Red Hood and the Outlaws, Vol. 4: Good Night Gotham

Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016)

by Scott Lobdell, Dexter Soy (Illustrator)

Is the Dark Trinity--Red Hood, Artemis and Bizarro--meeting their end? With their Superman clone on the brink of madness, do the Outlaws need to go on a recruiting drive?

 So, have you been thinking about breaking bad? There's never been a better time to help your favorite super-villain take over the world, defeat an archnemesis or rob a bank. Even the bad guys need a little help, and with the Henched app you can find the perfect evil boss for you! Just don't be surprised if Red Hood and the Outlaws show up to your budding henchmen convention and stop your dreams dead in their tracks.

 Longtime writer and industry legend Scott Lobdell joins forces with dynamic young artist Dexter Soy for this next installment on their hit series, Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol. 4! Collects issues #19-25.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Comic Book, Batman, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics

172 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 6, 2018

About the author

Scott Lobdell (born 1960) is an American comic book writer.

He is mostly known for his work throughout the 1990s on Marvel Comics' X-Men-related titles specifically Uncanny X-Men, the main title itself, and the spin-off series that he conceived with artist Chris Bachalo, Generation X. Generation X focused on a number of young mutant students who attempted to become superheroes in their own right at a separate school with the guidance of veteran X-related characters Banshee and Emma Frost. He also had writing stints on Marvel's Fantastic Four, Alpha Flight, and The Adventures of Cyclops and Phoenix mini-series with artist Gene Ha. He wrote the script to Stan Lee's Mosaic and an upcoming film from POW Entertainment featuring Ringo Starr. He also participated in the Marvel Comics and Image Comics (from Jim Lee's WildStorm) crossover mini-series WildC.A.T.s/X-Men.

Reviews

[Mizuki · Rating 5 out of 5]

10-goddamn-Batman-stars. OMG this volume is too awesome! I need firework and explosion to express how excited I am!!!!


(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/animation-batm...)

Red Hood and the Outlaws vol. 22-25, I just love these volumes with my whole heart! LOL


(Link: https://giphy.com/gifs/batman-running...)

My thought during the reading progress:

(1) wait, what!? Bizarro has a Doraemon's Anywhere Door/Dokodemo Door in his possession now!!!??

(2) I'm a goddamn sadist from time to time so I'm rather excited to see Batman kicking Jason's ass again...okay, okay I admit I was quite excited too when Dick Grayson as Batman kicked Jason's ass that last time...XD

(3) As to the option of Batman acting OOC here, I think I understand why he did what he did. Come on people it isn't the first time he acting cold toward his children, seriously! ^^;;;

(4) Some really messed up secrets from a certain someone's past had been revealed! I'm going gaga over it! OMG just not another empty coffin again! Jason's dad is actually still alive (but not well) plus the criminal old lady Faye Guinn actually is Jason's grandma! This is just too messed up! All these things are too much to handle in one single chapter!!! ARGHHH

*lets out Red Hood's fangirl's insane screams*

(5) By the later part of the story, I was like "Oh my goodness what are you doing here Jason!?", but then I thought to myself, if Jason actually started acting rational and level-headed for too long, half of the fun in this series would have been sucked right out!

(6) By the way, Jason finally got the tiniest bit of sexy time (?) in this volume. Well...I think being dead for a while really doesn't do any good to a person's love life, right?

(7) BUT! I don't believe for a second that Penguin is dead, TV live footage or not.

(8) Last but not least, the artwork is as lovely as ever~

(9) the crisis of Bizarro still doesn't get any conclusion here! I hope everyone is okay in the end...

(10) I noticed that most of the chapters begin with Red Hood kicking someone's butt. It really feels like he had been repeating the same things for like...forever, well...I think everyone needs to have something else going on in their lives than just butt-kicking, right? Right?

Review for vol. 2 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Review for vol. 3 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Bonus:

My dear friend Jun had directed me to watch this fanmade Nightwing series on YouTube, and I regret nothing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o297A...

Nightwing's hotness in this fanmade series really is killing me.

Okay, although it's totally random still please do allow me to pimp my drawing of red bird here, Red Hood and little red bird! Sounds like a match!


(Link: https://www.deviantart.com/darkchildr...)

