Skip to content

Please note that when you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Thanks!

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Thanks!

Jason Todd Reading Order (Second Robin, Red Hood, Wingman and Arkham Knight)

  • by

Jason Todd / Red Hood Reading Order

When Dick Grayson became Nightwing, Batman find himself without a Robin, until he met Jason Peter Todd, in Batman #357 (1983). Jason became the second Robin, the new sidekick to the Dark Knight, introduced initialy as a substitute to Dick, having a similar story (son of circus acrobats, killed by a criminal). The major difference then was his red hair (that he doesn’t have anymore).

Following Crisis on Infinite Earths, Jason is rebooted by Max Allan Collins, giving him his own backstory and making him an enthusiastic student, but also the most troubled kid, because of his former life on the streets. It will lead us to a tragedy in one of the most famous Batman story now.

It will take more than 15 years (in our timeline) for Jason to come back, now known as the anti-hero Red Hood. Once again, Jason Todd doesn’t have it easy with some reboot changing again his history, personality and relationships.

Let’s just say it’s not easy being Jason Todd, a character deserving, if you want my opinion on that subject, of more love and better storylines.

Jason Todd Reading Order

Menu

Following is a menu to navigate in this reading order, and going directly to the era of your choice:

  1. Pre-Crisis Robin
  2. Post-Crisis Robin
  3. Red Hood
  4. New 52
  5. Rebirth
  6. Infinite Frontier
  7. Arkham Knight (and Other alternate Versions)

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

I. Pre-Crisis Robin (1983-1987)

There is no collection dedicated to this version of Robin and the pre-Crisis period is simply under-collected. Following is Jason Todd’s appearances as Robin during that time:

  • Batman #357-#399 (1983-1986)
  • Detective Comics #524-#567 (1983-1986)
  • Batman #400-#403 (1986-1987)

You can find some of this issues in those collected editions:

Let’s not forget the very popular Superman story:

Crisis on Infinite Earths LogoWe can conclude this period with the DC event Crisis on Infinite Earths (crossover event), resulted in the entire DCU being rebooted. It is optional for Jason Todd.

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

II. Post-Crisis Robin (1987-1989)

Following the reboot due to Crisis on Infinite Earths, Jason Todd’s story is changed and he is now a young street orphan who first encounters Batman while attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile in Crime Alley. He became the “rebel” Robin, someone who fights authority and is more prone to violence and rage. This part will concludes for Jason with the now classic ‘A Death in the Family’ story.

In parallel to Batman, Jason appears in Detective Comics #568-#582, and you can find a number of those issues in Batman: The Dark Knight Detective Vol. 1:

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

III. Red Hood (2005-2011)

Writer Jeph Loeb suggested in his Batman story “Hush” that Jason Todd may, in fact, be alive, and Judd Winick build an entire story around it. Jason Todd came back to life as a brutally violent antihero known as the Red Hood.

Batman Under the Red Hood Reading Order

Countdown to Final Crisis consists of 51 issues, lead in to yet another crisis, Final Crisis. Jason Todd is present in it, but it also a story ignored by seemingly all of DC Comics afterwards. So, we have to consider it more than optional, except for the completist out there!

Directly after Countdown happened the crossover Final Crisis (see Reading Order), dealing with alien villain Darkseid’s plot to overthrow reality, and the subsequent death and corruption of various DC characters and their universe. Jason doesn’t appear in it, but the event was written by Grant Morrison and overlapped on Batman R.I.P. (see Reading Order), a story that matters more for the next few stories:

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

IV. New 52: Red Hood and the Outlaws (2011-2016)

We enter the New 52 era, synonym with relaunch/partial reboot and we have a whole reading order for that period! Jason Todd is part of the characters quite affected by this reboot with a new origin story, and some changes in his personality and relationships/dynamics with other characteres. This is also where Scott Lobdell took on the writing duties for Red Hood, a position he will occupy for a decade.

Red Hood and the Outlaws Vol 1 REDemption Reading Order

Batman Icon Reading OrderBatman: Night of the Owls (Reading Order) is a comic book crossover event written by Scott Snyder (see Batman New 52 Reading Order). It is a follow up to Batman: Gates of Gotham, and take place during The Court of Owls. Red Hood and the Outlaws #9 is a tie-in to the cross-over.

Batman Icon Reading Order

Not long after Night of the Owls, we have another (and more ambitious) crossover event for the Bat-family with Batman: Death of the Family (see Reading Order).

Batman Icon Reading OrderThis is where Morrison’s run on Batman ends (Batman By Grant Morrison Reading Order here). I always advise to read his two trade paperbacks from the New 52 era together, as it is not impacted by other Bat events. It has repercussions on the Bat Family.

Robin Letter Icon Reading Order Damian WayneEvent Alert! A legion of teens is putting on the yellow “R” and following in the footsteps of their crime-fighting icons. And when a tragic accident makes the movement illegal, Dick Grayson, Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne are back in Gotham and are determined to save the kids who have taken up their legacy in Robin War (reading Order here).

Omnibus Editions

Red Hood and the Outlaws: The New 52
Red Hood and the Outlaws: The New 52 Omnibus Vol. 1 collects the first adventures of the hard-luck super-team by writers Scott Lobdell and James Tynion IV and artists Kenneth Rocafort, Julius Gopez, and Timothy Green II. The omnibus includes Red Hood and The Outlaws #0-27, Teen Titans #16, Batman #17, and Red Hood and the Outlaws Annual #1, including the blockbuster “Death of the Family” crossover.

Red Hood and the Outlaws The New 52 Omnibus Vol 1 Reading Order

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

V. Red Hood Rebirth (2016-2021)

A new launching point for DC with Rebirth! The DC Universe is restored to a form much like that prior to the 2011 “Flashpoint” storyline while still incorporating numerous elements of The New 52, including its continuity.

Event LeviathanThis is where Event Leviathan happens (see the Reading order for the event), where you can see Jason in Event Levathian #2-3, though more than optional.

Red Hood Outlaw Vol 3 Generation Outlaw Reading Order

Joker Batman New 52 Reading OrderBatman: Joker War (Reading Order) is a comic book crossover event written by James Tynion IV and illustrated by Jorge Jimenez. Jason is not a main character but appears in a few issues. Red Hood and the Outlaws #49 is a tie-in to the cross-over.

DC Future State LogoFuture State (listing) was a two-month event spinning out of the finale of Dark Nights: Death Metal (Reading Order) that takes us on a journey from the near future to the end of time to witness the destinies of DC’s heroes. It’s a collection of miniseries, Jason Todd being in Future State: Dark Detective.

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

VI. Infinite Frontier

After the Future State Event comes the new relaunch named Infinite Frontier. You can find Red Hood in Batman: Urban Legends, under Chip Zdarsky.

Jason Todd (Red Hood) Reading Order (Icon)

VII. Arkham Knight (and Other alternate Versions)

This part is still under development.

Like other DC characters, Jason Todd has appeared in other universes, and one of his most famous alternate versions comes from the action-adventure game Batman: Arkham Knight, where Jason Todd is also known as Arkham Knight. Go check out our Arkham Knight reading order for the full experience (Comics and Games.) 

Batman Arkham Knight Genesis Reading Order

Pin
Tags:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *