Reviving the Dead: DC’s move on the Red Hood

After being infamously murdered in “Death in the Family,” by the Joker, Jason’s revival was ridiculed multiple times for years of Batman stories. Take a glance back at all the ways Jason Todd almost restored to life before actually being brought back because of the Red Hood.

Starting with Underworld Unleashed 

Underworld Unleashed was a significant DC event story that was released in 1995. Mark Waid and Howard Porter series centered on the demonic Neron coming to Earth and presenting several villains like Lex Luthor, Joker, and Circe. Neron extends to several heroes, including Batman. Neron appears before Batman inside the Batcave and promises to revive Jason Todd to life if Bruce Wayne willingly gave up his soul to which the latter refused. Jason also vanishes, leaving a heartbroken Batman alone in his cave – with the sounds of what happened to Jason ringing within the cave together final taunt from the demon.

Coming to Deadman: Dead Again

Steve Vance and Jim Aparo’s Deadman: Dead Again in 2001 was miniseries that centered on Deadman trying to prevent a time-spanning plan by Neron and, therefore, the evil warlock Darius Caldera. They planned to capture the souls of different heroes within the moments after they died, using them to empower a spell that might grant them enormous power and even control over the body of Superman, including the soul of Jason Todd. Events carried on very much as they did within the core DC canon despite Deadman’s attempts to save him. Consequently, Jason’s soul was seized by Darius, who confined him inside a Soul Cage. Nevertheless, Deadman was eager to fight the villain and stop the spell from being cast, protecting the souls of Jason Todd. So while Deadman wasn’t prepared to save Jason’s life, he could see a minimum of help to preserve his soul.

Finally ending on Batman: Hush

After fighting Scarecrow in iconic Batman’s story “Hush,” he is shocked to seek that Hush has captured Robin. He’s even more shocked when Hush opens his bandages and reveals himself to be Jason Todd. He and Batman soon engage in a battle, but Batman quickly suspects that this is not the critical Jason Todd. Later revealed that Tommy Elliot is the actual Hush. But Jason’s body was missing from his grave. A minor retcon in Infinite Crisis then told that Jason had been restored before the events of “Hush” by the negligent actions of Superboy-Prime. This meant “Husk” didn’t follow a Jason Todd revival because the character had already been brought back. Still, it became a genuinely viable idea.

Sources : cbr , batman.fandom