Batman: Under the Red Hood

Batman: Under the Red Hood: The Deluxe Edition is exactly the kind of upgrade this story deserves. The oversized hardcover format immediately stands out; the pages are sturdy, the binding feels durable, and the larger art presentation gives Doug Mahnke’s art far more impact than in the standard trade. If you’re a collector or someone who appreciates premium editions, this one delivers. What makes this edition especially valuable is that it collects both Under the Red Hood and The Lost Days in a single volume. That means you get Jason Todd’s full arc, from his resurrection to his confrontation with Batman, without needing to track down separate books. Judd Winick’s writing still holds up beautifully: emotional, sharp, and morally complex without ever losing the pacing of a great action story. The bonus material, including behind‑the‑scenes art and additional context, rounds out the package and makes it feel like a true “deluxe” release rather than just a repackaged reprint. If you’re a Batman fan, a Red Hood fan, or someone who enjoyed the animated film and wants the definitive source material, this edition is absolutely worth adding to your shelf. High‑quality production, complete story, and a presentation that does justice to one of the best Batman arcs of the 2000s.

As Batman already has his hands full with trying to take down the Black Mask, a new adversary by the name of Red Hood comes to Gotham. But who is this individual that is causing trouble for heroes and villains alike in the city? Is it someone new? Or someone entirely familiar? Alrighty, let’s get into it. While I knew what was going to take place in this comic, I was still able to be surprised by a few things. The fact that this comic takes place sometime after Stephanie Brown’s, a.k.a Spoiler and the 4th Robin at this current moment in the timeline) death. To be honest with you all, I had no idea that her and Cassandra Caine were characters that have been around longer than I had expected (I thought Stephanie Brown was established in the mid-2010s. Not around 2005 to 2006). So, that was interesting to find out. Secondly, I had no idea that other villains (obscure ones to be exact) were to be found within the pages of the comic. Those villains were like the ones Adam West’s Batman would face. Nevertheless, it was and they didn’t take away from the main plot point. I really enjoyed seeing how much depth was put into Bruce/Batman’s thought process regarding him coming to terms with what may or may not have happened surrounding Jason’s death and resurrection. Shows that behind all that brawn and intelligence behind the cowl, he’s still a human being with doubts (as well as the hope that “his son” is alive). This comic was well-written. Loved the fact that there were more povs within this comic giving various perspectives on the situation. You have no idea how moved I was by Red Hood’s speech to Batman (I’ve seen clips of this moment on YouTube but of course nothing compares to the actual scene; though I won’t lie, I read this part in Jensen Ackles voice). Truly loved this comic and would rate it higher than 5/5 stars if I could. Can’t wait to read more on Red Hood!

When I first read this story, in the two separate trades, I had little appreciation for the history and what was being brought to the table. Having gotten this wonderfully put together full collection, I love this story more than ever. Judd Winick does a great job of writing this intense drama for the Dark knight, which shoves one of his greatest failures in his face. Judd is also great with characterization, dealing with the Batman, Red Hood, Alfred, Nightwing, Black Mask, the Joker, and their interactions together. The artwork is also top notch. This one is hard to put down as the writing and art just kept me engrossed in such a heart-breaking tale. This collection even has a nice little bonus at the end of having the section from Jeph Loeb/Jim Lee's Hush storyline, where "the Red Hood" makes his first appearance. The only complaints I have, and are minor, and don't detract a star here but I would give this one a 9 out of 10, is the cheesy silver age portrayal of Mr. Freeze. He's the deranged mad scientist stereotype in this, not the complex more interesting emotional damaged empathetic character that Batman the Animated Series turned him into. And of course, the initial reason for "the Red Hood's" return with a lame Infinite Crises tie-in (although on second reading it's not as bad). All in all a great modern Batman story worthy of anyone looking for a great read!

I ordered this book after seeing the movie Batman: Under the Red Hood, since I loved the movie and wanted a little more back story. And since I had seen the movie already, I knew, for the most part, how this story would progress. But I was extremely drawn in by this story and I read it in one sitting. And immediately re-read it. This is an amazing story-well written, well drawn, well colored, well executed. While I used to be an avid spend-every-Wednesday-at-the-comic-shop comic book reader, I honestly haven't picked up any comics in YEARS. That said, even for a out of the loop reader, I was really drawn in by this story and was able to easily follow along. And while there are things mentioned that were never explained in this book (how did Nightwing jack up his leg? Why can't they contact Barbara Gorden? etc.), there were more questions answered then not. And I appreciated cameos from familiar faces of some of the Justice League and rogue gallery villains throughout the book. Also, the execution of Batman's confusion, conflict and mourning through the meat of the story is amazingly portrayed. I don't think anyone but this team of writers and illistrators could have done this as successfully. Bottom line-this is a great book for any Batman fan to read.

