Throwback Thursday: Batman: Red Hood The Lost Days #3 Review

“School”

Writer: Judd Winick

Artists: Jeremy Haun

Colorist: Brian Reber

Letterer: Pat Brosseau

Assistant Editor: Janelle Siegel

Editor: Michael Marts

Cover Artwork: Billy Tucci

Cover Price: $2.99

Release Date: August 4, 2010

Review by: Deron from Murph Manor

We begin with Jason Todd in a full on hand-to-hand training session, though to be fair, this exercise is accentuating the lethal kind. For the past few months, Jason’s been under the tutelage of a German named Egon. Meanwhile, Talia al’ Ghul is having a rather intense conversation with one of her privileged employees. It seems that Talia’s gotten more than she’d bargained for in terms of dealing with Jason. She has clearly underestimated the great lengths that Jason Todd is willing to go to take out his former mentor.

We cut to Jason Todd having a discussion with a fellow named Derek who happens to be in Egon’s employ. Derek starts to pry into Jason’s business and offers him some work in Egon’s outfit. This prompts a swift beating to Derek by Egon from behind them. Jason saw the altercation coming and quietly telegraphed the move by stepping casually aside. Later, Jason is resting up back at Egon’s compound, but curiosity gets the best of him. He quickly studies the routines of those appointed to watch over him at the compound and proceeds to investigate Egon’s other operations one night.

It turns out that one of Egon’s other business has to do with child trafficking. This certainly creates a rift in Jason and Egon’s working relationship. To make a long story short, Jason disrupts Egon’s human slave trade by taking out Egon’s henchmen. He finds Egon in a cabin where they proceed to go at one another with ruthless aggression. Although Egon’s able to get the upper hand physically, it’s Jason’s wit that does Egon in. Egon falls dead after learning that his cherry energy drink had been poisoned by Jason. After burning the compound to the ground, Jason drops the kids off at the nearby British Embassy. The issue ends with Jason telling Talia al’ Ghul of his recent exploits to which she remarks that he’s learning. He agrees with her assessment.

Bits and Pieces:

Judd Winick continues to expand on the background of young Jason Todd. Though we have been accustomed to learning about Jason’s dark side, it’s clear that he still has some kind of moral center intact. He is misguided in his efforts, yes, but then again it’s not everyday one returns from the grave. The side effects of this phenomenon are impossible to test on a scientific basis as such circumstances haven’t yet been recorded. Overall, the story continues to evolve and we are moving along here at a nice pace. The artwork continues to maintain the good standard of the previous issues in the series.

8/10