All-Star Batman/The Cursed Wheel

Plot
Issue #

Bruce moved Elaine and Doug into a facility on the Wayne estate and Duke moved into the manor to begin their training together. Batman taught Duke everything he learned from his training abroad and over the course of his career as Batman, a program Alfred called the "Cursed Wheel". One of Duke's first missions training under Batman involved following a string of murders committed by Victor Zsasz. Though Duke was gravely injured in the process, he learned an important lesson about the psychology of criminals and who he would become as a hero.

The "wheel" was forced to turn faster, according to Alfred, when Duke was thrust into a real adventure after the re-emergence of Two-Face. Having heard a rumor of a cure that could fix his split personaity. Two-Face intially fought, but reluctantly befriended, Batman and Duke as they tried to locate the cure together with a hoard of assassins on their tail. Once the adventure ended, Duke was commended for his actions in his first real mission.

Continuing his training under the Cursed Wheel program, Batman and Duke tried to investigate how the Riddler was managing to terrorize the city from his cell in Arkham to celebrate the anniversary of Zero Year. Following the clues, Duke discovered that the Riddler had secretly allied himself with Duke's former friend and the original Mister Bloom - Daryl Gutierrez; Daryl being the conduit for Riddler's schemes. While Batman dealt with the Riddler at Gotham General Hospital, Duke came face to face with Daryl when the villain ambushed him as a civilian at Wayne manor; taking Duke's parents hostage. Daryl taunted Duke, telling Duke that his biokinetic powers had sensed something unusual in the physiology of Duke and his mother and that he had come to demand answers to the same question he is; 'what are you?' He even offered to use his powers to heal his parents if Duke could tell him what he and his mother are. Duke didn't understand what Daryl was getting at and rushed him head-on, but he is quickly overpowered. Although she's still jokerized, Elaine came to her son's aid, distracting Daryl for a moment before being knocked unconscious. This bought Duke enough time to rally, his eyes began to glow, and he took down Daryl. Duke is left dumbfounded, unable to understand his new vision.

Characters
Duke Thomas