Review for Red Hood: Outlaw vol. 1 https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Review: Batman: A Death in the Family https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Review: Batman: The Long Halloween (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

Review: The Greatest Batman Stories Ever Told Vol. 1 (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

Batman and Robin by Peter Tomasi & Patrick Gleason Omnibus https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This run comes to a close as the dark trinity falls apart. Bizarro goes all Flowers for Algernon as his intelligence slips away and Jason struggles with wanting to murder the bad guys at the same time learning about his father. There's no real overarching plot. It feels almost as if it's just the Outlaws going through their everyday life. Lobdell does such a wonderful job of making the three feel like a close knit family with lots of character moments which he was never able to do in the previous version of this title he wrote. Dexter Soy provides most of the art. His sleek lines make the book sing. He's come a long way from his Captain Marvel magic marker look.

[James DeSantis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know it's getting annoying now that I keep saying this in every volume of this series reviews but...HOW THE FUCK IS SCOTT LOBDELL WRITING THIS!?

No seriously. I have nothing against the guy but everything I read from him in New52 from Superman to Teen Titans, to Red Hood and the outlaws, all freaking sucked. However, this series here, is something really special.

So what's happening? Bizarro is losing his smarts again. He's become the dumb dumb guy he was before. So he becomes desperate but his friends won't let him cross that line. Arthemis is doing her very best to try and keep everyone together which works on a lot of levels, both for Bizarro and Jason. Jason is also dealing with keeping these "villains" and drug dealers alive. In doing so he himself might cross the line that Batman won't accept.

Good: The fights are really grand and fun. The quips and such during them and the art itself is really great. I can't get over the relationship between the trinity. Their friendship and more works on so many levels and they feel like a real family. Bizarro and Jason share an amazing moment that really tugs at the heart.

Bad: I think sometimes the pacing is all over the place and jumbled. I also think Batman acted kind of out of character.

Overall this was GREAT. This might be the end of the trinity actually but damn, it went off on a high note. A east 4 out of 5. If haven't began reading red Hood and the Outlaws start right now!!!

[Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

And that’s the end of the run! Out of all the plot lines I could’ve guessed this book would have, Bizarro overcoming addiction wasn’t one of them. I enjoyed this a lot, still nice to get a good Jason story and love the relationships he built with Artemis and Bizarro it’s a shame that it ends here.

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting end to this Dark Trinity which makes me kinda sad.

World: The art is solid, it’s been pretty much the same style since Rebirth and as scratchy as the art is, I enjoy it. The characters do emote quite well, not perfectly, but quite well and I think for the quiet moments this series needs it as Jason and the rest are not really talkers. The action is good, the motion kinetic, it’s solid. The world building is pretty interesting this time around, this feels like an end of a run, where all the pieces are put in place and we get little bits of world building moving forward. There is the mystery of Jason’s dad and the world building past of both Artemis and Jason which are somewhat interesting. Solid.

Story: This arc was pretty great in the amount of quiet and character time we got. I’m really suprised by this cause this has always been an action series first but yeah, it was good. It’s not perfect, it’s a bit janky and for the issue count dealing with Bizarro, Artemis and also Jason’s stuff was a bit too much and there is a choppy feeling to the scene jumps but weirdly the character moments do come through. It’s just a shame readers don’t really get to process the feelings, especially Bizarro for a bigger impact. As I said the writing was a bit choppy and a lot of seeds per planted for upcoming things with the mystery man which I won’t ruin here. This story pretty much came out of nowhere and was introduced this arc making it a bit janky. Additionally there’s the big things with Cobblepot which we all know won’t stick but because of it he’ll forget who Red Hood is (cause comics), it was an interesting idea but once again it was rushed and the impact was not as strong as I would have liked and hoped. The final end of this arc and this Trinity was also a rushed but also impactful. It was good overall, but not perfect.

Characters: Bizarro was great, his journey was great, he needed a bit more time to flesh out and transition back and also for readers to feel it. Same said for Artemis and same for Jason and the reveals for all the characters this arc. I won’t get into spoilers here but there is a fractured feeling in the character development. I wanted more of each and we didn’t have the page count for it. I will say SPOILERS, I do not like the kiss and I’m still scratching my head if male comic book writers can’t write a male and female hero not being able to develop platonic feelings and it must development into a romance...sigh. The reveal of the mystery man was kinda janky and out of nowhere leaving readers stratching heads more than dropping jaws.

In the end I enjoyed this Trinity a lot and the new change in status quo makes me sad as I felt there was more story to tell, but at the same time let’s see where this book goes. It has been a surprise so far that’s for sure (Lobdell writing a good and not disgusting book).

Onward to the next book!

*read individual issues*

[zoe ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I’ve never seen you hit the Joker that hard, and you hate him.”

