Rebooting Red Hood

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.

Contributing Information For Red Hood Article

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.

SURVEY

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.

Supernatural's Interpretation of the Leviathan Myth

Fans of Supernatural have followed Dean and Sam Winchester on their mission to save the world from creatures large and small, all the while dealing with their own fractured family dynamics. What started out as a show about two brothers, fighting monsters while on a mission to find their father, has raised the stakes to even more dangerous levels. The Winchesters have taken on urban legends, demonology, religious hierarchy, and even the apocalypse. Each year, the show seeks to explore myths that are larger than the year before, as well as focus its arcs on a “bad guy” figure that is seemingly impossible to defeat. This year, the emerging “bad guys” appear to be the Leviathan, who have been separated from one entity into many.

LEVIATHAN IN MYTH
The Leviathan is often described as a sea monster with seven heads, and there are references to it in Ancient Middle East mythology, Jewish writings, Christianity, and even Demonology. Sumerian mythology (ETCSL lines 55-63) details Ninutra's eventual defeat of a seven-headed serpent, which has been associated with a possible reference to the Leviathan creature. The Book of Enoch places its origin as female, a companion to the desert creature Behemoth (1 Enoch 60:7-8), though Christian mythology uses the male phrasing when describing the Leviathan. Job 41:1-34 goes into extensive detail in reference to the creature. The Leviathan is described as having a mouth full of “fearsome teeth” and his back covered with “rows of shields tightly sealed together.” He can breathe fire and is seemingly impossible to defeat, with the normal elements of iron, bronze, arrows, and stone tossed aside as not being harmful. “Nothing on earth is his equal—a creature without fear” (Job 41:33 NIV). In Satanism, the symbol for the church includes the name Leviathan written in Hebrew around its circle and the creature is said to be one of the four crown princes of Hell who guard the Hellmouth (Church of Satan XL A.S. and LaVey 1969).

SUPERNATURAL'S NEW “BIG BAD”
Supernatural's writers have decided to utilize the richness of the Leviathan myth to create a “Big Bad” of the season. Unlike the mythological assertion that it is one beast to slay, the show has broken the Leviathan into countless beings that are making the Earth their playground. The Leviathans of Supernatural were the reason Purgatory was created in the first place, according to Death (Supernatural 7.1), and it was meant to be their prison for all eternity. When Castiel opened the door and took in all the souls of Purgatory, he drank in the Leviathans as well. The plan to return all the escaped souls back to Purgatory did not go as expected. The Leviathans hung on to Castiel's vessel and took it over in order to plan their larger escape (Supernatural 7.1). When the vessel could not contain them, they essentially disintegrated Castiel and dispersed themselves within the town's water system. This then allowed them to take over the vessels of anyone who drank the water or got the tainted liquid into their bodies in some manner (Supernatural 7.2). The audience has seen a few of the Leviathans so far. They've taken over the bodies of a little girl, a man, two high school students, a doctor, and a credit card operator. They all report to a higher boss, which the audience later discovered was Richard Roman (Supernatural 7.6).

COMBINING MYTH AND MEDIA
The show has taken certain elements of Leviathan appearance from mythology and is utilizing it to bring the beings up to date for current media. They visually have the fearsome teeth that are described from Job 41:14, as the audience has seen them unhinge their jaw and flash them prior to eating their victims. Their strength, referenced in Job 41:12, is mirrored on the show, as they can toss aside humans with a flick of the hand (Supernatural 7.1). And like in Job 41:26-29, they are also unable to be killed at present. The audience has seen evidence of their supposed immortality in the conclusion of Episode 7.2 when the car being dropped on Edgar (the head minion) made him bleed out and then he revived himself once Sam and Dean had departed the area. Though it is unclear how many Leviathans actually exist on Earth, once they were able to take over human vessels, it's possible that there are seven entities, which would parallel the fact that the Leviathan is a seven-headed creature.

However, the show has also taken some creative license to build upon the old myth and re-imagine it for the current audience by adding new elements. When the Leviathans are without a vessel, they are represented by black goo on the show. And when they are injured, they bleed out this substance. They are able to possess any human they come into contact with, first through the water system and then by actually touching another person and taking on their form. They are then able to access any memories the original vessel had, mirroring the abilities of the Shapeshifter featured on Supernatural prior (SupernaturalWiki 2011). Currently, the Winchesters have found that sodium borate (Borax) can harm the creatures and that cutting off their head will temporarily stop them (Supernatural 7.6), but it's yet to be seen if this is the ultimate answer in taking down the Leviathans.

