One of the characters that DC has struggled the most with finding a place for is Red Hood, but that’s about to change with an all-new solo series centered around Jason Todd. The black sheep of the Bat-Family, Red Hood has been a hero, a villain, and an anti-hero, but DC hasn’t really found good footing for him anywhere. It seems DC is once again trying to let Jason branch out on his own, as DC Comics’ recent solicitations promise that Red Hood will be getting his own part of Gotham City with his own supporting cast.
Gotham City is a big place and the Bat-Family tends to divide up the areas they patrol, with characters like Batgirl staying near Burnside and Robin mostly taking care of the suburban area. While DC once tried to give Jason the area known as the Hill, it didn’t really stick, but it seems the publisher revisiting this idea once again.
Red Hood: The Hill #1 by Shawn Martinbrough and Sanford Greene promises to give Jason his very own part of Gotham City along with a new supporting cast, something he has desperately needed for several years now.
RED HOOD: THE HILL #1 | |
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| Release Date: | ON SALE 2/13/24 |
| Writers: | Written by SHAWN MARTINBROUGH |
| Artists: | Art by SANFORD GREENE |
| Cover Artist: | Cover by SANFORD GREENE |
| Variant Covers: | Variant cover by TIRSO CONS |
Welcome to the Hill—formerly one of Gotham’s most dangerous suburbs—a place that required its residents to band together to keep themselves safe when the police, and sometimes even Batman, wouldn’t. Now, as the Hill finds itself gentrifying, old habits die hard as the vigilante known only as Strike works with her team to keep the town safe—but she’s not alone. Jason Todd, one of the Hill’s newest residents, is more than happy to don the visage of Red Hood to help Strike keep his new home safe. But a new villain is emerging from the shadows. Will Red Hood, Strike and the Hill’s small militia of vigilantes be able to keep their home safe? Check out Red Hood’s return to find out! | |
Red Hood Is Returning To The Hill
This isn’t the first time that Jason has gone to the Hill. He originally stopped there towards the end of Red Hood and the Outlaws and was primarily there during the events of The Joker War. This didn’t last for long as he was then pulled into Task Force Z, and he didn’t really get to do anything in the Hill of actual importance. Now that he’s finished hunting the Joker and Batman has forced his no kill rule on Red Hood, it’s obvious that Jason no longer has any reason to hang around the Bat-Family. So, he’s finally moving on to a different part of the city to start over by himself.
Jason has had the most varied career of anyone in the Bat-Family simply due to the fact DC doesn’t know what to do with him. Jason is a member of a vigilante group that is staunchly against killing, and yet Jason’s entire character revolves around how he doesn’t mind using lethal force. This has created a disconnect between him and the rest of the Bat-Family that DC hasn’t been able to reconcile. Writers have tried fixing this, such as the time Red Hood quit using guns, but changing Jason’s character to fit somewhere he doesn’t belong was never the answer. This is why it seems DC has finally decided to go in a different direction. Instead of trying to fit Jason somewhere he doesn’t belong, DC is taking him somewhere he might flourish, in the crime-ridden part of Gotham known as the Hill.
Red Hood Is Starting A New Chapter In His Life
Red Hood is one of the best characters that DC has. Jason is someone who once idolized Batman and tried his best to follow his example, only to eventually become disillusioned and arguably abandoned by Batman. Red Hood has had to forge his own idea of being a hero, as living by Batman’s rules only served to get him killed. This makes him an amazing alternative to Batman and the Bat-Family, and hopefully his new series will allow Red Hood to finally step out of the shadow of the Bat.
