RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #20 Preview/Discussion

[kaimaciel]

Seducing you with brains and thighs and a flint of gunpowder.

Just what I was looking for in a guy

Soy's art is killing it. I wonder who Jason is talking to, the mayor? Another rich crimelord?

[Aioros22]

My first instinct is Penguin but any of the choices is doable.

[RedBird]

My first instinct is Penguin but any of the choices is doable.

I was just thinking this myself, considering that Jason is mentioning how much he badly wants to do things 'old school' and kill em already, and knowing that Penguin appears on a later cover, visibly taunting Red Hood by non nonchalantly blowing smoke in his face, it quite likely could be him. Oh the temptation.

Red Hood @ Penguin

[Aioros22]

Man, you guys say nice stuff about the interior art. But the covers are just killing it each time. I love them, all of them. And you can feel even the letterer is enjoying the book.

Nice start. As usual, I cannot see the wednesday coming soon enough.

As general thumb of rule I`ve been enjoying the present collection of Variant covers of this run and to me they tend to be graphically stronger than the standard outings.

This one is pretty smashing tho.

[MASTER-OF-SUPRISE]

Well this is certainly exciting. Also hearing that sales pitch I want a Bizarro shirt now. In fact maybe the entire Dark Trinity should get their own shirts. Don't know what kind of shirt DC could make for Artemis though.

[G-Potion]

If it's Penguin than the answer to his internal debate of going old school or not is already decided however.

[JasonTodd428]

That fourth page! So looking forward to this issue.

[Aioros22]

Well this is certainly exciting. Also hearing that sales pitch I want a Bizarro shirt now. In fact maybe the entire Dark Trinity should get their own shirts. Don't know what kind of shirt DC could make for Artemis though.

You can axe it and bring Mistress in.

[RedBird]

spoilers:

Gorgeous art once again. The dynamic action poses, were cool and damn maybe its just me, but I think Artemis looked particularly pretty in this issue. Okay so that cloaking device was cool too. First electricity, now this. I wonder what else that big red button can do? It was also nice to see a little more domestic 'out of uniform' stuff with the three of them, even if it was filled with an undercurrent of suspicions and concern. Also is Biz afraid of being recognized, whats with the disguise ala ninja turtles style. (Also also, I'm not sure how much Soy intended on this easter egg, but Jason in that scene seems to be wearing the same 'N' baseball cap and red hoodie combo he wore in Arkham Knight Genesis #5) I will say though,that scene at the henchman conference between Jason and Biz felt a bit off to me, with that sudden 'change of heart'. I don't know, it felt too on the nose. Though I strangely enjoyed the conversations between the henchman. Can calendar man only have 12 at a time? :P Of course, I think the most important bit here was that ending, and wow, I wonder if this is gonna get violent? Good luck Arty

end of spoilers

[adrikito]

You are not the only who saw her pretty..

I liked that scene with Bizarro laughing, with the previous scene, I never expected that..

Artemis know Bizarro secret now..

[G-Potion]

Feel instantly good about this issue just because of the art. No one can replace this team. Have to say, not just Artemis but the whole team looks better. Jason with the hat and the smiling face is darn cute. Nice catch Red with the Arkham Knight easter egg. Can somebody ask Soy to sneak the AK armor in there as well.

On to the story.

spoilers:

"A promise is a promise... until it isn't." Heavy foreshadowing. "Slide in" "Amazonz don't slide." Ha! The banter I love is back. "If I told you I'd have to kill you." If it doesn't look like he's about to do just that at the end. I love the henchmen. Would be great if Lobdell isn't done with them yet. Agree with Red about the conversation between Bizarro and Jason after. So Jason said Bizarro is not used to thinking, but, is he really? I can't really decide what his angle is in this scene. Is it genuine or another lie? Jason revealed himself to Bizarro. Will it make Bizarro suspicious of Jason like he does Artemis? And how did he come back so soon anyway? Unless that is Chairzarro? Lastly, I love the little insight about Artemis. I wonder what it says about how much she actually trusts Jason. Can't wait till we learn more about her past to see why she's this way.

end of spoilers

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

One shot stories are definitely where Lobdell's forte is, this was a simple but effective issue that introduced and solved at once the thing with the henchmen app, and once again, in a way no one expected.

That said, it was missed opportunity to not have Jason wear one of Roy's old hats.

[Aioros22]

This is the best art Soy has done in a while which is saying something. Them pages are beautiful!

That last page is a knocknout (as is Artemis, woof woof) but what is going to on here? Is Bizarro cloning himself over or the other two? This Bizarro arc has been long but with turns at every corner but can it be, that the two of them will be fighting next issue?

I wonder if Luthor did anything other than to save Bizarro out of the goodness of his Earth because it seems a Luthor thing to do if that`s the case (how odd if somehow this is what would set up Batman wanting to clone himself..)

I guess this is where Superman comes in, to help deal whatever is going on with Biz but nonetheless the interactions are incredibly honest despite all the cracking tension. The bit between Biz and Art where they just laugh it off comedy style after threats were made good use given the last page - tadahh they were testing the boundaries and now it may come to blows!

Other tibits I enjoy:

. Jason got his own cloacking device and he uses it by klicking on the symbol on his chestplate. Why does this strike me as a Masters of The Universe thing to do? It`s awesome.

. Being a henchmen in Gotham is hard man, it`s hard. You either get kicked after seeing someone`s Ivy or can`t get assigments because Two-Face`s recomendation letters are useless.

. Biz plan looked like someone Jason - older Jason? Would have done. A bit of theatrics, quick and pragmatic. His resolution seemed equally pragmatic. These are guys tring to make a quick buck, how evil are they? It`s relative. Ties nicely to the book Jason is seen reading.

. Despite that, Biz does not seem angry at knowing Jason was there...so, he would know or assume Artemis would try to find out what he was up to. Did he saw it coming and let it happen?

. Yup, that`s the hat Soy designed for Jason in Arkham: Genesis. With the backpack for bonus.

. Biz is also pulling the Turtles disguise motif and the color scheme on cloathing akin to the old Gray Hulk.

[Alycat]

Yo, Soy bringing in those Arkham Knight references was great. I loved seeing the team out of uniform. Also handsome Jason on almost every page with the quips.

[Zaresh]

You people see the Arkham Knight Genesis comic design, but I, for one, see how much he looks like Jotaro Kujo from Jojo's Bizarre Adventure. I don't remember the AK comics, probably because I read them in a rush, but for me he really has an uncanny resemblance.