Red Hood and the Outlaws #22

Red Hood and the Outlaws #22 

Writer: James Tynion IV
Pencils: Julius Gopez
Inks: Ray McCarthy (2-7, 12-17, 19)
Thumbnails: Ken Lashley

Preview and Solicitation

Review
Somewhere along the way, this book lost me.

The story is OK. It deals with magic and assassins and a bunch of fun stuff in that realm. Me personally, I just don't like those types of stories.

However, let's take away the story elements with Tynion's words. Let's look at the art that is just...below workable. Lashley is again credited for thumbnails in this issue, which actually makes the story a little readable. You can tell that there is some experience there as it feels like a typical superhero comic. But check out the credits for the inks: only a little over half the pages got inks.

There is just an inconsistency throughout the issue with the art when you have the artist doing half the inks (I assume, there was only one inker credit). And the big splash page at the end, which it seems this issue was just leading up to this moment, shows a very gun heavy, very laughable Roy Harper doing an impression of Cable from the X-Men. It should come across as awesome, but it just falls flat.

I usually only talk about covers if they stick out in some way for me. The thing that gets me about this one is that I see they are going for a symmetry kind of feel between the two characters, but Essence looks OK and Starfire just looks weird. What I would have changed is either have Essence in the same pose as Starfire so there is that balance, or have Starfire hang her legs down. Between her legs being all bendy and looking like they are two different sizes, to her stomach and hips looking out of proportion, I'm just not buying it. Yet this cover could have at least looked cool. Even change the background a bit not to have something that feels like it is a spring color special going on.

Not thrilled. That's the way I feel about the book. The story was OK and had an interesting hook, but out of everything else I am reading, it just isn't working. Add in the art and it just all crumbles away for me. This will be the last time I get a Red Hood book.

Grades
Words: 5/10
Pictures: 3/10
General Feeling After Reading: Like I just took a big bite out of a burger and it is still super rare in the center.
Buy Next Issue: I'm checking out.