Preview: DC Comics’ Red Hood gets a new series aimed at mature readers

If you’ve been waiting for a grittier Red Hood story, DC’s upcoming series might fit the bill. He’s out of Gotham, but not out of bullets.

Click, click, boom

Is Jason Todd most violent of the Bat-family? It’s probably arguable, but the resurrected hero’s Red Hood persona certainly fits the mold for the most trigger happy out of Batman’s makeshift clan. Not that he’s been shown in that light all that often, and if you’ve been itching to see him let loose, you’re going to want to check out this fall’s new series. DC is promising that Red Hood #1 will kick off a bullet-riddled ride through a southern US city called New Angelique.

A burgh in the vein of the Big Easy, New Angelique could give Gotham a run when it comes to corruption, and it’s packing a serial killer who’s been targeting cops. With his old stomping grounds in the rear-view mirror, Todd finds himself wrapped up in the city’s troubles. Good thing he’s got some fresh mags ready to rock.

According to DC, the new Red Hood series (kicking off in September) will be decidedly mature in tone. Writer Gretchen Felker-Martin and artist Jeff Spokes (with letterer Becca Carey) will be telling a story that’s rated for readers 17+, that’s “gritty, bloody, sexy and stripped down”. Even with those tags though, don’t assume this’ll be an Elseworlds tale, as Red Hood #1 begins a story that’ll be firmly in mainline DC continuity.

“Sweat, blood, and powder burns. Broken bones and mind control. A city rotted from the inside out,” said Felker-Martin. “Jason’s going through hell on the hunt for an enigmatic telepath, and he’s taking us with him. I’m thrilled to be helming this new run of Red Hood with Jeff Spokes.”

“Red Hood is gritty, bloody, sexy and stripped down,” said Spokes. “Gretchen’s writing is a well-crafted blend of superheroes and pulp noir, all with a New Orleans flavored backdrop.”

“Red Hood is the in-continuity story Jason Todd fans have been waiting for,” said DC editor Arianna Turturro. “It delivers high-stakes action, a gripping mystery, and raw, unapologetic storytelling. Every element of the book highlights the core aspects of Jason’s character—his difficulties with personal connections, his badass training, his brooding hotness, and his violent approach to heroism. Which means he’ll be killing people—a lot. Let me repeat myself: this is the story Jason Todd fans have been waiting for.”

New Angelique, a city drowning in corruption, seems like the perfect place for Red Hood to put down roots. There’s crime, vice, and sedition everywhere. When Jason discovers a super-powered serial killer who is targeting the city’s police, he finds himself sucked into a deadly conspiracy with seemingly no end in sight.

But Jason isn’t the only person on the scene. Following his trail is Helena Bertinelli a.k.a. Huntress. Is she here to stop him, or will she join his crusade? What will happen when the two black sheep of the Bat-Family start working together?

“Jason isn’t a regular antihero who coldly does things their own way and feels nothing,” continued Turturro. “He is an exposed nerve, a beating heart with no protection, a man lashing out at both his world and himself for the violence he has survived. Helena deeply understands where Jason has come from. They’re two severely broken people who can’t help but hurt themselves and others… and together they might just end up bringing out each other’s worst instincts.”

“Red Hood is a mature and richly layered Jason Todd series that gives the long-troubled outcasts of the Bat-Family a place to truly shine,” concluded Turturro. “Jason is going to take a crack at doing things on his own terms in a city of his own. And well, you’re going to need to read the series to see how that goes. But let’s just say that we’re not pulling any punches. Buckle up.”

DC Comics press release

Red Hood #1 (Ages 17+) arrives in comics shops on September 10th, 2025. Pre-orders kick off today (June 20th), with the full slate of offerings including standard, cardstock, and foil variant covers.