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was all fun and games until rhato issue 25. Jason best love interest is Artemis, and I wish we got more of this trio.
Anyway bruce’s response to jason killing the Joker in three jokers was better.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]

All good things come to an end, and so do all bad things. As Bizarro’s super-intelligence begins to wane, his ability to monitor crimes and control his own technology declines along with it, putting all of Gotham City at risk. Meanwhile, Jason discovers a horrific truth surrounding the death of his father, and his retribution will be swift and bloody. But when the former Robin’s actions attract the attention of the Batman, it’s the end of an era for Red Hood & The Outlaws, whether they like it or not.

Red Hood and friends have been riding high for a while, what with Bizarro’s increased intelligence and the actual camaraderie between the three characters. Of course, nothing lasts forever, and just when everything seems to be bordering on happy for the trio, it all falls apart, which is often the most depressing and most fun part of the story – that’s certainly true for this volume of Red Hood.
Something like Bizarro’s temporary intelligence boost could have been handled really poorly, but Scott Lobdell manages to make his reversion back to his original self heartfelt and emotional, not just for Bizarro himself but for Artemis and Jason as well. It really shows how tight knit these characters are, something that the previous incarnations of the Outlaws sometimes lacked – for all that they’re a team, they’re also actually beginning to like each other.

The catalyst for the final confrontations in this volume has been percolating in the background of the series for a while, and seeing how it affects Jason is pretty good storytelling as well. While his vengeance is up for debate as to its effectiveness, it’s definitely the next stepping stone in the long form story that Lobdell is telling, and it propels both Jason and his friends into new directions that I’m intrigued to see play out. We’ve seen Jason thrown out of the Bat Family before, but coming hot on the heels of Batwoman’s fall from grace over in Detective Comics, I feel like this time might actually stick, at least for the foreseeable future.

Dexter Soy tackles the artwork for most of these issues as he has before – with sleek lines and vivid colours from Veronica Gandini. Marcio Takara fills in on issue 19, while Trevor Hairsine also takes an issue midway through the arc and some of the pages from the bumper-sized issue 25. They’re decent fits, but there really isn’t anyone quite like Soy in DC’s stable, so it’s always going to be a struggle to find appropriate fill-in artists. I do like how Soy has progressed from his painterly style in his early Captain Marvel work to these more streamlined pencils without losing his sense of individuality as an artist.

Red Hood & The Outlaws continues to impress, to the point that I’m not even surprised any more. Scott Lobdell knows these characters and what he wants to put them through, and manages to execute it fantastically well. The fall from grace that both Bizarro and Red Hood experience in these issues is both exciting and disheartening to behold, but it makes for some damn good comics.

[SzaraReadsComics · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lobdell is becoming my personal arch enemy when it comes to comics. Jason Todd is one of my favourite DC characters and reading this series just to be caught up with what's happening with him is an actual chore. I hate how Lobdell keeps alienating Jason from batfam just to give him new team-turned-friends just to take them away from him again. And I totally hate retconning Jason's past in the way Lobdell did it, just leave his parents alone already, his mother's story was convoluted already when Jason was first introduced to comics. Please let him finally grow as a person in his team book instead of digging up his past. Please just give Jason to someone who will appreciate him and acknowledge Jason's developing relationship with batfam that happens in other titles and events. At least Soy's art is still awesome.

[Louis Skye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Colour me stunned, this was insanely good. Are we sure Lobdell even wrote this? The plotting, the action, the characterisation, they’re all insanely good. That last issue was phenomenal.

Art was fantastic throughout, even when the artists changed.

I am floored, honestly. Looking forward to reading what happens next.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 🌟

The Outlaws must deal with the consequences of Bizarro's deteriorating mind. Jason finds out his father was a fall guy for Penguin. Artemis and Bizarro disappear. Bruce confronts Jason and kicks him out of Gotham.

[tyrosine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wanna take a moment to unravel the incongruities of Batman’s no kill rule. I get the philosophy, he maintains this red line in order to prevent himself from becoming the villains he works so hard to fight back. But how do you continue this routine of catch and release, knowing that these villains—who do kill—will be able to manipulate the corruption of Gotham’s legal system and get right back to the streets to continue hurting others? At which point, do you have to consider a more permanent solution?

Jason Todd is not without flaws. THE GUY LITERALLY DIED, ofc he has debilitating issues. And that’s where I have always been baffled: Jason, serving as the second Robin, was like a son to Batman. He grew up in poverty, distanced from both his parents, and left to pawn car parts (which is infamously how Batman found him trying to tamper with the Batmobile). Though the popular misconception is that he was an angsty, troubled teen, the canon Jason Todd pre-death was bubbly and incredibly excited about being a superhero. This changed when he was revived.

