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After much anticipation, Gotham Knights revealed new footage from the game, not seen since the cinematic story trailer. Fans of Gotham Knights received a closer look at the game’s hero roster, and deep dive gameplay into Nightwing and Red Hood.
Jason Todd has come a long way from being the homeless kid that managed to steal tires off of The Batmobile. Through his resurrection, he became Red Hood, the dual-wielding, lethal, angst member of the Batfamily. Being one of the starring characters in Gotham Knights, fans might be wondering what comic books they should read to better understand the character before his appearance in the videogame scheduled for later this year.
Updated September 1, 2022 by Jake Fillery: A fan favorite DC Comics character is set to feature as a prominent and playable character in Gotham Knights. Red Hood has been a staple of Batman comics, and Batman lore for a great number of years. The character is so popular, that Red Hood has his comics, many worthy of a great read. Red Hood comic books will help fans of Gotham Knights, and Batman to truly understand what makes this great character tick.
Some of the best Red Hood comics are definitely worth the read, whether for fans of the character, a good story or because audiences want to know more about the character for his debut in Gotham Knights. Red Hood comics are a blast and usually delve into the fractured psyche of Jason Todd, and his torn relationship with Batman and the other former Robins and Batgirls.
14 Batman: Hush
Jason Todd had been dead for a great number of years until Batman: Hush happened. This comic was the first story that presented the idea that Jason Todd could be resurrected, and the reactions led to DC Comics exploring Jason Todd’s actual resurrection into the Red Hood for future comics to come.
Jason does feature in Batman: Hush, but he is not the central character. The comic is a Batman story, but both Batman and the characters of the Bat-Family, feel the repercussions of Jason Todd’s death, as well as the mystery surrounding the strange bandaged man only known as Hush.
13 Batman: Urban Legends
It’s unusual, yet always rewarding to see Red Hood team up with his former father figure and mentor, Batman. The two have a complicated and rather upsetting history, with Batman still blaming himself for the former Robin’s death. However, Batman: Urban Legends, gives Red Hood the emotional story that he deserves.
The storyline “Cheer” follows Batman and Red Hood as they team up to put a stop to a new drug called Cheerdrops. The story also follows Jason’s spiral of regret and guilt, approaching Red Hood from the lens of emotional life, rather than that of a conflicting morality.
12 Red Hood/Arsenal
If Red Hood fans are looking for another fun read involving the gunslinging character, then Red Hood/Arsenal is right up their alley. The comic follows the New 52 reboot of the DC Universe and is centered around Red Hood and Arsenal. Both characters are famed for being the proteges of Batman and Green Arrow, but now, in a red color scheme, become their men.
Red Hood and Arsenal act as brothers, bickering and bantering throughout, as they face off against the darkest and deepest underbellies of the DC Universe. There are great threats and a lot of bullets and arrows to be slung.
11 Task Force Z
With Task Force X being the famed Suicide Squad, working to reduce their eternal prison sentences, Task Force Z works for something different: a second chance at life through resurrection. The comic is fairly recent and only started in 2021. It follows Gotham City’s worst criminals, including Bane, Man-Bat, the Arkham Knight, and their leader: Red Hood.
The Red Hood’s best comics come from the stories like Task Force Z, where audiences get to delve into what makes Jason Todd a great character. Red Hood takes the stage and interacts with Gotham’s worst scum, as well as its best defenders, all with a rich mystery.
10 Batman: A Death In The Family
An essential read for any fan of Red Hood. Although this graphic novel does not explicitly have Red Hood appear, it is without a doubt his origin story. Fans of the character should read A Death In The Family to understand Jason Todd, his relationship with Batman, and his end as Robin.
The story follows Jason hunting rumors of his mother being alive. Tricked by The Joker, he is beaten to near-death by a crowbar, and then has the building he is in blown up. Jason Todd’s death was something Batman considers his greatest failure, and it’s no thanks to the fans, who voted in for this to happen.
9 Batman: Battle For The Cowl
This is a rather controversial comic due to the way Jason Todd is written. Some fans consider this comic a warning, and a way that writers and readers should not perceive Jason Todd.
After Bruce Wayne’s death, there was a void in Gotham City. Whilst characters like Nightwing and Robin tried to honor Batman’s legacy by maintaining order in the city, Jason Todd created his own Batman. A Batman that did not fear the use of lethal weapons. Rather unhinged and desperate, this comic has Jason attempt to kill the remaining Batfamily.
8 Night Of The Owls: Red Hood And The Outlaws
Part of The New 52 lineup for DC Comics, this single issue takes place in the Red Hood and the Outlaws run and serves as a prelude to what is happening within Batman's comic volume “The Court Of Owls”.
