Red Hood and the Outlaws #17

It took seven artists and inkers to create this comic book. Does that mean it'll be a masterpiece or a trainwreck? Oh, never mind. I just remembered the one writer.

I wonder who at DC, besides Grant Morrison and Chris Burnham and their editors, knew that Damian Wayne was going to be killed in Batman Incorporated? I imagine a lot of people knew which is why I find it incredible that it took even the local comic book shops by surprise. Were the other writers of the Batfamily Books let in on the secret? Or does Grant Morrison not care what killing Damian is going to do to Peter J. Tomasi's job over on Batman and Robin? Will that comic now become Batman and Alfred? Or Batman and Titus and Alfred and Batcow and Alfred? I have to wonder if Scott Lobdell were told after reading the first scene in Red Hood and the Outlaws with Jason Todd and Damian Wayne.

Did Scott Lobdell just write a nice scene?

Even though this scene exemplifies all of the things Lobdell usually does to try to ruin his stories (heavy use of Narration Boxes, constant snarky attitudes), it works here because it's character driven. The Narration Boxes actually help move the scene forward in the way Thought Bubbles would have in the past. And Damian is a little prick who can't stand Jason Todd. Jason Todd's teasing here is more reminiscent of Nightwing, but that's a good thing. After what they just went through in Death of the Family, Jason Todd can view Damian Wayne as a younger sibling whom he cares for. The psychopath line comes out as a sweet bit of sibling teasing although Damian most likely doesn't feel that way. And knowing that what happened to Jason a few decades ago (in real time!) is about to happen to Damian makes this scene bittersweet. The only real problem with this scene is that I'm about to turn the page and no way Lobdell can keep from fucking it up!

Starfire and Speedy show up in the car Red Hood sent for them while Red Hood finishes saying goodbye to Damian. Speedy mouths off to Damian as he arrives, so you know that's going to end up in an ass kicking. And then Jason heads in to say goodbye to Nightwing and Kori says she'd rather wait outside. So close to seeing Kori and Dick together! I wonder if some other writer already has dibs on their first New 52 encounter. Since there was no previous version of Teen Titans, how did Dick and Kori first meet? How did they get involved? Why did they break-up? Why is Starfire now avoiding Dick (well, avoiding this particular dick, at least)? Why doesn't Dick come out and say something instead of just peeking at her through the window? I'm actually kind of glad none of those questions were answered here in this comic book. You know. For reasons.

Oh come on, Dick! What happened? Did she hurt your feelings by not understanding your Earth monogamy? You ask Todd not to judge you? Don't judge her!

Jason Todd leaves Nightwing feeling lonely and bitter and probably desperately wanting to have some ex-sex and heads back outside. He finds Speedy and Robin rolling around on the ground. It currently seems to be a stalemate because Damian has just had a really tough week. Plus this is the Red Hood and the Outlaws comic book, so I don't think Damian is allowed to embarrass Speedy in it.

Jason Todd masturbating his face. I guess this is going to be a series!

Next on Jason's list of goodbyes is Bruce because he's saving the best, Alfred, for last. Jason Todd thinks about how nobody wanted to speak with Batman immediately after the Joker was defeated but now, immediately after nobody wanted to speak with Bats, they're all speaking with Bats. Okay. Whatever. Here's almost a nice moment with Jason Todd and Bruce Wayne.

Why? Why can't you ever say it?!

What happened in Scott Lobdell's life that he can't have characters feel vulnerable? Why must they always push away with sassy retorts or silence? Is it just that Jason Todd is still too hurt by Batman do begin to heal their relationship? They seem to be doing okay in Batman Incorporated. It seems like they've moved past a lot of their issues and come to an understanding. So why can't Todd say thank you?

I am glad that Scott Lobdell basically allows Batman to say that the back-up story in Red Hood and the Outlaws #0 is bullshit. If Batman thinks it, it must be true.

Next Todd goes to say goodbye to Alfred who asks if "Master Todd" will be staying overnight.

Come on! It's Bruce Wayne that has trouble kidding. Alfred has the best sense of humor in the house!

Another nice moment by Lobdell if you ignore the fact that Alfred was probably close to death and the others were pretty banged up as well and everybody was supposed to be pouting about Batman lying to them. The best part of this though is Roy playing catch with Damian. Damian is a stubborn little brat that doesn't act like a kid or open up much. But who better for him to "play" with than the friend of what is ostensibly his older brother? Younger siblings always look up to the friends of their older siblings. There's no pretense or rivalry there. It's like a freebie brother without all the baggage.

As Jason Todd is leaving, he puts on his Red Hood which has been trapped by The Joker. He gets poisoned or zapped or who knows what exactly. When Batman takes the hood off, Jason's face is red and steaming green smoke. Joker rigged it with a message as well that said the trap would "start him with a clean slate." So did Jason Todd just lose his memories just as he was feeling good about leaving the Batfamily home on his own terms? I don't know because that's where the comic book ends.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #17 Rating: +1 Ranking. This comic kind of treats Death of the Family as if it never happened. Nobody seems to be feeling any worse for the wear after all the shit that just went down. And the whole point of Death of the Family seemed to be everybody pulling away from Batman and beginning to not trust him quite as much. But after the end of Batman #17 where nobody wants to talk with Bats, now they've all suddenly changed their mind and are hanging out with him. Well, everybody except Batgirl. Maybe the whole point of Batman #17 was for Batman not to trust Batman? Maybe he's going to pull away from them? Well, he's probably going to pull away from all of them if Robin is really and for reals dead! So way to just invalidate the ending of Death of the Family, Lobdell!

Barring all of that! Ignoring that this doesn't make a whole lot of sense as an immediate follow-up to how things were left in Batman #17, this was a good issue! Go ahead and tell me I'm crazy or how wrong I am. But Lobdell did a good job here. Just remember that I'm grading on a curve! Compared to the other crap he's put out, this was New York Times Bestseller material.