You Outlaws Are Good........... The Best
Written By: Scott Lobdell
Art By: Clayton Henry, Marcelo Maiolo, Taylor Esposito, Neil Googe, Wade Von Grawbadger
Cover Price: $4.99
Release Date: August 29, 2018
Annuals are usually hit or miss with me when it comes to telling a story because they usually don't mean much or they're just used to be an extra-sized issue to help continue or end an arc........ and even with that, it all really depends on what my mood is or if I'm enjoying the story at hand. Thankfully though, with this Annual issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws, I'm in a great mood and looking to continue the story from where we left off previously, where Batman beat the holy hell out of Jason Todd for supposedly breaking his no killing rule. Don't fret though, Roy Harper jumped in and pulled his best friend out of the fire and that's where we start out in this. Let's jump into this issue and see what's what.
Everybody who's reading DC Comics now is seeing a trend in writers and in the fan communtity where it seems that everyone is looking for a more "human" version of someone in their superhero books and while I usually think that makes for a boring ass read, I think all you searchers for this style can look no further than this Annual issue of Red Hood and the Outlaws because you'll never see a more human pair than Jason Todd and Roy Harper.
Yeah, we have some over the top fights and some amazing callbacks that fans of this series since the beginning of the New 52 will undoubtably love, but the friendship between these two heroes.......... maybe anti-heroes is a better term, but these two have one of the best friendships in comics and the way they care about each other is second to none in this world that we love so much.
Beyond all the callbacks and banter that only these two heroes can do, we do have a story here that Roy's been investigating and while we get to see these two break down the leads for possibly the final time, this issue really just sets up the Red Hood book going forward, while also sending Arsenal off to the Sanctuary........ which after reading this issue and feeling how much I love Roy Harper, I'm really starting to fear for his safety. All in all though, we have some decent art all the way through, but more importanly we get to experience the friendship of these two characters once again and I'm sad to see it go away............ Not to mention that we have a pretty sweet cliffhanger that sets up Artemis and Bizarro's journey from wherever they may be. This is a solid issue all around and the biggest problems with it stem from people who may have not read every issue of this series from when it began in 2011 because you'll get characters and callbacks to things that happen that will go right over your head if you're not in the know. Really though, I think that the love in this issue is enough to satisfy everyone, even if you haven't been reading since the beginning.
Bits and Pieces:
Scott Lobdell thanks all fans of this series and iteratins of the team in this Annual issue by giving us answers to questions, callbacks, easter eggs and a bromance that I just can't get enough of. With decent art all the way through and a touching story that makes me fearful for one of our heroes' future going forward, this issue is definitely one you won't want ti miss.
8.5/10
I loved this issue. Jason and Roy to me in the N52 are the new Blue Beetle and Booster Gold. I do feel worried after this issue for Roy, because it feels like a goodbye issue and not a "See you later" issue.
ReplyDeleteThe ending with Artemis and Bizzaro I know what it is. I was heaven for bid me, listening to another podcast other than the award winning Weirdscience, awhile back that had an interview with Scott Lobdell. He was talking about a story he wanted to do but did know exactly yet how he was going to get the characters there. But the story essentially boils down to "The Outlaws" VS "The Crime Syndicate". Jason will have this arc to himself before he finds away to Artemis and Bizzaro again, and essentially save the earth that has some version of the Crime Syndicate ruling it.
Art was great this issue, especially in the faces with emotion. Can't wait to see Jason get back to Artemis and Bizarro, but if Jason gets back from whatever this new journey is and finds Roy's dead Jason will go on the war path for him.
9/10
Man i feel like more comics need to do this move the story forward but not forget what came before i loved this whole story and Roy better not die
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