Girl In The Hood: Outlaws #21 Edition

By

Elizabeth Airelle

"Dissolution"

     Picking up after the events of the annual, Red Hood finds himself being chased by a group of assassins. Meanwhile Roy is having a session with Dr. Hugo Strange, as feels sad that Jason abandoned them and is worried he is going to be killed. Roy has a sense that unknown forces are trying to separate the three of them.

     Meanwhile while waiting in the hallway, Starfire spots Essence outside, who has come to warn them that Hugo Strange has sold them out to The Untitled, who are coming for them. She also apologies for attacking them back in the mountains.  Essence leaves warning Kori that the Untitled have arrived. Hugo Strange is trying to play minds games with Roy, stating that he shouldn’t be with them because they are bad for him and he is weak. Kori tries to warn Roy, but it’s too late.  The Untitled appear before them. 

     Red Hood is still being chased by several assassins including Lady Shiva, Cheshire, December Graystone, and Bronze Tiger. They mention he has been chosen for something.  Also, they all trained him in the murderous art after his resurrection. He is captured and they teleport to their home, ‘Eth alth’ Aban, the hidden city of The League of Assassins.

     While Hugo flees, the Untitled explain themselves to Roy and Kori. The bounty was a warning shot to keep them on their toes.  One of the Untitled is Ducra’s brother, and he explains that the league has captured Jason, and that if Arsenal and Starfire will help the Untitled break the protective seals to the League’s hidden city they will let them take Jason back and never bother them again. Kori and Roy leave the room to discuss the offer. Kori thinks it’s a bad idea to storm into the city with the enemy and that they should find Essence to figure out what is going on. Roy feels Jason is in danger and they have to go save him now. So they spilt up with Roy promising that he and Jason will come find her.

     Red Hood is now in The Snake’s Nest [the translation of‘Eth alth’ Aban] . It turns out this hidden city is essentially what Ra’s al Ghul has wanted to turn the rest of the planet into with his eco-terror plots over the years.  Bronze Tiger tells him that the Untitled are coming for them and that they are too powerful and his help is necessary to stop them, by becoming the leader of the League of Assassins.

     I am very excited for the next issue!  I always loved anything with The League of Assassins. The art is getting better, the shot of the city looked really good. Still not the biggest fan of Lady Shiva’s new look, but knowing she helped trained Jason is awesome and I hope we can get more details later.  I’m hoping we get a few cameo appearances from league members next issue. Also this takes place after Batman Inc, so I’m wondering is Ra’s the one in charge or is it still Talia [or is anyone]? The flying Man-Bats seem to suggest Talia. Roy’s concerns ended up being a self-fulfilling prophecy. He was worried about the group breaking apart and it did.  I hope for Arsenal’s sake he stops confiding in Hugo Strange , who I do not think we have seen the last of. I agree with Starfire’s plan.  Next issue I hope we can get a little more Starfire since she is going after Essence.  Is Jason going to be able to lead The League, will he even want to?

 Until next time Hoodies!

You can find Elizabeth chatting with other Hoodies at:

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And follow our Twitter feed: @RedHoodOutlaws

Girl In The Hood: It's Mike's Fault The Review's Late Outlaws #19 Edition

By

Elizabeth Airelle

"Communion"

This takes place after Batman and Red Hood #20.  Jason is in a private jet heading from Ethiopia and it’s under attack by would be high jackers. Two hours later Starfire and Arsenal find the plane wreckage but no Jason. The natives approach them and Roy asks them about The Acres of All and how to find it. They claim not to speak English and walk away. An elderly woman stays and tells them not to expect them to reveal the secret of All- Caste because they have guarded it for generations. She tells them that the entrance is not of this realm and they would have to undergo the teachings in order to find it. Roy states he knows a little of what Jason was taught and thinks it’ll be enough, the old woman is revealed to be Essence who is trying to drive them away.

In the snowy mountains Roy thinks back to when Jason told about the All- Caste teaches how to commune with the darkest part of yourself and accept it. Starfire thinks that they should turn back, that Roy is getting sick. Roy tells her that since the three of them got together it’s been the best time of his life and he doesn’t want it to be over.

