Red Hood: Outlaw #31 Preview and Discussion

[Arsenal]

Is it me or does Jason’s new symbol look a lot like the an upside version of the one on Roy’s hat?

[Rise]

Yeah the confrontation between the two was really weird. We know that Solitary is fairly powerful but none of his abilities were really used beyond making fake illusions of himself and showing Jason what happened in the prison. It shouldn’t of been that easy to bring him down. Yet we do know that Willis wasn’t ready for Jason and that he did something to Bunker while he had him captive so maybe Lodbell still has more planned here. I mean, he barely even touched the whole “I brought you 3 together” thing or any of the threads he’s laid out over the last 25 or so issues. But it’s Lodbell so who knows.

I'm one of people who think Lobdell is a better writer than a lot of people give him credit which is why I'm pretty harsh with his writing sometimes because I expect better from him.

Whatever the reason for the way he decided to conclude Solitary arc (whether it's another twist, editors forced his hands or whatever), he had plenty of time to wrap things up nicely and give a satisfying conclusion. Instead of dragging on the smart Bizarro arc and wasting the entire annual on Roy, he got have used the golden chance he was given by having his book went on without being interrupted by crossovers like what happened with his n52 run on working on the Solitary plot and wrap it up. He unfortunately didn't and I now feel that the whole thing was a big waste of time. It's also making me less excited for the upcoming arc.

[Arsenal]

I'm one of people who think Lobdell is a better writer than a lot of people give him credit which is why I'm pretty harsh with his writing sometimes because I expect better from him.

Whatever the reason for the way he decided to conclude Solitary arc (whether it's another twist, editors forced his hands or whatever), he had plenty of time to wrap things up nicely and give a satisfying conclusion. Instead of dragging on the smart Bizarro arc and wasting the entire annual on Roy, he got have used the golden chance he was given by having his book went on without being interrupted by crossovers like what happened with his n52 run on working on the Solitary plot and wrap it up. He unfortunately didn't and I now feel that the whole thing was a big waste of time. It's also making me less excited for the upcoming arc.

I'm still unsure how to feel about the entire arc because I don't know if the Solitary plot is supposed to be over or not. If this is how Lodbell wants to end that storyline than it's incredibly unsatisfying but if it's only part of his bigger plans for it than my opinion on it completely changes. At the moment, I'm willing to give him the benefit of the doubt because it just didn't feel like an ending to me.

[K. Jones]

I'm one of people who think Lobdell is a better writer than a lot of people give him credit which is why I'm pretty harsh with his writing sometimes because I expect better from him.

Whatever the reason for the way he decided to conclude Solitary arc (whether it's another twist, editors forced his hands or whatever), he had plenty of time to wrap things up nicely and give a satisfying conclusion. Instead of dragging on the smart Bizarro arc and wasting the entire annual on Roy, he got have used the golden chance he was given by having his book went on without being interrupted by crossovers like what happened with his n52 run on working on the Solitary plot and wrap it up. He unfortunately didn't and I now feel that the whole thing was a big waste of time. It's also making me less excited for the upcoming arc.

I definitely don't feel like it's over. For starters, we only got an "unreliable narrator" version of his secret evil origin. And of course, topping it off, he deals in "Perception" as a power, and looks way younger than Willis Todd. It could be as simple as Solitary was one of the convicts and has memories from Willis as well as the other guy. So who knows if Willis is out there alive or not - TO BE CONTINUED - and who knows if Solitary is actually dead - TO BE CONTINUED.

But I'll certainly agree that the wrap-up of this chapter got breezed through to get to the next phase. Bunker's out, Wingman's on the wagon, there's a dog, suits are going to be worn, some new threats are about to be faced, who knows when the Solitary and/or Willis angle will pick back up.

But I'd imagine there's like ... maybe "three Solitaries"? All perceiving each other but maybe working their own things, having their own focuses, and being stuck 'bound' to each other's plotting and scheming. A constant game of awkward upmanship.

[Jackalope89]

I definitely don't feel like it's over. For starters, we only got an "unreliable narrator" version of his secret evil origin. And of course, topping it off, he deals in "Perception" as a power, and looks way younger than Willis Todd. It could be as simple as Solitary was one of the convicts and has memories from Willis as well as the other guy. So who knows if Willis is out there alive or not - TO BE CONTINUED - and who knows if Solitary is actually dead - TO BE CONTINUED.

But I'll certainly agree that the wrap-up of this chapter got breezed through to get to the next phase. Bunker's out, Wingman's on the wagon, there's a dog, suits are going to be worn, some new threats are about to be faced, who knows when the Solitary and/or Willis angle will pick back up.

But I'd imagine there's like ... maybe "three Solitaries"? All perceiving each other but maybe working their own things, having their own focuses, and being stuck 'bound' to each other's plotting and scheming. A constant game of awkward upmanship.

Dog is Jason's second in command.

[Aahz]

I had allways the impression that Lobdell has a problem with his villains, his ideas aren't bad, but he never rally manges to makes them really threatening, and the final showdown is also often not that great.

