In effect, ONeil said in 1988, extend our policy of heeding the opinions fans express in letters and conversations at conventions and comic shops.. Grayson offers to rehabilitate Todd who, in a moment of clarity, tells Grayson it is too late for him, and how he tried to be what Batman wanted, "but this world this dirty, twisted, cruel and ugly dungheap had other plans for me". But what if Jason Todd had lived? He compromised his secret identity and was prepared to break his ultimate rule against an innocent civilian just to ensure Robins safety. To make the very concept of Batman obsolete, he puts a lot of effort into public relations: he drastically alters his Red Hood costume to look more like a traditional superhero outfit and recruits his sidekick Scarlet. Batman then asks why Jason never returned to him, Jack says that the Joker was jealous of Robin for knowing who Batman was and Jason hated him so much for making him Robin that he disappeared. Jason Todd appears in Batman: The Adventures Continue, a comic book series set in the continuity of the DC Animated Universe. O'Neil settled on using the poll to determine the fate of the second Robin. It is later revealed in Battle for the Cowl that Bruce Wayne's last words to Jason were of regret at how he had overlooked the young man's deep emotional problems. Published Jul 10, 2022 Jason Todd was killed by a bomb, but in the modern day, fans and even Red Hood himself believe Joker beat him to death with a crowbar. Or was he an annoying pest, unfit to wear the mantle that Dick Grayson had made so legendary? As Batman's second Robin, Jason was killed by the Joker during the events of the 1988Batman: A Death in the Familystoryline from Jim Starlin, Jim Aparo, and Mike DeCarlo. Jason was trained by Batman and later became the second Robin, but he was beaten and tortured by the Joker, who sent Batman a video of the event and lied by telling him that Jason was dead. He is also well known for his tragic and violent death. Throughout the earlier issues of the series, Jason appears as a mysterious, shadowed figure constantly spying on Batman and his allies. The image of Joker repeatedly beating Jason in Jim Starlin's 'Batman: A Death in the Family' remains disturbing to this day, and this likely explains why it's become the story's focal point, but this has also served to spread a misconception about his death that is so powerful, even Red Hood gets fact and fiction mixed up. After Crisis on Infinite Earths reworked everyone's backstories he became much more of his own character. Later, Jason adopts the "Arkham Knight" identity and uses his remaining wealth to employ his own militia, which he trains with Deathstroke's help. Batman, Inc is at war with an organization named Leviathan, headed by Talia al Ghul, Damian's mother and the woman responsible for reviving Jason, but in the present, she seeks to destroy Batman and has put a bounty on their son's head. The bomb counts down. When Dick presumably died, Batman was willing to risk everything. Jason Todd's Rebellion is one of the story branches for for Batman: Death in the Family.. Synopsis. . He was a good soldier. ", The details of Jason's death are revealed in the comic book one-shot Dark Knight Returns: The Last Crusade, by the first series' author Frank Miller with Brian Azzarello, and art by John Romita, Jr. Romita reveals that the Joker, like in the "A Death in the Family" story arc, plays an important role in Jason Todd's demise in Miller's Dark Knight Universe. He then unmasked Moonwing and accused him and Logan of abandoning him. His choice of crowbars as a signature weapon - as revealed in Tom Taylor and Cian Tormey's Nightwing 2021 Annual #1- is reasonable. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. However, there are several stories where Jason Todd misremembers the details of his own murder. Jason Todd's Memorial is a display-case in the Batcave which tributes the fallen Robin, Jason Todd. [54] Later, however, the Wingman ruse is exposed and Todd returns to being Red Hood. He's appeared in movies, TV shows, and video. Todd asks Batman why he has not avenged his death by killing Joker, a psychopath who has murdered countless people and crippled one of their best friends, arguing that Batman should have done it "because he took me away from you". Joker's Crowbar appears in 36 issues. "[13] O'Neil would later regret his comment.