Jason Todd: Robin, Red Hood, Arkham Knight Appreciation 2021

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

For a story that was supposedly meant to be Jason's big moment in the spotlight, it is impressive how hard it goes out of its way to show Jason's worse facets of his character and barely any of his strong points. He's reckless, emotional, impulsive, easy to anger, and continues to commit rookie mistakes. On the other hand, Bruce is depicted as a pretty decent guy, a well-meaning father that is trying his hardest to connect with his idiot son even though he should've kicked his ass and lock him in his room for being so dumb. Bringing Leslie just now when it could've been done since the first issue also shows how decompressed this story is, a bunch of actions are just there to extend the narrative without actually pushing it forward. I also hate the fact they dropped Rocafort's Robin costume to go back to the pixie boots, I hate that look for Jason and I hate that he's a little kid again instead of a teenager. Making him older when he was with Bruce was one of the many things the N52 did right with Jason. At this point, I will be VERY surprised if this story ends up being anything but yet another "Jason screws up for being a hothead and Bruce has to clean up his mess"

Oh, and I wouldn't be surprised if we're back again to pushing Jason crushing on Barbara.

Urban Legends is a massive disappointment.

FS: Gotham was much better since it actually shows a mature Jason that is trying his hardest to fulfill his mission while keeping his emotions in check. Voicing his disagreement with the plan loud and clear but without doing anything to put the whole thing in jeopardy over a momentary lapse in judgment. However, that is the only good thing about it, since the story itself is just incredibly generic, the PeaceKeeper characters have the personality of a piece of wet cardboard, and overall, this feels like a mediocre cashgrab. Art is nice and is pretty cool to have a comic in white and black though.

[Dark_Tzitzimine]

Another Red Hood figure has appeared in the listing for upcoming releases. Is labeled as "Gaming" so chances are it will be either the Gotham Knights version or the Arkham Knight one. Personally I hope is the Gotham Knights one, but most importantly, I hope is available everywhere and not limited run like the previous two figures.

[CorDaytona]

Urban Legends was fun, regardless of how I feel about certain thematic aspects so far.

FS: Gotham I reeeeally enjoyed! The art was great (Milonogiannis is really talented, but here he's truly shining as opposed to the first two Red Hood FS stories, even if I still liked that art). The monochrome manga style fits this really well. I also like the story set up, the development of the Peacemaker thing (why are they wearing Red Hood helmets though lmao) and I'm curious about who that guy at the beginning is.

Also, Jason's face (and white streak hair) looked great. Nothing touches Soy's Jason, but I quite like this design.

[Sergard]

I really dig the art in Future State: Gotham. That's right up my alley. Giannis Milonogiannis' manga-inspired style in classic black-and-white together with Yasmine Putri's cover - chef's kiss.

And do my eyes see a little reference to Red Hood #51/52 with "The Harlowe Hour"?

Do we know anything about Jason's secret friend in the shadows? I don't trust them.

[Arsenal]

Based on what they said, I’d say it’s almost definitely a Bat.

My guess is Bruce, Dick or (a wild guess) Damian.

[RedBird]

Just read Urban Legends, and a bit mixed on this issue. I've generally been enjoying and liking the story and had high opinions of both issues one and two, but this third issue may be my least favourite so far.

On the positive side, I really really liked Bruce here, this is the most humane he has been depicted in this story thus far and it's so nice to see him come across in a more compassionate way, this is a Batman I want to see more often, and the overall story is still so far enjoyable though it is a touch too forced in the depictions of Bruce and Jasons disagreements and divisions, which takes the issue down for me. But that Robin flashback, oof. That one flashback to Jasons Robins days really soured the experience. There's more of the same, unstable robin, doomed to fail nonsense, which is par for the course nowadays, but it's the final flashback scene that really rubbed me the wrong way. I think the goal of that moment was to display Bruces range for forgiveness towards criminals, which is nice, but it just makes Jason out to be outrageously hypocritical in such an OOC way.

Slightly off topic but, at this point, it's rare to find accurate depictions of Jasons early days of Robin that isn't marred by the continuous years of 'bad robin' retcons, but I think in the realm of revisionist history, Robin Jasons anger being twisted to be more of a 'bloodlust' is by far one of the biggest disappointments in these kinds of stories and a major misinterpretation of his character. Was Robin Jason sometimes angry? Yes. Was it justifiable? Also yes. And that's the element that's unfortunately missing from a lot of the reinterpretations. Jason's anger was always passionate and fuelled by the injustices around him. It was a righteous anger. Did it lead to him making some mistakes, or going to far? Yes. But the anger itself, the motivations, they were always understandable and defensible. In his actual robin days, he was beating pimps, cause they were beating their girls. He was especially brutal towards people who were abusing children. He may or may have not have killed someone for being a serial rapist. And even in the second issue of this same story, Jason may or may not have killed the drug dealer who was taking advantage of his mother.

So what gets his blood boiling in this flashback scene? An ex jewel thief whose gone on the straight and narrow that seemed a little nervous at a crime scene. Jasons gone from feeling righteous anger concerning abhorrent crimes like abuse and rape, to having an unwarranted desire to assault a petty jewel thief. Not even that, an ex thief. This is the hill we're having him die on now? Jasons robin comes off as so belligerent here, he reads more like an 'early days and newly introduced' Damian, more so than Jason. That needless insertion of hypocrisy and unwarranted terrorising from Jason was pretty disappointing to see, in a so far otherwise enjoyable book.

