WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Batman #106, by James Tynion IV, Jorge Jimenez, Tomeu Morey and Clayton Cowles, on sale now.
In the Batman realm, as much as his sidekicks have contributed positively to Gotham, one, in particular, has caused the city quite a bit of chaos: Jason Todd. After returning from the dead and foregoing the Robin mantle, he became the Red Hood and started killing criminals in cold blood, making an enemy out of the Bat.
Recently, we’ve seen a similar vigilante come to town in the form of Bruce Wayne’s old rival, Ghost-Maker, who for all intents and purposes, considered himself judge, jury and executioner. Now, with both of them listening to Bruce and not overstepping that line anymore, let’s dissect which is the best superhero wild card between the two.
Click the button below to start this article in quick view.
Jason stands tall as Red Hood because he does want to fight for the people on the ground. One of the biggest criticisms is the Bat’s war on crime hurts the lower class more than it saves it. Jason’s recent arc, though, showed him moving to the Hill and helping people of color, becoming a true social justice warrior and champion.
The problem is, as Red Hood, he gets too emotional and often loses his temper. He has matured, admittedly, and we did see composure as he led the Outlaws and started a new school, but as seen with Penguin, he often loses it. He shot Cobblepot in the head and in stories like Batman: Urban Legends, once he loses his cool, he often kills people. It took him a while to get back into the Caped Crusader’s good graces but you can’t help but feel Jason might break bad again.
He’s a liability as Dick and Barbara have noted, which is why he’s the black sheep of the family. He’s arrogant, has an ego, and loves breaking rules and ranks, so no matter how effective a soldier he is, Jason isn’t as stable. It could linger side effects of coming back from the Lazarus Pit still, but one has to think Jason’s just too loose a cannon.
Ghost-Maker, on the other hand, started off like this, coming to Gotham to murder Bruce as he loved the art of killing, but also felt Bruce failed the city. They patched things up, though, and in the truce, he’s helping clean up the place in the wake of the Joker War. And surprisingly, he’s doing well, listening to orders from Oracle and Bruce. It’s shocking how seamlessly he fits in, per Batman #106, as he helps Bruce dismantle some members of Unsanity.
They’re tracking an anarchist called Wyze, and realizing they’re in the middle of a media war to make the city fearful again, Ghost-Maker knows not to cause trouble. Sure, Bruce reminds him now and then not to kill or maim, but he’s gotten the directive and overall message. With his sword and speed, he’s an even better soldier than Jason, coming off as Bruce’s equal. But it’s his temperament and willingness to be a team player, even when he disagrees with the mission that has him just above Jason right now.
About The Author
