What’s Under the Hood
February 17th, 2010 by Esther Inglis-Arkell | Tags: Batman, DC comics, moviesJudd Winick’s Jason Todd resurrection story, Under the Hood, is coming out in straight-to-dvd animated movie form this fall. So far, they’ve released few details. There’s talk about how the story will be dark. And there is a model of Nightwing.
This angular style seems to be the new trend in animation.
Batman from the The Batman Strikes.
Martian Manhunter from Crisis on Two Earths.
Seriously, every superhero’s head seems to be modeled on Tahmoh Penikett’s skull.
There is also a quote from Judd Winick.
“What I loved best about it is that it had a really amazing beginning and a really strong ending, which pretty much most movies ride on.”
Wait. Which end was that, exactly?
There was no end. (Well, technically there was every end, since the entire multi-verse exploded, but that doesn’t count.) There was no dramatic endpoint to that story. Something blew up. Some people disappeared miraculously. Other people didn’t disappear, equally miraculously. Life went on without anyone ever mentioning any of it ever again.
One major reason I want to watch the movie is to be able to see an end instead of just a ‘Boom’. And explosion is not an end. The characters coming to a new equilibrium is an end. I liked ‘Under the Hood.’ I hope very much to see an end to the movie. I hope I’ll recognize it when I see it.
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I actually can’t remember too many details of Under the Hood. What I can bring up seems to support that Winick can often put together a fairly interesting story concept, but his execution leaves a lot to be desired.
“What I loved best about it is that it had a really amazing beginning and a really strong ending, which pretty much most movies ride on.”
Judd Winick also acknowledged most movies ride on “cameras”, “actors”, and “sound effects”.
One of the only writers that makes me not want to read the main Batman title, but if they could make a fun movie out of Public Enemies, they can fix this story. Brave and the Bold cartoon red hood is the only use of the character I liked so far 🙂
Winick was essentially kicked off the book by editorial to make room for Morrison before he even got close to wrapping up his Jason Todd story. I’m not saying that Morrison rather than Winick on Batman is a bad thing (hell no), but anyone can tell Winick had long term plans for Jason Todd that all got derailed.
I mean imagine if Brubaker was taken off Cap right after the end of Winter Soldier, seriously imagine it. Bucky would be as big a joke as Jason is right now.
Like his “Outsiders,” Judd Winick’s “Under the Hood” loses all of its sparkle, in my memory, but truly shines, once I crack that trade paperback open, again. I don’t know why that is.
I honestly don’t remember a whole lot about the story, but I’m curious all over, again.
The angular drawing style is hardly a new trend. If anything it seems to have softened a little since the original Batman: The Animated Series days.
I dunno if DC really cut off Winick’s story; I think they more just bungled the handoff and continuation in One Year Later. Thanks to Philip Tan, Jason basically hasn’t been in a good story since Under the Hood.
That said: Under the Hood is what brought me back to buying monthly Batman comics, gorgeously illustrated and probably Winick’s finest superhero work. It’s clever, funny and genuine. I’ve still got a huge soft spot for it, and I’ll admit I’m really curious to see it in the “seven twenty pee” as the kids say these days.
@David Uzumeri: Oh yeah there was that whole mess up with him being the new Nightwing wasn’t there? I try to forget the Bruce Jones stuff. Dunno, but reading the Green Arrow arc where Jason shows up in Star City, it really felt like Winick was trying to have the last say on Jason Todd. Either way it was a story with no real pay off.
Also definitely agree on it being Winick’s best superhero stuff, the Amazo stuff dragged a bit but the Black Mask stuff was fun and his characterization of Jason was actually quite interesting to read, and darn good Mahnke work.
I dunno, doesn’t seem that angular in these shots…
http://www.toonzone.net/forums/showpost.php?p=3537165&postcount=81
Maybe it’s just Nightwing? (though Batman does have one hell of a square jaw I just noticed…)
Interesting thing to note, Ras al Ghul is going to be making an appearance (he’s being voiced by Jason Isaacs aka Lucius Malfoy in Harry Potter and Admiral Zaoh in Avatar: The Last Airbender). From what I can remember he made a brief appearance in UTH (was in the pit when Talia threw Jason into it to fix him)…can’t help but think there will be more in order to make up for the Superboy Prime reality punch.
I find it more funny that Neil Patrick Harris is doing Nightwing’s voice, while Jensen Ackles (Dean Winchester of Supernatural) is doing Jason Todd’s voice. Yup, this has fangirl fodder written all over it…Can’t wait!
You folks are confusing me… I thought we weren’t allowed to like anything by Winick except for Pedro and Me, Barry Ween and mayyybe Exiles! I definitely think he’s done a certain amount of crap (I nominate Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day for the worst, although the three-issue Superman lead-in to Day of Vengeance was quite awful as well) but sometimes I do think the anti-Winick orthodoxy gets out of hand (I enjoyed his Green Arrow although I certainly see a lot of the flaws there). At the least, there are certainly other writers who better qualify for the representation of the worst of DC.