JayToddz for the masses

“A lot like Robin if you close your eyes.”

The stunning SharpestRose wrote this dissertation and posted it on the web for the world to enjoy.

While it’s about all the Robins, (and Speedies, too!) there are lots of points made about Jason. For instance:

Denny O’Neil described Jason as “an arrogant little snot” 33 on more than one occasion, citing his rough, slangy speech and abrasive personality as reasons why the character had earned himself such a grim fate.

Kevin Smith, well known for the abundance of pop-culture references in his work, has utilised imagery of the death of Jason Todd in his films 45, small-press comics work 46, and on his website, where a chance for readers to choose the characters included in an upcoming line of action figures carried with it the comment that “You can’t vote for any of them to be beaten by a crowbar and blown up by the Joker (although what you do with them at home is your own business)” 47. The tone of the references — especially in the short-lived comics series Bluntman and Chronic , where the death is described by the cover copy as “inevitable”, and is jarring and out-of-place in the story — is one of cynicism and critique.

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The killing-off of Jason had drawn the lines edging Robin as firmly as any narrative act could; only those who fitted the now very specific Robin criteria could play the role.

Some things to think about are: how does Damian, who is sometimes cited by fans as the “new Jason, only more bratty” fit into this role? Can only certain personalities be suited to the Robin role? Does Robin always have to be an orphan or abandoned by his/her family? What makes a Robin?

We at FuckyeahJToddz hope you enjoyed the essay as much as we did!