Comics / Comic Reviews / DC Comics

Review: Red Hood and the Outlaws #3

By Philip Schweier
October 12, 2016 - 19:21

Red Hood still seems to be undercover with the Black Mask organization, which has at its disposal a recent failed project of LexCorp. What that project might be is no great surprise, having been featured on the cover of Red Hood and the Outlaws #1, and this issue as well – a Bizarro.

A Bizarro? Is there more than one? Well, apparently so, as Lex Luthor has tried to clone Superman repeatedly, and failed as many times. Hence, the subject is ripe for the plucking by Black Mask.

As the clone emerges from its liquid preservative, it reminds Red Hood (AKA Jason Todd) of his own resurrection via the Lazarus Pit. He recalls the revulsion of Talia al Ghul, and begins to feel an immediate kinship with this Bizarro.

Similar creatures – Frankenstein’s monster, DC’s Solomon Grundy, Marvel’s Hulk – are sometimes given a rather childlike aspect, for greater sympathy from the audience. Perhaps in the case of Bizarro, it’s nothing new, yet at the same time it makes sense. I never really saw him as villain, in the evil-for-evil’s-sake sense.

Perhaps this yet another rebirth for one of DC’s long-standing characters. I hope other creators take advantage of the creative wave of DC’s Rebirth event to tweak some of the lower-tier characters.

Last Updated: August 31, 2023 - 08:12