Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 Review

Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 begins with a lengthy retelling of Jason Todd's backstory that isn't truly necessary though it does set the stage for the double serving of character development that follows. Writer Scott Lobdell has managed to crawl inside Jason's head, deftly navigating the muck and mire of a lifetime of trauma while delivering one of the more earnest takes on the character that we've seen in a while.

This issue, following in the wake of the Death of the Family story, is all about Jason Todd's narrative arc -- not simply over the course of the 18 issues of this title but from the time of his childhood revelations that the world was a brutal and ugly place. It's a necessary step for both the series and the character of Jason Todd in order to ground himself -- and the reader -- in his revamped mythology as he struggles to reconcile who he was, who he is, and who he wants to be. After the Joker's last hurrah in #17, Jason finds himself battling his demons while suspended in a medically induced coma only to find that the monsters in his head wear the faces of both friends and foes but his greatest enemy might be himself.

Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 is all about characterization and by stripping the cast down the essentials -- Jason, Bruce, and Alfred -- Lobdell provides a glimpse into an ongoing tale that is more than a story about capes and heroes, but is ultimately a family drama. There is a powerful moment of introspection when Alfred does what he does best by dropping some truth bombs on both Jason and Bruce, leaving them to a moment alone. But of course, as Jason points out in his narration, they are never truly alone for there will always be a massive elephant in the room with them. Or, in their case, a pasty-faced clown.

Artist Tyler Kirkham excels when it comes to page-defying tableaus but some of the issue's strongest segments are the quieter moments where restraint speaks louder than action. The juxtaposition of Jason's nightmare dreamscape with the tense silence of his sickroom is handled nicely and Kirkham's silent but powerful final page is an emotional moment that's been a long time coming, both for Jason Todd and his fans.

Melissa Grey really just wants the Bat-family to be happy. She can be found on MyIGN at MelissaGrey or lurking on Twitter @meligrey.

Source : ign[dot]com