I’ve always been struck by the depth of his betrayal, not that he was killed by Joker, but that Batman didn’t weigh the gravity of his murder as a line crossed. It was an agonizing blow, learning that his foster father’s justice would not serve him. Genuinely, Jason Todd turned Red Hood was the most justifiable crash out in DC comics, because WHAT KIND OF BLUE LIBERAL NORMALIZING BS WOULD MAKE YOU THINK JOKER SHOULD STILL BE ALLOWED TO LIVE AFTER THAT?

It wasn’t just Jason by the way. Joker beat him with a crowbar and then set off a bomb. But he also paralyzed Barbara Gordon from the waist down and fucked up Harleen Quinzel to the point of insanity. Strictly from a society wellness perspective, Joker enacts incredible, unrepentant harm—with clear intent to continue wreaking havoc on the lives of everyday people. I ask again, at what point does Batman recognize that his so called morals are only prolonging the problem?

Art reflects life so I’m going to make a parallel with Batman’s philosophy and how the 2025 Democrats are functioning. I’ve been seeing multiple “NUH UH MISTER”-esque tweets where congressional figures keep trying to dunk on the Tr*mp administration. They’ll hold up signs, color coordinate outfits, really do a bunch of symbolic shit that holds no legislative weight. The they’ll turn around and vote in favor of his increasingly problematic cabinet picks. The Dems are so fixated on assuring their constituents that they are The Good Guys, proudly adhering to The Right Way and The Process, while their opponents are ushering in policies that will screw over vulnerable communities (those who are marginalized, low income, etc.).

When Batman says he’s a good guy though, that doesn’t stop crime in Gotham. Being a “good guy” just means you have different parameters in how you enact change, it doesn’t automatically fix the issues. So when he adheres to his moral code or not killing villains, it’s not going to stop some poor Gothamite from being poison gassed. If anything, his insistence on Being Good is a label that only suits Batman, offers no meaningful material change for the rest of the city he claims to protect. I feeeeeeel like you also have to factor in a wealth nuance to all this because of course a billionaire wouldn’t understand what everyday survival is like for the average person. In his conception of evil, murder is something between two active figures. He doesn’t apply the same label of murder to something like insurance claim denial, housing eviction, etc (which are all state sanctioned methods of killing, only prolonged in when they take life).

I don’t have all the answers here, but I do think Jason Todd as a character challenges a broken criminal justice system and Batman’s inability to see it. Their fight sequence is so painful because at one point, Jason laughs after getting socked in the face, commenting that Batman has never rallied the same level of energy and strength towards the Joker.

It’s heartbreaking for Jason, having to contend with this consistent disappointment in his father figure. As Red Hood, he has can be honest in the fact he isn’t a hero. Batman however, may never accept this same truth for himself.

[Gabriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

These thoughts are for the entire series, rather than this specific trade, but I'd rate this trade a solid 9.

For the entire run, I'd say 8.5/10

Man, I can't believe I fell in love with this run. The biggest compliment this run deserves is that it actually makes you care for 3 characters you wouldn't think about. Jason, Artemis, and Bizarro are such an amazing pairing and I so desperately wish we had more time with them. It's such a shame that DC has no idea what to do with this gang post this run. And it's a shame that past this trinity era, the run apparently does not hold up the same. Dexter Soy killed the art when he was there and it would be a beauty to own an omnibus of this one day. Scott Lobdell had a tight enough script with some decent humor in there from time to time. The overall narrative was great to follow, some moments left you wondering what exactly happened, but otherwise this was fairly tight. The first trade explores who these people are and how they come to gather together. Jason has to follow strict orders from Batman the entire run and it makes for some very interesting moments throughout. Vol 2 has more Bizzaro in it and I absolutely loved the exploration of each of their backgrounds. There was also a little side plot exploring some of the trauma Jason still deals with from dying from the Joker and it was fantastic. Vol 3 has a huge change that happens to Bizarro and while I was feeling iffy about it at first, the pay off felt great and I love the theme it explores. Jason and Artemis' chemistry is off the charts by this point. And then Vol 4, just does so much for these characters that it's hard to explain without wanting to spoil it. But, all I can say is that it sealed the deal for me loving this run. Unfortunately, vol 4 does have some questions left to be answered, but that's okay. I'm fine ending this run here and skipping some meh work from Lobdell.
Highly recommend this dark trinity era.

[Eszti · Rating 4 out of 5]

i actually loved this arc, and the Jason Lobdell put out there. it’s the Bruce i have serious problems with.
the art though!! still amazing, gonna miss Dexter Soy in the next arc.

“look, batman!!! such a wonderful father!!” said no-one literally never.