[Sergard]

Dog is Jason's second in command.

Jason is Dog's second in command.
I hope we'll get a lot of Jason and Dog moments in the next arc.
This cute little Outpaw girl is already one of my favorite characters in the RHatO series.

[Zaresh]

Freaking forum deloging me! I lost my post, damn it!

In any case.

This issue was, er, OK, I guess. A bit wonky, to be honest. But what can you do. The whole arc was a bit wobbling, even if it had great moments, and gave us both resolution to certain conflicts and new supporting cast for Jason.

But let's go to the meat of the food
I think this wasn't Willis, but I still think Solitary is Willis.
Why?
Because two things: Ma Gunn and Jason's detective skills.

I think this guy was some evil powered person, a meta with a criminal organization, that got involved a few weeks ago, just like Jason said. Why pointing the time if not to show there was some disagreement between what we saw and what Jason saw? Because I think Lobdell has been making a point that Jason is a really fine detective. If he says that this guy has been lurking him just a few weeks, it was just a few weeks.

Why I think Solitary is Willis? Because Ma Gunn, who is in a different dimension, recognized him just fine. Also, this guy couldn't teleport, just change perception. But we are supposed to infer, I think, that that Solitary could not just show himself, but be in different places at the same time (besides teleport to other dimensions). Remember the issue in which he appears to be following Artemis in LexCorp and Bizarro in the street.

I think Willis, the true Solitary, just sort of hijacked someone and made him believe he was Jason's dad by making him read the letters that Ma (surprisingly) found and by explaining him some few details. Willis may have more than just altering perception psionic or whatever powers. He wanted Jason to stop looking for him, probably. Maybe he hijacked this guy after Hong Kong.

I don't know. I just think this is not the last he will see of Solitary, or Willis' supposed ID.

I have the feeling that this wasn't the original plot, and that the writer had to change his plans because whatever reason at some point around when the letters' issue was out. Probably because the original plan didn't fit well in whatever event is going to meddle with Jason's current run. I just hope that this will not unbalance the book anymore and we will get back to follow a well thought plan.

Not that I disliked this arc—I liked it a lot; but it could have been better.

(And now copy and paste just in case)

[Arsenal]

Since Artemis didn’t kill Willis like most of us thought, what do y’all think she was talking about before the goodbye kiss in RHATO 25?

Like Zaresh said, it’s also possible that Jason didn’t even fight the real one. We know that Artemis and Bizarro were important parts of Willis’ plan so thier disappearance likely threw everything off. I don’t think the Solitary plot is completely over just for the fact that his inter dimensional abilities thing provides a relatively easy way to bring back the rest of the trinity and/or Grandma Gunn.

[Jackalope89]

Since Artemis didn’t kill Willis like most of us thought, what do y’all think she was talking about before the goodbye kiss in RHATO 25?

Like Zaresh said, it’s also possible that Jason didn’t even fight the real one. We know that Artemis and Bizarro were important parts of Willis’ plan so thier disappearance likely threw everything off. I don’t think the Solitary plot is completely over just for the fact that his inter dimensional abilities thing provides a relatively easy way to bring back the rest of the trinity and/or Grandma Gunn.

Helping Luthor subjugate people to the experiment in question?

[Arsenal]

Helping Luthor subjugate people to the experiment in question?

Jason didn’t really suffer from her involvement in that. No real reason she’d owe him for it either.

[Jackalope89]

Jason didn’t really suffer from her involvement in that. No real reason she’s owe him either.

And one of those people happened to be his father (though obviously Willis doesn't seem to hold it against her at least). Could be a personal guilt sort of thing.

Honestly, that's about all I have.

[G-Potion]

Since Artemis didn’t kill Willis like most of us thought, what do y’all think she was talking about before the goodbye kiss in RHATO 25?

Like Zaresh said, it’s also possible that Jason didn’t even fight the real one. We know that Artemis and Bizarro were important parts of Willis’ plan so thier disappearance likely threw everything off. I don’t think the Solitary plot is completely over just for the fact that his inter dimensional abilities thing provides a relatively easy way to bring back the rest of the trinity and/or Grandma Gunn.

I think with the new information about Solitary's Perception power and the lack of bat tattoo, there is now a lot of Unreliable Narrator problem from everyone one involved, not just the Solitary that we saw today. Even what Artemis thinks she knows could be an illusion because Solitary might want to guilt her into helping Jason.

[Zaresh]

I think with the new information about Solitary's Perception power and the lack of bat tattoo, there is now a lot of Unreliable Narrator problem from everyone one involved, not just the Solitary that we saw today. Even what Artemis thinks she knows could be an illusion because Solitary might want to guilt her into helping Jason.

Red Hood and the Outlaws 3: The Vengueance of the Unreliable Narrator!

[G-Potion]

Red Hood and the Outlaws 3: The Vengueance of the Unreliable Narrator!

Seriously though who can you actually trust at this point? ;p