InsaneJournal

When we last left off, Jason was violent, a jerk, and way more "edgy" than the Robin that most readers were used to. He was definitely a polarizing figure. Then DC did one of their most infamous reader-response events ever: they created a 900-number where comic fans could call in and vote whether Robin would live or die in the next series. The vote went on for 35 hours and it costed 50 cents a call! And the worst part? The vote was VERY close. But "death" won out, and thus Death in the Family was created.

Now, BLASPHEMY ALERT, I kind of hate the entirety of Death in the Family. I just think it's a horribly written book and it makes my brain leak out of my ears if I see too much of it at one sitting. Thus, I'm not posting much of it. Here's what you have to know:

1) Robin/Jason finds out that the mother who he loved and cared for and sacrificed for as she was dying is... GASP! Not his real mother! Clearly confused and upset, Jason sets off to find his real mother (notably without Batman) even though all he has is the woman's temporary location from 15 years ago and her initials. Somehow, though, he narrows it down to only 3 women that he has to find.

2) Batman finds Jason all the way ACROSS THE WORLD and, after lecturing him on running off, agrees to help him find these 3 women. Notably, one of them is Lady Shiva. But no, Jason's mother could not be that cool... Batman/Robin finally find the real mother working as a relief doctor in Africa.

3) Jason's real mother? She's a bitch. And evil. An evil bitch. She's been working with the Joker to undercut her own relief/charity work (what the hell was the Joker doing in Africa anyway Or Iran later for that matter?) and, oh yeah, sells out her own son at the drop of a hat... (and yes, she knows that her son is "Robin, The Boy Wonder!")




(There's a scene in the middle of these two posts where the Joker double crosses Jason's mom and leaves her to die in a bomb explosion w/Jason. Jason dies not because of the crowbar specifically-- he gets RIGHT next to the bomb trying to defuse it and save her. HER. His mom. The woman who was totally fine with the Joker killing her son. Then everything goes BOOM!)


Classic, iconic picture. For an interesting contrast, here's Under the Hood's version of the same scene:



Mask on in this one. Interesting touch...

So, almost 20 years pass and we see memories of Jason here and there-- but mostly he's just used for OMG BAT ANGST! I HAD A SIDEKICK WHO DIED! moments-- until 2006 and Under the Hood. And, oh yeah, stupid Superboy Prime:
















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*CRIES*


Coming Soon:
(Part 6) A look at Jason's short but well-written time as Red Hood, and (Part 7) the very, very few awesome Jason moments in Countdown!