While the two rest in a cave Essence creeps in and is shocked to see her mother Ducra appear.  Ducra is moved by Roy’s will power and love for Jason. Essence is not and sneaks into his dreams. In Roy’s dream is he yelled at by a boy, Green Arrow, Killer Croc and Hugo Strange and is shot with an arrow by himself. They tell him he is pathetic and Jason is trying to get as far away as possible from him, that they had their lives taken from them, while he threw his away. Roy ignores them and communes with the darkness and accepts it. He overcomes them and wakes up feeling like he smoked a dozen cigars.

After the dream Roy is able to find the entrance which is in the side of the mountain. They find themselves surrounded by beasts. While taking them out a bigger one appears but is taken down by Jason. Jason tells them that they should leave, Starfire gets mad saying how dare he cast them out after chasing him half way around the world. Jason claims he doesn’t know who they are. He does not even know his name is Jason. S’aru appears and tells them what happened.

Jason came to him and wanted his help. He cannot deal with the fact that the Joker has manipulated him his whole life and wants to forget it. S’aru agrees but tells him he must take all his memories then…

A great start for James Tynion! I like that he is not undoing or ignoring what has happened in the book with All- Caste like some new writers tend to do when they take over a book.  Essence is back and hopefully she sticks around. Roy dealing with his subconscious was great. He knows he has made mistakes but accepts them, if only Jason could have as well. The more glimpses we get of Roy’s past the more I want. Why was Hugo Strange there? Jason’s mind has been wiped! What will this mean for the book? Batman inc?

 Stay tuned Hoodies!

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Girl In The Hood: Outlaws #18 Hug-It-Out Edition

By

Elizabeth Airelle

 "Last Dance. Last Chance...For Death!"

After Joker’s vicious attack last issue Jason is in an induced coma. In his mind he escapes to a twisted version of the All-Caste’s home.  He thinks Ducra is standing over him but is in fact Joker, who states that after killing Jason he is always in Jason’s mind.

As Jason sleeps Alfred mentions that he should be in a hospital. Bruce disagrees and states that his best chances for survival are at the Manor. Alfred is going to agree with him and states that there should be no long term damage to Jason’s face. He tells Jason home is never home without him and for Bruce not to blame himself. If Bruce hadn’t taken him in he would have been killed years ago and that he gave him purpose.

As Jason sleeps Bruce mentions how even from day one he knew he wouldn’t have to worry about Jason. He thinks back to when he was training Jason and knocked him down, he said it was his fault and he needs to take credit for his mistakes or he won’t learn.

Inside Jason’s mind a giant Joker is chasing him and he finds a bomb hidden. He takes it and shoves it down Joker’s mouth. Ducra appears and tells Jason that the damage he has done to the place can’t be undone. We’re inside Jason’s soul.  Jason claims it’s on Joker not him. Ducra tells Jason that ever since he left the Al-Caste his life has been defined by the actions of the Joker. He became a killer and lashed out at people that may or may not have deserved it.  Eventually he will hurt everyone that cares about him. She asks how is it any different from the Joker? He takes his All-Blades out stating he is nothing like the Joker.

He sees Kori and Roy dead hanging from a tree and is warned that the people closest to him will suffer the most. Ducra tells him it’s not possible for Jason to love them because you cannot live in the past and present at the same time. Jason realizes that he is trying to distance himself from the past by destroying it. Jason also realizes he can’t live alone. We then see a flashback of Bruce and Jason and he is now dressed as Wingman from Batman Inc. Batman is telling him he needs to come home. Jason says that he keeps failing. Bruce says there is always talk of blame between them but one thing he will not apologize for is taking a chance on Jason.  Jason then wakes up and tries to tell Bruce he is sorry but Bruce just hugs him…

This issue was good note for the writer to leave on. Since, Jason’s return Bat-Fans have been waiting for this issue. It was done very well and a long time coming. The art in this was amazing, I don’t think the book has seen such good art since Kenneth Rocafort.

And so with this ends Scott Lobdell’s run on Red Hood.  With this run we saw more positive character development from Starfire, Red Hood and Arsenal then we have in years. I say positive because of the direction the characters are now in vs. before the new 52.

Before the relaunch Roy had fallen from grace. He now had one arm, left the Justice league, relapsed, his daughter had died and he was a part of Deathstroke’s team. In the final issue he turned over a new leaf but still so much damage to the character was done. Now he is clean, proven he can lead and is very brilliant when it comes to weapons.  He continues to show he is not some clown in a trucker’s hate that shoots arrows and hopefully we see more of his past fleshed out soon.

