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In Batman Secret Files, the Dark Knight’s ally Signal discovers a new arms dealer in Gotham that specifically services the supervillain community.
WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Batman Secret Files: The Signal #1 by Tony Patrick, Christian Duce, Luis Guerrero & Andworld Design, on sale now
The villains of the DC Universe have always been willing to work with one another so long as it can benefit them, either in the form of allies or weapons. Now, both of those elements can be outsourced thanks to a newly-revealed location.
Signal, aka Duke Thomas, has just discovered the brilliant new way villains from across the DC Universe have been sharing supplies — the White Market, an invisible group of arms dealers who’ve set up shop in Gotham City, hidden from the eyes of the hero community.
Signal is one of Batman’s more recent partners in crime-fighting, even recently being trusted by the Dark Knight to effectively become the lead “day shift” member of the Bat-Family. Working with his former We Are Robin teammate Izzy Ortiz, Signal has effectively become Gotham’s daytime protector — coming up against former allies like Riko and Dax, who’ve also elected to become brutal independent protectors of Gotham. Encountering the pair while on patrol, Signal is shocked when Riko proves capable of essentially copying his powers over the light spectrum — and using it to expose a surprising location hidden in plain sight in Gotham. During his later debrief, Signal learns this “White Market” has only been in operation for a few months, but has quickly become a favorite of the villains around the DC Universe.
The White Market is in essence a place where villains can come to purchase supplies, weapons, or unique tools to assist in their nefarious missions. There seems to be a host of experienced staff members, each with their own knowledge of the weapons up for sale. The White Market has been hidden even from Batman and his allies, utilizing technology to remain invisible to the naked eye and difficult to reach without clearance. They accept payment of all kinds, allowing them to operate with essentially every corner of the DC Universe — with villains like Prometheus, Parasite, Count Vertigo, Merlyn, and Giganta all being spotted pursuing the White Market’s wares. It’s also seemingly funded in part by the Order of the Stone — a sect of the Church of Crime, with the Crime Bible visible in the Market.
Following Riko into the marketplace, Signal is able to spot over thirty major villains from all across the world, perusing through the weapons. The Teyestrix is revealed to be a shooting range where villains can test the weaponry on live prisoners, giving them a taste for their newfound tools. It isn’t just simple weapons and gadgets on display, either. The White Market is also where villains can learn about new gigs across the country, accept jobs from Metropolis to Central City, and recruit new henchmen from Arkham Juvenile Hall. The minds behind the White Market even seem to be experimenting in replica weapons — with Veronica Cale testing a replica Sinestro Corps Ring — and alien creatures, proven by a pair of seemingly captured White Martians.
There are even medicines and remedies on display, including a Joker Toxin Serum that could potentially be the key to Duke restoring his parent’s minds following their tragic encounter with the Clown Prince years earlier. But Riko is found out before he can reach them in time, prompting the White Market to teleport away as a security function. This has put a large target on Signal’s back, but also gives him the chance to put a dent in what may be one of the most potentially dangerous villain bases in the DC Universe. As Batman explains, the White Market is the sort of thing villains have always wanted, and with it now in existence they could easily become more unified and dangerous. It’ll be on Signal to find out more about it and shut it down — potentially finding a way to restore his parents in the process.
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