Batman: Under the Red Hood

I’ve been a fan of DCU animation since the early 70′s and after a lull of twenty years DC re-invented how animation has a place in the adult world with its stellar Batman and Superman animated series of 1990′s. As a child growing up in the Bronze age of comics( a period that ran from the 1970′s thru the early 80′s )I was more partial to the Marvel Universe in particular Avengers, Invaders, Defenders, Iron Man, The Incredible Hulk, Fantastic Four, Epic Illustrated and Bizarre Adventures. I never really collected DC comics until I was well into my teen years. At the time I found their characters to be outdated and just plain uninteresting. That changed when I started reading Batman and the Jason Todd(the second Robin) years in particular.

Jason Todd was so reviled by Batman fans that something had to be done. DC decided to let the fans decide his fate. As fate would have it they wanted him killed. And so Jason Todd was killed by the Joker. Many years later he would be resurrected by Judd Winick in his run on Batman. I must admit it was an interesting angle to take. I won’t say anymore than that I don’t want to spoil it for those who only purchase and collect the animated DCU movies.

I will say this though, I was surprised at the depth of Judd Winick as a writer and artist. Many of you may remember Judd and his wife Pam from MTV’s THE REAL WORLD: SAN FRANCISCO. It was the season of REAL WORLD that also introduced us to PEDRO ZAMORA who was an AIDS ACTIVIST and HIV positive but the young man was so much more. Judd and several of the castmates( excluding Puck ) were in honest opinion the “realest” of all the season’s the show aired. That season dealt with serious REAL WORLD themes. I was appreciative of the fact that most of the housemates were young adults who were, in my mind, the most mature of all the seasons. I think that maybe Pedro’s life and issues forced some of the castmates to really think about mortality and how we interact with one another, how we care for one another . It dealt with guilt and anger in a refreshing way.

In some odd way I can see a parallel in the Batman series dealing with the Red Hood. How does Batman/Bruce Wayne deal with his issue’s concerning the death of Jason Todd? How does Bruce Wayne deal with his former ward, Dick Grayson, and current ward Tim Drake? Pathos is what I really search for in comics, films, fiction and even real life and I think you will not be disappointed in this animated version of the events that profoundly shook The Batman to his core.

If you want to good read check out the series or get a copy of the story and it will give you more insight into the characters that Bob Kane and Bill Finger and Dennis O’Neil fleshed out over the years. Just a side-note: Is it me or is that Warner/DC is kicking Marvel’s but on the animated scene or what.
Rating: 4 / 5

I’m not much for writing these things so I will keep it short and to the point. This movie will be awesome! I’ve collected all the DC universe blu rays and this is truely the one I’ve been waiting for. It seems to be much darker than your typical Batman “cartoons” which for anything related to Batman the darker the better I always say. I’m also really looking forward to NPH’s rendition of Nightwing. Batman Gothm Knight was “ok” but this one will be legen…..wait for it…dary!

Cant wait!!!!! Hurry up July 27th!
Rating: 5 / 5