Summary
- Red Hood himself pokes fun at his past ”
Pill-Head
” costume, acknowledging its lackluster design in the 2009-2011
Batman and Robin
run. - Jason’s criticism of his old costume adds humor, as fans also disliked the costume Morrison and Quitely created for him.
- Judd Winick discards the pill-shaped helmet in
Batman and Robin
#23, bringing back Red Hood’s iconic face-shaped helmet.
Red Hood himself takes a jab at his infamous and most-mocked costume design, often referred to by fans as the “Pill-Head” suit. Beyond the comedic aspect of this self-aware moment, his remark also hints at a full-circle moment in Red Hood’s costume evolution—a detail that dedicated Red Hood trivia enthusiasts are sure to pick up on.
In Batman and Robin #23 by Judd Winick and Guillem March, Jason experiences a moment of self-awareness regarding his past fashion choices as Red Hood. He openly acknowledges the lackluster design of his previous costume, admitting that it was “goofy” looking in appearance.
This particular issue belongs to the 2009-2011 Batman and Robin comic series that Grant Morrison and Frank Quitely kicked off. Therefore, the suit Jason refers to is the one featured during their run, characterized by a firetruck red pill-shaped helmet, a tight white and black spandex suit with a red cartoon skull, and a dramatic black cape.
Judd Winick’s Jason Todd Calls Morrison and Quitely’s Red Hood Costume “Goofy”
In Batman and Robin #23, Jason finds himself confined to Arkham Asylum following his crime spree in Gotham, which occurred while Dick Grayson and Damian Wayne were serving as Batman and Robin. Returning from his time lost, Bruce visits Jason in his Batman guise. It’s during this encounter that Jason argues against his placement in Arkham, asserting that he isn’t insane but rather just a criminal-murderer who would be better placed in a correctional facility. While he admits to donning a “goofy costume” during his spree of justice-inspired killings, he reiterates that poor fashion choices shouldn’t warrant incarceration in Arkham.
Jason’s critique of Morrison and Quitely’s Red Hood costume carries an added layer of humor due to the widespread disdain it received from fans upon its debut, which persists among the Jason Todd fandom even over a decade later. The “Pill-Head” costume is undeniably an eyesore. However, it’s important to acknowledge that Morrison and Quitely had a deliberate rationale behind this design choice. As discussed in Batman Redrawn, Morrison explains that the costume served as more than just a nod to the Joker; it was a satirical homage to Batman from Jason’s perspective.
Red Hood’s Forgotten Catchphrase Was So Corny Even Nightwing Hated It
Nightwing has said his fair share of corny things, but Red Hood’s catchphrase was so bad that even Dick Grayson couldn’t excuse its corniness.
Goodbye, Pill-Head: Red Hood’s Costume Design Comes Full-Circle
What adds an extra layer of amusement to Red Hood’s remark about the silliness of his former costume is that this critique from Jason is penned by Judd Winick, the writer who introduced Jason’s original and highly acclaimed Red Hood debut costume in Batman: Under the Hood. Beyond the “goofy” critique, Batman and Robin #23 also marks a full-circle moment for Red Hood’s costume design, as Winick opts to discard the pill-shaped helmet from the comic run and reintroduce his iconic red, face-shaped helmet from Batman: Under the Hood.
Grant Morrison’s Rejected Robin Concept Art Was Damian Wayne’s Best Costume
Grant Morrison and Frank Quietly’s rejected Robin design for Damian Wayne was one of the Boy Wonder’s best costumes and deserves to be seen in comics.
Batman and Robin #23 is available now from DC Comics!
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BATMAN AND ROBIN #23 (2011) |
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This story originally appeared on Screenrant