         Starfire joined the Justice league before Flashpoint, for about a minute then left.  We didn’t even get a clear reason why she left other than it had something to do with Dick Grayson .  That was really frustrating that Starfire’s stories almost always involved her pining over him. Now she has shown what a badass space warrior she is and has a new love interest, Roy Harper.

         Red Hood before Flashpoint had a bit of a character backtrack. He was going from anti-hero to full on villain. Writer’s changed his appearance from costume to hair color frequently. He had no consistency. Now he has his own path, has let go of the anger and is back in the “Batman family.” This book provided these characters a fresh start and hopefully under the new writer will continue to do so. Goodbye and good luck Scott Lobdell and hello James Tynion IV!

Until next time Hoodies !! 

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Girl In The Hood: Outlaws #17- DC Universe Presents #17 Double Extravaganza!

By

Elizabeth Airelle

"Don't Let The Door Hit You On The Way Out!"

     Picking up from Batman #17, the Joker has been defeated and Jason contacts Starfire and Arsenal to regroup.  Jason sends out a car to pick them up and bring them to him at Wayne manor. Originally he planned on just leaving but could not without saying goodbye. He notices Damian Wayne aka Robin sitting outside. They recently just worked together as Wingman and Redbird in Batman inc. (You should be reading that!!) Jason tries telling him that he understands what he is going through. Damian is uninterested in what he thinks. Jason notes that the anger he has is similar to what he himself had to go through, he worked through it with the help of Ducra. He hopes Damian can work through the hate before it burns him up.

     Roy and Kori arrive and are happy to see him. Kori is so happy she ends up lifting Jason a few stories in the air while Damian and Roy get to know each other. Starfiew had feared the worse when Jason was gone, he has been her first real friend and doesn’t want to lose him. Jason needs to get something from inside but Kori says she will wait outside; she is avoiding Nightwing aka Dick Grayson who is inside.

     Once inside Jason questions why Dick won’t even say “Hi” to her. After what the Joker did to Nightwing he doesn’t want to be close to anyone but makes Jason promise to watch over her to which Jason says he already does.

     Meanwhile Robin and Arsenal are fighting outside on the lawn. Jason breaks it up with the two of them insisting that the other started it. They stop fighting and Roy picks up a football and tells Robin to go long. He throws it but Robin just stands there not understanding the purpose of playing catch but goes along with it and plays with Roy.

Jason goes into the batcave where his helmet and Batman aka Bruce Wayne is. Bruce knew Todd wouldn’t just leave. Jason feels awkward but mentions he ran into Superman not too long ago ( Red Hood 14!) and mentions how Bruce had vouched for him. Batman may never agree with Jason’s methods but can’t agrue with the results and that he cannot try to control everyone. Jason confides in Bruce that when the Joker had him he mentioned things from Jason’s past and implies that he made Jason what he is. Batman replies that Joker didn’t, and neither did Bruce himself, and only Jason made himself the man he is today. Jason would never say it out loud but thanks him for that.

     Jason ends up in his old room, thinking back to his first night there. Alfred walks in and asks if he’ll be staying. After everything the Joker put him through he still wants to make sure everyone else is ok. Alfred is happy to have a full house again, and tells Jason this will always be his home.

     Jason starts to leave and puts on his helmet. It locks on and a hologram of the Joker appears. Joker states that he was supposed to be his masterpiece but didn’t stay dead, and since Jason wants to be his own man he’ll help him start with a clean slate. Suddenly a sort of acid bomb goes off inside of Jason’s helmet causing his scream in pain alerting everyone in the manor. They rush to his side and Batman manages to get his helmet off revealing his face which looks burned up….

     Before anything else I loved this issue it’s easily one of the best in the series so far.  We only got a tiny moment with Starfire and Nightwing but it was well done, it’s always uncomfortable being near and ex-boyfriend. It makes you want to know more, how they got together, why they broke up and when did this happen. Arsenal and Robin was done perfect as well and I would love to have Damian appear in the outlaws again. It’s nice to see Alfred alive and well. It was very touching his interaction with Jason even though it was brief, we haven’t seen the two together in a room since Jason came back and it’s great to see that they still care about each other.

