One of the biggest anti-hero characters in DC Comics is Jason Todd, aka the Red Hood. This has become a polarizing character over the years and a very hated one in the beginning. Now I’ll be honest, I was never a huge fan of any of the Robins. Having a grown man running around with a young kid wearing a tiny speedo seems kind of creepy, doesn’t it? I mean, the young Dick Grayson was actually living with Bruce Wayne at one point. Yeah, he was adopted, but come on, Bruce, why dress the kid in such a skimpy outfit?
The first Robin, Dick Grayson, despite wearing that lame outfit, became Bruce Wayne’s ward and Batman’s sidekick. He was a loyal sidekick who showed a lot of promise as a masked crimefighter and as a functional adult. Fans really dug him, but as for the second Robin, fan reaction was the polar opposite. Unlike Dick Grayson, Jason Todd was a troubled delinquent who came from a troubled family. When was the first time he met Batman? One night, a young Jason Todd attempted to steal a wheel from the Batmobile and Batman caught him in the act.
Instead of scolding the young man, Batman decided to take him in. Another Robin was born in that moment, but boy, did the fans hate this one. Jason Todd acted completely different as Robin than Dick Grayson. This Robin always gave Batman attitude, didn’t do what he was told, and was far more excessive when dealing with criminals. And if you’re a comic book fan, you know how the story of Jason Todd originally ended. He tracked down his mother to a Middle Eastern country, where she was secretly plotting to betray him to the Joker. What happened next was a brutal beatdown with a crowbar and the battered Robin being blown up in a building. A tragic end to the most hated Robin.
What’s actually kind of funny is that the fans literally voted for Jason Todd to die. For real, DC sent out polls asking the fans if they preferred on what fate would befall on Jason Todd. Would he live or die? Obviously, the fans chose the latter, but I bet they never expected for the character to be resurrected. Let’s be honest, killing Jason Todd was the best move for the character. If that never happened, we would’ve never of gotten his much better alter ego, the Red Hood. When Jason Todd, became the Red hood, he elevated to a much higher tragic character status. I mean, the beatings this guy has taken over the years is seriously gruesome.
But you know what? I really dig Jason Todd as a character and when he’s doing his thing as the Red Hood. He’s probably the obvious black sheep of the Bat Family, but all of them, especially Bruce, values him as family. I remember when Batman told him that even though he didn’t approve of his methods, he couldn’t argue with his results. Jason Todd may cross some lines, but he punishes evil far harsher than Batman ever does. Can we really fault him for that?
Jason Todd is the kind of character who I believe can have his own solo series. Sure, he has made his first live-action appearance in the Titans show, but I think he can carry his own series. What kind of series would we be looking at? Well, I imagine it to be a dark series of an adult Jason Todd fully operating as the Red Hood. I really enjoy watching him doing his thing, even if Batman isn’t involved.
I my idea for a solo Jason Todd series would have him go beyond the borders of Gotham City. That’s a city that really needs to be cleansed of crime, but that’s why Batman’s there, right? We can’t have Batman constantly trying to hinder Jason Todd’s much more violent war on crime in Gotham, so what if he pursues crimefighting elsewhere? He’s done so in the comics before and I think that would make for a very fun story arc in his solo series. What kinds of scum would he be hunting down in other parts of the world? The cool thing about Jason Todd is that he doesn’t leave any stone unturned. In other words, he’ll target any kind of criminal in any location.
This is something that can be connected to the DC Cinematic Universe. Heck, it also can’t, but Jason Todd has been connected with other DC characters besides Batman. I would like to see him lead the small band of Outlaws, which included Starfire and Roy Harper, aka Arsenal. Jason Todd isn’t typically seen as a team player but he is capable of working with like-minded anti-heroes. Roy Harper and Starfire aren’t nearly as violent as he is, but they have always been seen as outsiders. Even Roy, a character with an attitude like his can get a long with the brash Jason Todd. As for Starfire, she can have a positive affect on him and soften up his more violent nature.
These are all interesting things to think about for a solo Jason Todd series. My opinion, he’s tied with Dick Grayson for the coolest Batman underling, at least in their post-Robin days. This character deserves to have more screen time in a larger scale movie, but again, I think a solo series for him is possible. What are your thoughts, DC fans?
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