Red Hood and the Outlaws #19 preview

[Kalethas31]

So, no one has any real issue with this version of "WonderBat", right?

I like it

[G-Potion]

So, no one has any real issue with this version of "WonderBat", right?

I admit I'd be very impressed if Lobdell lets them stay platonic. But if not, with this kind of slow burn, I'll be okay if they get together regardless.

[G-Potion]

Solitary being the misterous stalker is a possibility but something about it is off. Then again his face(s) may just be made up to conceal his actual identity. He does mention Biz has figured out who he is whether he says it or not. It goes with trust being the the crux behind the whole plot. Ever character seems to know more than they let on and it`s gonna hurt when the secrets come out unleashed.

This guy being the mysterious stalker does put a question on how big of a role Willis is gonna play.

[G-Potion]

Just saying, as anytime Batman and Wonder Woman are brought up (the recent issue and the upcoming Brave and the Bold mini) often meets a LOT of resistance. Yet, I haven't seen much of anything of the sort between Artemis and Jason.

You can see it a lot on tumblr actually.

[G-Potion]

Jason mentioning only ever having been on like, one date, discounting Essence, got an out-loud-laugh out of me. Kind of a meta comment, but also probably referring back to his singular didn't-go-very-far girlfriend during his Robin tenure, though god help me I can't actually remember her name. Anyway we also learned in Volume 1 that he'd had some kind of brief something with Rose Wilson, but again - can't imagine that ever resulted in anything remotely resembling a normal "date". Also, I mean, Jason's ... a real piece of work ... but like, Rose? Rose is crazy.

Not sure if he remembers Rena but in RHATO vol 1 he did go on a date with Isabel.

[G-Potion]

What could have been.

[Aioros22]

This guy being the mysterious stalker does put a question on how big of a role Willis is gonna play.

It might be Wills after all. Let`s not forget that the misterious guy not only managed to snatch Grundy out of Arkham he only needed to speak for Grundy to do his biding.

[Aioros22]

Jason and Artemis are definitely the only WonderBat ship that has ever worked. Bruce & Diana? She can do better ... it's more important that he have a solid friend ... and frankly there's just more interesting paramours to tell stories about in his life. Dick & Donna? Nah, man. They do the platonic besties thing way too well, don't ruin it. Tim & Cass? That one was just wrong anyway.

Jay and Artemis are effing rad together though. The whole black sheep meets "bad Nineties edgy fashion" meets "more brutal version" thing. I just think it builds his personality in a great way that he's oddly the gun-toting, least morally good Bat-Clan kid but he's like, "yeah, but I'm totally down with dating a lady who could kill me a thousand times before I blinked."

Bizarro's story has been great so far - I don't find him to be the most solid "permanent" member of the Outlaws trio, but I still love the whole premise and what they're doing with him and am eager to find out what's going on with him, who wants this, how Lex will get involved, so on.

Jason mentioning only ever having been on like, one date, discounting Essence, got an out-loud-laugh out of me. Kind of a meta comment, but also probably referring back to his singular didn't-go-very-far girlfriend during his Robin tenure, though god help me I can't actually remember her name. Anyway we also learned in Volume 1 that he'd had some kind of brief something with Rose Wilson, but again - can't imagine that ever resulted in anything remotely resembling a normal "date". Also, I mean, Jason's ... a real piece of work ... but like, Rose? Rose is crazy.

So yeah I really don't know where to go with a third member. You want it to be a dark horse Superman character, right? And one that isn't sort of in the family/social group of another character already (like, Maxima is Supergirl's pal, or something along those lines.) Preferably somebody who would play interestingly with Jason and Artemis's canon allies and enemies. Somebody that could use a revamp might be nice, like Gangbuster - but then the Outlaws have to have that "we appear to be villains" vibe. So maybe a sympathetic Superman villain, like Livewire?

Wouldn`t Bizarro fall into the sympathetic Superman rogue, thought? He`s usually misunderstood or used as a ploy against Superman Family characters like that time he was part of General Lane`s muscle when Mon-El was taking Kal`s place as guardian of Metropolis (Pre Flashpoint - World without Superman - Robinson). Bizarro here also comes with the New52 baggage in the sense that this Luthor made him to honor the sacrífice the former Bizarro died for..but we can all guess the ulterior motives regardless. Being a child or smarter than almost anyone teenager who keeps things for himself will always lead to trouble

Loedbell was very likely making a mention of Isabel, the flight attendant. She and Jason dated a bit in the first volume of RATHO (she was later discarted under Tynion) and their first date around issue#10, if I am not mistaken.

[DragonPiece]

Does this ship even work? Lobdell has said he doesn't care for jason and artemis being together and has no plans to put them together in his run, so it's hard to care for them like that at least until a new writer comes on board.

[G-Potion]

Well, personally I don't really care about the shipping aspect and find it very limiting to expect that just because this issue happened, they should eventually have to get together and any other outcomes are a waste of time. Whether it happens or not, the enjoyment I get out of this is how the interaction between Artemis and Jason develops in an organic way. I think this reviewer has a point when he said this:

Nothing may ultimately come of it (see my interview with Scott Lobdell from last year), but there is clearly some attraction between Jason and Artemis. Lobdell says that they’re just too broken to make a relationship work, and I think he’s right—but that doesn’t mean that they wouldn’t want something that they can’t have.

[Aioros22]

Does this ship even work? Lobdell has said he doesn't care for jason and artemis being together and has no plans to put them together in his run, so it's hard to care for them like that at least until a new writer comes on board.

More than what the writer says, read how it comes out. Is it organic? Is there buildup? Is there mutual atraction?

If the answer to at least two of these is resounding "yes" that`s more than enough for any ship material. He`s clearly not shutting off any of it either.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

And to be frank, at this point the chemistry is so good between the two of them that is impossible it keeps coming up entirely by accident. It has to be intentional.

[G-Potion]

On a different side of this date though, how do you guys think Jason felt when about the date not being real? At first he didn't seem to expect much out of it, and the reveal was later played for laugh, but Jason being who he is, would he feel hurt about it?

[EMarie]

I'd expect so. He doesn't open up much but he revealed a lot of personal information. Jason let her know he's not experienced with dating even though she could have taunted him. I could see him regretting that and questioning how honest she's being.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

He was definitely bummed out.