With the zero issues continuing to roll out, we are getting more answers as to who these characters we've been reading the past year are and what exactly is their updated origins. Many characters have had their histories untouched for the most part but we have been seeing minor tweaks and updates here and there.
Jason Todd is one character that became complex before the New 52 even started. Originally he was also a child of the circus and had red hair (which apparently Bruce made him dye black when becoming Robin). Later we saw him living a life on the streets and he even managed to steal the tires off the Batmobile.
With RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS #0, it's now clear what his full story is. We won't spoil everything. There are some things you'll need to see and read for yourself. There will be some spoilers below so you have been warned.
== TEASER ==Jason's Parents/Fate of His Father
Jason's past here is similar to the previous Post-Crisis on Infinite Earths version. We find out that while originally his mom was described as a junkie that died from an overdose, she didn't start out that way. Jason's dad was always a shady character but managed to win the heart of Jason's mom at a young age. Their time together resulted in Jason's conception and it wasn't much of a happy life.
Originally Jason's dad was working for Two-Face and simply disappeared one day. In this version, Jason started working along with his father but one day he was carted off to prison where he met his end. This made Jason the man of the house…until his mom died. Then Jason began a life of petty crimes in order to survive.
Meeting Leslie Thompkins
The life Jason was living wasn't a good one. He got himself into some dangerous situations. One encounter left him in a bloody mess. He was brought into Leslie Thompkins' clinic. She tried to get through to him and you can imagine how that might have gone. Jason repaid her kindness in his own special way.
First Meeting With Batman
Jason did not steal the tires of the Batmobile. That was always a corny bit. It showed that somehow Jason had the prowess to bypass whatever security measures were in place (always something of a stretch) but it did make Jason a clever kid. What happens here is Batman encounters Jason after he attempted to steal some stuff. Batman wasn't going to show mercy on him but he was convinced to give him a chance.
Jason's Training
In both cases, Jason spent an intensive six months training to become Robin. He admitted in the beginning that he might screw up. He didn't have a ton of confidence. He did become determined to live up to the legacy of being Robin. He wanted to do it right.
Father Issues
A lot of Jason's problems comes from his father issues. Growing up, he knew his father wasn't the best guy around. He watched him flirt and knew he had a way with the ladies. As time went by, obviously Jason could be happy being part of Batman's family. We even saw in issue #3 that one of his most cherished memories was with Bruce. This is why he was so angered and hurt by the fact that Batman didn't seek vengeance upon Joker after he killed him.
Joker's Creation of Red Hood
We all know that Joker originally used the guise of Red Hood. We can assume that he was also part of the Red Hood Gang seen in BATMAN #0. According to the back up here, Joker claims to have had a little more to do with Jason Todd becoming not only Red Hood but Robin as well.
Of course not everything Joker says can be believed but we will definitely see what there is to be said when Joker and Jason meet up again during 'Death of the Family.'
Update
There's one more pretty HUGE development that was missed.Check it out here:
http://www.comicvine.com/news/this-just-in-another-major-development-for-jason-todd-spoiler/145236/