Red Hood and the Outlaws #1

Red Hood and the Outlaws is not a book that defies expectations. It is probably exactly what you think it is. Sex, violence and a dose of immaturity. What else would you expect? This is a series that stars Starfire, Red Hood and Roy Harper. It is what it is, and it does so in an entertaining fashion.

The story begins with Jason Todd helping Roy Harper out of a tough spot in the Middle East, and Starfire lends a pair of... helping hands, as well. This is not the intended formation of a team, though. Instead, it is a rescue effort strung together by Jason to get Roy out of a situation that it is implied Jason put him in. When it is done, they relax and Jason makes it clear he has no further use for their trio. The improvised nature of this group coming together is actually a bit refreshing and fun. It is more character-driven than we usually get for teams. There is no banding together against a contrived common threat. This may turn out to be just a group of people who can't stay the hell out of each others' business.

Scott Lobdell introduces the All Caste, one of the shadowy groups Jason learned from during his lost years. I have mixed feelings on this, stemming mostly from concerns of how Lobdell will deal with it. If the All Caste is just another of the many parties Jason learned from, that's totally fine. Jason's lost years are a fertile ground for stuff like that. But if Lobdell tries to play up the All Caste as the main party Jason learned from, that is far inferior to Jason going on his own Batman-esque journey to become who he is. There is really no indication yet that Lobdell will go in that direction, so my concerns could very well prove pointless. Aside from that, the All Caste appears to be a group that Jason ditched out on and is now in trouble, leading him to feel some guilt and the need to get involved. This is actually pretty similar to the scenario in the beginning of the issue where he feels the need to help Roy out of a jam.

But it is Lobdell's portrayals of these three characters that people will really care about.

Lobdell's Jason Todd is solid and far many than many other writers' attempts to write the character in recent years. He's a punk but still effective at what he does. He's not psychotic and still has his usual self-awareness about his own nature. I disagree with Lobdell trying to distance Jason from Gotham City, but I can accept the idea that Jason needs a break from it for awhile. It is actually funny to consider this as what Jason does as his idea of vacation.

With Roy Harper, Lobdell wasn't just facing a low bar. That bar was buried deep in the dirt. Anything Lobdell could do with Roy would have been better. The choice that has been made here is to roll back Roy to a younger time rather than try to pick apart and repair the damage done to the character. This means two arms and no Lian Harper, so it's no consolation to those mourning Lian's loss. Apart from that, Lobdell's take on Roy is pretty good. This is a Roy who is in that period of his life shortly after drugs ruined it. He lacks direction and still has his immaturity.

Then there is Starfire, the real controversial one. I fall into the camp of not seeing the big deal here. Starfire is sex and has always been. Even in a medium known for amping up the sex factor in its female characters, Starfire has always stood out. It is just a defining part of her character, and Lobdell chooses not to pretend otherwise. He uses her promiscuity as part of her alien nature, which is played up here. Rather than seem like a ditzy or slutty orange human, Starfire actually comes across as alien and one that owns her promiscuity.

interestingly, we get confirmation of the existence of a previous incarnation of the Teen Titans, though they are not actually referred to be that name. Unfortunately, it also includes the explicit absence of references to either Donna Troy or Wally West.

But all that business is for older readers. What about newer readers? They are in a little bit of trouble, because Lobdell really does not explain who Jason Todd and Roy Harper are. There's not a complete lack of information. Lobdell actually does a really good job of implying various things, but there remains a lack of necessary context. New readers could easily make educated guesses that Jason is a former Robin and Roy was Green Arrow's sidekick, but there's a lot more to who these two are than that. Starfire comes across as the easiest to understand for new readers. The main confusion there is who is the ex-boyfriend Jason and Roy keep referencing. The confusion here doesn't seem like it would be crippling for new readers, but the issue doesn't go out of its way to be all that welcoming either.

The art by Kenneth Rocafort is pretty great throughout this issue. My only criticism of it is that he seriously needs to stop drawing a mouth on Red Hood helmet. Seriously. Now. What the hell? It's a helmet.

Red Hood and the Outlaws isn't going to be to everyone's tastes, but its immature tone feels appropriate for its cast. It also presents back-to-basics portrayals of two of its three characters, which fans will either find refreshing or hate. For my part, I'm comforted by Lobdell's solid grasp of Jason and interested by his new dynamic with Roy and Starfire. This reads like a genuinely new dynamic being introduced into the revamped DC Universe.

But seriously, it should be called Red Hood and the Outsiders.