Alright everybody, the title speaks for itself. This thread is all about our FAVORITE. (Not plural) Think about who your all timer is, not only that, but why as well and let us know down in the comments!
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Batman
I’m sure no one saw that coming, but sarcasm aside. In my mind Batman is like a seed that was planted and every branch that sprouted from the tree was gold. Here are some reasons I think Bats is best.
- Gotham City
- Future/Alternate Versions
- Media Interpretations
- Vehicles/Gadgets/Suits
- Origin Story
- The Bat-Family
- The Rogues Gallery
- The Romances
- A Darker Corner of the DCU
I could be here all day elaborating but it’s hard to deny that Batman has iconography and iconic characters stemming from all those points. Not to mention he’s the OG human that decided to roll with the big Leagues (no pun intended). The story of his creation is also a great one with one of the main contributors Bill Finger having just as tragic of a story as young Bruce. But of all the hero’s he’s the one that constantly inspires me to do and be better. That’s why he’s my favorite.
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I think the answer is pretty clear. It’s Batman. (Something tells me there will be a lot of Batman’s)
I love him because I grew up with him and I find him to be the most inspiring character in all of fiction. A man turns his grief and pain into a tool to prevent what he went through. He helps others in the hopes to stop crime once and for all, even though it is a futile war that can never be won. Only by building a family of his own can he continue on and stay content in his mission of hope and justice to those who need it most. Now that is both noble and tragic. A story worth retelling again and again, even if it ends tragically for the man behind the cowl. That’s not to mention how he can be both serious and goofy at the same time with many changing and reinterpreting him through a new lens often. Batman is the ultimate hero, and there’s no one I can think of as amazing as him.
I think these two scene sum up my love for Batman (From Batman: War On Crime)
If I had to give a runner up, Tim Drake would be next. I find myself sharing a lot of traits with Tim in that we put others ahead of ourselves, we try to help others wherever we can, and try to make a better future for those around us. It’s very admirable and something I think is worth a mention.
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Haha I bet you’re right about there being lots of Batmen. But hey that’s okay! I definitely agree with your reasons for admiring him though. Tim being a close second though is interesting. Haha maybe a more interesting post wouldve been, who’s your second favorite character.
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Okay, it took quite a bit of time for me to pick a photo (because they’re all great) so I chose the panel of him standing next to his Robin version. I know that this was a surprise to absolute NO one but… I suppose it’s time to come clean and get deep for a moment now that there is a thread where I can appropriately do so.
ahem
I want to start off by squashing the automatic assumption that ALL Red Hood fans (and fans of Jason Todd as an actual character) is some young person who thinks that they’re angsty and emo and whatever else has been said about us, because I’m not that kind of person and I can barely stand that stereotype myself. While there might be a mass majority of fans who are like that, it doesn’t apply to everyone. (I had to get that off my chest a bit, okay?)
A lot of the things that I am going to say about Jason is stuff that is moreso explored and shown in his own solo comics, where DC takes the time to write his character traits, instead of simplifying him like they have to do in Detective Comics where they have to make him stand apart from others.
Number 1 for me is that, to me at least, he is more relatable as a character to readers. While I know that every character has something that makes readers connect to them, for me it’s Jason and his backstory. Jason grew up in poverty on the streets, with a drug addict and a criminal for parents. To me that is more relatable to more readers who may not have had much growing up, or the fact that there are not-so-great parents out there. While I did not have the same homelife like Jay had, I do know what it’s like to grow up with a dad that wasn’t there, because I’ve never met my own father, and while Jason did have his dad (when he wasn’t gone doing who knows what), both of our fathers are not great people. So that’s something that I share with Jason.
Similarity 2 applies to his days as Robin, in which Red Hood and the Outlaws Rebirth revealed a bit more of. For this point, there is a flashback panel of Jason sitting on his favorite gargoyle (his childhood friend from his days on the streets) and Batman talks to him about how Jason is going to make mistakes as Robin, and it’s okay to make them because he’ll learn from them. While this is something that everyone is told in life, I guess it sticks with me more as I’m still learning this lesson as I’m currently at a point in my life where my future is more in front of me than it has in the past (I’m a college student). It just made me feel like Jason was realistic as a character for me when I read this panel.
