Warning: this article contains spoilers for Robins #6!
While Red Hood has often been considered one of the most inconsistent fighters in the Bat-Family, the latest issue of Robins proves he has an edge over Nightwing in one aspect. Given Nightwing is one of the most physically adept members of that group in DC Comics, this is rather impressive. It also reveals a difference between the two that goes beyond physical ability.
The Bat-Family is the name for the collection of supporting characters that serve as Batman’s allies. This includes both civilians like Alfred Pennyworth and other heroes like Batgirl. While this group is constantly growing, the core of the family will always be the characters who have taken up the mantle of Robin. These characters have an especially close connection to Bruce and are also generally very popular with fans. One of the exceptions to this rule is Jason Todd, the second Robin. He was actually so controversial as Robin that readers voted to kill him off in the iconic Batman: A Death in the Family storyline. But he eventually returned as the Red Hood and rejoined the Bat-Family in last year’s “Cheer” storyline from Batman: Urban Legends by Chip Zdarsky and Eddy Barrows. However, due to having been killed in combat and his over-reliance on guns, he has never been ranked to highly among the most physically adept Robins.
However, Robins #6, by Tim Seeley and Baldemar Rivas, reveals an area where Red Hood has all the other Robins beat. When the secret original Robin, Jenny Wren, is about to be struck by lightning at the issue’s climax, Red Hood is the only hero who rushes in to save her, despite Nightwing warning against it. In doing this he shows that he is able to act on his instincts quicker than both the other Robins and Batman himself. He does get scorched by the lightning strike as he saves Jenny, showing that Dick’s fear about charging in was well warranted. But while Nightwing was held back by his rational analysis of the situation, Red Hood’s more emotional response enabled him to move quicker despite the danger.
If Jason had been even a fraction of a second slower, he could have died, showing that if any of the other Robins had tried to save her at their slower reaction times it would not have ended well. While the reason for Red Hood’s faster instincts is not explicitly explained, it fits his character extremely well. In Robin #5, by Joshua Williamson and Gleb Melnikov, Damian revealed that of all the Robins, Jason was the most emotional. While Damian exploited that fact to evade Jason’s capture, this issue shows a potential benefit of this trait. While the other heroes all likely wanted to rescue Jenny Wren as well, Red Hood’s tendency to act on his emotions led to him being the only one to act on that desire.
In many ways, Red Hood’s quickness to act proves that he has the potential to be the most physically capable member of the Bat-Family. While fighting techniques can be learned through training, instincts are something people are born with. Which means that while Red Hood could potentially catch up to the other Robins in terms of combat ability, the other Robins can never close the gap between their reaction speeds. Thus while still falling behind Nightwing and some of the other Robins in terms of fighting techniques, Red Hood’s one physical advantage shows that he could be the most powerful member of the Bat-Family.
