Batman and Robin #5
Written by Grant Morrison Penciled by Philip Tan
So it's official Jason Todd is the new Red Hood, well actually he was the last Red Hood, so really he's just returned to the role. But, no more wondering me and that's a relief.
The book picks up where the last left off. Batman and Robin are protecting the Penguin from The Red Hood and Scarlett. Jason Todd is recording the confrontation to show the Gotham media that Batman and Robin are unwilling to do what is necessary (i.e. kill villains). I find it funny that Batman and Robin are so willing to use their secret identity names out loud, when they can so easily be recorded and how they know exactly when they are not being recorded so they just speak freely. It's ridiculous if you think about it.
Whatever.
Jason taunts the new Robin telling him his job won't be a permanent one and that basically he's expendable. Red Hood goes on to justify his murder of drug-dealers by explaining that they won't be around to deal the drugs anymore and Batman complains because Jason just put a grip of bullets into some leads that would eventually take down some Mexican Drug-lord. Red Hood and Scarlett bounce without being caught.
At home Dick and Damian watch some Gotham news coverage debating the issue of murdering vigilantes. A Gotham pole shows that Gothamites prefer the punishment fit the crime and this gets Batman and Robin down in the dumps.
At home Red Hood and Scarlett debate their own actions. Jason says he has the courage to go where Batman never did and he is showing Gotham that Batman is obsolete like the I-Pod did to the Walkman, blah, blah.
But I think the coolest thing about the scene is discovering that post Final Crisis they have worked a small neuance back into DC continuity. When Jason Todd was first introduced in DC his hair was red. Bruce actually instructed Jason to have his hair dyed black to look more like Dick Grayson. After the events of Crisis on Infinite Earths they reintroduced Jason as always having black hair. When he removes his mask at home his hair is red with a gray streak (caused by the effects of the Lazarus Pit). He complains about how Batman made him conform to meet his standards and dying his hair was just one of the many things he was forced to do.
So remember that Drug-lord I mentioned earlier? Well, needless to say he gets pretty pissed that Red Hood is killing his employees so he sends his Alpha-Enforcer, Eduardo Flamingo. Flamingo turns Gotham into a slaughterhouse looking for the Red Hood.
For the Red Hood his final act is to show up at a hospital where the Drug-lord Santos is in intensive care and kill him through his IV unit. Batman and Robin crash through the window in the nick of time into another scuffle with The Red Hood and Scarlett. Robin gets wounded by Scarlett and Batman gets shot right in the Kevlar chest by Red Hood. As Red Hood and Scarlett march away triumphant a sniper shoots directly into the Red Hood's helmet.
It is revealed (in the final panel) to be Flamingo, the bad ass mob enforcer on his chopper, holding a Sniper Rifle in one hand and a Whip in the other. FUCKAWESOME!
Tune in next week. Same Bat-time, same Bat-channel!
Mattman
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