REVIEW: ‘Red Hood’ Issue 1

Red Hood Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Gretchen Felker-Martin, with art and colors by Jeff Spokes and letters by Becca Carey.

Moving to the warm city of New Angelique, Jason Todd finds betrayals and old friends in this inaugural issue. There is a newness to Red Hood Issue 1, but also a familiarity. Changing location to a brand new city, one rife with its own crimes and even vigilantes.

New Angelique appears to be based on New Orleans, considering the heat, architecture and French aspect. It is intriguing and exciting to see DC venture into the South, creating and exploring new territories. The reason why Jason is there in the first place is explained very quickly, with a mysterious serial killer targeting police officers. That’s familiar, the noir vibe to the entirety of Red Hood Issue 1.

Felker-Martin also brilliantly places the story in terms of timescale. Red Hood is coming out of a traumatic fight with Batman, with the Joker in the middle of it. The injuries are still lingering, both physically and mentally. What’s fascinating is that there’s a really extensive character arc within this first chapter.

One figure goes from being a friend to something else extremely quickly, and the execution of that is phenomenal. The fight scene at the end of Red Hood Issue 1 is shocking in how fatal the encounter is, and how few allies Jason actually has.

This series takes Red Hood away from Gotham, which provides him with some freedom from the rest of the Bat Family. But not all of them. Huntress has tracked him down. It’s a peculiar pairing that is only just being put together. Jason actively rejects Huntress, pushing her away and going off on his own. Felker-Martin uses a lot of narration instead. These captions are moody and gloomy, contributing to the dark atmosphere.

Red Hood is still reeling from what happened with Batman, haunted and literally hurting. There are descriptions of the pain he’s in that show how much it stings. The first friend Jason finds in New Angelique is a beautiful representative of the location, with charm and grace. However, there is a subtle twist that suggests New Angelique may be just as unfriendly as Gotham.

The art sees the iconic Red Hood be redesigned once again. Jason wears something similar to a biker jacket, and the Red Hood is literally a hood. He then has a half mask covering his face. This change does more to his face, the constant frown on his face. It also shows the band aids, signs of the battles he’s just stepped out of. The first time we see Jason, he is covered in bandages and scratches, always uncomfortable. This makes him even angrier and irritable. The city looks phenomenal, with so much detail creating a sense of location.

Red Hood goes for a walk, which shows off the various elements and setting of New Angelique. The history, the heat, the community. The first major battle of the series takes place in a stunning church, spectacularly created by Spokes. It looks ancient and symbolic, ripped apart by violence.

The resident vigilante is a brilliant creation. They look like a cross between a masquerade and an Assassin’s Creed extra. It’s beautiful and matches the style of the city they call home.

There is an abundance of red in Red Hood Issue 1. The colors are stunning. The buildings and the things on the ground are dark, but the sky is a rich mixture of red and orange. This continues to manifest as a feeling of stifling heat. And Red Hood, with his own color just a shade lighter, looks like he belongs here more along the scarlet skies. Huntress’ purple stands out much more, as she arrives with the intention of helping Jason.

Another striking aspect of the issue is the lack of censorship. The characters swear often, especially when the intensity reaches its peak, and the lettering doesn’t replace them with punctuation or stars, as is usually done in regular comics. This adds a sense of severity to Red Hood Issue 1, with a realization of how mature it is, as it earns the 17+ rating.

Red Hood Issue 1 gives Jason Todd true independence. Taking him away from Gotham and into a brand new city provides the second Robin with his own identity. He’s not hunted or watched over by Batman or Nightwing, with only Huntress out there with him. It means there’s so much unfamiliarity and new relationships to forge, with new friends and enemies appearing.

The New Orleans-inspired surroundings are stunning. But there’s also a Gothic architecture that can be found in Gotham, and the violence remains the same. It’s a breath of fresh, hot air without staying too far away from what we and Jason know.

Red Hood Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.