Warning: contains spoilers for Batman: Urban Legends #1
DC's Batman to operate in Gotham City in the backup story of Batman: Urban Legends #1.
The Red Hood is Jason Todd, a former Robin who came from the streets—he met Batman while trying to rip tires off the Batmobile. Something about Jason struck a chord with Bruce, and he took the delinquent under his wing. Jason would meet his end a few years later at the hands of the Joker in the infamous Death in the Family storyline. Decades later he was resurrected and took the name Red Hood. Since his return, he has maintained a tense relationship with his former mentor. Red Hood continues his fight against crime, albeit with much more extreme methods than Batman would approve of, and in a special preview for Batman: Urban Legends #1, readers learn the conditions that Batman laid down for Red Hood to continue his fight.
The issue from writer Chip Zdarsky and artist Eddy Barrows sees the now heroic Red Hood searching for information on a dangerous new drug sweeping Gotham called “Cheerdrops.” The drug induces feelings of euphoria and pleasant hallucinations before causing the victims to harm themselves and others. He finds an addict who flees from him. In order to slow the addict down, Red Hood pulls out a gun and fires at him. Readers learn that he shot him with rubber bullets, and Red Hood reveals that the rubber bullets are the “compromise” he made with Batman in order to stay in his good graces.
While Batman strictly forbids gun use, the mere fact that Red Hood is using one should give Batman pause. Yet, Batman knows that he cannot deter Jason from his extreme crime-fighting methods, including guns, so he makes a compromise that will allow the Red Hood to continue working in Gotham and ease his consciousness as well. This comes at a time when Batman needs all the allies he can get as well. It is a healthy compromise, one in which each person acknowledges the other’s methods—even if they do not agree with it. Could this also point to a thawing of the icy relationship between Batman and his former protege? Red Hood has shown himself to be unstable on occasions—will he continue to honor his agreement with Bruce?
Jason might be one of the more extreme of Batman’s army, but Batman knows he needs Red Hood on his side. The story will be available in stores and on all digital comics outlets March 9th, 2021.