[14]. He was resurrected by Ra's Al Ghul and began working for his cause as an impostor Batman, who uses guns. Jason's true motives are shown in the third part as he kidnaps Mia Dearden to dissolve her partnership with Green Arrow, feeling that they are kindred spirits, cast down by society and at odds with their mentors. It is suggested by Dick Grayson that Todd was infuriated by Wayne's last words, a reaction that led him to become monstrous, murdering Batman in that same arc. [27][28][29], After learning of the Joker's arms deal in Los Angeles for another terrorism scheme against Gotham, Jason begins to stalk the villain as a masked assassin. [19] The group included Roy Harper and Starfire. After becoming disillusioned with the Titans and Batman, Jason Todd was killed at the hands of the Joker. [64] To hone this ability, he went a step further than Batman on his journey around the world to learn from masters how to kill a target with different types of guns, possess considerable "street smarts", and is remarked to be a natural leader. Jason's final preparation for his revenge against Batman is to forge alliances with several Gotham villains, including Scarecrow, whom he supplies with his militia and knowledge of Batman's tactics. Next: DC Hints Red Hood's Bat-Family Reunion Has Been A Lie. He sneaks into the Batcave, and the first thing he sees as he boots up the bat-computers is Batman murdered. However, with the character no longer featured in Batman comics, the disadvantages of telling Batman stories without the character to act as a sounding board for the protagonist became apparent. Dick raised the bar and ironically, Nightwing makes a harsh joke that Jason lowered the bar, or in his case, the crowbar, poking fun at how Joker beat him to death as he wasn't good enough. Dick ordered Alfred to simply toss it in the river. The two battle and Grayson eventually defeats Todd, who says that he will be seen again. Jason was well and truly dead for some time. It is left ambiguous whether Todd killed him. The villain then locks Jason and his mother (who was the latest person to learn that you really ought not to trust a . This team is referred to as DC's "Dark Trinity" in comparison to the new Trinity series included in DC Rebirth which follows Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. 2023 GAMESPOT, A FANDOM COMPANY. First appearing in Batman #357 in March 1983,[3] he was created to succeed Dick Grayson as Robin, Batman's vigilante partner and sidekick. [31] Shortly after the events of "War Games" and just before "War Crimes", Jason Todd reappears in Gotham City as the Red Hood. Jason Todd's death is often attributed to the Joker beating him with a crowbar, but Task Force Z #8 clears up this misconception to the Bat-Family. But the poll couldnt be just any question. He leaves behind a calling card that states "let the punishment fit the crime". "[11] A few comics creators voiced their displeasure at the event. Related: Batman Fans Were Right to Vote for Jason Todd's Death. [49], Following the events of the "Flashpoint" storyline, the DC universe was relaunched, with Red Hood becoming the leader of the Outlaws in their series, part of the New 52 line of comics. Todd discovers her hanging and makes a beeline for Felipe, ahead of Batman, who arrived just in time to see Felipe take a 22-story fall to his death, with Todd as Robin at the edge of the balcony. In their war on crime, Red Hood and Scarlet freely kill criminals, villains, and anyone who gets in their way, even the police. His tenure as the second Robin was short-lived because he was captured by the Joker, who wanted to break his will and make him turn on Batman. During the events of the series' first installment, Jason convinces Deathstroke to help him by offering him a bigger sum than what the Joker is currently paying him. Jason kills the creature, strengthening his resolve. Bye bye Robin - bye bye Jason Todd. A teaser image released to promote Countdown showed a figure resembling Red Robin among assembled heroes in poses symbolic of their roles in the series. When Jason is the victim yet again of the Joker's personal war with Batman, the batfamily begins to tear apart at the seams. But a few years later, when the Crisis on Infinite Earths offered an opportunity to reimagine anything and everything in the DC Universe, Jason was significantly reimagined. while Nightwing (at least in Injustice) is . in English and Cinema Studies from Oberlin College. False. Jason was shown to have fought alongside . Mia is deeply troubled by the discussion but ultimately decides to remain with Green Arrow. The stage was set for the story, told in 1988's Batman #426-#429. Red Hood and the Outlaws was later rebooted as part of DC's Rebirth event. His detective and reasoning skills were considered weak despite showcasing some potential. Answer (1 of 13): The bomb. Batman #426 - Death in the Family Batman #427 Batman #428 Batman #429. At first, Jason refuses to take orders from Nightwing or work with the other Robins, but Damian threatens him by telling him that he knows his fate and can make it happen sooner than expected, referencing his death in the comics. He also later appears in Year of the Villain and Event Leviathan #2. A democratic vote would answer the question. This second Monitor apologizes to Jason before they both disappear, leaving Jason alone with Duela's body. [77] After bidding everyone farewell, he, the Minotaur, and the similarly resurrected Isis commit suicide by walking back into the Lazarus Pit.[78]. However, just as Jason Todd wasnt the first boy to wear the Robin costume, he also wasnt the first of Batmans partners to die while wearing it. [76] Though the group is happy for a time, Jasn begins to become belligerent and regret being resurrected. Jason Todd is the second Robin after Dick Grayson and the sixth Red Hood, who was subject to the first Red Hood, The Joker's torture. When the Dealer's Black Mirror auction practice caught Batman's attention, the crowbar was one of the items available for Gotham's (sick) elite to bid on. Jason Todd was the logical candidate, ONeil said. Except one guy hated Jason Todd (and the concept of Robin) so much that he voted for him every day (you were only supposed to vote once). Just . This edit will also create new pages on Comic Vine for: Until you earn 1000 points all your submissions need to be vetted by other Now."[17]. Object Was he new take on Robin that offered pathos, drama, and a challenge for Batman? Out of all the characters who have put on the Robin suit, Jason is the one who died in it. not only is Jason Todd a badass superhuman that took over 20-30 shots to the head with a crowbar and not only didn't suffer a cave in of his head but was still reasonably okay but also nearly survived an explosion that destroyed an entire warehouse, with his body intact and not in ashes or pieces. [1][35], Jason Todd resurfaces following the "One Year Later" period, patrolling the streets of New York City as a murderous version of Nightwing. 1.) As Gordon leads him away, Todd tauntingly asks Grayson why he has not put Wayne's corpse into a Lazarus Pit to bring him back, citing his resurrection from its bath. When Batman expresses no remorse for sparing Joker's life after the second Robin was killed, Todd is further angered and takes up his murderer's original mantle. If someone else wanted to tell another Jason story or bring him back and we at least opened the door, that's great! The description given was that it came from Beirut, Lebanon and was a former possession of the Joker. After a series of tests confirmed that it is Jason, Batman remains to keep his Robin costume in its memorial display case in the Batcave regardless; when Alfred Pennyworth asks if he wants the costume removed, Batman sadly replies that the return of Todd "doesn't change anything at all" because of wanting to remember Jason as he was when they first met and in guilt over how violent he has become. Timothy Drake eventually takes up the bat mantle when Dick Grayson refuses to and sets off to fight Todd, who easily defeats him. Comic Vine users. After this and his subsequent escape, he became the Red Hood. Heres the complete page that panel was from, the unused page 10 of Batman #428. send you an email once approved. Todd acts as leader of the Outlaws, a group of antiheroes that "have several different exciting characters from the DC Universe some we've seen before and some we haven't," Batman Group Editor Mike Marts said. Despite their now-antagonistic relationship, Batman desperately wants to help Todd and intends to atone for his failures. Tim Drake & Jason Todd Bonding Not Canon Compliant Non-Consensual Drug Use After spending 14 months hidden in an abandoned wing of Arkham by the Joker, Jason is saved before his death even while just on the brink of it even if it is to the point his reality and and fantasy are blurring together Language: English Words: 37,369 Chapters: 11 /? [79], In the Batman: White Knight continuity, Jason Todd was the first Robin rather than Dick Grayson. Even after being brutally beaten, Jason still tried to protect his mother. Said, Schaefer: Well, Geoff's idea was to have Red Hood be the Jason Todd of Earth-Two. The Joker kidnapped Jason, beat him with a crowbar, and then blew up the warehouse that Jason and his mother were held captive inside, all before Batman could stop him. One of the most shocking moments in DC Comics continues to be the death of Jason Todd at the hands of the Joker in Batman: A Death in the Family. Jason Todd was killed by a bomb, but in the modern day, fans and even Red Hood himself believe Joker beat him to death with a crowbar. Talia took Todd in out of her love for Batman, while her father Ra's al Ghul was interested in the secret behind his resurrection. Just beating him with a crowbar isn't like a form of absolutely violence they spoke about it later on as, in the three jokers, Jason said he cracked his