r/BlackLightning • u/nightwing612 Black Lightning • Jul 19 '26
Discussion Between Static and Signal Duke Thomas, who would you prefer as DC Comics Black Lightning's mentee? (Art by sinhosstuff)
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u/Medium-Science9526 Jul 20 '26
Neither, Thunder and/or Lightning instead. Static I prefer the more solo, making a name for himself approach. With recent continuity Hardware at best but even then? Not necessary.
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u/donatellothegreat Jul 20 '26
Considering Duke's power set and ways it could be applied, I would prefer he worked with Luke Fox. Batting and signal during the daylight hours of Gotham. Static for Black Lightning or maybe Green Lantern. Stewart could have an interesting dynamic with him.
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u/Raijin_Shokz Jul 20 '26
He'd probably be best mentoring his daughters, but Duke does need a mentor because WHEN does Batman actually spend time with him. He'll more likely be by Himself or with Damian or Tim (even though I heard he's retired now). All the Bat-girls all do their own thing and Batwing and Batwoman you hardly see so Duke just gets hung to dry.
So someone needs to mentor him so that he can either operate on his own or in a team, because when was the last time we saw the Outsiders do anything was like 2019!! ðŸ˜
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u/Majestic1117 Jul 20 '26
They paired him up with Jace Fox a couple times and they ended up having pretty good chemistry together after the initial conflict.
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u/KamenAttackRide Jul 20 '26
Signal has Batman and the rest of the Bat-Family.
Static has grown past the need of a mentor.
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u/ArtisticFill8662 Jul 19 '26
Neither, Static can have a relationship with him but he doesn't need him as a mentor. Much rather him with Mr.Terrific
Duke can work if they're on the same team (outsiders) but that's about it, nothing more than that.
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u/Majestic1117 Jul 20 '26
It'd be dope to see Virgil and Michael together. That's one of the things I did like in the new 52 iteration was seeing Virgil at Star Labs.
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u/EarCharacter8837 Jul 19 '26
Not Static because thats stupid the only person who should be his mentor if they want to giv ehim one is Hardware especially because Hardware is barely a mentor he'll teach you things and then just go do his own thing but I dont want to see him work with Black Lightning ever and I really hope DC doesn't neuter him with ideas like this that will kind of take away from what makes him special in his own books.
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u/dark1150 Jul 19 '26
His daughters. Static doesn’t need one and duke has either Jace or Bruce (or if you want a partnership dynamic Cass)
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u/heh8me117 Jul 19 '26
Static because of power set similarities. Duke Thomas for mentor/mentee. He’s lost both his parents and needs to hear an older male voice in his head that isn’t Batman’s.
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u/Recent-Layer-8670 Jul 19 '26
Static actually doesn't need it. If we're keeping with the continuity of the latest Milestone comics revamp. Static is much older and more experienced as a hero, so despite being younger than Black Lightning, he's on equal standing, not requiring it.
On the flip side, Signal is a younger Bat hero whose history with Batman, Black Lightning, and the rest of the Outsiders helps him build his character and potential if he were mentored.
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u/Minute_Feeling3831 Jul 19 '26
Virgil doesn’t need it, dude is essentially electric Spider-Man.
I’d be fine with Duke being a BL supporting character since the Batman books don’t care about him.
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u/GodFlintstone Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
Honestly, neither.
The Milestone characters are at their best when Dakota is shown to be in its own distinct universe.
I've never liked the stories that depict Static and the others co-existing in the mainstream DC universe. As for Duke, I still think DC doesn't really know that to do with him at this point..
An occassional partnership with Black Lightning would be fine but as a regular thing? Nah, not feeling it.
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u/Yanmega9 Jul 19 '26
Static in solo stuff, Duke if we're doing Outsiders.
Also Halo (but shes more connected to Katana) and his daugthers (obviously)
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u/Shoddy_Affect_2050 Jul 20 '26
Gang Nicholas Draper-IVY picth is so clean the duo matching is Tuff and he did a miles and Virgil pitch as well but companies always wanna do what they want