We cover the second Robin, JASON TODD, at the request of Patron Ariel! How did he go from being Dick Grayson 2.0 to one of the angriest members of the Bat-family? Doc unveils one of his most inventive treatment methods yet, plus we finally get an answer to the age-old question of how the Joker got away! (No reason why Batman smells, though.) Listen now!
SHOW NOTES:
Intro
Doc wrote a guest column for Adventures in Poor Taste
She-Hulk & Moon Knight shows on Disney+
Shoutout to Drop Anchor
Background (7:18)
Jason Todd created by Gerry Conway & Don Newton in Batman #357 (March 1983)
Jason was the second Robin, after Dick Grayson left to become Nightwing
Originally the son of circus acrobats who were killed by a criminal, he was adopted by Bruce Wayne in the pre-Crisis continuity
Post-Crisis, he was revamped to be an orphan attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile
Batman takes him in as protege to prevent him from becoming a criminal
A Death in the Family – Jason is searching for his biological mother, but she's blackmailed by Joker to draw him out – Joker beats Jason and blows up the warehouse, and Jason dies
This was voted on by fans, as Jason was not a popular character among the fanbase
Years later, revealed that when Superboy-Prime altered reality, it brought Jason back to life, although he suffered amnesia – Talia al Ghul takes him in and used a Lazarus Pit to restore his health, although it affected his mind
Begins to plot his revenge on both Batman and the Joker – Joker for killing him, and Batman for not being able to save him
Becomes Gotham crime lord known as the Red Hood – beats Joker within an inch of his life, but spares him to use against Batman
Confronts Batman and wants to know why he never killed Joker – gives Bruce ultimatum: kill me, or I kill Joker – Bruce disarms Jason, and Joker escapes
Becomes an anti-hero with no qualms about killing villains, and ends up in Arkham, where he kills dozens of inmates before escaping
New 52 – revamped origin again, revealing that Joker was responsible for his parents' deaths – now he heads up the Outlaws, a group of anti-heroes looking for redemption
Rebirth – once again Batman takes him in, but realizes he's too violent – he becomes Red Hood after his resurrection, which places him at odds with Bruce – creates new Outlaws group with Bizarro and Artemis
Issues (16:00)
Revenge oriented – both against Joker and Batman
Troubled youth led to life of crime – also potential BPD and depression – led to suicidal thoughts (34:30)
Insanity as a result of Lazarus Pits (40:14)
Break (45:40)
Plugs for Cult of Domesticity & Popcorn Psychology
Treatment (46:35)
In-universe
Out of universe (50:31)
Skit (62:09)
References:
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