[Arthi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Honestly all RHATO rebirth titles have been amazing, and the stories are accompanied by beautiful artwork by Dexter Soy. Issue 25 was the pinnacle of great character and plot propulsion. Lobdell, Soy and Gandini are the DC Comics Dark Trinity as far as I'm concerned because together they are killing it.

[Renae Rohde · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so there were things that I absolutely *loved* but then there were definitely a few plot things near the end that had me going…are you for real? lol. I liked the stuff with penguin and with the letters, but the weird double reveal (triple reveal?) at the end was just a little bit much for me, especially because they only started really leading into it the last few issues instead of all that feeling like an overarching story that had been building the whole time. So this gets 4 stars instead of 5 from me, but I still loved most of this volume!

[Robert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somebody finally read Flowers for Algernon and stole the plot. Or more likely watched Always Sunny and stole the Flowers for Charlie plot. In either case, good (stolen) source material makes for the best volume in the run.

[Don · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters are so great in this volume and the story so engaging. I loved the Bizarro internal comic book that he had going with the team, I just love that big lug! And the wow reveal at the very end will knock your socks off. This was awesome start to finish.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is awesome. I can't wait for the next volume!

[Jordan Phan · Rating 3 out of 5]

its aight

[Hope · Rating 1 out of 5]

This series turned into a train wreck. When I read the first volume, I liked it. But that was before I had read the classic Jason stories like A Death in the Family, Batman: Under the Red Hood, and alternate universe Batman: Arkham Knight. I realize now that Jason used to be a much more complex character, and this series actually just kind of shit on it. He's reduced to an emo teenager with daddy issues (yes, teenager. Jason is 21 in the current continuity so he was 19 when rebirth first started. Which is physically impossible given all of the story that is still canon, but I won't get into it.) And don't even get me started on how sexist this series is, with Artemis' costume and having these weird out of place panels where she's just randomly applying lip stick in the mirror so we won't forget that she can be feminine. And in the first volume when Jason was all like, "waaah I don't fight women." Which is a huge insult to his character who has historically been a feminist; and she's so obviously more powerful than he is, he wouldn't be dumb enough to stand there and say shit like that. And I hate that they kissed right at the end of this volume like honestly that romance just felt so forced and just dumb, like he has to be in a relationship with every female superhero he teams up with.
I only skimmed this volume because it was so bad and just all over the place. The biggest problem I have with it though was the huge fight he had with Batman. Explain me this one: in Under the Red Hood Jason literally decapitates people, tries to blow someone up with a rocket launcher, and shoves someone's phone down their own throat, and Bruce is still willing to give him another chance. In this book, he shoots the Penguin (doesn't even, it turns out, kill him) just shoots him, which isn't even out of the ordinary and suddenly Bruce decides that Red Hood is cancelled? WTF?
And I just don't believe that there's any justification for literally beating the shit out of your own son. I mean literally in a later issue Jason says he couldn't get out of bed for a month. Also side note, Bruce bans him from Gotham which is also ridiculous.
And then in a later issue after this, Jason and Bruce hug and make up like nothing happened?! Scott Lobdell is a terrible writer and a crime to comics and humanity alike. Honestly eveyrything DC has done with Jason's character after UtRH and B:AK has been trash.

[Guilherme Smee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Vamos dizer que esse quadrinho teria tudo para não me agradar. Tem o Scott Lobdell versão DC Comics que arrasou com os Novos Titãs e tem um trio de heróis com uma proposta cruel e raivosa. Mas sabe que desde que comecei a ler essa série (a partir da Iniciativa do Renascimento DC, não dos Novos 52, deuzaulivre) eu acabei me agrando mais com ela do que com diversas outras séries mensais do Renascimento? Talvez você possa encarar ela como um "guilty pleasure", de uma coisa que parece tão ruim que é bom. Ou ainda, pode ser a estranheza desse "odd trio" formado por Capuz Vermelho, Bizarro e Ártemis, uma versão distorcida da Trindade da DC Comics que provoque isso. Neste volume vemos essa trindade se encerrar de uma forma trágica e Jason Todd dar uma guinada na sua vida ao descobrir o passado do seu pai. E eu que achava que não ia curtir essa nova fase solo do Capuz Vermelho, agora estou bem interessado em saber como serão as coisas e como Jason vai fazer para ascender a "príncipe de Gotham". Claro, também quero saber que destino Bizarro e Ártemis tiveram depois dos acontecimentos deste encadernado. Bem interessante, quem diria! Hahaha!

[Maxine · Rating 1 out of 5]

I originally rated this one 3 stars because I think it's a pretty weak set out of this series, in my opinion.

