come back to life as an accidental wrinkle in the fabric of reality? Jason Todd might not know the meaning of life, but he does figure out the meaning of his life, somewhere in between killing the Joker and ringing the doorbell to Wayne Manor. Or, a canon-divergent take of Lost Days and Countdown to Final Crisis, where Under the Red Hood doesn’t happen.

i participated in this year's @batbigbang and drew for faia's fic, who was a very wonderful person to work with, and who wrote a fic that is so up my alley, i had trouble choosing what to draw! :') it's super great, and it features multiverse shenanigans, which is why i got to draw one jason judging another jason's red hood shtick 😂

read the fic here, and do go check out the other fics in the big bang if ur interested! and a last big thank you to the mods for organizing all this! 🥰🥰

[awzominator]

Duke Thomas week day 1: Rebellion

Ruh-Roh! It’s nothin he can’t handle tho 💛

[puppiesandnightlock]

Link: Why Bruce Should Not Have The Title of World's Greatest Detective Anymore, a presentation by Tim Drake

Summary: Bruce didn't know the Super Sons were dating somehow, and Tim compiled a list of evidence of a bunch of moment here he should have caught on, but did not.

Featuring Confused and Tired Dad Bruce, PowerPoint master Tim, Traumatized Dick, and an embarrassed Damian.

Super Sons Week Bonus Day: Family and Legacy (this one won by a landslide on the tumblr poll)

In Bruce’s defense, he was a father of six officially and about twelve emotionally. He had long ago resigned his title of World’s Greatest Detective to Tim, so honestly, could you blame him for not noticing that his youngest son had had company around more often? And come on, it was Jonathan Samuel Kent, the two were practically glued to each other even before recent developments. 

How recent, he wasn't sure. 

And now he had to sit through a folder Tim had given him, evidence compiled in an attempt to clear things up in his head. He plugged in the USB that fell out of it and it opened to a powerpoint.

Of course.

Angels and Demons, or otherwise known as B, how the fuck did you not know?

A presentation by Tim Drake 

Evidence #1: “Wrestling.”

The slide played a clip of surveillance feed from inside of the manor. Damian had Jon pinned to the ground, both panting and flushed. 

“What’s going on here?” Bruce turned the doorknob, poking his head through the door.

Damian scrambled off of the taller boy, schooling his features to a mask of indifference. 

Jon made no such efforts, choosing to starfish across the carpeted floor, a blank look on his face as he stared at the ceiling.

“Nothing, Father, we decided to make use of our time and spar. Jonathan needs practice.” 

Bruce eyed them suspiciously, pausing to take in the scene. Damian’s usual gel slicked hair was ruffled, and Jon’s curls were splayed out on the floor, some in his face.

Then again, his hair was always a bit unruly.

Their faces were flushed, and they had been breathing heavily when he came in.

The quick once over seemingly revealed nothing to him, although one could clearly see the still blown pupils of an expressionless Jon, and both boys’ kiss-bitten lips.

“Next time, spar in the cave, that’s what it's there for.” He walked out, shutting the door behind him.

The video feed played for a bit longer, Damian putting his face in his hands, a very un-Damian-like thing to do, and groaning.

“I cannot believe that actually worked.”

Tim had left a little note on the side of the video after it stopped playing. You have six kids, and one of them is one Richard John Grayson, how on earth did you fall for that?

Evidence #2: Dates

This opened to a video from a phone, someone walking into Damian’s room and filming his fussing with his appearance in the mirror.

“Whatcha doin’, baby bat?” Tim’s voice came from the other side of the camera.

“Fixing my hair, what does it look like, Drake?”

“Whoa, whoa, chill. I’m just curious, I haven't seen you put this much interest into your appearance since you had picture day.”

Damian scowled, more out of admittance that he was right then spite.

“Say what you will, Timothy.” He hesitated. “How do I look?”

“You’ll blow his socks off, Dames.” Tim said softly, a hand reaching out from behind the phone to straighten his jacket.

Damian inhaled deeply and carefully walked down the stairs. The doorbell rang, and as if filming a reality show, Tim followed dutifully behind. Jon stood, looking as nervous as he was, holding a small bunch of wild flowers that he immediately thrust into Damian’s face. 

“Oh my god-” was whispered from Tim as the camera zoomed in on Damian, a pink flush becoming slightly visible.

“I’m so sending this to Dick.”

Damian handed off the flowers to the nearest person, but not before threading a few into Jon’s curls.

“Where are you going?” Bruce came out from the dining room, files in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Tim switched the camera over to him, zooming in on his tired appearance, then zooming out so he could see everyone.

“The movies, s-sir.” Jon stuttered.

Burce raised an eyebrow. “Jon, you’ve known me for years, you can drop the formalities.”

An undignified squeak came from the boy and Damian sighed, albeit affectionately.