Reason number 3 is something else that only Red Hood readers will know, and that is how much Jason loves, cares, and views his friends and relationships. People who have read the New 52 Outlaws, Red Hood/Arsenal, and/or Rebirth know how much his teammates and best friends mean to him. I’ll spare the over dramatic text and just show you this- 
Okay, this is only with Bizarro, but surprise surprise, Jason did not just attack and kill something to solve a problem… another misconception. Basically in this scene, Bizarro could have easily killed him without even thinking about it and Jason chose a more calmer approach by finding a way to get through to him instead of trying to kill him first. As for the Batfam that he, yes previously did try to kill back when he was unstable, he is actually on good terms with them now. DC has acknowledged that Tim is the one he is the Robin he is the most closest to, DC is giving us more Dick and Jason bonding time, and he has his moments with Damian (he’s trying when he has the opportunity to). Alfred has, and always will be, the one that Jason goes to when he needs advice. He is literally the grandfather he never had. As for Bats… he and him still have their moments (I blame the writers for that), but since the New 52, Jason hasn’t been the same version of Red Hood from 2005. In Rebirth, he “tries it his way” and stuck with it for awhile (until Year of the Villain happened and affected the direction of his character path).
Okay okay, I know this was long, and I’ll end it here, but there is a lot more to Jason than who he was back in 2005 when he was written to be a villain. He does have more depth and I wish for this to continue in the future. I want to see Jason grow as a person and not just be reduced to “the angry/angst one” all the time. I know that not everyone will like a character, and will hate some with a passion, but I wanted to bring up some things that many are actually missing out on.
Thank you for reading if you made it this far.
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This was B-E-A-UITFUL!!!
This was exactly the kind of response I was hoping for, and it was so thoughtful.I really appreciate your insight into the character as it really makes me want to go read some of the stories you have mentioned. I never knew he could be so sensitive! I love it. Thank you for the awesome post!
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Thank you so much! I’ll admit, I am and forever will always be a proud member of the Jason Todd Defense Squad, and I was a bit worried that I was coming off a bit annoying and such, but I had to vent out some of the common things that his fans get called and the misconceptions that come with his character to others. The TL;DR here really is that most people who hate him with an absolute passion, are only familiar with the version from the original Under the Red Hood storyline and the others that came following after. During that time, DC didn’t know where to take his character, so he went the Villain route. Now that he has his own comics, he’s on a more anti-hero route. I’ve been a fan of him for 3 years now, and I’ve learned that when people still follow the “killer Red Hood” idea, they haven’t read the New stuff (it’s easy to tell).
Anyway, I recommend the New 52, but I would suggest going at it with the mindset of not focusing on the obvious sexual aspect of Starfire (I know it’s controversial), but it does get better once you get passed the first issues. Just focus on the story and what Jason is narrating, most often in his comics he will tell what he’s thinking/feeling and that at times is more important than his actual dialog. (The New 52 also tried to give him a twist on his origin… ignore that, Rebirth will fix that continuity issue and bring back his original one with the Batmobile)
I recommend Red Hood/Arsenal (after New 52 Outlaws), 'nuff said.
As for Rebirth… you can quit after issue 25 if you want 
. That is the part when the actual writing/editorial came into play because Year of the Villian was about to start and the version of Jason they needed most likely didn’t match up with his Outlaws version. It was also when they swapped out most of the creative team, and things went downhill in Red Hood: Outlaw. Or you can read it and see what you think, just a heads up, that’s where a lot of Red Hood readers stopped at after a while…
Hope this was helpful, I know this is a lot but I figured I would give a bit of advice since you mentioned that you wanted to check some out. Have fun!
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Thank you! 
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Holy smokes! I’m sure you’ve been told but I’m nominating you for community Red Hood expert! So informative! And I love the insight and heads up. Sometimes it’s nice to keep expectations in check. Especially when creatives teams are constantly swapped! I actually have a couple red hood questions I’ve been wanting to make threads so hopefully you’ll be around for those!
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Thank you! I know some pretty cool people in the Renegade Robins club who also love to talk about Red Hood just as much as I do. They do book club readings and have a few discussion threads as well. Enjoy reading, and as always, if you have any questions, me and several others on here should have an answer!