The characters all just start doing things without talking to each other, even though they've been communicating pretty well up to this point, and they take action with no preamble. There are mystery characters hovering in the background, and I feel like they've stayed mysterious too long -- I'm no longer interested in them.

Overall, these issues each felt very rushed and forced to me, as though the team working on them were told to take the story and characters from Point A to Point J in a short deadline.

However, I thought about it some more, and the longer I thought about it the more unhappy with this set I was. I had to give it 1 star because, in addition to the above complaints, I'm also sick of seeing Jason portrayed as the guy who just jumps to conclusions and shoots people in broad daylight, and I'm just tired of seeing Bruce portrayed as the guy who jumps to conclusions, overreacts, and beats up his son.

But hey, Jason finally gets a kiss from the woman he's been simping for the entire series, so that's nice I guess??

[Batgirl_ALT_21 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a page-turning thriller with the best ending to Red Hood & The Outlaws Rebirth ever!!

The plot is phenomenal with callbacks to past conflicts resolved as well as sweet wholesome moments riddled throughout with a larger-than-life epic ending 😊👍❤️!!

We begin with Jason & Artemis going on a date in Gotham City which is just a ruse to discuss their beloved friend Bizarro and his immense brainpower gifted via Lex Luthor. They agree to not make a big fuss about it but keep tabs on the intelligent clone Kryptonian to learn more about the secret that he's been hiding from the group.

It's then back to business as usual when Bizarro goes out to meet a mysterious man at a bar and ends up becoming incoherent leading Artemis & Red Hood to end their date to help their friend home.

In the next scene, we see Red Hood going after an international mutation genetics dealer indebted to the Penguin while Artemis & Bizzaro 'catch up'. Artemis remains skeptical of Bizarro throughout the entire conversation until Red Hood appears and it's back to being old friends as usual.

The three go their separate ways to attend to their own business as dawn breaks over Gotham. Bizarro visits a villain conversion in a trench coat with devious plans in place but at the last moment decides to spare the lives of the unemployed henchmen with Red Hood there as his witness. Meanwhile, Artemis returns to the outlaws' floating base above the cityscape to do some investigating of her own. She discovers a slit in the floor that leads to a pool of synthetic Kryptonite when Bizarro enters the scene and explains how his addition is linked to his need to support his immense genius intellect. Artemis conveniences Bizarro that he does not need to be dependent on this substance and that he is capable of overcoming his addiction. Bizarro proceeds by overthrowing his stash of liquid Kryptonite but remained dependent on inhalation for a while longer in secret.

Meanwhile Red Hood has some business to pursue of his own by laundering the money stolen from the Penguin through the Iceberg casino until he is met with an angered Cobblepot in the Penthouse suit. Red Hood then offers Cobblepot a deal to work under him for his crime organization or else he will run his business out of town. Penguin counters by threatening to kill Red Hood who makes a daring escape out the window.

Fast forward, we find Jason at a diner in Gotham having a late-night meal with Alfred when an old friend's relative shows up. The mysterious figure is the granddaughter of Ma Gunns who explains that she is to deliver an important envelope entrusted to Jason. Focus is then pulled towards Artemis as she attends to some unresolved business with Lex Luthor about Bizarro. We learn through a series of flashbacks that Artemis was once an easily hired gun that slaughtered a ring of scientists and prisoners for using Lex Luthor's proprietary tech illegally (including Jason Todd's father). When she inquires as to why Lex Luthor agreed to save the life of Bizarro he answers that this was all an experiment and means to spy on the outlaws. Artemis doesn't believe Luthor's lies and departs owning the man nothing. We then end the scene with Bizarro feeling lost in Gotham and lying in an open field when his message is received by Jason and the 2 rest under the stars before returning home.

The final arc is where our story takes a major turn. Jason reads through the 6 letters that were previously delivered to Ma Gunn that she had kept locked away. The letters reveal the life, joys, and tragedies endured by Willis Todd. We learn how he was a drug dealer and sold to the woman who later became Jason's mother. We learn how her addiction ultimately led to her son Jason Todd and his surfing illnesses in infancy all while Willis struggled to maintain a job to support his family which ultimately led him to pursue 'henching' for Gotham's famed villains. The last job was a set up by Penguin which landed Willis in jail with a 20- life sentence. The letter ends with Willis wishing his son to never end up as he did and displaying that his love and sacrifices were always meant to give Jason a better chance in life despite the failures that came of them.