“We will be going, Father.”

“Have a good time.” He waved them off, disappearing into the labyrinth that is Wayne Manor.

“That’s it?” Tim was heard screeching off screen. “He gave ME hell, gave my dates HELL, broke out the KRYPTONITE when Kon even LOOKED at me, and all you get is HAVE A GOOD TIME?”

“Sucks to suck.” Damian jeered, taking Jon by the hand and dragging him out the door.

Followed by it was several screenshots from a chat titled “Rockin’ Robins”, all of them sharing stories until someone pointed out that maybe Bruce didn't even know it was a date, which was accurate.

This note said There were flowers. Flowers.

Evidence #3: They were in A FUCKING CLOSET.

Bruce spat his coffee out at that, massaging his temples. This was getting to be way too much. He did not at all need to know about what had happened in the closet, especially because he remembered this particular one and frankly? It was embarrassing that he didn’t catch on then.

Bruce was walking down the hallway when he suddenly heard noises coming from the third floor janitor's closet.

Tentatively, he opened the door. The last thing he expected was for Jon and Damian to stumble out of it, school uniforms slightly unbuttoned and very rumpled. Jon’s glasses were crooked, and Damian’s tie was missing.

“F-Father!” Damian stuttered, attempting to smooth out his ruffled appearance. Jon silently handed him his tie, both boys flushing furiously under Bruce’s rather confused gaze.

“What were you doing in there? Aren’t you supposed to be on that field trip? Your class is still on the first floor.” 

“W-We were…uh-” Jon fidgeted with the buttons on his shirt, nudging Damian for help.

Suddenly, his gaze caught on something reflecting green in his son’s back pocket. His eyes narrowed and his face set into a firm expression.

“We will be talking about this at home. I’m disappointed in both of you, I thought we’d gone over this.” 

Damian’s face paled, before morphing into one of confusion. “What exactly are you talking about, Father?”

“Sneaking out for hero work.”

Both teens inwardly sobbed in relief as Damian said stiffly, “Yes, Father.”and Jon with a quaking “Sorry, Uncle Bruce.”

Satisfied in his parenting skills, Bruce continued towards his office.

If he watched the video Tim had put in from the surveillance feed of Wayne Enterprises, he could almost guarantee they would have both been sporting some rather suspicious brusings. 

Bruce stood up, he was going to need a drink to get through the rest of this. 

Unbeknownst to him, most of his kids were perched in the living room, wheezing at their father’s reactions.

Damian was rather displeased at all that was being shown, and his face was flushed red.

“Looks like baby bat isn’t so innocent.” Jason cackled.

“My precious sweet little boy, this is OBSCENE, they are BABIES!”

“Richard, I am nineteen years old.”

“BABIES.”

Tim closed the laptop as Bruce left the cave, leaning back. “It was sad, honestly, to compile all this information and realize Bruce didn't get any of it. I mean, how long has it been?”

“Three years.” Damian muttered.

“Three fucking years. It’s sad to see him go.” Duke said solemnly.

There was a moment of silence as they mourned the loss of their once perceptive father.

Then promptly burst into laughter.

@super-sons-week-2023

[emilyarmadillo]

Duke & Cass headcanons for Sun & Moon day

• Duke is an introvert who needs alone time to put his thoughts in order. Cass is an extrovert who needs to be around her friends.

• Cass loves boba, but Duke can't stand having little blobs in his drink.

• Cass likes reality tv while Duke likes classic sci-fi and fantasy.

• Cass steals clothes from everyone, Duke only wears things he bought for himself (or the hand-me-down hoodie Dick specifically gave him)

• Cass loves to read, Duke prefers listening to music

• Cass sleeps like the dead, Duke wakes easily

• Cass is a terrible patient when sick, Duke knows how to dial back activities and take care if himself

• Cass's love languages are quality time and physical touch (she wants to spend quality time physically touching you) while Duke's is words of affirmation

But they have similarities, too.

• They both leap without looking.

• They're both brave and foolhardy.

• They're both capable vigilantes.

• They're both future Batmans.

[bee-nutauthor]

NEVERMORE WEEK!

considering that nevermore is currently on hiatus, i figured it'd be fun if we got together as a community and made an official nevermore week while we wait!

nevermore week would be from october 25th- october 31st. since it's a gothic romance, what better time than around halloween to celebrate this webtoon?

there will be seven days of seven different prompts to choose from. writers, artists, video editors, etc feel free to join up and share your wonderful work!

if you're interested in signing up, the link to the sign up is below. sign ups are open until the 30th of september.

once you sign up, you can join the nevermore week server using this discord link: https://discord.gg/ET73k6pM

[graypark214]

Duke week 2023 day 3 - Fav Quote

Quote from Future State: Outsiders issue 2. Duke got so many cool lines from Brandon Thomas' stories but this one was most memorable to me for some reason.