I will admit, I watched the excellent movie before reading this collection, so I was not surprised by much in this story. However, there are numerous plotlines left out of the movie, further explanations on the origin of Red Hood, and more depth in this collection. In short, even if you HAVE seen the movie, this collection is still different enough to not be classified as entirely predictable. When I first opened the envelope this book came in, I was surprised at its size. I had looked at the page count on the product description, but was still taken back a bit by how big this collection is. I paid a bit more than I thought I would have to for this book, but immediately felt a bit relieved when I saw its girth. Anyway, the writing style is very enjoyable. This functions pretty well as a stand-alone book, but there are a few significant story points readers ought to be familiar with before reading this collection. I had read 'Death in the Family' before this, so I knew all about Joker's murdering of Robin. If you're a Batman fan that has read pretty much any comic post 1986(ish), this should come as no surprise to you. What was surprising was that, apparently, Black Mask (who is a delight to read in this story) is no the chief mob boss in Gotham. While this was explained briefly, it felt a little off at first, since as far as I have read, Black Mask has been a hard B-level villain. There are several plot points similar to this in UtRH, but nothing is outright confusing. What I'm trying to say is that this Batman story is definitely more entrenched in then-current story canon than say, The Long Halloween. Regardless, dialogue is penned very well, with characters' speech patterns easily distinguishable and organic. The story moves a bit awkwardly at some points, in a way that I can only say was noticeable because I have seen the film adaptation. I must say, certain points of the movie's scene ordering is superior to the book, but the movie had the advantage of picking and choosing which elements it wanted to retain. Overall, this is a just a cool story, and the stakes feel real for the Dark Knight. He is facing one of his most challenging opponents, an opponent he may not be able to, or even want to, stop. The art was slightly disappointing in this collection. Mahnke's talent has improved over the years from this work, so the work here has not all aged well. The most noticeable example is probably the image at the start of each chapter. Batman's chest looks laughably stylized, and way off-proportionally. That being said, none of his work is awful; it is at worst mediocre. In certain panels, he knocks it out of the park, and that is the art I identify most with this story. Selected panels from Jim Lee's Hush are included in the end of this book, which makes all prior work seem weaker by comparison. To end, I'm very glad I purchased this book. It introduced an excellent new villain who is anything but black and white. This collection is not perfect, but it was a very satisfying read across every chapter. It never becomes dull, and while sometimes predictable, not riddled with distracting story tropes. While not enjoying the same proportional excellence as its movie counterpart, any fan of the movie, or Batman in general, will enjoy this collection.

This book is stunning, it tests batman's moral code in a very intriguing way that makes you almost think that batman is in the wrong. This story solidified red hood as my favorite batfamily character he is so cunning and mysterious and the climax with him, batman, and the joker is one of my favorite moments in all of comics. If you watched the animated movie you won't get that much out of this, it's basically the same story with a few minor changes and different plot points. I loved most of the side characters/cameos in this story Black mask was genuinely hilarious and i thought his inclusion was lots of fun, nightwing showing up was a fun surprise, but i gotta say i did not like Deathstroke in this. his entire reason for being in this story is for the reader to say "hey look! it's Deathstroke." and thats it, he has no major reason for being in this story. red hood's origin story at the end is a little complicated and convoluted which i did not like that much but it doesn't really hurt this score that much i still think this story is, and deserves a 5/5. if i could say one big problem i had with this book, it would probably be the art, sometimes the art is amazing and sometimes its not, specifically with how red hood is drawn in this comic, he doesn't look that cool a lot of the time. All in all this book is Incredible one of my favorites and nothing will change that, the writing is just superb and i would recommend it to any fan of the dark knight.

This version collects Batman 635-641, 645-650 and Batman Annual #25 like the first trade. It also adds the entire "Red Hood: The Lost Days" storyline and Batman 617-618 (the Hush storyline that involved Jason), all of which is a new addition. There is also the usual foreward and character sketches that come with trades/omnibuses. As you can see in the pictures, even if you have the original Under The Red Hood and Lost Days trades, this book is still bigger. As a Jason Todd fan who mostly buys Red Hood trades (I even bought Hush just for the little Jason parts), I think this is honestly the best way to experience the story of his return all in one spot. The hardcover is excellent quality and I don't regret buying it even though I already have the other trades.

love this novel SO much but imagine biased as a Gotham guy so.....yeah

Book came in perfect condition, I recommend this after reading A Death in the Family, it’s so detailed and grotesque. I cried multiple times for Jason :/ #JusticeForTheFallenRobin

Brilliant trade paperback! Delivered fast and in great condition, thanks so much :)

One of the very best Batman graphic novels. The story is interesting and the illustrations including the inking is top notch. One of the most important batman comic to be had in the collection. Though a bit overpriced it is a better but than the cheaper DC compact editions.

Very good, happy.

Another pictorial book in the Batman Library. Bought for my grandson who was thrilled with it as an addition to his Batman collection