The moment we've all been hyped about for, God knows how long has arrived. Everyone remembers a certain Batman storyline called Hush, where Clayface took the form of an adult Jason Todd. The real deal is back, and his first target it the very man who supposedly killed him the Joker. Jason has kidnapped the man who beat him with the sharp end of a crowbar, beaten him, and then stabs him in the shoulder with a knife after the Joker continued to mentally prod at him. Jason seems pretty much like the old character, he has an incredibly flawed sense of justice. He reminds me of Azrael or maybe you could imagine him as a proper heir to the Batmantle. Much like Batman though, he doesn't kill the Joker. However, he does wire up the building he's in with explosives as he faces Batman on the roof top. Apparently, Jason has plans to make the man go out with a bang to return the favor for what happened in "A Death in the Family". To make matters worse, it seems Jason organized the very destruction of Bludhaven. As Chemo, the living bomb, tears apart the city that Nightwing has worked so hard to protect Jason tears at Batman. He tells him that as one son returns, another one is about to die. I really hope that Nightwing doesn't die, I really like Dick Grayson as a character. I haven't picked up the most recent issue of Nightwing though I skimmed through it. Dick was in bad shape, and Batman came to find him amongst the rubble. He says something about "Batman should have been enough" and then passes out :: crosses fingers hoping he didn't die ::

 

Thats intense.

 

OK so who is that man that was playing the role of Jason Todd when the mask gets pulled off? Some bald guy with a mustach and a spider tattooed on his head. Just some goon? I don't see where you got the idea that Jason organized the bombing of Bludhaven; That was the Society, in particular Deathstroke because Nightwing betrayed him in the Nightwing comicbook. I don't think Jason expected the bombing, but he does find it ironic.

 

I don't know there was a certain smugness about it, that almost seemed like Jason knew more than he was letting on. It's just that Jason is letting off that attitude that he's like Batman in the depth of what he knows. Maybe it was just a coincidence though in the DC Universe how often to do conviently coincidental stuff fall together?

 

Well, in Infinite Crisis, 4, which takes place during/after this(i think), Nightwing is alive.

 

I don't think Jason was the one who orchestrated Bludhaven's destruction. At the very least, he seems to be arranging a Punisher-like brand of justice, which does NOT include nuking a city. The only exception is if this city is 100% inhabited by evil people, whereupon nukes are okay.

 

Deathstroke ordered the attack on Bludhaven. It was due to recent events in Nightwing.

I'm really liking Jason. He's just the perfect villain for Bats. It's not too dissimilar to his relationship with Harvey Dent/Two Face, but it's at a much higher degree. This is someone Bruce trusted with his life. Trusted with his secrets. And to see him turn out like this is eating Bruce up inside. It's completely fucking with his head.

Add on top of all that, he still doesn't know *how* Jason lived/revived. As the world's greatest detective, it also has to be eating at him that he can't figure it out. Unless he does know already.

One theory I was discussing is that Ra's did infact take Jason to a Lazarus Pit. Jason was grateful. He studied and learned under Ra's, who would love to use one of Bruce's closest allies against him.

 

My older brother and I were talking about that last night, our theory is that he's from Earth Prime.

 

I still want to know how Jason came back from the dead...

And I really like this new Red Hood as a villian. Particularly his little speech to Bruce at the end of "Under The Hood:"

 

One thing that I didn't like about the issue is the timing. IC4 came out a week before so we KNEW that Nightwing was alright. Stupid DC couldn't have released 649 one week prior or even the week of?? But I guess for those who don't read IC4, it's a real cliffhanger.

With regards to Jason ressurrected ... i don't think it could have been the Lazurus pits because they spent one whole issue (Batman 645) discussing how it would be impossible to use the Lazurus pits (since all were sealed and you can't raise the already dead with them). My money is on the alternate earth theory. Blame it on Alexander Luthor! Well, guess we have to wait until the Batman Annual.

 

You are correct, sir. Basicly, Nightwing tried to make a deal with Deathstroke into convincing all of the other supervillians to stay out of the Haven and he would keep the capes out. Droping Chemo was his response. So now, Nightwing's gonna be blaming himself for all those deaths.

 

The whole Chemo issue was pretty much wrapped up the same week in one of the Superman comics. Superman comes into Bludhaven casually battles Chemo so Chemo can gather himself together (and therefore clean the city up at the same time of all his toxic goo) and promptly tosses Chemo into space where he can be picked up to be used in plot point 25602 two years down the road.