Red Hood and the Outlaws #14

I really miss having a steady artist on this book.
SPOILER AHEAD

Not that the art is horrible but it has it's problems. Some of the faces (Kori and Roys' to be exact) look bloated in certain panels. For some reason a flashback panel of little Jason has the worst hair do. Like a panel in the zero issue that sort of gave him a mullet, it's like the artist want him to have bad hair like Dick and Tim did during the 90s. There's also a weird arrangement of the last page with the tv suddenly standing on the floor, the backround characters coming from no where that's just confusing.

The story is basically one of those misunderstandings that results in a fight. Corny but some parts were rather amusing. Especially since the Outlaws don't want to talk to Superman and are doing their best to ignore/avoid him. This is the first meeting between Superman and Starfire in this canon although Kori explains that she didn't want to meet him at all. See her race isn't fond of his. Given the nature of her people living the present mindset the reason their so pissed should be interesting should Lobdell wish to explore it further. It's not said if Roy ever met Superman prior to this meeting although the man of steel knows who he is. Roys' also commented on the league ignoring him and had an anti-Superman hat on in #2. So his reaction and dislike of Supermans' behavior does make sense even if it's not fully explained here.

Jasons' view on Superman is different than it was pre-Flashpoint. Both pre-crisis and post-crisis Jason Todd were fans. This one is honestly bothered by how powerful the big guy is, which ironically sounds a lot like Batmans' more negative views on Clark. I was sort of irked to see how unstoppable Superman was in this and miffed that a bat kid offered the least resistance. I mean he should have had some back up plan since he obviously doesn't trust him. I'm not sure why Jason seems to be referring to Superman as if he's human. It's kind of funny that he has no problem with Kori and her powers when she basically went supernova during the space story and took out a city.

Isabel acts as the voice of reason getting them to stop fighting. Superman talks about his annual and just wanted to know if Kori was approached by the same guy. Roy and Kori assume he wants their help which he declines stating he's resisting the urge to take them all in. The most shocking part of all is that Batman vounches for them. That naturally shocks Jason but he doesn't really know what to think about it. This confirms that Bruce is aware of Jasons' companions and what he's doing. Afterward they go to drop Isabel off only to discover (to Kori and Roys' amusement) that she lives in Gotham. Yeah it's kind of cliche but it was worth it for his friends' reactions. Isabel invites him into her apartment, they flirt, kiss then we find Jason in the shower. When she doesn't answer Jason starts to worry and rushes out (in her pink towel) to find her on the floor. Just like he found his mother when she ODed but he knows Isabel isn't an addict. The weatherman on the tv taunts him revealing that it's the Joker who called 911 to help Isabel--and send in the police.

 It was an okay issue. It does make you wince if you hate seeing your character randomly fight or act kind of dumb. If you get annoyed with Supermans' holier than thou self then you will get a kick out of the Outlaws thinking he's an ass. You get the feeling that he's not trying to be one but like Jason says he ends up acting like one anyway. Not that the Outlaws don't look bad for not being willing to listen but they don't act morally superior the way Superman usually does. (Like his interactions with the Carters in Time Masters and Booster Gold.) I liked Isabel and her affect on the team. While I'm a little confused I'm looking forward to the DOTF arc.

Also there was an unsettling bit that's sort of implied with the Joker. Jason and Isabel have off panel sex. While Jasons' in the shower there's a panel of the window being opened. When Jason comes out the "weather man" is talking to him and hears what Jason is saying. If he hears and sees Jason that means he has a camera in Isabels' apartment. Sure he could have put it in there while they were in bed or Jason was in the shower. But there's still a chance he had it in there where they were having sex. Either way that's really messed up.


Say What?: The line about Jason fearing an empty bread basket. It's not a bad line and he basically summed up his meaning by saying "food issues." He feared starving to death when he was a kid but some people in the fandom took this to mean the stupid "Jason loves bread" meme. For those not in the know this was a joke that came into being because of a panel in the Batman Annual Winick wrote. Basically explaining how Jason came back with brain damage until the pit cured him. While in this condition he clung to his survival instincts and broke a bakery window to eat bread. So basically this joke is saying it's cute to make fun of a starving kid with brain damage. So yeah, I get annoyed whenever I see it but I don't think Scott Lobdell was trying to use this meme.

Orn refers to all of them (Roy, Jason, Isabel) as Koris' "consorts." This baffles Roy who asks why it's plural. This shows that he doesn't assume that Jason and Kori were together like he previously did.

Umm, a retcon appears to be in effect. Jason sort of acted like a geek when he first met Kori claiming he never met an alien before. Here he says he worked with Superman prior to this meeting. Although he does call him a person/man rather than an alien.

I really hate that peanut joke Jason told. He could have just said "do I tell you how to do your job?"

Roy asks Superman to say "hey" to Green Arrow. Superman starts to say he doesn't hang out with Green Arrow before he just agrees so he can leave.

Although it's not mentioned here last issue Roy stated they were on Koris' world for one earth week. That means Jason and Isabel had the longest first date ever since he says their still sort of on their date when they return.

Did You Notice?: Despite telling Jason that he needs to relax Kori is causally displaying her power when she doesn't think there's a threat.

For some reason Jason appears to be back in his uniform during the fight and not his space gear. While they look similar he didn't have his jacket. In fact he only had his helmet and guns on him when they were taken to the space ship. The uniform sort of goes back to the space gear later on. Isabel and Jason appear to have their clothes from their date when they change back.

The outline of the Joker watching their ship decloak.

Questions Raised?: As usual how much of old canon still exist. Because Jason used to have kryptonite. That was part of Under the Hood.