DC knew exactly what it was doing by withholding this fight until the end of DC K.O.’s first round. Red Hood and the Joker have a contentious history that gave this matchup a ton of juice and it didn’t disappoint. Writers Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson make sure to address the past, present, and future of these characters by framing it within a knockout brawl.
Three Rounds of Gotham Grime
The first round drops our characters into a Gotham alleyway for an intense street fight. It’s an appropriately grimy setting for two individuals defined by darkness, and their struggle reflects that as they violently trade bullets and cuts.
They soon find themselves in the past as the second round begins. It’s the warehouse where the Joker killed Jason, the latter even taking his Robin form for this fight, and it proves to be their most personal skirmish yet. By the time we arrive at the third round, our fighters have moved into a murky graveyard and their clash wraps with a surprise no one saw coming.
Snyder and Williamson Blend DC History
There’s a lot of history between these two and Snyder and Williamson brilliantly weave it into a narrative. The choice of settings (specifically Ace Chemicals for the Joker and the warehouse for Jason Todd) expertly ties the characters’ formative moments into the heat of the battle.
Even if Jason was Batman’s sidekick, the writers make it evident that his true origin began when he died, and seeing him score a triumphant moment in such a traumatic place felt cathartic. This issue’s one weakness is the absence of Joker’s perspective. He’s such a fascinating character that freezing out his inner monologue seems like a miss. It would have been interesting to see how his frenzied thoughts would have complemented Jason’s natural brooding.
Jason Todd’s Evolution: From Robin to the Red Hood
Jason gets the narrator role here and the insights into his character are the highlight. He’s always been defined by others’ actions, including Batman’s tutelage or his death at Joker’s hands, and he struggles with this conflict each round.
It eats at him, but also helps him grow. He starts to follow his instinct after he loses the first round and successfully beats back his insecurities. By the end, he has chosen an identity he truly owns: the Red Hood. Jason thoroughly embodies that identity now, and it’s allowed him to transcend his former one as the Robin who died. It’s a profound revelation for the long-suffering character and one that he’s earned.
Stunning Visuals by Dustin Nguyen and Giuseppe Camuncoli
Dustin Nguyen and Giuseppe Camuncoli share pencil duties and they each bring their own distinct styles to the fights. Nguyen renders our combatants’ facial expressions with sharp contrast as Jason’s permanent scowl clashes with the Joker’s exaggerated grin.
He vividly portrays a mutating Joker with bloodshot eyeballs and crooked teeth spreading like a plague across his body, while Jason’s gruesome death at the end of the first round is horrifying. Camuncoli brings us the most emotionally charged moment of the comic, drawing Jason exiting the warehouse carrying the Joker’s bloodied corpse in a brilliant reflection of Batman at the end of “A Death in the Family.” The artist portrays Jason as exhausted, shoulders slumped and jaw set, before twisting the anti-hero’s face into a crooked smile as he devolves into some maniacal laughter of his own.
Dynamic Colors and Lettering Bring the Chaos to Life
John Kalisz makes his mark by using rich and dynamic colors to enhance each scene. The alleyways are filled with rusty oranges and shaded buildings while the inside of Ace Chemicals is alive with the Joker’s signature neon greens.
Jason’s original Robin costume is as bright as ever, popping against slate greys and washed-out purples. The final segment at the graveyard is his best work, with each panel darkened by the muted blues of twilight and constant rainfall. Steve Wands handles letters with style and his sound effect choices reflect the brutal nature of this book. Each crowbar blow gets a blood-red SPT while the Joker’s chaotic laughter ranges in size and color.
The Verdict: Is DC K.O. The Joker vs. Red Hood a Must-Read?
DC K.O.: The Joker vs. Red Hood was a book this event needed to nail and it delivered. Snyder and Williamson know there’s too much history between these two characters to be superficial and they rightly leaned into it. The rematch at the warehouse as well as the shocking ending are two of the best moments in this event so far. We’re in good hands as we get closer to the final confrontation with Darkseid.
KPB Comics’ Red Hood Related:
‘DC K.O.: Review: Red Hood vs. The Joker’ Delivers a Brutal Payoff to a Decades-Old Rivalry
DC K.O.: The Joker vs. Red Hood was a book this event needed to nail and it delivered. Snyder and Williamson know there’s too much history between these two characters to be superficial and they rightly leaned into it.
