Although not the greatest of the bat-books, I am still enjoying what they are doing with this book. It's taken a different tone, being more lighthearted & fun. Lobdell seems to be hitting at the right points, and has finally found his groove in this book. There is less Red Hood & Arsenal in this issue, as it focuses more on Starfire, but I look forward to seeing the group together again next issue.
RB Silva's art is perfect for this book. He has a 'less is more' approach, as he uses less line work in larger areas, to put more detail in the smaller parts of the page. His facial expressions are great, and the beautiful, vibrant coloring is perfect for the tone of this book. Really, this is a standout guy, and I hope DC continues to give him work. I hope he stays on this book for awhile, but with the tonal shift taking place in DC, they should have plenty of books this guy could help them on.
Spoilers ahead…
We see Kori in her younger days, after she escaped imprisonment, as she was being taken to other planets to serve as a beacon of hope to their citizens. During this, she would escape at night, and free the slaves, and prisoners of war through an Underground Railroad of her own making.
In last issue, we saw her freaking the freak out as she blasted out of a ship at SHADE headquarters. Jason & Roy enter, to find a ship full of slaves. Jason believes them to be looking for Kori, but never reached her. Dr. Langstrom thinks that she could have been part of the trafficking. Roy lashes out at him, and Langstrom retaliates by turning into Man-Bat, and tells them to help.
Kori has made her way to Abu Dhabi. The richest city on Earth. Where you can get anything you want, for a price. She looks around all these rich people, and blasts them with her powers. Everyone there, is aliens, though. Using their bounty money to do whatever they want. Kori has known about this, but has had enough. She calls for the most vile to approach her, and a Big-Ugly pins her down, asking "Looking for me?" (She wasn't looking for him.)
Great looking book. The art is great. The book is fun in it's approach, even with this one telling a darker tale. I just hope we get more Jason & Roy next month.
Red Hood & the Outlaws #33:
Reviwed by Corbin Pool
