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Comic Fans Respond To The Reset Of Their Beloved Characters
by Kimberly Lynn Workman
DC 52: The Reboot
On August 31, 2011, DC Universe rebooted or newly launched 52 comic series. These were based in the larger universes such as Batman, Superman, Green Lantern, Justice League, and Young Justice, as well as The Edge and The Dark. What made this launch such a memorable event was the fact that not only were the comic books starting again, back at Issue #1, but character arcs and plotlines would be essentially reset to start anew. The characters didn't have to rely on previous histories if they didn't want to. They could be taken anywhere and in new directions as their plotlines developed. This was a historic day in the comic book world and one that had many fans eagerly anticipating the results.
Among the lines that were released within the Batman universe was Red Hood and the Outlaws. This series paired former Robin and current Red Hood, Jason Todd, with Green Arrow's rejected sidekick Roy Harper aka Arsenal and alien princess Starfire aka Koriand'r. Together, they set out to form a team, proving themselves as not the rebellious outliers that others may think them to be. What kind of reboot of their characters would occur? Would they still be recognizable as the characters fans grew up with? And how would these former loners get along? It was with great anticipation that fans awaited the initial release to find out.
Jason Todd: Former Sidekick Turned Leader
Jason Todd has had a storied past. He was the second Robin, killed at the hands of The Joker and his death never avenged by his adoptive father, Bruce Wayne. Upon his resurrection, he took over the mantle of Red Hood and started doing the things that Batman would not; namely killing the bad guys because they needed to be killed. A loner, he has become a cult favorite among fans who followed the rejected child of the Bat Family into an expanded universe that set him apart with his own personality, independent of his former ties. Now, he has been cast as the leader of this rag-tag group of heroes, whether he likes it or not.
While Jason has maintained his defining traits of being an antihero who kills the people that need killing, feelings about his separation from the Bat Family are varied. Some, like comic reader Jess Leeper, see it as a positive move that gives Jason his own identity. “I think it's fair enough to say that I agree with one of [Red Hood and the Outlaws writer] Scott Lobdell's interviews in which he said that Jason's story was going to head in a direction that was beyond the batfam. I think that's a good direction to go towards, given that restricting Jason to arcs that are linked with Gotham in some manner is not beneficial to sustaining an identity beyond the 'Robin who died'.” However, with that creation of a separate identity, it would also put him in a better place if he were to return to Gotham to meet up with the family that shaped him. “I'd like to see him deal with the Bat Family and in a different way this time. He's not obsessed anymore with Batman, so he could try for once to face Bruce without trying to actually kill him. Talk things out,” says Drew, a Jason Todd fan.
But is he creating an identity on his own, or still as an extension of his adoptive family? According to fan JenDP, Jason's very much rooted in the man Bruce Wayne created. “We SHOULD get to see why Jason's wearing the bat symbol and what's his status with Bruce and the rest of the Bat-family. That's important to me, because Jason's return was all about how it affected Bruce. [N]o matter how many other great mentors Jason had when he returned, Bruce is still the one who started his career into vigilantism, the one whose partner he was during his death, his father-figure, and many things.” Comic reader Jay questions Jason's separation of identity as well. “He's wearing the bat on his chest, and yet he's adamantly not a hero? Not a "Bat"? This needs addressing.”
Roy Harper Is Making A New Start
Roy Harper seems to have gone through a bit of history erasure, as well as being given some changes to his personality and status. At the beginning of the series, Roy is busted out of prison and then joins Jason Todd and Starfire in seclusion on an island. Why was he in prison in the first place? Why do he and Jason seem to be closer now? And why does Roy appear to not only be younger than Jason, but also no longer a father? All these questions and more remain unanswered as of yet.
The characterization of Roy has been noted as a return to former days, a new start to erase the destruction that the past few years had caused him. Comic book reader Marina echoes this sentiment. “Roy's character has been changed a great deal. I think we're getting a younger Roy in this series [which is] a good change because frankly, the last decade destroyed him completely. We're getting the chance to make him grow into a better man. [A]t the end I see this a new chance to get his life straight.” However, the amount of history rewriting is still unclear. Did Roy go through the noted drug addiction that shaped his character in the later years? And did he actually serve with the Teen Titans, as former canon showed? “There seem to be conflicting interviews on whether the DCnU Teen Titans is the first incarnation of the team or not,” says comic fan Jess Leeper. “Anyway, if he's lost that history as well, then you might as well strip the character completely clean and call him a different name, because he's not Roy Harper anymore.”
More notably is the fact that his family life seems to have disappeared along with a couple of years off his age. He has yet to be shown to still be a father to Lian, whose absence has been a point of contention for many fans. “I disagree with the way he was changed, because it took away Lian, his daughter, who was great for him,” says fan Georgina O'Shea. Comic reader Relena Belnades agrees, “I liked the old him was rooted in his relationship with his daughter Lian. She helped make him into a better person, and it's hard to see him de-aged and bratty.” It seems that the defining characteristic of Roy, prior to the reboot, was his role as a father. “I do feel that being a single father really made the character stronger and more identifiable,” says comic fan Nelson Moore. It has yet to be shown whether Lian will exist at all within this storyline, but her absence is certainly felt amongst the fans. This Roy has been created anew and he is not the same as he once was.
Starfire Becoming Too Sexualized?
