Warning! Contains spoilers for The Boy Wonder #2!
Summary
Despite being arguably the most complex Robin to ever work with Batman,Red Hoodis often either reduced to the “dark Robin” or a muscle-headed thug. But occasionally, fans get to see a more complex version of Jason Todd, and a new story shows off the many sides of Batman’s most notorious former sidekick.
Readers can see one of the most heartbreaking panels in Jason’s history inThe Boy Wonder#2 by Juni Ba and Chris O’Halloran. In this story,Damian Wayne is teaming up with each Robin, including Jason Todd.Jason admits he never wanta to be Robin again, leading toa heartbreaking (and instantly iconic) splash page of Jason pulling his helmet off, revealing his vulnerable, scarred face to the reader.
When Damian counters that he believes it’s Jason who actually hates Batman, Jason explains that he doesn’t hate Batman. His feelings are much more complicated and much sadder. It’s not that Jason hates Batman; it’s that Batman has shaped his career around saving people, and despite that, Jason feels that Batman never tried to save him.
Red Hood’s Nickname for Batman Accidentally Exposed Jason Todd’s Most Shocking Secret
In addition to canonically reading Pride & Prejudice, Red Hood further proves he’s a classic literature nerd by giving Batman the perfect nickname.
This Red Hood Splash Page Will Break Any Jason Fan’s Heart
Red Hood Wants Batman to Forgive Him
Jason Todd’s character has always been more complicated than he’s given credit for. Readers might see Jason’s death at the hands of the Joker and think that’s where his complexity as a character both starts and stops. While that’s certainly one of the most important moments in his history,Jason’s death is only one layer to his character. Jason started as a kid who couldn’t trust anyone and had to fight to survive on the streets by himself. Jason even says about Batman in this issue, “Do you know what it’s like to finally have someone who cares about you and gives you purpose?”
Red Hood fans can check out another compelling Jason Todd moment in DC’s main continuity inBatman#148 by Chip Zdarsky and Jorge Jiménez, available now from DC Comics.
Batman gave Jason’s life purpose, meaning, and most importantly, love. Jason was unbelievably devoted to the role of Robin. It was all he ever wanted to be, and despite some interpretations of his character, Jason wasn’t the angry, out-of-control kid that many contemporary stories depict him as. Instead, he was a happy, whimsical, goofy kid. Then he was killed, brutally, and when he returned he was angry, which he had every right to be. When he wanted revenge — to verify that no one else would be hurt like he was, which is also Bruce Wayne’s central motivation —Red Hood found Batman standing against him.
Red Hood Will Always Be a Tragic Figure
But That Doesn’t Mean Jason Todd Can’t Change
Jason’s tragedy is that he was an unwanted child who was forgotten by society and everyone he knew. Then he found a home, he found a family who loved him, and then, because of one madman, Jason was torn away from that family. Jason was then ripped out of Heaven, and when he found himself back on Earth, instead of a joyous family happy at a miracle second chance, he found that his adoptive father was protecting the very man who murdered him. Jason had every right to take on the mantle ofRed Hoodand to be angry, and those complex emotions deserve to be explored and represented more.
Red Hood
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.
