In Red Hood and the Outlaws issue #20, Jason forgets who he is and Roy can’t let go.
The Positive
Red hood and the Outlaws has been one of my favorite titles of the New 52. Jason Todd, the once-dead boy wonder turned anti-hero, has been through quite a lot in the months since “Death of the Family,” including getting his memory wiped clean. Red Arrow and Starfire seek to rescue our hero and in so doing relive some of Jason’s darkest memories. This issue finally sheds some light on the patchy history between the trio and their motivations. James Tynion, who took over writing last issue, seems to have a lot in store and is hinting at bigger things for the Outlaws. The artwork by Julius Gopez is vastly improved over last issue.
The Negative
As much as I like the direction the writing is taking, I have a problem with the dialog. Either it comes off as out of character, or dismissive and whiny. Take Procter for example, the floating mind bender who looks like a 12 year old but is much older. At times his speech is wise and heavy, others he sounds like a wise-guy with snippy comebacks. This makes the character seem petty. Roy Harper has a similar problem but sounds like a whining kid who is not getting his way, as opposed to the heartbroken hero losing his best friend. Some of the lines do hit the mark though so this is not a terrible read, it’s just inconsistent.
The Verdict- 4/5
I did really enjoy this issue and I feel like the set up at the end is a welcome one. I am looking forward to getting deeper into these characters, particularly Red Arrow. The relationship up to the fallout between Green Arrow and Red Arrow will be explored in the Annual. The other big question is, how will Jason change now that the defining moments of his life have been wiped from his mind? An excellent set up indeed.
Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1 hit shelves May 29th. Vol 1 is already available
