Some other bat-blogs I run: (send ur non-Duke Qs there!)
Main/Gen DC Hub | Girl!Robins | Bat-Gals | Oracle!Babs Day
And a few PSAs:
My main inbox got overwhelmed with headcanons so I started @dukethomasheadcanons to help with that. I don't have the time to publish all of the wonderful asks that have been sent over time, and I'm looking to pass the baton. Plz dm me if interested!
I host a very small, Duke-centric Discord server (known as The Hatch). If small discords are your jam, plz dm me or send a not-anonymous ask for a link! Looking to pass the baton on The Hatch as well, signal nation standby 🫡
Duke Week 2024 will be here before we know it! Duke Week is ????? TBD on it bc Randy’s irl mental health takes priority friends. BUT Info & themes for the Weeks of the past can be found here! Keep an eye out for further announcements!
Thanks visitors & followers alike for taking some time to learn about one of my bat-blorbos of all time! :D
Organizers of the DCBlackout boycott have announced the boycott’s end, citing discourse overshadowing the goal of the campaign, and acknowledging that some calls to action were limiting support of black, lgbt+, and female creatives.
While no longer calling for a boycott, they are still encouraging others to boost comics and media made by black creatives and about black characters to bring awareness to the lack of representation and to let publishers know that these stories are sought out and wanted.
from @jpenumbra on tiktok
here is a link to the campaign’s petition: change.org/dcsowhitecampaign
image text under cut:
“First and foremost, we want to thank everyone who has supported the DCSoWhite campaign. Since the beginning of this year, thousands of comic readers, retailers, creators, and fans have joined us in advocating for greater investment in Black characters and opportunities for Black creators within the comic book industry.
Today, we are announcing the end of the DCBlackout boycott.
This decision comes after a lot of reflection and conversations with members of the comic book community. While the boycott was launched to draw attention to an issue we believe remains important, it became clear that the conversation surrounding the boycott was often overshadowing the larger goal of the campaign.
The fact remains that it has been more than 1200 days since a Black character has headlined a solo title in DC Comics' mainline continuity. We continue to believe this is an issue worth discussing and addressing. However, we also recognize that many fans and creators we care about felt the boycott unintentionally minimized books, characters, and creators whose work provides meaningful representation for women, LGBTQIA+ readers, people of color, and other marginalized communities. That was never our intention, and we apologize for that impact. We heard those concerns, and they played a major role in our decision to reevaluate the boycott.
Our goal has never been to take representation away from anyone else in oursuit
of our own. We believe that Black characters deserve greater support, and inat the creators and books currently providing representation across the industry deserve to be celebrated and supported
As a result, DCSoWhite will continue as an awareness and advocacy campaign rather than a boycott effort.
One of the most effective ways readers can support creators and influence publisher decision-making is through preorders before a book's Final Order Cutoff (FOC) date. Pre-orders are one of the clearest indicators of reader interest and help publishers and retailers determine future investments in characters, titles, and creative teams. We encourage fans to support the books and creators they want to see succeed, particularly those from underrepresented communities. If you are unsure of a title's FOC date, contact your local comic shop or consult publicly available retailer resources.
DCBlackout grew into something much larger than we originally anticipated
While we appreciate the conversations it sparked, we recognize that the focus often shifted away from the concerns that inspired the campaign in the first place. Moving forward, we want the conversation to center on solutions, support, and meaningful opportunities for Black characters and creators.
The DCSoWhite campaign is not ending. The petition remains active. We will continue to highlight Black creators, promote Black independent comics, document industry trends, and advocate for greater investment in Black characters across mainstream comics.
We don't know what the future holds for DC in the coming weeks, months, or years. What we do know is that Black characters deserve the same opportunities, promotion, and great stories as everyone else. That's what this campaign has always been about, and that's what we will continue fighting for. And when DC finally announces a Black ongoing in the mainline continuity, we will be there for phase 3 of this campaign like we originally intended.”
Black Comic Alliance Announces Stage 2: DCBlackout, Escalating Calls for Structural Change at DC Comics
The Black Comic Alliance, the collective of content creators behind the viral #DCSoWhite campaign, has officially announced Stage 2 of its advocacy movement: DCBlackout, a coordinated protest calling on readers, supporters, and content creators to withhold financial support and pause content creation tied to DC Comics publishing initiatives until meaningful structural changes are made around…
[ID: Text that reads: "In almost 50 years, DC has only had 10 Black ongoing series in its mainline continuity, with only 1 surpassing 50 issues, and not a single [title led by a] Black woman. They constantly blame sales, but they're playing a game with the deck stacked against us. This needs to stop," said James Portis III, also known as JPenumbra. /End ID.]
The DCBlackout initiative outlines several coordinated actions for supporters and participants, including:
Posting on social media and calling for DC Comics to publish 1 to 3 new ongoing series for Black heroes in its mainline continuity, led by strong Black creative teams
Canceling pull list subscriptions for DC titles, including ongoing series, miniseries, and collected editions, until a Black-led ongoing is solicited and supported
Raising awareness about how digital sales are not valued the same as preorder single issues in industry decision-making
Demanding transparent, long-term investment in Black representation across publishing
Supporting Black creators through independent and creator-owned projects
Encouraging broader industry conversations around equity, visibility, and sustainability
I cannot get over how absolutely perfect Absolute Duke being search & rescue is. Like if you think about it his reason for becoming Robin in the first place was search and rescue, specifically searching for and rescuing his parents.
We Are Robin #1
It's not just Duke wanting to find his parents, it's that he knows the importance of being searched for, of being sought after. So many of Duke's themes - visibility, light, truth - center around the idea that nobody deserves to be unknown or invisible. In Batman (2011) #44, Batman learns the hard way that kids - particularly Black kids - often fall through the cracks. Duke acts to fill the gap that Batman cannot. He's obviously a great fighter, but a lot of his best stories don't focus on the fight, they focus on Duke catching the people that fall.
Batman: The Brave and the Bold #10 // Gotham Nights #8
At the end of the day Duke shows up for the people of Gotham. As Scott Snyder himself once said, the sight of Duke Thomas is meant to feel like a new morning. No matter how alone someone feels, no matter how shrouded by the darkness they are, Duke is the dawn that finds them. He will search and he will rescue. AND THAT'S OUR DUKE ❤️❤️❤️
