by Brian LeTendre
When I reviewed issue #14 of Red Hood and the Outlaws, I thought things were headed in the right direction with the book, as the arrival of the Joker signaled interesting times ahead for Jason Todd. Sadly, rather than focus on the relationship between the two characters the book had used the current storyline as an excuse to cross over with the Teen Titans, and the result is a waste of storyline potential.
Jason Todd appears in a total of one panel in the entire issue, and it’s a flashback, as Arsenal explains Jason’s been kidnapped by the Joker. The rest of the issue features a banter-filled team-up between the Teen Titans and the outlaws as they take on a group of homeless people that have been turned into a crazed mob by Joker Gas. The heroes make snide comments to one another as they try not to deal with the mob without seriously hurting anyone. The action is bland, the dialogue is not great, and the most exciting moment in the issue comes from a teaser page that show Deathstroke planning to target the outlaws in the near future.
I was really disappointed in this issue. Scott Lobdell seems to be limping to the finish line with his run, despite having all the pieces in front of him to tell a great story. I am holding out to see what new writer James Tynion IV (Talon) is going to with the outlaws when he takes over with issue #19. If it’s a Teen Titans crossover, I’m done.
1 out of 5 Wastes of Potential
When I reviewed issue #14 of Red Hood and the Outlaws, I thought things were headed in the right direction with the book, as the arrival of the Joker signaled interesting times ahead for Jason Todd. Sadly, rather than focus on the relationship between the two characters the book had used the current storyline as an excuse to cross over with the Teen Titans, and the result is a waste of storyline potential.
Jason Todd appears in a total of one panel in the entire issue, and it’s a flashback, as Arsenal explains Jason’s been kidnapped by the Joker. The rest of the issue features a banter-filled team-up between the Teen Titans and the outlaws as they take on a group of homeless people that have been turned into a crazed mob by Joker Gas. The heroes make snide comments to one another as they try not to deal with the mob without seriously hurting anyone. The action is bland, the dialogue is not great, and the most exciting moment in the issue comes from a teaser page that show Deathstroke planning to target the outlaws in the near future.
I was really disappointed in this issue. Scott Lobdell seems to be limping to the finish line with his run, despite having all the pieces in front of him to tell a great story. I am holding out to see what new writer James Tynion IV (Talon) is going to with the outlaws when he takes over with issue #19. If it’s a Teen Titans crossover, I’m done.
1 out of 5 Wastes of Potential
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