Writer: Scott Lobdell
Art: Dexter Soy
Release Date: July 12, 2017
Cover Price: $3.99
Fun fact for readers: I'm not the biggest fan of Red Hood. Truth be told, I've had a huge disdain for the character after the Under the Red Hood. After that story, he had just been the one trick pony of being a killer Batman, who was obsessed with taking over the cowl. I honestly didn't think that there was any Red Hood series that would interest me. That was when I saw his Rebirth series would have him team up with Artemis, a rogue Amazon, and the backwards bruiser himself, Bizarro.
In the past two story arcs, we have watched the team grow closer while kicking all forms of rear. The first arc had them betraying and overthrowing Black Mask in Gotham, uniting to as their goals aligned. When the Bow of Ra, what Artemis has been looking for, revealed itself, the team ended up divided against an old Amazonian. The outcome of that was that Artemis gained the bow for her arsenal... And Bizarro was mortally wounded. What's going to happen to the backwards bruiser? Let's find out!
*WARNING! SOME SPOILERS BELOW!*
Not going to lie, after reading this issue, I had to punch a wall to reaffirm my manliness, because this almost brought me to tears.
When we first open with the group, Jason and Artemis are looking down at the dying Bizarro, both trying to come to terms with the approaching end. We see that despite them starting out as allies of necessity, the group has grown close as friends. This is what I've come to love with the series: The characters relationships to one another. Thanks to the fantastic art of Dexter Soy, you can feel the pain and anguish that our characters are going through.
Of course, no Red Hood comic comes without an epic fighting scene, and the battle against Solomon Grundy is no exception. While Red Hood and Artemis get the tar kicked out of them, Bizarro flying in to fight is one of the most bad@$$ moments I've ever seen him pull off. Maybe it was the fact Bizarro mocked Grundy's rhyme in what might be his wittiest moment since the character was first created or it might be his use of frost vision to make boxing gloves to knock out Grundy, but either way, it's one of my favorite action scenes of the series, which ends with his inevitable death.
The actual death of Bizarro is one of the most heartbreaking moments I've read in a comic since, ironically, his death in Forever Evil. Unlike that death though, we've spent a year getting to know this big lovable goof; watching him be almost as heroic as those in the Justice League. Despite everyone telling him to stand down, let the others deal with Grundy, he refuses. Why? To quote Bizarro, "Down is opposite of helping." He sees these two as his best friends and laid down his life to protect them. As he died, he had one request for his friends: Take care of Pup Pup, his Superman toy. Heart: Shattered.
Overall, this was a fantastic beginning to this new arc, showing the emotional side of the Outlaws, and the true family relationship that they have. The art is phenomenal, showing off the emotional turmoil of the characters and the epicness of the action. With what the ending is implying, Bizarro won't be down for long, but he might not be as friendly as before. If you can pick up any issue, I highly recommend this one.
Pup, pup, and away.
Issue description:
“THE LIFE OF BIZARRO” part one! Bizarro’s final days are upon us! As Red Hood and the Outlaws rush home to Gotham City in an effort to save Bizarro’s life, a new threat is unleashed in the form of Solomon Grundy! Can the Outlaws stop Grundy’s rampage without their most powerful member? Who unleashed the monster in the first place? And can Grundy defeated in time to save Bizarro from certain death? Find out in the start of a brand new adventure!
Fun fact for readers: I'm not the biggest fan of Red Hood. Truth be told, I've had a huge disdain for the character after the Under the Red Hood. After that story, he had just been the one trick pony of being a killer Batman, who was obsessed with taking over the cowl. I honestly didn't think that there was any Red Hood series that would interest me. That was when I saw his Rebirth series would have him team up with Artemis, a rogue Amazon, and the backwards bruiser himself, Bizarro.
In the past two story arcs, we have watched the team grow closer while kicking all forms of rear. The first arc had them betraying and overthrowing Black Mask in Gotham, uniting to as their goals aligned. When the Bow of Ra, what Artemis has been looking for, revealed itself, the team ended up divided against an old Amazonian. The outcome of that was that Artemis gained the bow for her arsenal... And Bizarro was mortally wounded. What's going to happen to the backwards bruiser? Let's find out!
*WARNING! SOME SPOILERS BELOW!*
Not going to lie, after reading this issue, I had to punch a wall to reaffirm my manliness, because this almost brought me to tears.
When we first open with the group, Jason and Artemis are looking down at the dying Bizarro, both trying to come to terms with the approaching end. We see that despite them starting out as allies of necessity, the group has grown close as friends. This is what I've come to love with the series: The characters relationships to one another. Thanks to the fantastic art of Dexter Soy, you can feel the pain and anguish that our characters are going through.
Of course, no Red Hood comic comes without an epic fighting scene, and the battle against Solomon Grundy is no exception. While Red Hood and Artemis get the tar kicked out of them, Bizarro flying in to fight is one of the most bad@$$ moments I've ever seen him pull off. Maybe it was the fact Bizarro mocked Grundy's rhyme in what might be his wittiest moment since the character was first created or it might be his use of frost vision to make boxing gloves to knock out Grundy, but either way, it's one of my favorite action scenes of the series, which ends with his inevitable death.
The actual death of Bizarro is one of the most heartbreaking moments I've read in a comic since, ironically, his death in Forever Evil. Unlike that death though, we've spent a year getting to know this big lovable goof; watching him be almost as heroic as those in the Justice League. Despite everyone telling him to stand down, let the others deal with Grundy, he refuses. Why? To quote Bizarro, "Down is opposite of helping." He sees these two as his best friends and laid down his life to protect them. As he died, he had one request for his friends: Take care of Pup Pup, his Superman toy. Heart: Shattered.
Overall, this was a fantastic beginning to this new arc, showing the emotional side of the Outlaws, and the true family relationship that they have. The art is phenomenal, showing off the emotional turmoil of the characters and the epicness of the action. With what the ending is implying, Bizarro won't be down for long, but he might not be as friendly as before. If you can pick up any issue, I highly recommend this one.
Pup, pup, and away.
9/10
Issue description:
“THE LIFE OF BIZARRO” part one! Bizarro’s final days are upon us! As Red Hood and the Outlaws rush home to Gotham City in an effort to save Bizarro’s life, a new threat is unleashed in the form of Solomon Grundy! Can the Outlaws stop Grundy’s rampage without their most powerful member? Who unleashed the monster in the first place? And can Grundy defeated in time to save Bizarro from certain death? Find out in the start of a brand new adventure!
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