Review: Red Hood Outlaw #30

“Even Endings Have Beginnings”

Writer: Scott Lobdel
Artist: Pete Woods
Color Artist: Rex Lokus
Letterer: Troy Peteri

Review by Adam Ray

Jason Todd makes a welcome return to our shelves. The latest issue wastes no time in catching us up with the events of the ongoing storyline, and Jason’s quest. Lobdell has been on this series a considerable length of time, and we’ve seen Todd visit many locations.

Editor Rob constantly uses reminders of Todd’s experiences which really distract from the overall plot. The merits of the issue are still present and strong, but all these callbacks to past issues’ events in this chapter do remind us how far Jason has come, but far too frequently.

This issue is very aptly titled; as it feels like an ending, and many beginnings simultaneously. The detailed writing of previous instalments pays off to an extent too. We remember what has been labelled as jokey “Sub plots” and characters from the early days of the run, which highlight that in this world there are consequences. What I dislike, however, is the willingness the writer has in just dropping us into the action. The attitude of “This character is here now” can leave one feeling a little disconcerted.

Conclusion

The tone of the rest of the series has been set by the mysterious revelations made at the end of the issue. We see the source of everything that’s going to put Jason through his paces. There’s much to look forward to. We can only hope that the writer can focus on the future, rather than keep reminding us of previous issues.

Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment

(This review was originally published on the Dark Knight News Website on January 16th 2019)