Dealing with death in comics is especially difficult when the death your issue is centered on does not even occur in your book. Scott Lobdell had that exact challenge with this issue. The ramifications for Heroes in Crisis continue to spread as  Jason Todd learns the tragic fate of a dear friend. Considering how chaotic his life has already been of late it is the type of information that could push him even further off the edge.
This information comes from an unexpected source as Bruce Wayne tracks Todd down to ensure he is the one who passes along the news. Todd and Wayne“s relationship is fascinating to witness. They clearly have major love and respect for one another but there is this underlying disdain that shows more often than not. They are like siblings that know how to exactly to push the others buttons at the worst time. However, when the time comes they can set their differences aside to do what is needed. Sometimes that means punching Joker in the face and others it is them sitting down to have a heart to heart–or at least as much of a heart to heart Batman is willing to give.
It is also within that conversation this issue also cuts the legs from underneath itself. I do not envy writer Scott Lobdell as he had to write a conversation between two previously dead characters regarding the news of a newly dead character. It is like trying to build drama over the reveal of last week“s lottery numbers. Everything about it comes off as artificial and temporary.
Part of the problem comes from having characters directly acknowledge how death has become meaningless within the world of comics. Of course, it is the giant elephant in the room so it is nearly impossible to not at least acknowledge in some way. You could also argue it is the characters attempt to minimize the emotion they are feeling, as if we are witnessing a real time look at the grieving process. Where it becomes a major issue is when the emotional crux is rested upon the event you have directly called out to be eventually meaningless. How can a reader take a moment seriously when the people in it are finding every reason to minimize what occurred. What comes after this issue could help change that fact. By the end, it is clear this is a transition issue design to refocus Jason Todd“s motivation and given him a new target to set his sights on.
Final Thoughts:
Red Hood Outlaw #27 cannot get out of its own way. It works when the focus is on the back and forth between Jason Todd and Bruce Wayne but the emotional resonance it attempts to establish falls flat.
[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Pete Woods
Letter: ALW’s Troy Peteri
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- A fan of all things comics. Growing up on a healthy diet of 90's Batman and X-Men cartoon series ignited a love for the medium that remains strong today.
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