FUTURE LEVIATHAN EXPLORATION
The further abilities of these creatures have yet to be seen, but there is room for even more creative license as Leviathan myth becomes media on Supernatural. Will there be tentacles in the audience's future? Can all the people who surround the Winchesters be trusted or might some of them be Leviathans in disguise? And who or what will be able to slay the beasts eventually? Will God return to do the deed, as stated in Isaiah 27:1, or will the Winchesters be able to find a kilbit to deal with the otherwise-immortal creatures? That is what the audience will have to wait and find out. For now, these ancient creatures are having their time in the spotlight when old legends become new again.

References
Book of Enoch. Book of Noah-A Fragment LX 7-8. Accessed October 8, 2011. http://www.sacred-texts.com/bib/boe/boe063.htm

Church of Satan. XL A.S. “The History of the Origin of the Sigil of Baphomet and its Use in the Church of Satan.” Accessed October 8, 2011. http://www.churchofsatan.com/Pages/BaphometSigil.html

Electronic Text Corpus of Sumerian Literature. “Ninurta's Return to Nibru.” Lines 55-63. Accessed October 8, 2011. http://etcsl.orinst.ox.ac.uk/cgi-bin/etcsl.cgi?text=t.1.6.1#

LaVey, Anton. 1969. The Satanic Bible. New York: Avon Books, Inc.

New International Version. Isaiah 27:1. Accessed October 8, 2011.http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=isaiah%2027&version=NIV

New International Version. Job 41:1-34. Accessed October 8, 2011. http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Job+41&version=NIV

Supernatural Episode No. 7.1, First broadcast September 23, 2011 by CW Network. Directed by Phil Sgriccia and written by Sera Gamble.

Supernatural Episode No. 7.2, First broadcast September 30, 2011 by CW Network. Directed by Guy Bee and written by Ben Edlund.

Supernatural Episode No. 7.6, First broadcast October 28, 2011 by CW Network. Directed by John Showalter and written by Robbie Thompson.

SupernaturalWiki. Last updated June 2011. “Shapeshifters.” Accessed October 8, 2011. http://www.supernaturalwiki.com/index.php?title=Shapeshifter

Proposal For Fandomania Article

The focus of my writing will be for Fandomania, which is a blog which covers fandom news, pop culture, meta, and reviews of the latest comic books, television shows, movies, video games, and anything else that a person can get fannish about. The site updates daily M-F, with articles scheduled between 11AM and 8PM. Each submission is open to comments by readers and welcomes the discussions that develop as a result. Fandomania is among a wide range of media review blogs that have emerged through the online market. What sets this site apart is the sense that it's for fans, written by fans. There's no monetary gain for writers to promote certain sets of media over others. The opinions that are expressed are meant to be fans talking to fans. That's why readers return day after day, participating in discussions and promoting article links across various social media sites.

Fandom: the state or attitude of being a fan

Mania: excitement manifested by mental and physical hyperactivity, disorganization of behavior, and elevation of mood

Most everyone has something they're passionate about. Perhaps you're a fan of a comic book series, able to rattle off the canon of Jason Todd from his Robin beginnings to his continuing reign as Red Hood. Or maybe you're a fan of the RoboCop movie series, watching Murphy balance the memories of being a man with the reality of being a machine. It's possible you spend your nights exploring the implications of the Stargate project on planetary societies through the different television incarnations we've seen. Whatever aspect of fandom you enjoy, being a fan is about exploring the shared love that comes about through that experience.

The format of Fandomania articles varies depending on the piece. While reviews have required information inclusion, meta articles have a more open format in order to best serve the article. Illustrations to highlight points, references to source materials, and exploration of texts in order to speculate about implications on the larger canon are all welcome. When direct references are necessary, the Chicago Manual of Style will be used to format citations. Some freedom of formatting is allowed, since the references made to current media is often dependent on how the majority of fans seek to reference particular ideas through naming practices.

For this assignment, I will be creating a meta piece about the use of Leviathans in myth and on the latest season of Supernatural. As fans of the show know, Supernatural has taken on urban legends, demonology, religious hierarchy, and even the apocalypse. Each year, it seeks to take on myths that are larger than the year before, as well as focus its arcs on a “bad guy” figure that is seemingly impossible to defeat. With its seventh season now under way, the emerging “bad guys” of the season are Leviathans. What I seek to do in my meta/feature article is to compare the legends we know about these figures versus how Supernatural is re-imagining the myths for its own storylines. While it would mainly appeal to fans of the show, who know the characters and the storylines that are emerging within the arc, the article would also be interesting to those who are curious about the Leviathan mythology and seeks to understand how current media is portraying such ancient stories. The article seeks to be relevant to fans worldwide, and may influence a few new people to join the viewing audience.