Jason Todd: The man with many costumes

Let’s count them all, shall we? 

Pre-Crisis Robin

When the DC writers and creators introduced Jason as Robin after Dick had moved on to become Nightwing, it seems as though they weren’t sure whether to call Jason Robin again. There’s a rather humourous scene between Jason and Bruce where Jason offers up different names for the Dynamic Duo, including Batman and Guano. The scene is supposedly transcribed from an actual DC editorial meeting. 

It’s interesting DC would create a new Robin costume and consider a new name for the pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths version of Jason, as his personality and origin were very similar to Dick Grayson’s. 

This version of Jason is lovingly referred to as pre-Crisis Ginger by fans as he initially had red hair, and later dyed it. 

Robin

After Crisis on Infinite Earths took place, it allowed DC to change, re-organize and redo some characters’ origins. This included Jason Todd. He was given a new street kid origin and when he was made Robin, he wore the original Robin costume. (He also had black hair from the moment we met him!)

Hush

In Hush, an adult Jason appears wearing a red domino mask, a black costume with multiple pouches, a bandolier and wore a beige trench coat. This look was designed by creator and artist Jim Lee, who drew all of the art for the year-long Hush storyline. He also has a white streak in his hair, which isn’t really explained until Batman and Robin #5, where it appears again only in that issue. Jason says the streak was a result of being tossed in the Lazarus Pit. 

Red Hood

In Under the Hood, Jason wears a sleek, modified version of the original Red Hood costume. Judd Winick has described why he chose this look for Jason and how he designed it here. This is considered Jason’s signature look and is also the look he has appeared the most in, as well as the look fans seem to like the most. 

Here’s what Judd has to say in regards to the design of this costume: 

Loooong ago, just as we were about to begin the Batman: UNDER THE HOOD arc, I did a quick design of what I thought Jason Todd’s Red Hood costume could/should look like. As some of you may or may not know, I’m a cartoonist. As most of you now know by looking at this sketch, I’m not a very good one. BUT, this was my idea that I sent to our talented artist on the arc, the brilliant Doug Mahnke. My thoughts were simple. I thought Jason would keep his duds simple, minimal, stream lined, a lot like Dick Grayson. Jason wants to be able to move. But unlike Dick, and more like Batman, he wanted LOTS of weapons, hence the coat which is FILLED like an evil Felix the Cat’s bag of tricks. And big damned boots. All the better to kick you with. And land on.

As you can see, Doug stuck with my designs. Except he added the eye holes on the helmet. Which I agreed with that addition shortly there after. It was needed. We want to see those evil eyes.

Adult Robin

In Teen Titans 29, Jason sneaks into the Titans Tower to prove Tim’s worth. He rips off his Red Hood costume to reveal a modified Robin costume underneath. A Robin costume with canary yellow tights. Yeah, we’re trying to forget this one existed, too. 

Nightwing

In Nightwing, Jason wore Dick’s current Nightwing costume. At the time, DC editor Dan DiDio was considering killing off Dick Grayson. It’s possible Jason was considered as a replacement. Jason continued to use the dagger that has become synonymous with the character. That’s about as much as we’d like to actually remember of this arc. No, seriously. 

Red Robin

In Countdown, beginning with issue #17, Jason sported the Red Robin costume. This was a costume that had been designed as an adult Robin costume and was initially featured in the Elseworlds tale Kingdom Come by Alex Ross. Jason dumps it in a garbage somewhere after declaring the “cape and cowl game is for suckers!” Yeah, we’re trying to forget Countdown, too. Tim Drake now wears this costume. 

Batman

In Countdown #30, Jason Todd, Donna Troy and Kyle Rayner travelled to a parallel universe where Jason had grown up to become Batman. He sports the yellow oval around the Bat-symbol. Here he is, with a female Atom on his shoulder:

Gatman

In Battle for the Cowl, a 2009 event that saw current and former Robins and adoptive brothers Dick Grayson, Jason Todd and Tim Drake battle for the believed to be deceased Bruce Wayne/Batman’s cowl, Jason wore a modified version of the Batman costume. The eyes emitted a red glow, he wore a metal-like mask that covered his mouth and lots of ammo and kept at least two guns on him. This costume was dubbed the “Gatman” costume, for Batman with guns. 

Superhero Red Hood

In Batman and Robin #3-6, Jason re-took his Red Hood moniker, but with a redesigned costume. This costume was more “superheroic” than biker and featured the original domed Red Hood helmet rather than the sleek, malevolent biker look Judd Winick had created for him. He also appeared with a sidekick, Scarlet, to create an alternative and more brutal Dynamic Duo. Probably the best part of this costume were Jason’s custom red guns. 

Here’s what Grant Morrison had to say about the creation of this costume: 

The Red Hood is a venerable Bat-villain name. In 1951 The Hood was introduced as a mystery villain dressed in a tuxedo, a red cape and a red, reflective, pill-shaped dome helmet. The story revealed the unlucky man beneath the Red Hood to be a petty criminal who promptly fell into a vat of chemicals, only to emerge, vastly more famous, as Batman’s arch-enemy The Joker. The same story was, of course, woven into the flashback plotline of THE KILLING JOKE.

When a new version of the Red Hood appeared in Judd Winick’s “Under the Hood,” he was revealed to be the presumed-deceased second Robin, Jason Todd. A leather jacket and jeans replaced the dapper formal wear of the original, while the new red hood itself resembled a motorcycle helmet rather than a crimson bell jar.

We decided that Jason’s second attempt at anchoring the Red Hood identity in the public consciousness would be more self-consciously super-heroic - cape, tights, secret HQ, the lot. In his latest effort to get noticed, the former Boy Wonder would imitate more blatantly the basic look and M.O. of Batman, his mentor. The weird pill helmet and cape were brought back as a nod to the original design.

The brief for Scarlet was simple - an ersatz female Robin whose beautiful young face was hidden beneath a shriveled mask of horror.

Which costume is your favourite? What costume would you like to see Jason in? Would you like him to keep the Red Hood biker look or go for another new look?

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