Thursday, May 16, 2019

Red Hood (and the) Outlaw(s) #33 Vol. 2

I'm so behind on my comic reading.

SPOILERS AHEAD

I've never made it a secret that I don't like the Tynion run. I've never been sure how much Lobdell decided to keep but I've done my best to ignore it. With or without it I'm a little confused why Ducra is around when she moved on before Tynion and during his run. I'm also not sure if the Arces of All are dying or it's just the area their in since Ducra seems to be keeping the section around her alive. Regardless she's usually fun but has to deal with Essence who's not too pleased with her. It has to do with some mistake connected with Jason, since I'm intrigued by the All Caste stuff I'm looking forward to this story. More so of it's connected to Jason's death/Rebirth.

I'm not really attached to most villains like I am with protagonists and supporting casts. I like some better than others but I just can't muster up much interest in most villains stories. Before the Kite Man stuff I would have said my favorite Batman rogue was Riddler since Catwoman is more of an anti-hero. But Penguin? He's one of the creepy ones that I mostly enjoy seeing when he's getting dunked on. I've enjoyed seeing Jason effortlessly dominate him when they clashed...but I know it's not going to last. The hints at Jason heading towards something bad have been around for awhile.

I don't want to see Jason fail and Penguin to succeed. It just seems like an inevitable end since there's no way he can keep Penguin there indefinitely. I'm glad to see there's more to the panic room than we've previously seen otherwise Penguin would be close to death and that would be a little hard to explain. We see how the room functions which I appreciate.

Jason reveals that if he wanted to kill him then he would have done it already. Which explains why a guy that was trained as an assassin couldn't kill someone at point blank range. (If I recall right Jason couldn't look Bruce in the eye when he informed him that Penguin was alive.) He doesn't get to state why he didn't kill the villain since their interrupted. I'm mighty curious though.

Jason says he wouldn't let Penguin off so easily by killing him. Has his philosophy on death shifted? He has had a different outlook than most thanks to his All Caste training it's just that the phrasing is odd at the moment. I mean I'd think he'd kill Joker if he could without seeing it as an easy way out. Hmm.

Isabel makes her return which was spoiled for me the day this issue was released although I managed to avoid all other spoilers. I don't dislike her I just hate the timing if she's going to return as a love interest since Lobdell sold me on Artemis and Jason. Conflict might be interesting but Artemis and Jason have a natural chemistry that he doesn't have with Isabel. I know Lobdell doesn't want to go there with Artemis but you already got us invested then pulled out the rug? That's harsh.

Sure Tynion awkwardly ended Isabel's relationship with Jason but it feels weird to acknowledge that then not address why she's okay being with him again. Does she think he's settling down? He doesn't allude to this until their under attack.

I do love how Isabel says hi to him and Jason actually calling her a dork for it. Jason's behavior however...is weird. I know he has a plan but he seems to be lying to Isabel.

In a surprising twist Red Hood faces off against another member of the All Caste. Didn't most of them die or do they all come back like Ducra? He claims it was a mistake to train Jason and that he's an affront to everything they stand for. Once Susie comes in he's gone. Well mostly. She knows something happened though.

Wait--Isabel is back, Essence will be seeing Jason soon and Artemis will hopefully turn up not long after that. Is this going to be a love square or something? Normally I wouldn't care for something like that but the potential for comedy and awkwardness is high.

Some don't like Woods' art, personally I don't mind it except for one thing: how he draws Jason out of his uniform. The face looks older and in this issue I'm really not feeling the white suit. It doesn't feel like Jason's style and with the bow tie it reminds me of Solitary. Is that intentional?




Say What?: There's something innately charming about Jason instantly knowing from the sound of the explosion what it was, how much it weighs and where it was. His amusement at Isabel thinking it was a torpedo was oddly funny too. It's like he's thinking "really, you thought that sounded like a torpedo?" As if he can't comprehend someone not knowing the difference. Seriously this moment amused me greatly.

The detail about smelling the All Caste is interesting since one of the Untitled said she was surprised that she couldn't smell Ducra on Jason if he was a student. Jason claims he can smell All Caste members. I think Tynion hinted that Jason might be an Untitled but I'm hoping for something different.

Jason is called "the chosen", while he was basically the chosen one under Tynion I think we're in for a twist.




Questions Raised?: Does everyone really think Jason is an idiot? Bruce mocked his mind now Penguin is smugly saying he's dumber despite the fact Red Hood previously outsmarted him? I know Jason is going to be in trouble but where's his respect?

Is Candy still a minor? Because that guy is a way bigger perv if so.

Is Susie upset that Jason lied or that he killed? Because her youngest sister literally put a bomb down a man's pants. He's probably dead. Even if he's not that's going to be hard to explain to the cops.

What is "the chosen"? Because I remember Jason going through the "cleansing" which sounds like he had to remove something harmful and Ducra wasn't sure if he survived because he was worthy or stubborn.




Did You Notice?: The way Jason holds Isabel around her waist. Is that a little too friendly for an ex or is that just me? Sure she kisses him but he didn't know she wanted to do that. I don't know it just looks a little too intimate.

Okay I might not want Isabel to be with Jason over Artemis but the "call me" gesture was cute.

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