Too Good To Miss—Batman: Under the Red Hood
The collected issues of Batman chronicle the arrival of Red Hood, his shocking past and his conflict with Batman.
Looking back over a collected story and recommending it is difficult.
Following the Red Hood story through the issues of Batman was a process of discovery. Reading the collected works is different. Knowing the identity of the Red Hood as a consequence of reading the original issues or even reading recent Batman comics, changes the way in which it is possible to approached the collected story.
The identity of Red Hood is important, providing a mystery to be solved, but the story is more complex. Batman finds himself in situations that make him vulnerable and off balanced. Which isn’t an easy feat. Batman might not have super powers, but he doesn’t retreat from a fight with super powered villains.
In addition to the Red Hood mystery, there are great superhero team-ups and battles with supervillains. Working alongside Nightwing (Dick Grayson, the original Robin) and Red Hood (whose identity I have still managed to keep secret), Batman fights villains whose powers would enable them to beat other members of the Justice League.
The combination of Batman’s preparation and planning with the added advantage of working in a team, quickly puts the superpowered opponents at a disadvantage.
The super powered villain battles are well worth reading with the Red Hood angle. However, seeing a character as prepared as Batman working in shadows that even Batman can’t access makes for great reading.
If great fights sequences, a mystery and a character who makes Batman uncertain of himself isn’t enough for you, there is more.
A cast of Batman’s villains make appearances. Black Mask plays a central role as a crime boss. Mr Freeze appears as a seriously cold and psychotic villain. And The Joker even makes an appearance, although he is more a token or a way of delivering an idea rather than a character actively involved in the plot.
If you want to get deep, the story also delivers questions about responsibility, revenge and an effective representation of the important of Batman’s vow to protect and to avoid revenge.
And if you want to get metaphysical and discuss superheroes returning from the dead, Batman takes you on a quest to investigate characters who have returned from the dead (including a Superman and Green Arrow cameo) and different ways in which characters might be able to return from the dead (including the Lazarus pit and magic).
Batman: Under the Red Hood is a great intersections between some classic Batman stories from the late eighties and the modern perception of the Bat-family as a collection of heroes working under the guidance of Batman.
Phew! Managed to get to the end without giving away the identity of the character the Red Hood.
Pick up your copy of Batman: Under The Red Hood (this is an affiliate link which will provide me with a small income, but won’t cost you any more).
It’s a story so good, they made the movie Batman: Under the Red Hood [Blu-ray] (this is also an affiliate link which will provide me with a small income, but still won’t cost you any more).