     Outside of RHATO Jason and Bruce have been reconnecting in BatmanIinc but this was the first time in this book it’s happened. Bruce said what Jason needed to hear and it seems very possible for Jason to be fully accepted back into the fold completely.

     The ending has many a hoodie and I worried. A few weeks ago there was a certain cover leak that showed Red Hood with his face horrifically burned off. Could a clean slate mean no face? If so will you keep reading? Nervously waiting until next time Hoodies….

Editor's Note: Elizabeth was very nice to do us an extra recap of DC Universe Presents #17 which is a spotlight issue featuring Arsenal! Read on for that! 

"Roy's Night Out"

     The issue, written by Joe Keatinge and penciled by Ricken, opens with Red Hood and Starfire beating up some villains. Red Hood asks where Arsenal aka Roy Harper is. Neither has a clue but isn’t worried about him. Meanwhile Arsenal regains consciousness to see a man whose face has stitches all over it. He is a member of the Triad and since he and the Outlaws killed Suzie Su (RHATO issue 8) there has been fighting among the families of the Triad. He’s looking to take revenge on Roy for that. Harper is injured, weaponless, and alone. Roy knows who the man is that has captured him. His name is Zhang Xing and he is the “colonel” for the Triad. Roy asks him for a quarter saying he always pays people back, unlike Jason who owes him 12 dollars. It gets him kicked by a large figure that appears to be Killer Croc, he has been rumored to be in China and a prisoner.

      Roy and Croc go back when Roy had become an alcoholic, after he was fired by Oliver Queen and lost all his money. He tried to get Croc to kill him but instead Croc got him help. He seems to have a collar on his neck that is keeping him in line. Zhang orders him in Chinese to go to the safe room. Roy continues to try to get a quarter and Zhang gets close and strikes him, close enough that Roy pick pockets him. Zhang leaves but promises a “skyscraper” amount of men will be coming soon. It takes a few hours but using the coin he is able to get his cuffs undone. Roy gets his hands on a tool box and takes out the men standing in his way to Zhang and Croc. 

     He gets to Zhang and realizes that Killer Croc is not Killer Croc! He does look a lot like Killer Croc so it’s unsurprising people thought he was him. Zhang has been collecting meta humans all over the world and has even experimented on himself. He intends to build an army of would be “Crocs”.

     Zhang orders Not Croc to kill Roy. He gets thrown into a bullet proof window which shatters. Roy picks up a piece and disables the inhibitor collar around his neck with hopes that he would help him take out Zhang. He hesitates for a moment but does help Arsenal. The creature reveals himself to be named "FangFeng" and they team up. Roy and Fangfeng take out the men and Zhang as well. Roy convinces Fangfeng not to kill Zhang and tells him to “Do better” like he himself is trying, just like Croc convinced him to do. Later he makes it home to Starfire’s ship, she asks where he was and while he takes 12 dollars from a sleeping Jason he replies the same place he always goes, nowhere. Only the reader knows the bad-ass solo act Roy can be.

     Lately we have been getting a lot of Arsenal, between him pulling together the Titans and Outlaws and now this. He lives up to his name and shows how he can be very resourceful with any object, even a quarter. Roy may joke around but he should be feared just as much as Redhood by villains. The story took place between Night of Owls and Tamaran and it showed the aftermath of when Suzie Su was killed. This felt like it could have been an issue of RHATO, it flowed very well. I am disappointed that we didn’t get to see Killer Croc since he promised it wouldn’t be a good time for Roy when they do meet up. Fangfeng was interesting and it would be cool to see him appear later in the book. All in all this was a good story and I’m glad we are getting more stories with focus on other Outlaws.

Until next time Hoodies!

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Girl In The Hood: Outlaws #16 Edition

By

Elizabeth Airelle

 "Family Matters"

The issue picks up where we left off, the Teen Titans find themselves overrun by a jokerized group of homeless people. Roy and Kori arrive on the scene and help them. Starfire wonders why they do not simply incinerate them, but Kid Flash states that they are innocent victims that hopefully can be cured. Arsenal orders Kid Flash to corral the group, Wondergirl tells him to ignore the order. She is able to force them into the building herself. Kid Flash attempts to seal up the doors but it’s obvious it won’t last long.

