Jason Todd: Robin, Arkham Knight, Red Hood Appreciation 2018

[John Venus]

I made this post over on the 'Favorite Dynamic Duo' thread and was wondering what Jason fans would make of it.

And my other favorite Dynamic Duo is......

2. Batman & Jason Todd

When I think of memorable Robin moments and memorable Batman and Robin moments, the common denominator is almost always Jason Todd. I am not talking about Jim Starlin's Robin, I am talking about how other writers such as Mike W Barr and Marv Wolfman were characterizing him in Detective Comics and New Teen Titans respectively.

Even before becoming the resident bad boy of the Bat Family, Jason was known for venturing into places where no other Robin has gone before.



One of the funniest Batman moments involves him:



He was adorable in his own way:



Then there was his New Teen Titans appearances:

http://i62.tinypic.com/25psl5x.jpg

http://i61.tinypic.com/2gwb9xy.jpg

What strike me about this period was how much Jason came across as the everyman among the Robins. He had no prior skill set like Dick, Tim and Damian did. He was new to the whole business and he wasn't always sure of what to do. However, he was a good person deep down and he tried to do his best no matter what. While I like Jason's role representing as Bruce's greatest failure and the dangers of being a superhero, the dead Robin trope has become too diluted because Damian was killed off as well which ruins any kind of impact either his or Jason's death had in the first place.

I think returning Jason to the everyman status could be beneficial to the character. His whole reason for being the violent angry anti-hero of the Bat Family is a house built on quicksand because the reason why the Joker is still alive is not something that can be solved on that side of the 4th wall but this one. Leave the anti hero bs to Azrael and Huntress.

But for now here is an ominous foreshadowing from way before DC tried to kill off Jason Todd:

http://i57.tinypic.com/2vt848z.jpg

(the link is from the story that inspired an episode of TNBA)

[Coda]

I think he makes a more effective villain. Can you imagine a former-Robin crimelord, on par with The Penguin or Two-Face? Even Batman would surely be reluctant to mess with him.

[Daredevil is Legend]

I'd like to see Red Hood solo without Roy and Kory.

Me too. I think the only way we'll get that if they cancel the series

[oasis1313]

Me too. I think the only way we'll get that if they cancel the series

Yeah. But I think Roy and Kory are just holding Jason back at this point.

[Aioros22]

I think he makes a more effective villain. Can you imagine a former-Robin crimelord, on par with The Penguin or Two-Face? Even Batman would surely be reluctant to mess with him.

What makes you think that would work? Jason`s character is someone who could at most, rule crime so crime wouldn`t spread out under his command, but we already seen that angle with Under the Red Hood and later in Red Robin. More than that and he`s a flat out villain like Two Face. You can`t pull that angle with a former Robin that was especifically written as Jason was: hating rapists, drug dealers, criminals, etc.

[Aioros22]

Yeah. But I think Roy and Kory are just holding Jason back at this point.

Ok, that point seems interesting. What would you say they are holding back for?

[Daredevil is Legend]

Yeah. But I think Roy and Kory are just holding Jason back at this point.

I agree....

[Punisher007]

No they're not. If anything, they're preventing him from sliding back into the same old "bad Robin with daddy issues" crap that writers get doing pre-New 52. If Roy and Kory were gone, Jason would grow as a character, nothing in DC's past track record indicates that they would do that. What their track record does indicate is that he'd REGRESS as a character back to the same old status quo, which doesn't interest me.

[oasis1313]

I agree....

Roy and Kory are taking up panel space that belongs to JASON.

[Daredevil is Legend]

Roy and Kory are taking up panel space that belongs to JASON.

That's exactly my issue with the series. When Jason is the focus of the series it is at it's best but it's time to show everyone that JASON TODD can stand on his own. Plus i'm really bored of Roy and Kory,they should go back to the Titans I think they're needed more over there anyways.

[Kurisu]

(also ka-peeng! lol)

[sidekick77]

Yeah. But I think Roy and Kory are just holding Jason back at this point.

I think 'holding back' has become a two way street. This book has done very little for them as individual characters. Roy has regained some footing in the reboot, but then his life had been put in a blender prior to that, so anything different would've been an improvement. However, this team concept is really just a vehicle to support a Bat character. It doesn't offer Kory or Roy any honest autonomy or character development.

I would be okay with writers cutting them loose if they had another book to call home.

[Daredevil is Legend]

I think 'holding back' has become a two way street. This book has done very little for them as individual characters. Roy has regained some footing in the reboot, but then his life had been put in a blender prior to that, so anything different would've been an improvement. However, this team concept is really just a vehicle to support a Bat character. It doesn't offer Kory or Roy any honest autonomy or character development.

I would be okay with writers cutting them loose if they had another book to call home.

Yeah I agree

[EdwardNigma]

I think he makes a more effective villain. Can you imagine a former-Robin crimelord, on par with The Penguin or Two-Face? Even Batman would surely be reluctant to mess with him.

COMPLETELY agree!

[FailureByDesign]

Now that Jason is no longer the only former Robin willing to use a gun, I wonder if that will change his position in the Bat-family in any way (if only with Bruce and Dick).