Batman: Second Chances

Jason Todd. 

The second sidekick of the Dark Knight. One of the most controversial characters in comic book history. He's like the celery of DC Comics as you either love him or hate him... and most despise him!

I decided to give Jason Todd another look with the purchase of this collection of stories from the late 80s. Featuring writing by Max Allan Collins, Jim Starlin and Jo Duffy, Batman: Second Chances covers the retooled origin of the character that was sorely missing from his 1983 debut. And this is where I think a lot of readers hated Jason Todd. 

See, Jason just kinda got thrust on readers as being the new Robin in Batman #368 after having basically appeared in a couple of cameos nearly a year prior. Jason Todd was replacing Dick Grayson, whose role on the 1960s Batman TV series made the young ward a household name. Never mind the fact that Dick Grayson had moved on from being Batman's partner years before. Here's a kid replacing a legend. A youth who is a little cocky, a bit brash, and kinda rude taking over the role of America's favorite teen sidekick without so much as a thank you and it ticked fans off. 

I think DC Comics kinda realized that fans were unhappy with Jason Todd. So after Frank Miller's Batman: Year One storyline retooled the origins of Bruce Wayne for a more modern audience, Max Allan Collins sets his sights on giving Jason Todd a formal introduction into the Batman Family while giving readers the must desired reason for the fallout between the Caped Crusader and Dick Grayson. 

Though the title was never officialled renamed, editors rebranded the Caped Crusader's solo title as Batman: The New Adventures. Here we learn that during one of Batman's annual visits to Crime Alley, the area of Gotham in which Thomas and Martha Wayne were murdered, someone had the brass balls to steal the tires off of the Batmobile. The thief is none other than the orphan street rat, Jason Todd. 

Not even old enough to drive and this kid steals from the Batman! This kind of bravado impresses Batman. Working out a deal, Batman gets Jason set up with a halfway house. However, the program ends up being a front for organized crime a la Fagin and his pickpockets in Oliver Twist. Only much more violent. When that placement falls through, Bruce Wayne takes in Jason Todd and a new Boy Wonder is shortly christened. 

Despite a new origin and a blessing from Dick Grayson to Jason as being his heir appearant, time was short for the new Robin. By mid-1988, Jason's fate was left up to readers to call a 1-900 number to decide if the Joker would kill the new Boy Wonder in an explosion or merely mangle him a little. More readers called in to kill Jason Todd, beating out those who wanted to save him by less than 100 votes. I remember my house voted. But I don't remember if my dad was one of Jason's executioners or saviors. I know I wanted Robin to die. But my father often would do the opposite of what I wanted in his own Joker-like sadistic way...

Did Jason Todd really deserve all that hatred? Based on the stories in this book: no. Max Allan Collins and Jim Starlin do a decent job making him an agreeable sort of fellow. I'm guessing it's the Jason Todd from 1983-86 that got on reader's nerves and sent the lad into an early grave.

And sure- Jason Todd is back alive. It wouldn't be comic books if the characters didn't return from the beyond once and a while. This Jason who goes around as the ultra-violent Red Hood, is a fan favorite among many. Readers love how as the Red Hood, Jason Todd will cross lines that the rest of the Batman Family refuse to even toe. But me, I am a purist. I prefer Jason as a carefree kid, trying to make the best of a new life, even though on the other side of the comic book page, unknown readers were making plans to kill him. 

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 9 out of 10 stars.

Batman: Overdrive (Family Comic Friday)

Batman has almost always had his Batmobile. Now you can learn the origins of the world’s most iconic superhero sportster in the pages of the new graphic novel Batman: Overdrive!

Batman: Overdrive
Written by Shea Fontana
Illustrated by Marcelo DiChiara
Published by DC Comics
Pages: 136
Retail: $9.99

If you are familiar with Batman, then his origin story should be old hat. As a youngster, Bruce Wayne watches as a robbery gone wrong takes the lives of his parents. Now an orphan, Bruce channels his rage into one day finding the killer. Through intense physical and mental training, Bruce becomes The Batman, the world’s greatest detective. 

But how did Batman get his Batmobile?

That question is answered in this all-new graphic novel by Shea Fontana (DC Superhero Girls) and Marcelo DiChiara (Smallville). Batman: Overdrive is framed similarly to the Fox TV series, Gotham. Both have a teenaged Bruce Wayne becoming acquainted with many of the characters years before he would when he becomes Batman. Yet like Gotham, as much as such a plot makes my brain itch. Shea Fontana makes it work. 

We don’t see Bruce Wayne being directly involved in the origins of villains such as Two-Face, Mister Freeze or The Joker. Instead, Bruce engages in characters that for the most part could be in Gotham City pre-Batman. Of course, there’s Selina Kyle as an orphaned cat burglar roaming the streets of Gotham City. Pamela Isley and Harleen Quinzel are here too. The only character I objected to was in the inclusion of a teen version of Lady Shiva. I think it would have made more sense having that character be Katana instead.

Overdrive introduces fans to an all-new character in Mateo Diaz. An expert mechanic, it’s him that inspires Bruce to soup up his Batmobile into a fearsome automobile fortress. Whereas Lucius Fox is the real character who did this in the comics, Fox is also too old for a 15-year old Bruce to be going out in the middle of the night to fight crime with. Plus, Mateo was a very well written character that I would like to see pop up in the pages of the adult Batman books. 

The main focus of this book is the relationship between Bruce and Alfred. It’s uneasy as Bruce doubts his butler’s sincerity as a caregiver. A real mystery is uncovered when Bruce discovers evidence that Alfred used to work for crime boss Carmine Falcone at one point! Could Batman’s faithful butler actually be behind the death of Thomas and Martha Wayne?

If you love cars, you will love this book. There’s dozens of great automobiles and several Bullit-level car chases in this graphic novel. In fact, I think I like Marcelo DiChiara’s illustrations of the machinery way more than I did of the characters. They looked a little too generic for me. But those cars! Even the Mateo’s hunk o’ junk VW Beetle looks pretty sweet. 

Batman: Overdrive gives small little nods to the rich 80-year plus history of the Dark Knight. But there’s several Easter egg nods to the 1966 Batman TV show that I enjoyed the most. This graphic novel doesn’t seek to rewrite the history of Batman. But it does modify it just as Bruce and Mateo do with the ‘66 Crusader that is destined to become The Caped Crusader’s most trusted ally!

An entertaining book that builds on decades of comic book lore while not being stale. This is a graphic novel that Batman fans of all generations will love!

Batman: Overdrive debuted in print and digital formats on March 3, 2020.

Worth Consuming!

Rating: 8 out of 10 stars.