http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/ http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/images/stories/Outer_Realm_Comics55.png http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/ 369-147 http://www.o-r-c.co.uk/component/content/article/98-other-dc/369-red-hood-and-the-outlaws-6-review The Story: I admit it, I was surprised of Red Hood and the Outlaws #6. The slower pace and emphasis on the relationship between Kori and Jason was a nice (and definitely needed) change to the usually rather flat and action orientated route this book was taking. Jason’s and Kori’s story that unfolds on the pages is neither very unique in its general execution, nor is it a piece of art from a writing point of view, but it has its emotional and sentimental appeal. However, with Lobdell there always seem to be those persistent flaws that make the reading experience a less enjoyable one. I do get it, Lobdell is trying to portray Kori as independent, strong woman, but the execution lacks. A woman should not be dependent of a man, however, that does not mean that the men in her life are not important. To completely disregard the impact that Kori’s relationship with Dick had on her is wrong. Plain and simple. Lobdell seems unable to grasp the concept of a woman that is still herself and empowered, yet admits that the men in her life affect her to a certain extent. But Kori is not the only character that loses some of their former appeal due to deficient characterization. Jason suffers from the same treatment. I would say he is even worse off than Kori. Lobdell completely missed the point of Jason’s personality. Jason is not mad at Batman for letting him die, he is mad at him because Bruce did not avenge him. For him, the important part always was that he assumed Bruce did not care enough about him to kill the Joker. That is a small but crucial difference.  Another point that I simply could not ignore while reading was Jason’s willingness to accept advice about Bruce from a - at that moment - complete stranger. To be so easily trusting and open is no character trait Jason is known for. He screamed at Donna Troy once when she tried to give him advice, and everybody who knows their Jason books well enough is aware of how much he adores Donna. To assume that he would be so willing to share his life story with Kori whom he just met is ridiculous. Also, damage control. Lobdell is probably the King of Damage Control. I do not know how he thought it was a clever idea to let Jason walk around naked for 10 pages, with his hands covering his crotch awkwardly, when the readers were condemning Lobdell already for his overly sexualization of Kori in issue #1. There is a word for this: Reverse Sexism. Portraying a women in a demeaning manner linked to sex is not okay, but neither is doing the same to men. Lobdell probably thought it was funny. I think it is awkward. I get it, everyone in Red Hood and the Outlaws is hyper-hetero. Thank you for always pointing that out, Mr. Lobdell. If I did not know any better, I would say you try to implement your own sexual fetishes into the book you are writing. I have news for Lobdell and Williamson: Jason respects women. Jason holds them in such high regards he would never call the woman who saved his life a “Orange Chick” or a “Space Kitty”. It is not funny, not charming and certainly not Jason. From a technical point, the writing was average to say it nicely. The dialogue still feels forced. Lobdell lacks subtlety and finesse. While almost every other author that is currently writing for DC manages to make a smooth transition from DCU to DCnU, Lobdell presents his readers a story that reads more like a fanfiction set in an alternative universe. He takes his attempts at characterization, and beats the reader over the head with it. It’s almost abusive in how forceful he is. So, I can only assume he honestly believes we would not get it otherwise.  To make a long story short: I would have enjoyed Red Hood and the Outlaws much, much more if Lobdell would not try to sell these characters as Jason Todd, Koriand'r and Roy Harper to me. The Cover: A nice change from the usual covers of Red Hood and the Outlaws. For once, Jason is the focus and not Kori’s inflated boobs. The contrast between the red of Jason’s helmet and the blue of his surroundings is certainly capturing. The overall theme of the cover is slightly misleading, since it gives us a false impression of the major contents of the book.  The Art : Beautiful, as always, and I am positively surprised at the increasing use of different facial expressions. Admittedly, they look a bit off and definitely still need some work, but it is an improvement that should not be ignored. What was really outstanding about the art in Red Hood and the Outlaws #6 though were the colors. Especially the scenes playing out at the beach, be it at night or at dawn. It was a pleasure to look at and the colorist deserves some recognition and praise for his marvelous work. ]]> Wed, 15 Feb 2012 18:20:22 +0000