CBR: Under the Hood with Judd Winick, Part I

**CBR News** · 03-26-2009, 10:31 AM

In this first of an extensive two-part interview, Judd Winick speaks more candidly than ever the resurrection of Jason Todd, what to expect during his run on "Batman," and perhaps more importantly, what not to expect.

Full article here.

**Lemurion** · 03-26-2009, 10:45 AM

It couild be good - it could be ungood. It's a wait and see thing - for what it's worth I enjoyed Under the Hood and that's the Jason Todd I'd like to see back again.

I have to say that his mention of Jason as a 'bad guy' lends credence to the theory that whoever Batman is going to be - he won't be Jason.

**Seraku** · 03-26-2009, 11:19 AM

I'm liking what I'm hearing

**Jim Yost** · 03-26-2009, 11:27 AM

Maybe I'm years behind the curve, but has Judd ever gone on-record with what his "terra-firma" solution to Jason's return was? I'd love to hear it, if only to have an alternate way to look at it. The wall-punch is the only part of the story that I didn't like.

**eggie** · 03-26-2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jim Yost

Maybe I'm years behind the curve, but has Judd ever gone on-record with what his "terra-firma" solution to Jason's return was? I'd love to hear it, if only to have an alternate way to look at it. The wall-punch is the only part of the story that I didn't like.

Me too! I hated Jason as Robin (voted for him to die even), but I love Jason as this kind of anti-hero, bad guy, and how that effects Bruce's psyche. It'll be interesting seeing Jason interact with the new Batman and Robin, Red Robin...I just hope they keep Jason as the Red Hood!

**Superbeast** · 03-26-2009, 12:13 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Yost

Maybe I'm years behind the curve, but has Judd ever gone on-record with what his "terra-firma" solution to Jason's return was? I'd love to hear it, if only to have an alternate way to look at it. The wall-punch is the only part of the story that I didn't like.

My guess would be something to do with Ra's Al Ghul stealing the body, perhaps during No Man's Land, using a Lazarus Pit, Todd coming back a little "iffy" because he had been dead so long, Ghul's group training Todd in deadlier arts and ways Batman would never use before Todd decided to return to Gotham to handle things using his new methods.

From this I have learned that Winick likes swearing as much as Tarantino does and probably doesn't mind pissing off Denny O'Neil who I believe said "It'd be a horrible stunt to bring Jason back after this" when they did off him. I also don't recall Death In The Family being released in 1985 because at aged 1, I wouldn't have been able to get a hold of it let alone read it. I'm pretty sure it ended in 1989.

**anthony33** · 03-26-2009, 12:26 PM

I also think that one of the things that hurt Jason Todd's return was that they used him in Under the Hood and then nothing else outside of Countdown which everyone hated. It just seemed like they brought him back to pretend to be Nightwing for awhile and that's about it. Also despite what Winnick says I don't recall under the hood being all that well recieved. That said, I still love that Jock cover on the annual.

**AJM** · 03-26-2009, 12:29 PM

Wasn't Tony Daniel supposed to be on Batman?

**Jim Yost** · 03-26-2009, 12:31 PM

Originally Posted by Superbeast

I also don't recall Death In The Family being released in 1985 because at aged 1, I wouldn't have been able to get a hold of it let alone read it. I'm pretty sure it ended in 1989.

Yeah it was '89, but I chalk it up to hyperbole. 20 years ago, 25 years ago, it was a long friggin time ago.

That said, did you read Death in the Family when you were 5? Pretty harsh book for a kindergartener.

**F1uke** · 03-26-2009, 12:44 PM

Originally Posted by AJM

Wasn't Tony Daniel supposed to be on Batman?

He's the artist on the book

**Sanlear** · 03-26-2009, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by Seraku

I'm liking what I'm hearing

Same here.

**Mia** · 03-26-2009, 12:54 PM

Well I was on the fence about dropping this book (until Bruce came back). But I think I'll lkeep it. Especially after reading this:

Exactly. That’s at the heart of it. I am talking broad strokes. The much smaller brush strokes are just that. We’re talking three-issue arcs, four-issue arcs where it’s Batman whooping it up, kicking ass, getting his ass kicked and coming back and kicking some more ass. This is a superhero book and it’s one of the things that I enjoy. I mean, I do enjoy Batman as a masked detective but I myself enjoy Batman beating the living hell out of people in various ways, shapes and forms. I like him to mix it up. And we’ll be seeing that in spades.

The fact of the matter is although Winnick's run on Batman was nothing more than an opportunity for him to showcase his pet 'Marty Stu' Jason Todd. It was entertaining. And Winnick's Batman run appears to be about Batman. Not the civics lesson that the introduction of Batwoman in 'Tec is turning out to be.

That being said...if Winnick writes Damian as being Jason's son...

**Jim Yost** · 03-26-2009, 12:57 PM

Originally Posted by Mia

Not the civics lesson that the introduction of Batwoman in 'Tec is turning out to be.

Civics lesson? What's the deal? Have to admit, haven't been keeping up.

Originally Posted by Mia

That being said...if Winnick writes Damian as being Jason's son...

Is this a possibility? Or you just throwin out an example? I've always dug Judd's work... I know that's not popular to say on the 'net, but then I liked Chuck Austen on Action Comics too.

**Superbeast** · 03-26-2009, 12:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jim Yost

Yeah it was '89, but I chalk it up to hyperbole. 20 years ago, 25 years ago, it was a long friggin time ago.

That said, did you read Death in the Family when you were 5? Pretty harsh book for a kindergartener.

Yes. Put it down to a library card and negligent parenting. Batman was a comic for kids as far as they were concerned.