Jason and Roman. Two halves of the same coin?

Red Hood and The Outlaws #1
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist:  Dexter Soy
Colors:  Veronica Gandini
Letters: Taylor Esposito
Editor:  Alex Antone
Associate Editor: Brittany Holzherr
Creator: Don Newton; Doug Mahnke; Gerry Conway; Judd Winick
Variant Covers:  Giuseppe Camuncoli & Cam Smith & Dean White; Matteo Scalera & Moreno Dinisio
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $2.99

Jason confronts some harsh memories from his past that may be the key to unlocking the mystery of Black Mask’s rise and gets a bit more than he bargained for in Red Hood and The Outlaws #1. This issue lays the groundwork for a few things that are most definitely going to come back and bite Jason in the arse at a later date while also setting up Black Mask to be Jason’s Joker.  It also shows just how, if Bruce had been a different kind of man, Jason could’ve easily become Roman Sionus.

Continuing where we left off, Jason goes about making an impression on Black Mask the best way he knows how: by hijacking his vehicle and taking out his entire security detail. It’s a pretty boss sequence in a issue full of them starting with the first page. Lobdell continues finding the humor in the crazy that is Jason’s life and Dexter Soy’s artwork is just fantastic. From the opening moment when you get a wonderful pan-up shot that gives you everything you need to know about the characters involved to the aforementioned dynamic entry every frame fully supports the story and gives you little details that I’m sure will come into play later.

Much like Wonder Woman, the team on Red Hood and The Outlaws is on a roll, 5 out of 5 Synthetic Polymer Vests.

PS: My only gripe has nothing to do with the issue and everything to do with the numbering system post Rebirth. Don’t make it harder than it has to be DC Comics.