Arsenal tries again saying they are all trying to find their members they should work together,  to which Bunker and Solstice agree. After taking a blood sample from one of the victims Arsenal comes up with an antidote to cure them, he sends everyone but Bunker to gather the supplies while the two remain to hold off the group.

As Bunker and Roy try to push the group back, Roy reflects back to when Killer Croc took him to his lair which he stole from Toyman.  Croc says he can stay there as long as he stays in the program, Alcoholics anonymous.

Kori and the Titans fly to the warehouse as she and Solstice talk. Starfire asks Solstice if she has told them. She states she will but not until she chooses to. When they arrive they find boxes with “Joker’s cure, do not touch” written on it. The warehouse is booby trapped and explodes. Kid Flash is able to get the girls away safe as well as the boxes with the cure!

Meanwhile Bunker and Roy are struggling to push back the Jokerized group. Following Roy’s advice Bunker creates a wall from his power to hold them back. Roy thinks that Bunker will be in the Justice League before he is twenty. Meanwhile in Missouri a woman is getting her book signed and the author is Hugo Strange! “Strange” things to come?

When they open the boxes they discover that the cure is ready to be administered. Kid Flash notes he hates needles and they make him queasy. Wondergirl orders him not to pass out until he has stuck every one of the victims.  It takes a moment but they all return to normal. Roys tells Kori that they should all stay together and now they can resume their search.

Meanwhile Deathstroke the assassin is warming up, he’s taken a new contract, to kill the Outlaws! And elsewhere Joker is putting together one of Jason’s helmets…

In this issue we got a glimpse of villains who are sure to make appearances very soon: Killer Croc, Deathstroke and Hugo Strange. We’ve had mentions of Killer Croc before, so for Hugo Strange and Deathstroke to be appearing soon should be interesting. Red Hood vs Deathstroke should be awesome. What kind of mind games can Hugo Strange be up too? It was great to see some of Roy’s past, it’s still unclear what happened and why he became an alcoholic. Hopefully with DC presents Arsenal we will get more details very soon, especially with Croc’s involvement. It was good to see him take the reins this time. It’s one thing if you’re a princess commanding your fleet or a trained warrior who worked with the world’s greatest detective giving orders, but for Roy he had a little trouble being taken serious as a leader. Red Robin had trouble at first too leading the Titans. Hopefully he will keep them together so they can find the former Robins. The story continues next week in Teen Titans which should shift the story back to Jason and Tim. Death of the Family is coming to an end as is Scott Lobdell’s time on the book. The next few issues promise to be big and I can’t wait to see what happens next! 

Until next time Hoodies !! 

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Exclusive: Tynion Talks Outlaws 1/17/2013 Edition

                                                                    By
                                                            Mike DePalo

     Sometimes lightning strikes twice in the same place.  Over a year ago, we were lucky enough to have Scott Lobdell sit down with the Red Hood & the Outlaws Facebook page and discuss the debut of the series and he has since become a great friend to the fandom. With a new creative team just announced, we are once again very fortunate to be able to bring you a Q&A with the new writer of Red Hood And The Outlaws, James Tynion IV!

1. What comics did you grow up on, your favorite stuff?

James Tynion IV: I grew up on the X-Books in the 90s… I think I still have a stack of my original Age of Apocalypse books lying around somewhere, but the X-Men were always my favorites. I would also pick up a stack of Young Justice books whenever I got the chance, because I absolutely loved those characters and couldn't get enough of them (I have that Sins of Youth trade on my shelf that's absolutely falling apart because I read it over and over). But those were in the "before James had a car" era when I could only get to my LCS in the Milwaukee suburbs once every couple of months.

 It was a mix of the Marvel Ultimate Universe, Winnick's Exiles, and Morrison's X-Men that got me into comics full-throttle, coming back to the shops week after week. I discovered the DC Universe through the rise of Geoff Johns, and my favorite book of his had to have been Teen Titans. Outside and around the corners of super-heroes, the work of Warren Ellis, Brian K. Vaughan, and Neil Gaiman made me fall head-over-heels in love with the comic book medium. Those are the guys who made me want to write comic books for the first time, and their stuff is probably the work I revisit the most.


2. Now that the announcement you're taking over RHatO has hit the wire, what would you say your goal for the book's tone is?