Jason Todd now furious goes to visit his father's grave when discovers that it's empty... all hell is about to break loose. The opening of the Gotham waterfront strip is about to commence with honors given to Oswald Cobblepot for his immense contributions when Red Hood emerges from the midst. The G.C.P.D. views Red Hood as a threat as he seizes Cobblepot and reads him the riot act for how his criminal empire has ruined the lives of many men and their families. An un-resentful Cobblepot laughs at the thought of Red Hood doing any physical harm to him the gun is raised and the bullet is cast leading to the death of the Penguin.

Red Hood is now a wanted man as he tries to escape the crowds meanwhile the outlaws' base is about to crash and kill over 12,000 civilians due to Bizarro's faulty wiring attached to this intellect. Artemis, Bizzaro, and Red Hood lunge into action to save the civilians below when the Quantum doorway becomes their only option Bizarro diverts the wreckage and Artemis kisses Jason goodbye as the 2 are swept away into time & space. Red Hood falls now heartbroken by the loss of his friends when Batman appears and a brief fight ensues before a missed of smoke overtakes the rooftop and Arsenal is revealed as he holds up his friend as the 2 elude Batman's grasp.

Overall this was an amazingly written and structured story that leaves of an intense ending that will surely influence the future of DC and the outlaws alike. Masterfully written and beautiful vivid illustrations tell a perfect 3 part arc as well as dive into the motives of our 3 respective anti-heroes. What a glorious epic ending 😉👍❤️🦇!!

[Adam Fisher · Rating 4 out of 5]

To best talk about the events of this graphic novel, it's much easier to break it down by character...
- Artemis has her doubts about the stability of Bizarro's and his plans. After confronting him about his kryptonite addiction, going as far to help him destroy his remaining supplies, she heads off to Lex Luthor, attempting to make an appeal for healing. When that doesn't work, her friendship is the bond that guides her to make the ultimate sacrifice... (but more on that later)
- Bizarro is deteriorating. The boost of his mental capacities only lasted so long and while he was able to stave it off by using kryptonite, his friends have helped him kick that habit. Now, he struggles with keeping his identity. After stopping his own attempt to assassinate a meeting of henchmen, his advanced intelligence gets the whole team in trouble. A fail-safe activates at their hovering base, causing its decline, while also keeping the team locked out. His mind is too far gone to remember how to shut it down, so, together with Artemis, Bizarro uses the "warp door" to pull the exploding base in on itself. Creating a kind of "black hole" effect, the base is destroyed, saving the people of Gotham, but also killing off Bizarro and Artemis.
- Red Hood goes through the most here. Meeting with the granddaughter of the woman who raised him, Jason gets a set of letters that were held from him growing up. These are from his father, Willis Todd, who spent the majority of Jason's life in prison. We are treated to the reenactment of these events, and see that his dad is actually a decent guy, just getting caught up in the life of crime. Jason finds out that Willis is in jail because he took the fall for Penguin. Launching his assault on Penguin during a public rally, Red Hood shoots Oswald between the eyes, killing him (is the Penguin really dead?). Of course, this draws the attention of Batman, and the two of them battle, with Arsenal coming to Jason's rescue. His team dead, Batman against him, and being badly beaten, how much longer can the Red Hood last?
Really curious to see what happens next...
Recommend.

[Ben Truong · Rating 4 out of 5]

This trade paperback picks up where the previous volume left off, collecting the next seven issues (19–25) of the 2016 on-going series.

Jason Todd as Red Hood and his Outlaws, Artemis of Bana-Mighdall and Bizarro returns to Gotham City. As Jason Todd as Red Hood continues his mission to clean up the underground of Gotham City from within, he discovered that his father, Willis Todd, had once worked with The Penguin. Furthermore, he discovered from Ma Gunn that his father might still be alive – it all ends with Jason Todd as Red Hood breaking his word to Batman and having him banished from Gotham City.

Scott Lobdell penned the entire trade paperback and for the most part, I rather enjoyed the narrative – surprisingly. It is rather interesting to have Red Hood go solo – as Batman banishes him from Gotham City for seemingly killing the Penguin and Artemis and Bizarro is seemingly lost in another dimension. It would be interesting how the narrative would continue from this incident.

Dexter Soy (Red Hood and the Outlaws #20–22, 24–25), Alisson Borges (Red Hood and the Outlaws #22, 24), Trevor Hairsine (Red Hood and the Outlaws #23, 25), Marcio Takara (Red Hood and the Outlaws #19), Ryan Winn, Phil Hester, and Ande Parks (Red Hood and the Outlaws #25) are the pencilers for the trade paperback. For the most part, their penciling style complements each other rather well, yet remains distinctive, which makes the flow of the trade paperback somewhat smooth – artistically speaking.