skull with the crowbar, so I'm asking with all those gaps in the story , what EXACTLY happened?? Jason was killed by the Joker in A Death In The Family before returning as the vengeful antihero, Red Hood. He honored me. "Notes from the Batcave: An Interview with Dennis O'Neil. It is implied that Todd's death was a contributing factor to Batman's retirement. Tim was Robin for 20 years, until he himself was usurped by Bruce Waynes biological son, Damian. Winick explained that after his initial arc on the Batman title, he suggested doing "something big" to his editors. Dressed in a version of a Batman costume, Todd is also living/operating out of an abandoned Gotham subway system. Beaten within an inch of his life by the crowbar-wieldingJoker,Red Hoodsurvived only to be killed by a bomb the villain left behind. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. 152 As I'm sure you know, in the infamous Death In The Family storyline, Jason Todd was captured by the Joker, beaten via crowbar, and finally locked in a bomb-laced warehouse and killed. I think there was even talk of his possibly being Deathstroke's Robin.[71]. Jason Todd is one of DC Comics' most polarizing characters. Todd is booked under a pseudonym (John Doe), due to there being no identifiable prints on file for any member of the main bat heroes as well as Jason is still legally dead. Around this time, Batman discovers that the empty coffin buried at Jason's gravesite is a replica of what he bought. Some pop culture historians have argued that Robin was a vital ingredient in Batmans half-century of popularity, a necessary counter-balance to the essential grimness of the Batman mythos, and I was not sure they were wrong.. Drake says "Yes" and passes out. But itll be quite some time before Jason manages to eclipse the story hes most famous for. In his grief, Todd kills an alternate version of the Joker, also involved in Batman's killing, who then mocks his loss, vacating alongside Donna, Ray, and Kyle to the planet Apokolips before Earth-51's destruction. [1] It is suggested by Ra's that the power of the pit resulted in Todd's mental instability. Jason stayed dead for years until he was resurrected as Red Hood in 2004. let Joker crowbar the child to death 4) Bring him back alive 5) have him adopt the Joker's old villain name 6) have him fuck up Black . [37] After a Monitor shoots and kills Duela, he attempts to kill Jason, but is stopped by a second Monitor. At some point before the events of the comic, he was captured and tortured by the Joker, who wanted to know Batman's secret identity. The two fight while Todd discusses the insanity of heroes for placing child sidekicks in danger. The original character was created by Gerry Conway and Don Newton and first appeared in Batman #357. However, Todd realizes that if he went through with it, his former mentor would never know about his return nor the identity of his killer. Ironically, the only surviving member of the gang offers Jason the possibility of a large government payday in exchange for his life, because he knows where a very wanted man is. Joker Beats Jason Todd to Near Death, Then Blows Him Up (Batman) Jason Todd was the unpopular second Robin who - in no small part due to his unpopularity - was beaten to a pulp by the. Jason Peter Todd is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. You expert, rootin'-tootin', eagle-eyed, Goth-loving marksman! Batman then takes him in and raises him as the new Robin, though realizes early on that Jason has a violent streak. While Todd is overjoyed to be reunited with his real mother, he soon discovers that she is being blackmailed by the Joker using her to provide him with medical supplies. Jack reveals that Jason eventually broke from the torture and said "I wish I'd never met Bruce Wayne", and that Joker let Jason go free. A Robin-bearing mask is found in the Batmobile, which never belonged to Dick or Tim, but is of the style that Todd wore as Robin, suggesting that he'd been stalking Batman. He is 'rescued' by Starfire and Arsenal, but does not regain his memories. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Red Hood and Scarlet head towards an unknown destination. Just like readers, Tim had grown up as a fan of Batman and Robin. Shortly afterward, Todd leaves New York City and the Nightwing mantle to Grayson, along with a telegram telling Grayson he has returned to normal and still considers himself a gift from Batman.[36]. On the 80th anniversary of Robins first appearance, Polygon is excited to present a look at some of that unfinished issue, including a high-resolution scan of rarely seen work from writer Jim Starlin, penciller Jim Aparo, and inker Mike DeCarlo straight from DC Comics archives. 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