the_mighty_monarch's Red Hood and the Outlaws #5 - I'm Free as a Bird--and this Bird you Cannot Kill review

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    I Hate Editor's Notes* (As Seen in #1-4)

    I've expressed my hatred for the pestering 'last issue' or '2-3 issues ago' reminders/editor's notes that Scott Lobdell especially seems to be a fan of. They break up the flow and immersion, and they're generally useless. Roy describes a recent event, and the Editor's Note just says "Last issue, remember!?' WHY IN THE FRAKKING HELL WOULD I NEED TO BE REMINDED THAT THE EVENT DESCRIBED HAPPENED LAST ISSUE. For starters this is only issue 5, and so the likelihood that someone is reading this without even having read at least issue 4 is slim, but not only that, ROY TELLS US WHAT HAPPENED. Literally all the editor's note does is tell us that what Roy described happened last issue specifically. This is absolute SHIT writing. Alluding to past events naturally is fine, don't smack us over the head reminding us exactly when they came from. But then things hit a breaking point of terribleness, "Haven't you bee reading the first four issues?!" YES ASSHOLE I HAVE. DON'T BE SUCH A GOD DAMN BITCH ABOUT THIS. Red Hood reminded us of shit that happened without it seeming like too obvious exposition, why the hell would you go out of your way to chastise readers who just jumped in so hamhandedly? And why insult those who HAVE been reading? You ask us the question is such a way that assumes anyone reading is starting with this issue, so me, who HAS been reading from the start, is insulted by this insinuation. I HAVE BEEN READING THE FIRST FOUR ISSUES, WHY ARE YOU SHOVING IT IN MY FACE THAT YOU DOUBT ME?

    Seriously Lobdell, you did a lot of Q&A's on this site, can you explain to me your insistence on doing this for all of your series'? Or do you just have the few editors who do this? Why is it that I noticed the trend at its most useless so constantly recurring on your three series'? AND STOP. STOP IT. NOW. IT'S ANNOYING AS HELL, AND COMPLETELY USELESS THAT WAY YOU DO IT. Not doing it is a little technique of good writing many people like to call SUBTLETY. But in terms of lack of subtlety, at least you're not as bad as Goerge Perez.

    All this infuriation is really a shame, because I have so much fun reading this series. I don't have a whole lot of things to really complain about, but each month in get more and more infuriated by this total bull crap. And this issue has been the worst offender.

    DAMN IT I'M TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THIS.

    Ok, moving on. Onto the good. Every character undergoes some nice bits of development in this issue. Red Hood has a flashback to ease his troubled soul, and lets himself live as Jason Todd a little more. Starfire begins to show her tender side, and Roy shows his edge. And even the villain Crux is hit by a moment of confliction and confusion, I really wish Lobdell hadn't already revealed he would be joining the team.

    Kenneth Rocafort's art continues to be the best thing about this series, everything he draws is just so awesome. His panel layouts are so loose and uninhibited, and everything else has a sense of overindulgence. This is a series to let go of some of the little things and enjoy how awesome comics can be. And there is still depth to it.

    In Conclusion: 3.5/5

    Did I take away half a star as a petty lashing out at the Editor's Notes? You damn skippy I did! It's aggravating in general, but this issue they were downright insulting. Which again, is kind of shame due to how excellent most of the rest of the stuff is. This issue suffers from a tad bit of padding syndrome, but the character development bits kind of balance that out.

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