Since his Lazarus - fuel restitution from the dead inBatman : Under theRed Hood , former Robin Jason Todd has produce into one of the more nuanced and irregular residents of Gotham . He ’s spiel the role of villain and anti - hoagie , bouncing between being an recognised phallus of the Bat - Family and its greatest Ishmael . Red Hood is easy one of DC ’s most various characters , but he needs a new direction to reach his full potential .

While the Bat - Family is home to plenty of interesting personality with their own unequaled story , Jason Todd has always beenone of its most multi - faceted penis . Unfortunately , that complexity has create a mirky story for Red Hood , as DC seems to have mislay its way when it comes to his futurity .

Nightwing found unshakable origin in his own city , Blüdhaven , and several other phallus of the Bat - Family are well on their way to create unique identities for themselves . Jason Todd stay to be adhere walk the line of an anti - submarine , poise Bat - Family tie and inescapable trauma while both oblige him back .

Jason-todd-red-hood-next-to-all-other-robins-with-face-crossed-out

It’s Time for DC to Let Red Hood Grow as a Character

He’s Been Stuck in the Past for Too Long

Jason Todd ’s first Batman appearance came all the way back in 1983’sBatman#357 by Gerry Conway and Don Newton , and his role has changed a great deal in the intervening twelvemonth . While he ’ll always carry elements of his past as the 2d Robin , his end at the hands of the Joker and his subsequent Christ’s Resurrection via the Lazarus Pit and Talia al Ghul forever changed the character as a whole . Duringhis time as Red Hood , he ’s been both a diametrically - opposed Bat - Family villain and their begrudging friend , and in both cases he ’s left spirit like the folk ’s black sheep . Both approaches fall his potential .

Jason ’s time as Robin famously ended with his last - by - turkey - blowup in 1988’sBatman#428 by Jim Starlin , Jim Aparo , Mike DeCarlo , Adrienne Roy , and John Costanza , available now from DC Comics as part of theBatman : Death in the Familystory discharge .

Perhaps the gravid hindrance to Jason ’s part isDC ’s unwillingness to let him fully move beyond the tragical circumstances of his dying . Although there is no way to ever truly separate Jason from that moment , or all the side effect it afterward caused , it unfairly delineate his character . From his code name to his artillery of selection , everything about Jason - as - Red - Hood is colored by the Joker . Even the recently - revealedRobin Lives!timeline pile more trauma on him than expiry ever could have . For Jason Todd to exist as his own person , DC must free him from at least a few shackles and create a exonerated way of life onward .

James Gunn’s Superman and Krypto comic

Red Hood’s Relationship With the Bat-Family Needs to be Clearly Defined

It’s Hard to Tell If He’s Batman’s Ally or Enemy

It ’s impossible to address the " job " of Red Hood without diving intohis relationship with Batmanand his allies . It ’s the constant , looming question in his sprightliness , and DC needs to finally serve it , asit ’s currently impossible to know where Jason abide with any of them . He seems to make incredible advancement in tarradiddle like " Cheer " by Chip Zdarsky , Eddy Barrows , and Marcus To inBatman : Urban Legendsand then , in the blink of an eye , is treated like an foreigner , not called upon for scene that are distinctly entail to be " category " moments , like the introduction of Pennyworth Manor inBatman#149 by Zdarsky , Steve Lieber , and Michele Bandini .

A Bat - free Jason could eventually get some even knave of his own or expand the Outlaws into a greater global front .

Cutting ties to Gotham and the Bat - Family is one potential way to move Hood onward , as there ’s a whole criminal world out there for him to make for havoc upon . A Bat - costless Jason could finally get some unconstipated rogues of his own or expand the Outlaws into a greater planetary presence . Alternately , hard and officially take over him into the family wouldallow him to carve out his place in the city- not just as a more " heroic " Red Hood , but as Jason Todd , a deeply empathic quality who has always had a personal reason of how Gotham ’s least fortunate suffer .

Harley Quinn imagery

Red Hood and the Outlaws Earned a Bigger Spotlight than the Team Currently Has

Jason Todd Deserves a Defined Future

It ’s undeniable that the Outlaws , his team since the sunup of the New 52 , give Jason elbow room to be more himself , and it ’s a solid way toexplore how he interact with others without being consider down by family , as well as expanding beyond one city . As for the Outlaws themselves , revisiting Artemis and Bizarro would be a welcome possibleness , with the chance to re - solidify ties to the original squad of Roy Harper and Koriand’r , as would reinventing the radical altogether . There are a fistful of other potential Outlaws , like Eddie Bloomberg and Rose Wilson , who both have tie to Jason and each other and would make an challenging tercet .

Red Hood has just delivered a cruel truth about why he and the other Robins took up the mantle — and it hit harder than you might expect .

DC has a major decisiveness to make . Jason deserves a life fully separate from the Bat - Family , either leading the Outlaws or operating solo , or to at last fully integrate with Batman and his allies and be treated as an equal among them . As things place upright , he can be practically anything , but he can not be everything ( and nothing ) all at once , all look on the week . His character has so many options , yet he continues to be afloat . Red Hoodis easily one of DC Comics ' most complex characters , but it ’s past time to give him a way of life of his own to take the air .

Split image of Jason Todd looking at a large close up of red hood both from DC comics

Custom Image by Ollie Bradley

Check out Jason Todd ’s first full account as Red Hood , Batman : Under the Red Hood , which is available now from DC Comics .

Jason Todd is a complex figure known for his tumultuous journey as Batman ’s 2nd Robin . ab initio tearaway and disaffected , he ’s resurrected after a tragic death , becoming the vigilante Red Hood . Armed with intense combat skills and a moral equivocalness , he challenge Batman ’s methods , navigating a path between valor and anti - heroism in Gotham ’s unforgiving streets .

Jason Todd/Red Hood facing away from the viewer and holding a crowbar in a DC comic

Jason Todd is a complex figure known for his tumultuous journey as Batman’s second Robin. Initially impulsive and rebellious, he’s resurrected after a tragic death, becoming the vigilante Red Hood. Armed with intense combat skills and a moral ambiguity, he challenges Batman’s methods, navigating a path between heroism and anti-heroism in Gotham’s unforgiving streets.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 Artemis Bizarro

Jason Todd as Red Hood in DC Comic Art

Jason Todd is a complex figure known for his tumultuous journey as Batman’s second Robin. Initially impulsive and rebellious, he’s resurrected after a tragic death, becoming the vigilante Red Hood. Armed with intense combat skills and a moral ambiguity, he challenges Batman’s methods, navigating a path between heroism and anti-heroism in Gotham’s unforgiving streets.

Comics

Red Hood