So far, two issues of the comic has come out with a third set to release on November 16, 2011. After the initial release of Issue #1, there was a large public outcry from some fans over the way the character Starfire was being presented, as she was perceived to be seen through the male gaze in a very sexual manner, more-so than her previous renditions. At the beginning of the series, she has allied herself with Jason Todd and appears to have amnesia on certain former events, as well as having no-strings-attached sex with both male main characters (Jason and Roy).
There was a very clear divide among fans on the sexual nature of Starfire's portrayal. Those who were against this version of the character asserted that she had become, in essence, a non-entity in comparison to her male counterparts as she was just being used for sexual gratification of both the main male characters and the readership. “[W]hile reading the first issue, I still felt very uncomfortable and uneasy about her portrayal. I kept waiting for them to explain why it is that she all of a sudden couldn't remember Dick [Grayson, the original Robin and her former fiance], or why she was acting so cavalier about having sex with random men,” said comic reader Skies of Honey. The sex positivity doesn't bother other fans, but it's the way it's presented. “While I don't have a problem with her having sex, or even casual sex with multiple partners, the way the comic portrayed it made her seem like a walking blow-up-doll. She didn't seem to enjoy any of it. It really came off as sexist and forced- basically just fanservice,” says Chemist52.
However, there were also many readers who saw this new, grown-up version of Starfire as being a sexually liberated woman who took control of her own life and has turned the typical male approach to sexuality on its head. “If it is okay for a guy to have sex with her, it is okay for her to have sex with him. I'd like to see Starfire continue on running her own life. That's what I want from most female characters. I would prefer she not suddenly get into a relationship and become secondary to that,” says comic fan Bunny. When asked about his opinion on the new rendition of Starfire, reader Eddie Stephens admits, “I don't have a problem with it as it's a new take on Starfire's alien side, and to me, she seems more confident and powerful than before.” That air of confidence has echoed with others as well. “I didn't like her character before the reboot, she was too 'perfect' and the kind of girl I find irritating, too emotionally attached to everyone, so I'm giving this new version a chance to make her into a strong woman who can stand by herself and not [be] 'Dick's ex-girlfriend'”, says long-time reader Marina.
What's Next For The Outlaws?
It remains to be seen where this group of characters will go or what interactions they may have. The series has, thus far, introduced them in a way that shows they can work together, despite their pasts, and that they are building a relationship between the three of them that may serve them well in more dangerous situations. There is a common thread of a “secret” character that has appeared in the background of repeated first issues of the reboots thus far, so it may be the case that there is a potential for crossover between the storylines. If that's true, there's a strong possibility that these characters will have to interact with those from their past, including the Bat Family. Fans will have to wait and see if that possible meeting will show a group of characters who have grown into their new identities with strength or if they still can't outrun their past issues. The possibilities are endless when canon has been reset. It's an exciting time to be a fan of DC Comics.
The article was intended for those who are familiar with the DC Comic Reboot, especially those who have a connection to the Red Hood comic reboot that had spawned media controversy when it was released. The article was completed through the creation of a survey (questions listed below) that was sent to various Red Hood-related Livejournal and Tumblr communities, as well as directly to known fans who reported they had either acquired a digital or printed copy of the comic. Of the latter, directly contacted fans, one responded that she had not ultimately bought the comic and five others never responded to the direct email.
This survey (one page of questions, one page of demographics) is meant to collection information and opinions from comic book fans in regards to Red Hood and the Outlaws. Quotes will be used to write an article for a class assignment to illustrate timely reporting. Respondents can note their real name or username (for anonymity) at the end of the survey, but some level of name must be referenced for collected quotes. The article will be published on http://digitalkimberly.blogspot.com in mid-November and respondents may be contacted for follow-up if further exploration of their answers is needed. Any questions can be directed to kimberlyFDR@yahoo.com
1. It's important to know the background of the survey respondents in terms of comic history. Please explain your history with comics. How long have you been reading comics? What draws you to a comic series?
2. Some fans may be drawn to a particular comic line. How long have you been reading DC Comics? What drew you to Red Hood and the Outlaws?
3. The Outlaws series begins with Jason breaking Roy Harper out of prison and having already allied with Starfire. What are your thoughts on the way Jason Todd's character has been represented in the series thus far (Issues 1-2)? Do you agree with the way his character has been changed for this reboot?
4. If you could direct the future of the series, where do you want Jason's character to go? What issues do you want to see highlighted in terms of his character exploration?
5. At the beginning of the series, Roy Harper is busted out of prison and then joins Jason Todd and Starfire in seclusion on an island. What are your thoughts on Roy's characterization in the series thus far (Issues 1-2)? Do you agree with the way his character has been changed for this reboot?
6. If you could direct the future of the series, where do you want Roy's character to go? What issues do you want to see highlighted in terms of his character exploration?
7. At the beginning of the series, Starfire has allied with Jason Todd and appears to have amnesia on certain former events, as well as having sex with both male main characters. What are your thoughts on Starfire's characterization in the series thus far (Issues 1-2)? Do you agree with the way her character has been changed for this reboot?
8. If you could direct the future of the series, where do you want Starfire's character to go? What issues do you want to see highlighted in terms of her character exploration?
9. Please note your demographic information below Name: Country: Email Address:
INFORMATION VERIFICATION
In order to complete the article, I verified release dates as well as character histories involved in the comic to make a fair comparison between where the characters began and what their current rebooted canon looks like. I also researched appropriate video and picture representations of the characters to represent their previous incarnations as comparable to the current comic panels.
