Review: RED HOOD/ARSENAL #7
Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Javier Fernandez
Colors: Blond
Letters: Dave Sharpe
Publisher: DC Comics
Talk about enjoyable comics I never saw coming. I had no intentions of following the adventures of Red Hood and Arsenal from Red Hood and the Outlaws over to Red Hood/Arsenal. I always enjoyed the artists on the book. And a lot of the stories from its last year were entertaining. But I figured, it’s not that important. I don’t have to give it my time. Then when the DC You started, I gave the majority of the series a shot. And what I found is Red Hood/Arsenal may not be a vital component of the main DC continuity, it is one of the most rewarding comics on shelves each month.
Now, with the praise out of the way, let’s take a look at this tie-in issue to “Robin War”. The events of issue #7 take place during Robin War #1. So while reading Robin War #1 can provide more context to the happenings, it is not necessary to enjoy Red Hood/Arsenal #7.
What I Liked
The DC You has turned me into a huge supporter of Scott Lobdell. I have loved his two books, Red Hood/Arsenal and Doomed. Sadly, Doomed came to an end last month. Lobdell’s collaborator on Doomed, Javier Fernandez, has found work over at Red Hood/Arsenal. He has a fluid, almost anime-style that brings energy to each page. Any comic with Fernandez’s artwork in it is a plus in my book.
We are accustomed to the bromance between Red Hood and Arsenal. After-all, they are best friends and also work together. The creative team switched things up by separating the two and having them play off different supporting characters. Red Hood was busy dealing with “Robin War” fallout, joined by Red Robin. The sibling rivalry between the two really came through here. They each shared stories of themselves as Batman’s sidekick, and living in the shadow of a previous Robin. Some real bonding took place between the two.
Arsenal got stuck with babysitting Joker’s Daughter, who joined the team last issue. Which was hilarious by itself, since it was Jason Todd who wanted to bring her on in the first place. This brings up how Lobdell has been showing off his dialogue skills in this series. There was so much snappy banter between Arsenal and Joker’s Daughter. And it all was funny! Writing witty dialogue is a hidden skill in comics. Plus the time the two spend together helps build a bond.
What I Didn’t Like
While I enjoy that Red Hood/Arsenal isn’t strongly tied to DC continuity, some fans may wish for greater stakes in their comics. Or for bigger, badder villains. These are things I don’t mind, as it provides a break from the major Earth-shattering events in the DCU. Red Hood/Arsenal has to only worry about loosely tying into the Batman-line.
Timdogg
#ComicBookChronicles @CBChron founder. Editor-in-Chief of @thekliqnation. Comic book reviewer, podcaster #RABBLERABBLE
