Red Hood and the Outlaws #2

Red Hood and the Outlaws #2While still keeping the focus on Red Hood, Red Hood and the Outlaws #2 introduces us to one of the characters who will eventually make up a third of the new team. While attempting to acquire a weapon for Black Mask, Jason Todd runs into an unexpected complication in the form of the Amazon Artemis who is also searching for a powerful weapon on the derailed train. While it takes the a little while to consider they may be after different prizes, the pair fight and then form a tentative truce as the series reveals just what Black Mask is after – the eventual third member of the team.

Opening with flashbacks to Artemis’ past, the comic does a solid job introducing her for those unfamiliar with the character. I’ll be curious to see whether her quest for the weapon of the gods continues, or if her new allegiances provide other battles to be won. The pairing of Artemis and Red Hood, two mid-level characters with envy of those who do exactly what they do, only better, works well. As for the third member of the team, it looks like DC has decided to go with the imperfect clone origin of Bizarro rather than a hero from a parallel dimension. But we’ll have to wait at least a month before finding out any more details, or what Black Mask wants with him. Worth a look.

[DC, $2.99]