It's the end of an era for Jason Todd, the Red Hood. After a record breaking run at DC Comics, Red Hood and The Outlaws writer Scott Lobdell is leaving the series after its 50th issue, which he announced on social media. After that, the future is unclear for Batman's former Robin turned lethal outlaw.
So far, DC has been pretty quiet about plans for the series going forward. Who will take over telling the next chapter of Red Hood's tragic journey, and where will the character go next? Read on to learn more.
Ever since the beginning of the series back in 2011, Scott Lobdell has taken Jason Todd into several new regions some fans might never have expected over the course of what will be 91 total issues over two volumes. Lobdell's exploration into Jason's extremely broken past, specifically with his fractured relationships, makes for an incredibly dynamic read. Not only that, but Lobdell takes those flawed connections from his past (like with Batman), and puts them into contrast with new bonds he forms as the series progresses. The first volume featured Jason forming the Outlaws, an ongoing team-up with Arsenal and Starfire, with the second volume replacing them with Bizarro and Artemis later on.
Jason grew up in Gotham's Crime Alley to a drug dealing father and a drug addict mother. As a result, Jason ended up an orphan, albeit a brave one. When Batman found him, Jason was trying to jack the tires of the Batmobile. Bruce Wayne took Jason in as his new ward and eventual Robin, often trying to reign in Jason's impulsiveness and aggression. When the Joker brutally murdered Jason, and Ras Al Ghul resurrected him via a Lazarus Pit, Jason was enraged that Batman didn't seek vengeance of his behalf and kill the Joker, sticking to his moral code of no killing. This began his journey as a villain, taking the name Red Hood and using lethal methods to deal with crime, abandoning his former mentor's code.
However, over time, Jason has been remolded into an anti-hero outlaw. While he still has some significant ups and downs with the Dark Knight, at least he doesn't want to kill him like when he was first brought back to life. Much of that reconciliation with Batman happens in Lobdell's run, despite the tension that will always be there. Jason has made it clear that he is his own man, and will never conform to Bruce's wishes or ideals. At the end of the day, Batman and Red Hood know that they have each other's back, even if their methods differ.
Thanks to Lobdell, Jason is still a tragically flawed character, yet is on a path that has positive elements. He got to work with his best friends Starfire and Roy Harper (before his death), and forged a family of his own making with Artemis and Bizarro later on, forming a Dark Trinity. Also, thanks to Lex Luthor and Year of the Villain, Red Hood led Generation Outlaw, a group of young hopeful super villains he was teaching and molding, allowing him to make sure that they were taken care of and not faced with the same darkness he was when he was their age.
Based on Lobdell's post on Instagram, it seems possible that Red Hood and the Outlaws will continue after issue #50 with a new writer, but as to who will be taking over remains to be seen. Someone like current Nightwing writer Dan Jurgens could potentially be a good option (Lobdell himself recently took over writing Nightwing back in 2018 for a period of time). However, it could be that Red Hood and the Outlaws' time is over, and a new chapter will be taking place for Red Hood. Despite this, it's safe to say that there are fans hoping that Red Hood and the Outlaws will continue its run as it has since 2011. The journey of Jason Todd and company has been far too engaging and entertaining for it to stop now.