Red Hood and the Outlaws #20 Vol. 2

How do you fight crime when villains get a henchmen app?

SPOILERS AHEAD

Potential henchman Ben sees an app and tells his girlfriend Emma that he can't compete with her educated friends. She leaves in disgust agreeing with him. Jason waits for Jakoby Frum to wake up admitting that he's considered killing him. Keeping his promise to Bruce he doesn't but he does get Frum to leave town.

Despite their promise to pretend everything is normal and address Bizarros' behavior when they have more to go on Artemis directly confronts him. Bizarro threatens her then laughs it off as a joke. Jason follows Bizarro using the cloaking devise to follow him into a henchman gathering. Almost killing the henchmen Bizarro has a change of heart. Back in his room Artemis finds his bathing area only to have Bizarro confront her moments later.


Overall: I'm not sure if people still say it but I never got the naysayers that believe Lobdell can't write "classic" Red Hood/Jason. He's already proved he can do dark and heart breaking stories. In this issue he shows Jason can be threatening and witty. It's even tense because Jason considers killing Frum more than once.

I like the addition of a 50's diner in Crime Alley called Swilly's diner. Expanding on what it's like in Crime Alley just makes my inner fan happy. It makes me wonder if it was around when the Waynes were alive. Did Willis and Jason go there? Is this the same one Gabby works at?

I'm not sure why Artemis confronted Bizarro directly after last issue or why Jason mentions their tension. That wasn't how they decided to handle the problem.

Something about the small "slide in" exchange is just so charming. Maybe because Jason was more cautious not to set her off in earlier issues (like not wanting to inform her that he was the leader in his narrative boxes.) It suggests a level of familiarity and being comfortable around her. Artemis responds that Amazons don't slide yet she still makes room. It's especially sweet when Jason realizes he never had to be the peacekeeper and hesitates before adding in "family."

I know I keep going back to this when it hasn't been mentioned from Jason's POV but his thought process about spying reminded me of it. Jason feels bad spying on a friend. Roy has essentially spied on Jason twice, Bizarro has at least once. It's a small but interesting insight. Inside the henchmen convention Bizarro feels bad for how desperate they all look. There's some sobering moments with a 63 year old telling Ben he's still henching and knowledge that the D.A. don't go after small fish. Which is one of the reasons for the criminals being released all the time.

I don't know if Willis was a henchman in this canon but it would have been cool to get Jason's thoughts on that. Ben was a humanizing element that I wonder if we'll see again.

Bizarro almost kills the henchmen with poison pondering how he feels before deciding to give them another chance. He does telling them to do better. Jason reveals himself and asks if Bizarro changed his mind because he know Jason was there. Bizarro denies it and claims he feels ashamed. Jason and Artemis both choose a way of discovering the truth in sneaky ways. Despite all they've gone through together Artemis claims she trusts no one. Small wonder after Akila. I'll probably have to dissect how they approach it at some point.

I considered Artemis staring at something inside the kryptonite jars but at present that makes no sense to me. Why would Bizarro have something living inside the area he keeps his potentially dangerous brain enhancer in? Especially if his own intelligence keeps slipping. I think Artemis is just upset with what Bizarro is doing to his body. She doesn't look horrified just sad.

Bizarro coming in with her axe is a scary sight. I don't think he could hold onto it though, it can come to her when Artemis summons it. Then again he could hurt Artemis by hurting it. Why isn't this bi-monthly?






Say What ?: #stillnotmypresident

"More woman than most women I know." I'm not going to examine this line from the insulting perspective that Artemis meant it but more meta like. Artemis has said she doesn't get the need to discuss emotions when actions are what her people used. Jason's not really being emotional in the scene he's simply trying to make sure their getting along. It's taken him awhile to be so vulnerable but out of the two of them he is the most open which in turn made Artemis less aggressive around him.

Flux capacitor? Confirmation that Jason has seen Back to the Future.

Information learned from the henchmen: not surprising but no one wants to work for Joker. Judging by the wording "her Ivy" Harly got upset and fired him. I thought they had an open relationship? I don't know why anyone is humiliated by a kid beating them up. That should be commonplace in Gotham. Freeze covers for frostbite. Two-Face gives references but their useless.

Artemis claims not to trusts anyone which is pretty sad in its self.




Did You Notice?: Jason is reading Becoming What You Are. Very meta for his situation and I adore the symbolism/hints Soy puts into the art over Jason's struggle with not crossing the line. This was the one panel from the preview that was spoiled for me.

The fire in the fireplace. Did Jason do that? At least the rug is further away.

Jason's causal dodge of the punch was great, I just wanted to note that.




Questions Raised?: Did Jason drop Frum off wearing causal clothes? That's not too intimidating.