I do always find characters that fight mainly with arrows slightly amusing. So did Crux, at least till issue #5 of
RED HOOD AND THE OUTLAWS. I still think this Crux character is absolutely ridiculous. He has altered his body into a monstrous alien looking weapon in order to hunt down monstrous aliens. Is this a case of fight fire with fire, cause if so I think he may have taken it to far.
Jason is still in an all out battle with a member of The Untitled and holding his own well enough. Basically the issue flips back and forth between Roy keeping Kori alive and Jason in battle. Some insight is given to show us more of Jason being trained in the Acres of All. Back then he was still full of rage, and seeking means for revenge against both The Joker for his murder, as well as Batman for not avenging his death. His mentor knows he is destined for much more, and that once he gets beyond the rage, he will be a great warrior. That moment comes at the end of the issue when, almost symbolically, Jason leaves the Red Hood behind erupting out of a pool of water, a new man. Good thing that man has fast legs because as we end issue 5 he desperately needs them.
Roy and Kori finally got some much needed development in this issue, although I just cannot forgive whom they are up against in order for the development to play out. Crux simply looks laughable for what he is supposed to be. I can see this guy going up against Etrigan the Demon before The Outlaws. His dialogue is weak, and for a guy who must have been pretty smart to have the technology and know how to transform himself as he did, he is pretty stupid to fall prey to Roy’s backpack trick. What scares me is that I could actually see Crux becoming a new member of the team.
Final point I need to make involves Jason Todd and his back-story as told in his mini series. I am simply not connecting dots here. I have been trying to go along for the ride, but the timeline just does not fit. When the hell did all these flashbacks happen. Did Lobdell even read the Red Hood mini series? –Tone Purzycki
