Red Hood and the Outlaws #16

This issue wasn't what I expected.

SPOILERS AHEAD

Jason and Tim only show up in a panel to recap what's happened (well Jason sort of shows up in a photo later on) but that's it. I'm guessing the main part of DOTF happens in TT. This had the two teams working together and coming up with the solution pretty fast. It gives more insight on Roys' character as he thinks of the time Croc helped him out. A fun book for Titan fans although I have no idea how Kori would guess something was up with Solstice when the subject she brings up is never clear. Yeah it's good to see Roy as the leader but I kept hoping to see Tim and Jason encounter the Joker. Three issues into the four part crossover and their not even aware of the other yet. Hopefully TT #16 deals with them for the whole issue.

There was also the distracting two pages of set up for the next writers' run. One introducing Hugo Strange and the other showing Deathstroke training to go up against the Outlaws. The latter doesn't wow me because the character has become rather hyped up ever since Identity Crisis. The worst part of this is the one page of Joker messing with Jasons' helmet. This was a plotline set up since #13 with him searching for one at their island headquarters. This depressed me because once again major drama is coming to Jason, this time in the form of deforming his face.

This was okay issue but very disappointing at the end. I don't really care what the next writer does at this point, I want to focus on the current characters. The ending really sours my feelings towards the direction of the book. I like the hopeful tone and don't want to read about Jason dealing with another trauma that changes to tone of this series. If it leads in that direction I might drop this, something I never considered before. I'll give the new guy a try but I'm not looking forward to it.

Questions Raised: Tim was knocked out in his current Robin costume when Jason crashed next to him. In the last TT issue Tim was change into his DCnU first Red Robin costume (the 52 one.) Maybe it's an art mistake but it still doesn't explain how Tim was out of it since Joker never attacked him in the TT issue.

When did Joker mess with the helmet? He impales one on a crowbar and later puts one on Jason. Yet Jason is wearing one in the main Batman title despite claiming he didn't have time to stop for one in his title. Then Joker is shown with this one after Jason has joined Tim.