Review: Red Hood: Outlaws, Volumes 3-5

OTHER REVIEWS IN THIS SERIES: Red Hood: Outlaws Vol 1 | Red Hood: Outlaws Vol 2 | Red Hood: Outlaws Vol 3-5
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​I’ve been behind on writing book reviews, but I’m finally diving into a combined review of Red Hood: Outlaws, Volumes 3, 4, and 5. These are the last three compendiums of the popular Webtoon series, in which the characters are forced to answer tough questions about what redemption truly means as they try to prove themselves to the Justice League.

​Volume 4 kicks off with the Outlaws caught in a simulation crafted by the Justice League itself. (Mostly Bruce Wayne, because let’s face it, Bruce has a penchant for concocting tests that border on cruelty.) As part of these trials by fire, Jason Todd, Artemis, and Bizarro face off against alternate versions of themselves. Each encounter in the simulation is more than just a battle; it’s a deep dive into past traumas, fears, and failures. For Jason Todd, this means confronting his short stint as the second Robin and his struggle to leave his assassin past behind. His agreement with Bruce to stop killing is not only key to being considered for the Justice League, but also vital if Jason wants to be welcomed back into the Bat Family.

Amidst all this introspection, President Lex Luthor throws a wrench into their simulated journey. His corrupt schemes eerily mirror the chaos of our current political landscape, and when Jason decides to take Luthor’s life, the simulation crumbles and The Outlaws fail. The Justice League withdraws its support, leaving the team vulnerable as intergalactic bounty hunters converge on Earth to claim the substantial rewards on all their heads. During the ensuing battle, Artemis makes a confession that surprises even her — she’s in love with Jason. 

While the feelings between Jason and Artemis are not new, they have remained unexpressed until now. But as the couple celebrates, they pay little notice to how much Bizarro is struggling with the loss of the simulated wife and child he became attached to inside the Justice League’s mind-fuckery. He seeks the help of Dr. Chase Meridian, a psychologist who advises him that the best way to get over his grief is to leave his comfort zone and start forming meaningful attachments to people outside The Outlaws. 

Jason reaches out to his older brother Dick Grayson for help confronting his past and addressing his long-held grudge with Bruce, the adoptive father he’s always felt rejected by. His journey ends with a compromise: he doesn’t have to be an assassin, but he also isn’t built to be a Justice League-style hero. 

Artemis puzzles out what it’s like to be in a romantic relationship and to be a “fallen” Amazon — both topics she’s worked hard to avoid. To do this, she visits a kind of all-female spa in Valhalla, described as a place “for women warriors who are tired of fighting.” Okay, it’s a little goofy if you think Artemis would ever be okay spending her days baking cookies and learning how to knit, but she is anxious to at least not wake up every morning looking for her next fight. However, there’s a darker purpose to the “spa” which has nothing to do with helping female warriors get in touch with themselves, but rather stripping the world’s warriors of their weapons. 

When Artemis fails to show up for a scheduled reunion, Jason and Bizarro realize something is wrong. But infiltrating the “spa” — which has a ban on men — is not going to be easy and requires the assistance of various reluctant allies, including White Cat and Martian Mindhunter. This results in many action sequences, particularly in Volume 5. Artist Nico Bascunan does a good job of rendering these, often in a sequential action-flow that reminded me a lot of Bruno Redondo’s work in Nightwing. 

The series ends on an unexpected high note: with a wedding. But since I don’t want to spoil too much, I won’t say whose. Volume 5 also leaves some dangling threads — so we’ll have to wait and see how and when those are resolved. 

​Confronting their pasts, presents, and where they ultimately want their futures to lie makes Volumes 4 and 5, in particular, some of the best-written and most engaging in the series. Three anti-heroes, who were originally content to distract themselves from their troubles by fighting other people’s battles, finally become multifaceted. And centered. If you think of Volumes 3-5 as the second and third acts of The Outlaws play, then this makes sense and is handled well. While I don’t necessarily think Red Hood: Outlaws was the best storytelling for these characters, it does scratch an itch or two and is bound to put a smile on the reader’s face. 

RELATED FEATURES: Red Hood Collection | Batman Collection | Nightwing Collection | Jason Todd's Empty Grave | When Jason Todd Helped Save Superman

Red Hood: Outlaws Series

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume One by Patrick R. Young and Nico Bascuñan

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume Two by Patrick R. Young and Nico Bascuñan

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume Three by Patrick R. Young and Nico Bascuñan

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume Four by Patrick R. Young and Nico Bascuñan

Red Hood: Outlaws Volume Five by Patrick R. Young and Nico Bascuñan