Once
upon a time, there was Red Hood and the
Outlaws. But then DC Editorial, in its creative wisdom, chose to discard
the Outlaws – Bizarro and Artemis – in favor of a Red Hood solo
title. Bizarro and Artemis entered a dimensional portal, their combined fate uncertain.
We presumed they weren’t dead, but where they ended up exactly was completely
unknown – until now.
The third
Red Hood annual discloses their fate (somewhat), and teases their imminent
return to Earth 1. I say “somewhat” because they found themselves in an
alternate reality, the details of which are not entirely explained, and their
activities equally vague. But enough of the high points are shared to convey
six months of activity in a couple sentences. No spoilers here.
Well, other
than the notion they may return to Earth 1 in the near future. Or they may find
themselves on another Earth in the Multiverse, a la The Fantastic Journey (look it up). No promises are expressed or
implied. But it begs the question: Why would DC share their journey if it
didn’t eventually end on Earth 1? Because with Red Hood’s recent return to the
status quo – rebel without a cause – he’s ripe for a reunion.
As for Red
Hood himself, yes, he’s in this issue (briefly), but it reminds me of the back
door pilots we used to see in the 1970s. An established TV show (Welcome Back, Kotter, for example) would
spend an episode setting up a premise using either a supporting character or
completely new cast. Happy Days pulled
it off with shows like Laverne & Shirley
and Mork & Mindy; Rockford Files,
not so much.
I expect
someday DC will explore what transpired on this temporary Earth to which
Bizarro and Artemis were transported. Is this trip really necessary? Not
really. But perhaps in the right hands, it will provide an entertaining
diversion when the creative well of Red Hood solo stories runs dry.
Rating:
7/10