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Your blowing my mind man
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Thank you!
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I LOVE Batman, but for all my life. I’ve always loved villains more than heroes. So while my heart says Batman, my brain is telling me:
I love the Scarecrow for a multitude of reasons. For one, his design. The hat and the dusty burlap really feels creepy, yet also gives off a fun Tim Burton macabre vibe. For two, he brings out the best in Batman. What makes Batman so special compared to most of DC is how he’s a lot more dark and gothic compared to the uplifting Superman, Wonder Woman, and Flash. That’s not to say they don’t have their dark stories of course, but Batman is rooted in those themes. Scarecrow obviously oozes with that. As do my other favorite Batman villains. A crazy killer clown, a man obsessed with fairy tales, a maniac with a completely split mind and motivation. They all have a certain amount of horror to them. Scarecrow is no different. Lastly, the character of Jonathan Crane himself. I’m somewhat of a workaholic, and like Scarecrow, I’m addicted to my craft. Scarecrow shows the consequences of going too far with what you love. A concept that horrifies me. How far does one go in the name of science? That’s something Scarecrow dabbles with quite a bit, and it’s classic.
Overall, I just love Scarecrow. He’s gotten a new origin and design of which I do not care for whatsoever. I pray with all of my will in Infinite Frontier Scarecrow’s origin is set back to how it used to be before the New 52. But until then, I’ll just keep re-reading Scarecrow Year One by Bruce Jones (Not the one by Doug Moench…That sucked)
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Very nice work my friend. I feel the same way about Batman’s villains. I think what makes them so terrifying is that instead of being some super powered alien or god or being, they’re just people. Like me and you but gone horribly wrong. Scarecrow has never been high on my list but I’ve always appreciated his place. However, after reading this it made me realize I’m not too familiar with his comic book origins. You’ve peaked my interest! I’m going to have to do some reading.
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I’m glad you enjoyed my gushing! A lot of writers aren’t quite sure what to do with Scarecrow, so allow me to recommend you the best of the best:
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Scarecrow: Year One (By Bruce Jones)
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Joker’s Asylum: Scarecrow #1
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No Man’s Land Part 5 - 8 (Fear of Faith)
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The Batman Adventures 5-6
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The Batman Adventures Annual #1
Those are my personal picks that are available on here. Enjoy! (Also Happy Anniversary!)
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I think i am going to have to give a repeat answer on this and say Red Hood also. Over the last couple of years whenever he shows up in a story I am just drawn to him and want to see where he goes because he is such a complex character.
Like what @TheWifeOfJasonTodd said above people always tend to write Jason off as being this really angry hateful person but he has grown so much. He does still come off that way sometimes but thats just the face he puts on because he wants to keep most people at arms length. His narration really shows what he thinks but will never say in some cases.
I have not read everything he is in (but I am working on it) but I always enjoy it whether it is a newer story or from when when he was first introduced. Between the friendships he has in the two outlaw series and the fact that there is always something in each issue that makes me laugh I tend to keep going back to them as my “comfort series” or series that will never get old lol. Also Jason’s attitude is so relatable for me.
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My all-time favorite is Batman, even if I don’t really care for how he’s been written the past several years. There are a lot of reasons Batman appeals to me. I like the fact that he is at heart a detective. Regardless of whether he is being portrayed as a campy Caped Crusader or a grim Dark Knight, Batman is always a detective. I also love the gadgets and all the Bat-paraphernalia: the Batarang, the Batmobile, the Batwing, and so on. And then there’s the fact that Batman has no super powers. He’s a mortal human being trained to the peak of his abilities. I think what appeals most to me about Batman, though, is that his origin is rooted in tragedy. He saw his parents murdered right in front of his eyes. Sadly, the past few years have given me even more reason to identify with him, as I had my own similar tragedy (although, at least, it didn’t happen right in front of me).
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That’s two for Jason! Hmm I’m thinking I’m gonna have to read me some more Red Hood. I skimmed through the recommendations from @TheWifeOfJasonTodd just to check them out real quick and they looked rather good. Thank you for sharing! I appreciate the time and thought in your answer.
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