[Sergard]

Based on what they said, I’d say it’s almost definitely a Bat.

My guess is Bruce, Dick or (a wild guess) Damian.

They don't sound like Bruce, Dick or Damian though. At least for me, they feel a little cold-blooded.

I didn't pay a lot of attention to the Future State event. So far, Damian hasn't been seen in Future State, or? Anybody else from the batfamily still missing?

[Korath]

They don't sound like Bruce, Dick or Damian though. At least for me, they feel a little cold-blooded.

I didn't pay a lot of attention to the Future State event. So far, Damian hasn't been seen in Future State, or? Anybody else from the batfamily still missing?

I think Damian is the only one. And I could see him being that cold in FS... and perhaps even a little eptty, incriminating the Next Batman and all when it's obvious he isn't responsible. My only question would be why would Jason agree to work with him at all, and clearly take orders from him...

[Arsenal]

Honestly the only reason I said Damian is because he's the only prominent Bat that was MIA during Future State.

Bruce and Dick are my two real guesses. It's not like it'd be the first time they were involved in this kind of deep undercover op.

[Zaresh]

Just read Urban Legends, and a bit mixed on this issue. I've generally been enjoying and liking the story and had high opinions of both issues one and two, but this third issue may be my least favourite so far.

On the positive side, I really really liked Bruce here, this is the most humane he has been depicted in this story thus far and it's so nice to see him come across in a more compassionate way, this is a Batman I want to see more often, and the overall story is still so far enjoyable though it is a touch too forced in the depictions of Bruce and Jasons disagreements and divisions, which takes the issue down for me. But that Robin flashback, oof. That one flashback to Jasons Robins days really soured the experience. There's more of the same, unstable robin, doomed to fail nonsense, which is par for the course nowadays, but it's the final flashback scene that really rubbed me the wrong way. I think the goal of that moment was to display Bruces range for forgiveness towards criminals, which is nice, but it just makes Jason out to be outrageously hypocritical in such an OOC way.

Slightly off topic but, at this point, it's rare to find accurate depictions of Jasons early days of Robin that isn't marred by the continuous years of 'bad robin' retcons, but I think in the realm of revisionist history, Robin Jasons anger being twisted to be more of a 'bloodlust' is by far one of the biggest disappointments in these kinds of stories and a major misinterpretation of his character. Was Robin Jason sometimes angry? Yes. Was it justifiable? Also yes. And that's the element that's unfortunately missing from a lot of the reinterpretations. Jason's anger was always passionate and fuelled by the injustices around him. It was a righteous anger. Did it lead to him making some mistakes, or going to far? Yes. But the anger itself, the motivations, they were always understandable and defensible. In his actual robin days, he was beating pimps, cause they were beating their girls. He was especially brutal towards people who were abusing children. He may or may have not have killed someone for being a serial rapist. And even in the second issue of this same story, Jason may or may not have killed the drug dealer who was taking advantage of his mother.

So what gets his blood boiling in this flashback scene? An ex jewel thief whose gone on the straight and narrow that seemed a little nervous at a crime scene. Jasons gone from feeling righteous anger concerning abhorrent crimes like abuse and rape, to having an unwarranted desire to assault a petty jewel thief. Not even that, an ex thief. This is the hill we're having him die on now? Jasons robin comes off as so belligerent here, he reads more like an 'early days and newly introduced' Damian, more so than Jason. That needless insertion of hypocrisy and unwarranted terrorising from Jason was pretty disappointing to see, in a so far otherwise enjoyable book.

I have to read yet BUL3, but if I read the issue the same way you did (which is highly possible), I suspect I'm going to be a bit disappointed. I mean, I have yet to read it, and it all depends of how it develops the story in the end. But man, is that some stuff that annoys me to no end. Not cool, Chip. You were avoiding crossing that line so fine. I hope I read it differently.

[Aahz]

Bruce and Dick are my two real guesses. It's not like it'd be the first time they were involved in this kind of deep undercover op.

Based on the Ending of this issue Dick seems pretty unlikely.

Bruce seems to be the one that makes most sense, but I'm not sure how this should line up with Bruce story in Future State.

[Rise]

Jason was a child in the flashback and children can't be described as hypocrites because they are still learing and in need of guidance.

Is this an accurate depiction of Jason time as Robin back in the 80s? Not really, but it's not done to show Jason as "bad" or "rotten" (and Jason isn't rotten now to say he was rotten since the beginning) or free Batman from any blame and put it solely on Jason like it was done before since Chip established from the first issue that Batman failed and let him down. The point was to show that his rough upbringing played a role in shaping his morals and conviction.

[Arsenal]

Plus it seems like it’s set during the very beginning of his time as Robin so he’s still learning the ropes.

Based on the Ending of this issue Dick seems pretty unlikely.

Bruce seems to be the one that makes most sense, but I'm not sure how this should line up with Bruce story in Future State.

Dick could just be keeping appearances to maintain Jason’s cover. I do think it’s Bruce but wouldn’t be shocked if it was actually Dick instead.

[Sergard]

What's your preferred outcome for the Batman/Red Hood story in Batman: Urban Legends?
Judging by the solicitation of issue 5, mine isn't going to happen.

[Rise]

For Jason to stop killing. As long as DC would never let him kill any big villain, I would prefer for him to not shot the poor henchmen left and right like some rapid dog. If you make Jason kill, make it big and have impact.

Since it's unlikely, I at least hope for Jason and Bruce's relationship to have a step forward because I'm tired of them fighting.