We cover the second Robin, JASON TODD, at the request of Patron Ariel! How did he go from being Dick Grayson 2.0 to one of the angriest members of the Bat-family? Doc unveils one of his most inventive treatment methods yet, plus we finally get an answer to the age-old question of how the Joker got away! (No reason why Batman smells, though.) Listen now!

SHOW NOTES:

  • Intro

    • Doc wrote a guest column for Adventures in Poor Taste
    • She-Hulk & Moon Knight shows on Disney+
    • Shoutout to Drop Anchor

    • Background (7:18)

    • Jason Todd created by Gerry Conway & Don Newton in Batman #357 (March 1983)

    • Jason was the second Robin, after Dick Grayson left to become Nightwing
    • Originally the son of circus acrobats who were killed by a criminal, he was adopted by Bruce Wayne in the pre-Crisis continuity
    • Post-Crisis, he was revamped to be an orphan attempting to steal the tires off the Batmobile
    • Batman takes him in as protege to prevent him from becoming a criminal

    • A Death in the Family – Jason is searching for his biological mother, but she’s blackmailed by Joker to draw him out – Joker beats Jason and blows up the warehouse, and Jason dies

      • This was voted on by fans, as Jason was not a popular character among the fanbase
        • Years later, revealed that when Superboy-Prime altered reality, it brought Jason back to life, although he suffered amnesia – Talia al Ghul takes him in and used a Lazarus Pit to restore his health, although it affected his mind
        • Begins to plot his revenge on both Batman and the Joker – Joker for killing him, and Batman for not being able to save him
        • Becomes Gotham crime lord known as the Red Hood – beats Joker within an inch of his life, but spares him to use against Batman
        • Confronts Batman and wants to know why he never killed Joker – gives Bruce ultimatum: kill me, or I kill Joker – Bruce disarms Jason, and Joker escapes
        • Becomes an anti-hero with no qualms about killing villains, and ends up in Arkham, where he kills dozens of inmates before escaping
        • New 52 – revamped origin again, revealing that Joker was responsible for his parents’ deaths – now he heads up the Outlaws, a group of anti-heroes looking for redemption
        • Rebirth – once again Batman takes him in, but realizes he’s too violent – he becomes Red Hood after his resurrection, which places him at odds with Bruce – creates new Outlaws group with Bizarro and Artemis
      • Issues (16:00)

    • Revenge oriented – both against Joker and Batman

    • Forced into Robin mantle by Batman - dyed his hair like Dick, and was told he became Robin to keep him out of trouble - always living in Dick's shadow (23:50)
    • Troubled youth led to life of crime – also potential BPD and depression – led to suicidal thoughts (34:30)
    • Insanity as a result of Lazarus Pits (40:14)

    • Break (45:40)

    • Plugs for Cult of Domesticity & Popcorn Psychology

    • Treatment (46:35)

    • In-universe

    • Out of universe (50:31)
    • Skit (62:09)
    • Ending

References:

  • Anthony's guest appearance on Into the Knight (3:36)
  • Lonely Island - "On a Boat" (6:46)
  • "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells" - Doc (08:24)
  • Talia al Ghul episode - Anthony (11:32)
  • Ra's al Ghul episode - Anthony (12:24)
  • Joker episode - Anthony (17:30)
  • Chris Rock - O.J. Simpson routine - Anthony/Doc (22:38)
  • TV Tropes - Replacement Goldfish - Anthony (25:30)
  • Jeremy Whitley - Anthony (71:10)

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