By: Charles Singh
Batman: Three Jokers #2 by Geoff Johns released this week and gave readers the most brutal moment of the story arc thus far. The Joker known as The Criminal version of the persona forced Jason Todd to re-live his life’s greatest trauma. He also provided context as to why it happened in the first place. But what was Jason Todd’s greatest trauma? His death or his rebirth?
Jason Todd was the second person to don the mantle of Robin. Dick Grayson had moved on to forge his own identity outside of Batman’s shadow and Bruce was in need of a new ward. Luckily for him, his new apprentice decided to try and steal tires from the parked Batmobile(Pre-Crisis origin). Instead of turning the kid in to the authorities, Bruce took him under his wing and honed his natural fighting abilities. As a street orphan who took to crime as a means of survival, becoming Batman’s new Robin was a miracle for young Jason, or so he thought.
Jason’s transformation into Batman’s sidekick became one of his life’s greatest regrets, and Bruce’s greatest regret after Robin’s fateful encounter with the Joker in Batman: a Death in the Family by Jim Starlin in 1988. Robin became Joker’s prisoner and was brutally tortured. Readers were able to give their input as to whether Jason would survive or succumb to his injuries. The Joker broke the mind, body, and spirit of the young crimefighter effectively killing the young man that was once The Boy Wonder.
In Batman: Three Jokers readers learn that Joker did in fact have a motive for torturing Jason, and it wasn’t just to piss Batman off. The motive was in fact centered around Jason and his development. Jason was at a crossroads. The impulsive and violent young man found a way to channel his aggression through fighting crime but Batman wasn’t the only Gothamite who saw potential in Jason. In Batman: Three Jokers #2 the Joker known as The Criminal reveals that the purpose of Jason’s torture was to transform him, and it succeeded. The plan was to have Jason emerge from his torture as the new Joker because of the trauma he experienced. Batman wasn’t there to save him. He put him in a position to be attacked by The Clown Prince of Crime. The results were indeed transformative.
Instead of becoming the new Joker, Jason became something original: Red Hood. Red Hood is a vigilante that knows no limitations. He breaks Batman’s main rule and kills whoever stands in his way. In Joker’s eyes, the transformation was never complete. So what could he do but try again? The Criminal captures Red Hood and subjects him to the same torment that left him with permanent brain damage and chronic nerve pain AGAIN. Batman and Batgirl arrive in time to find a battered and bloodied Red Hood beaten almost to death.
After being found, Jason reveals to Barbara that he never felt cared for. He thought he was discarded and replaced after death. Jason believed that the man who promised to take care of him abandoned him at his most vulnerable state. His hero had failed him, and failed the city of Gotham by allowing the Joker to live after his crimes. Batman: Three Jokers #2 sees Batman repeat his mistakes by hiding his emotions from Jason. Red Hood is an awesome combination of experiences from both Batman and The Joker. In this issue, readers learn the extent of Jason Todd’s physical and mental injuries on the day that transformed Robin into Red Hood.
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