Red Hood

Supergirl #35

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Supergirl #35After leaving this title during Kara‘s run as a Red Lantern I return to find an unexpected guest-spot by the Red Hood in as compelling use of the character as we’ve seen in the New 52. Despite her initial distrust of Batman’s former partner, Kara agrees to the unlikely team-up to help Jason Todd stop the supply of alien weapon technology on the black market.

Even with the appearance of a Venom-powered Red Hood and a story involving gun-runners, the latest issue has a warmth and fun to it that is has become a growing scarcity in DC titles since the launch of the New 52. I actually enjoyed writer Tony Bedard’s take on the Red Hood so much I was hoping the character may stick around for another issue, but it appears Kara is going to have her hands full attempt to live as normal a life as possible.

For a character who had become lost in grief and anger, and had been allowed to bottom out and wallow and whine herself into a shell of her former self it’s nice to see Supergirl have a little fun for a change. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #28

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #28With the League of Assassins, the All Caste, and Jason Todd‘s temporary amnesia all behind them the series offers the Outlaws a temporary reprieve of the most exclusive island resort in the world and a chance to bring back Isabel and tie-up the loose plotline of her relationship with the Red Hood.

Although the vacation starts well enough, despite Starfire‘s complaining about the hologram hiding her true form to the other guests and Isabel’s obvious distance, things take a turn when the super-villain in charge of the island gets wind of the Outlaws appearance and, assuming the worst, decides to preemptively strike.

Far less convoluted than several issues of the series, the straightforward storytelling works well and provides plenty of action while introducing a new enemy in Midas and the Army of the Golden Hand. Stephen Segovia steps in to do an okay job with the art this month although his Starfire is a little off and some of the wideshots are less detailed than I’d like (a common complaint about much of the New 52). Worth a look.

[DC, $3.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #27

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #27The All Caste/League of Assassins storyline comes to an end here with a tale about as confusing as everything else concerning the All Caste as Jason Todd punches all the magic out of Ra’s al Ghul thus saving the world and fulfilling his destiny. Seriously, that’s what happens.

A confusing end to an equally confusing series of events involving the magic assassin types who trained Todd, the issue does offer a pretty good fight between al Ghul and the Red Hood while Starfire and Arsenal battle various members of the League of Assassins. (Although Bronze Tiger, even if it is the crappy New 52 version of the character, doesn’t earn much more than a cameo.)

The best part of the issue is that it brings an end to the odd, and often awkward and confusing, storyline allowing Todd to play hero and put an end to this chapter of his life. Hopefully this means the comic will move forward with less poorly-defined mysticism and on to more of Todd’s journey of redemption. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #26

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #26After taking several months off from this title I returned to see Jason Todd get his memory returned and battle alongside Starfire and Arsenal against the League of Assassins and newly-rejuvenated Ra’s al Ghul. Although the issue still relies a bit too much on the All-Caste subplot that’s been a huge part of the tile since it’s New 52 launch, the characters of Essence and Ducra are kept at arms-length here.

Given the choice of watching his friends die at the hands of Ra’s al Ghul and his soldiers, Todd chooses to remember his past and, once fully restored, reveals this was all part of his (irrational) plan.

The issue ends with the Red Hood and the Outlaws doing a pretty good job of holding their own against the League including the Red Hood fighting Bronze Tiger to a standstill. But should Todd be victorious (which seems likely as the comic has solicitations for the next several months) I’d like to see the character given a chance to spread his wings without the baggage of the All-Caste or the Outlaws to weigh him down. For fans.

[DC, $2.99]

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Red Hood and the Outlaws #21

/ / Comics

Red Hood and the Outlaws #21While Starfire and Roy Harper fight among each other, with Professor Hugo Strange (who in the New 52 is Roy’s psychologist), and with The Untitled who make a dramatic entrance to break-up Roy’s latest session, the Red Hood flees from members of the League of Assassins who are chasing him down (but not for the reason he thinks).

Most of the Kory/Roy/Strange storyline can be ignored. The Hood story is far more interesting as we get the return of Cheshire as well as Lady Shiva and the introduction of the New 52 version of Bronze Tiger (which, like everything else in the New 52 is a pale imitation of the original).

After acquiring Jason Todd, the assassins take him back to ‘Eht Alth’Eban, the home of the League of Assassins, where the inform the Hood they don’t want him dead. What they actually want is the guy with no memory of how to assassinate anyone (or the hatred which drove him into that life) to become their new leader. Um… okay. I guess intelligence isn’t a prerequsite to join the League of Assassins. Hit-and-Miss.

[DC, $2.99]

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