Tynion: There's a great balance that this book thrives on… There's an inherent darkness to each of the characters, in that they all have horrific formative experiences that haunt them to this day. But when thrown together, their stories don't have to wallow in the darkness… Together, these three have fun. These are stories about friendship in the face of incredible threats, and because of that, the book isn't the mopey, dark title that it could be.

RHATO has been an incredibly fun adventure series, with a great sense of humor, and I am absolutely going to keep that. Big, high concept settings… Big, high concept threats… We're not going to have them punching out members of drug cartels, we're going to have them fighting crazy assassins and giant monsters and the weirdest stuff I can throw at them. In every issue of the book, I want you guys to have fun. The characters will absolutely go to some pretty dark places emotionally, and they'll have to face that darkness… But even in the midst of that, I want this book to be energetic and insanely fun to read. I want RHATO to climb to the top of your pull list, because you need to know what happens to the characters next. 


3. How would you describe Jason Todd, your take on who he is?

Tynion: Jason Todd is easily one of the most complex and fascinating characters in the DC Universe, because of his ongoing search to figure out his place in the world. Jason lives with a deep rage in his heart, and that's something he's struggled with since his troubled childhood, through his work as Robin. His death and resurrection pushed him over the edge… He came back into the world, guns a blazing, thinking that to be a hero he needed to cross the line that Batman never would. He needed to kill. It's why he couldn't stay with the All-Caste all those years ago. He needed to go back to Gotham and make his stand, no matter what he had learned from Ducra about controlling and overcoming that rage.

And like we saw in the series, lashing out like that meant he wasn't there to protect Ducra when she was killed, and the All-Caste was slaughtered, and I think that was a real sobering moment for him. And he's since worked past a lot of his rage to the point that he's willing to work side-by-side with the Bat-Family, not just against them. His entire journey, from the moment he first put on the domino mask as a boy, has been about mastering the darkness he knows is deep inside him. Because, just like Batman, and just like Ducra, Jason knows that he has the potential to be something great. He is fully capable of becoming one of the greatest individuals on the planet… Whether he chooses to wield that greatness for the light, or the dark, is right at the core of the character. He's on a journey with his two best friends to figure that out for himself.

 I really think that that is the core of this series… The arc of working to get over, or simply accept your past, and fulfill your true potential. You have Roy who wears his heart on his sleeve, who clearly wants to be a hero, but who screwed it up so badly for himself last time that he's not sure he really trusts himself anymore. You have Kori, who had such a horrifying childhood, locked away in slavery, that nobody can really understand. Her people expect her to be this powerful leader and this noble warrior, but the deep betrayal by her family and race to have sold her away like a pawn. And that's a struggle she faces every day. And then you have Jason, who was training to become a warrior at Batman's side, when he was brutally and terribly murdered, then resurrected for reasons he's never understood… 

They share a darkness that they all understand innately about one another. It's why they're so close. That's why it's them vs. the world. People expect them to be heroes, or villains, when they are simply themselves… They're working through the answers to those expectations every single day, and they're stronger because they're working through it together.

The Outlaws need each other. I think that's why this book has resonated so much with the fans. 


4. Any messages for all the Hoodies out there eagerly awaiting your arrival?

Tynion: I'd say that I know there are concerns in all directions. Some people are worried I can't pull off the humor that makes the book unique. Some are worried I want to make this a grim and gritty streets of Gotham book. A lot of these concerns won't go away until you read the book, but I promise that I want to do justice to these characters, and tell the best stories possible with them. People have seen me tackle darkness, but they haven't really seen me tackle a fun book like RHATO. But honestly, this is the kind of superhero book I've been dying to write since I first started wanting to write comics.

And furthermore, I love these characters. I've been wanting to write them for years and years. I'm sure there will be differences in how I approach some things than what we've seen for the last year and a half, but that's always the case when a new writer comes on board. But I just want to say that sitting down and writing the first two issues of this comic has been some of the most fun I've had in my young professional writing career. 

I couldn't be happier coming onto a series with such an incredible fan base, and I want to give you all incredible stories with these incredible characters. I can't wait for you to see what we have in store. I look forward to seeing all of your responses, but first I hope everyone checks out the last batch of Scott's issues coming out of Death of the Family. #17 & 18 are absolutely great issues, and set up a really incredible launching point for the future of the book. 