This single issue focuses mainly on Red Hood rather than the outlaws, as he finds himself in a mystery surrounding Mr, Freeze, and a Court of Owls Talon. It's a great read for those invested in the story behind the upcoming Gotham Knights, as it will help them understand Jason's motivation for rejoining the Batfamily in Gotham to put a stop to the antagonists, The Court.
7 Batman: Death Of The Family
Not to be confused with “A Death in the Family”, this New 52 comic was an event that included all members of the Batfamily in their own comic runs, that bled together to create a cohesive timeline “Death of the Family”.
This comic returned Jason to Gotham and gave him back his relationship with Batman and the Batfamily. It explores how he handles the return of The Joker. The Clown Prince of Crime has created a new game of chess, in which every member of the Batfamily is a piece. It’s another sadistic game that Joker plays with Batman and involves the former wearing his own face like a mask.
6 Red Hood And The Outlaws: Rebirth
A continuation of the New 52 run, this comic serves as the “Dark Trinity” to DC’s Trinity: Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. It stars Artemis, (the exiled Amazon), Bizarro (The failed Superman clone), and Red Hood (Jason Todd, the former Robin, and the ex-dead ward of Batman).
The Outlaws become a trio, a new team after Jason Todd returns to his old ways and becomes a violent vigilante again. Jason’s compassion for his team is shown more in-depth, as he develops a romantic interest for Artemis and an empathic friendship with Bizarro.
5 Batman: Three Jokers
One of the most anticipated comics of recent years, “Batman: Three Jokers” sought to finally answer the question brought about in 2015’s “The Darkseid War”, in which Batman occupies the Mobius Chair and asks who The Joker really is. The mystery behind the Clown Prince has evoked interest over many, many years, and these questions could finally be answered in Three Jokers.
The comic serves as a mystery around Jason Todd’s life and rebirth and keeps fans and Jason himself wondering if his death was orchestrated for some higher purpose, a deeper plan by the maniacal Joker. The three-part series stretches Jason Todd’s mental state thin and has him cross a line that Batman cannot forgive.
4 The New 52! Red Hood And The Outlaws
After the DC Comics rebooted the universe after the events of Flashpoint, this comic served as a new series and a fresh start for the resurrected Jason Todd. Most consider this comic a step in the right direction for Red Hood, as he put his resentment and grudge toward Batman aside.
The stories in this series focus on humanizing Jason and giving him a friendship with Starfire and Arsenal. Jason Todd grows as a person here and allows himself to rely on others, develop relationships, and discover new mystical powers about himself, something Gotham Knights seems to take inspiration from.
3 Teen Titans: Life And Death
As a personal story to Jason Todd about revenge, resentment, and brotherhood, this comic seeks to cause a confrontation between Red Hood and the new Robin, Tim Drake. Their first confrontation as Jason gives Tim a speech on why he doesn’t deserve to have the title of Batman’s ward and tests his strength.
Jason breaks into The Teen Titans' Tower dressed in his old Robin costume, where he seeks a fight with his successor, Tim Drake, to find out for himself what Tim has that Jason didn’t. The story highlight’s Jason’s frustrations and grief with the world, as he feels as if his death was unnoticed and not mourned. There was no statue of him erected upon his death like other fallen Teen Titans.
2 Red Hood: The Lost Days
This graphic novel features an in-between of what Jason Todd had gotten up to since his resurrection from The Lazarus Pit. With Todd back from the dead, he is both confused and upset upon finding out that he has been replaced as Robin. Believing he meant nothing to Batman, resentment brews for the Caped Crusader, and he swears to kill him.
With the help of Batman’s occasional love interest, Talia Al Ghul, Jason Todd receives training from the best killers from around the world, making him a prolific expert in lethal force. Guns would be his weapons of choice, something that is shown in his gameplay from Gotham Knights.
1 Batman: Under The Red Hood
When a mysterious masked man takes center stage in Gotham, Batman faces a new challenge of discovering the identity of this “Red Hood”, and putting a stop to the lethal vigilantism that he parades.
Red Hood starts a war with criminal kingpins like Black Mask, to prove to Batman that he is the more efficient vigilante that Gotham needs, as he isn’t afraid to take them out of the equation for good. The comic serves as an emotional confrontation between Jason Todd, feeling abandoned and betrayed by his adoptive father, Batman, at the hands of his killer, Joker. The comic raises reasonable questions on the morality of crimefighting.
Gotham Knights releases on October 21, 2022 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X/S.