Dexter Soy seems to outshine every penciler in the trade paperback and has become the definitive and defacto penciler for Jason Todd as Red Hood. If I had my way, Dexter Soy would pencil Jason Todd as Red Hood for an eternity or as long as the penciler would like, because he seems to really draw a beautiful Jason Todd and Red Hood.

All in all, Red Hood and the Outlaws: Good Night Gotham is a wonderful continuation to the series and I cannot wait until the next trade paperback comes out.

[Monita Roy Mohan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It’s never a good sign when the first panel of a comic book irritates me, and yet here we are. We get a full page of Artemis in a little black dress and Jason speechless because apparently a woman is only attractive if she’s demure and in something skimpy. The whole premise of the first issue - the two hot Outlaws going on a date, is frustrating. Artemis can barely tolerate Jason, and by the end she’s smooching the guy? This is just wishful thinking on the creative team’s part. Can’t have a woman on the team unless she’s desired and hooking up with someone.

I liked how Bizarro’s struggle played out, because it was one of the more empathetic parts of the volume, plus, Jason is written with a lot of heart.

The volume was far more interesting in the latter part of the book. Combining the two Outlaws groups gave us a tiny glimpse of Roy and Jason. I love that. Jason revisiting his childhood was new, though I’m not sure what to make of the Ma Gunn storyline. Does everything have to be connected? Can’t some doors just stay shut!

I think Batman is wayyyy too harsh on Jason, though I understand his anger. Also, Bruce will probably never forgive Jason for almost killing Dick, so I guess him taking his rage out on Jason makes sense. I wonder if there’s any way for them to mend their relationship.

We know Roy has Jason now, but their HQ is gone, as is half the team. What is Red Hood going to do?

[M · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scott Lobdell and Dexter Soy push the Outlaws into a new era with their fourth volume of their series. As Red Hood and Artemis try out date night, it seems that the team is starting to fracture beneath the weight of their secrets. Bizarro is addicted to the synthetic kryptonite keeping him intelligent, Artemis is hiding her past involvement with Lex Luthor, and Red Hood is gunning for the man who let his father die in prison - the Penguin. When everything hits the fan, not even the team itself will remain unscathed. Lobdell rushes his plot, accelerating the Bizarro and Penguin stories at a lightning pace. Though the end results are a nice way to reinvent the series, the book does leave quite a few dangling threads to be sewn up at a later date. The art from Soy is always amazing, with a dark and gritty undergone enhancing the detailed linework. Ironically, the fantasy shots of a full Outlaws team that blends the cast from both volumes are the most engaging aspects, hinting at what could be in store for the future. Red Hood and the Outlaws: Good Night Gotham turns out the light on this arc, offering a new horizon of opportunities just beyond the city limits.

[Alek Hill · Rating 3 out of 5]

Scott Lobdell isn't the greatest writer, and if you're a DC fan you probably already know that. But there's just something alluring about Redhood that makes me give Lobdell the benefit of the doubt. The first three volumes of this run made me think that Lobdell had some kind of bigger picture. I mean Smart Bizarro seemed like he had some kind of sinister, if not misguided, evil plan at work. But then you get to this volume and it's like Lobdell scrapped that idea. *SPOILERS*

I mean really! Bizarro's big secret he was keeping was that he was addicted to liquid kryptonite so he could stay a super genius!? That's what all the ominous build up was for!? I mean maybe if the kryptonite smart juice came with a negative side effect like shortening his life span or making him psychotic; I'd have bought it, but it didn't. It was a really disappointing plot moment that demonstrated how Lobdell writes. You either get a lot of build up for a trivial reveal or a big reveal with not enough build up. Which brings me to the next point. We get a big Jason Todd back story that I honestly enjoyed. The only problem was that it was so rushed it was still dissatisfying.

[Kole · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not sure how I feel about this ending.

The good: The Bizarro story is great and it again is the best part of the series.

The bad: Everything falling apart near the end, the kiss, the confusing reveal at the end.

The art in this one is fine as usual, on par with the rest of the series. The story however has a rushed ending that leaves a lot of plot threads going. I imagine that's cause there is more after this series but the team is what made this one good so why split them up?

The kiss and romance is unnecessary, kind of silly how both male characters seem to have fallen for Artemis in this one, is there no platonic friendship anymore? I'm honestly still confused as to what happened to the old lady and why the reveal of the weird three faced guy as her grandson matters at all.

In the end, if you read the rest, you might as well read this one but it was a disappointment for me, minus the Bizarro issues near the beginning. This is a shame cause I thought this series started with such a good start.

Story: 3/5
Art: 3.5/5

Overall: 3/5