It's going to be a hell of a year for The Outlaws. I hope you all stick around for the ride :)


5. One word spoiler?

Tynion: Strange.

     And with that last little tidbit I'm already probably reading too much into, I just want to thank James Tynion for talking with us.  He will debut with artist Mico Suayan when Red Hood And The Outlaws #19 comes out on April 17th. You can also read his work monthly in Talon and back-up features in Batman. Another major thanks to Pamela Mullin and Alex Segura at DC Comics for making this happen.

To follow James Tynion IV:
https://www.facebook.com/JamesTynionWriter
@JamesTheFourth on Twitter
http://jamesthefourth.tumblr.com/

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Girl In The Hood: Outlaws 15 Edition

By

Elizabeth Airelle

                 

                                           "It Only Hurts When You Laugh"

Continuing from last issue Jason is in Isabel’s apartment; she was drugged and forcibly overdosed. Jason is surrounded by Gotham SWAT and Detective Bullock. He tells Bullock he is going after whoever did this to her, Bullock doubts an “ordinary citizen” dressed only in a towel is getting past Gotham’s Finest. Jason takes them out fast with a shower rail and takes Bullock’s keys. He mentions he can trust Bullock and calls him a good cop. He makes off with the police cruiser to warn the other Batfam but Joker ambushes him with knock out gas.

When Jason comes to he is unable to move and is alone with the Joker. The Joker got his hands on one of Jason’s helmets and drove a crowbar through it. The Joker wants to try “new material” on Jason. When Jason doesn’t laugh Joker states that the two of them were quite the team back in the day.  Joker wrote the material and Jason read the lines, until he improvised the ending. Jason has no clue what Joker is talking about but can’t let it get to him. Joker is about to strike him with a crowbar until Jason kicks him off. Under Ducra, he learned how to overcome toxins in his body, Jason gets the upper hand until he grabs the crowbar which electrocutes him and knocks him out.

At the hospital Bullock gets Isabel’s phone. He thinks it’s suspicious that a girl with no drugs in her house, no track marks and no priors would have an overdose. He calls “J-first class” and states he wants to get to the bottom of this as well. Meanwhile Kori and Roy are off on her island.  After Roy made some improvements to Crux’s cruiser they intercept Bullock’s call to Jason and hurry off to Gotham.

When Jason wakes up this time he is wearing a helmet and is somewhere else. Jason runs off to find Joker who is speaking over an intercom.  As he races forward he notices the bullet fragment that was pulled from his Father. Joker hits a nerve and Jason keeps moving and stops when he comes across a couple manikins displaying the scene when he found his mother “dead” from an overdose on the street. Jason doesn’t understand how Joker knows all this and he trips over a medical box he tried stealing from Doctor Leslie years ago. Jason doesn’t believe Joker was there throughout his life, that’s he is “punch line to some stale joke”. Joker says that he kind of his and would he lie to family? Joker then releases a trap door which Jason falls down and he is again rendered unconscious next to Tim Drake aka Red Robin!

Kori and Roy have arrived in Gotham. She states that Gotham city feels less safe than the prison camps she grew up in. She is surprised that someone as warm as Jason came from here. They have no leads on Jason other than a call from Wondergirl to Batgirl. Kori asks what it has to do with them. Roy states maybe nothing, maybe everything but for sure it was Joker related. The issues ends with Roy and Kori come upon the Teen Titans being attacked by Jokerized thugs…..

This issue was a good showdown between Joker and Jason.  Todd holding his own and doing a good job of not letting the Joker get to him was great to see. He doesn’t let himself get too emotional while fighting which had to take a lot. Joker brings up events from issue 0, in which Joker manipulated Jason into becoming Robin, which now Jason finally knows.  He does not seem to believe Joker but this is far from over between them. I can’t wait to see it play out more between them.   I was happy to see Bullock in this as he is one of my favorite of Gotham’s finest. Jason has known him since he was a kid so it makes sense that he would trust him.  Also anyone who reads Teen Titans will know that Tim Drake was kidnapped last issue and this reveals briefly what happened to him.  It’s going to be awesome to see Roy and Kori fighting along the Teen Titans. Speaking of Teen Titans the story should continue in next week’s issue!

Until Next Time Hoodies!

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