The Scoop, with Lois Lane

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Spotlight on: Jason Todd
Former Boy Wonder and side kick to the enigmatic Batman, Jason Todd has not had what any could call an easy life. But through adversity and challenges even in his childhood he proved himself to be as smart, resilient and tough as men three times his age. As a boy Jason faced the darkest side of humanity and almost eerily never took that danger seriously.

His death came at far too young an age and far too steep a price, it made us all stop and remember our mortality. The boy to whom all life was a game, had lost and paid the ultimate price.

As happens though through the freak occurrences of this world of ours Jason Todd was returned to us, perhaps darker, perhaps even more cynical to danger but still every bit as sharp and intelligent as before. His rebirth and new life kept in the theme of his previous existence. Once more it did not stop him, but merely forged him to an ever stronger man. As the Red Hood, Mr. Todd took a new view on fighting crime, beating them by joining them. He was viewed as reckless and dangerous and a killer but limited his kills to those who were,in his mind, truly deserving . He still protected children...a hero yet still in his own darkly shaded way.

Now Jason has reinvented himself yet again, a new turn on his formerly dark ways to what might be viewed as the truly heroic. Rumors abound of his personal life changing almost as dramatically. Mr. Todd has consented to be interviewed today and hopefully we'll leave this session knowing a bit more about this complex and private man, or at the very least having a better understanding for what it is that drives a man like Jason Todd.

Lois: Thank you for agreeing to this interview, Mr. Todd. I know you have not had a friendly relationship with the media in the past necessarily but this really means a lot to our readers.

Jason: Yeah well...Like you noted Mrs. Lane..I'm not exactly big on the media. Though I've certainly made the front page a lot haven't I? Heh..But I've got my reasons for doing this and hey..If you're gonna break one of your own rules may as well do it right, huh? And what better way than to be interviewed by Lois Lane herself. Yeah that's right..Eat your hearts out fanboys.

Lois: Well I think we're here to set the record straight on some things and hopefully the media will not be such a nemesis to you anymore. Now, if it's all right I'd like to ask you about your beginning. I understand you were not the child who dreams of growing up and being a super hero or a fireman or astronaut. Tell a little bit about your childhood if you would.

Jason: Well to set the record straight first and foremost I could really care less about what the media or anyone else thinks about me..That's one of the first things you're going to learn about me, Mrs. Lane. I make no apologies for who and what I am.
As for my childhood..No..I didn't have dreams about being a hero or fireman..I didn't really have much time for dreams growing up. The slums of Gotham are hardly a place to find dreams when you're a child..Just nightmares. Sleeping half my nights on the streets amidst the trash and refuse of society.. Fighting and stealing just to survive.. For a time I guess I dreamt for the things most folks take for granted.. A sense of belonging..Family. For it to matter to someone, anyone, that I was alive..that I counted.
I learned how to be tough..to be angry. I had to. If people are under the delusion that their aren't folks out there that would take advantage of a kid alone on the streets then they're living in a fools paradise. I had to fight just to keep the scraps of food that I stole..Just to keep from having..Well..Let's just say I had to fight a lot. I learned a long time ago to throw away fear and use anger to my advantage.

Lois: As the child of a career military father I can't, nor could many of our readers, claim to know how you felt. I cannot imagine how growing up like that must have been. The struggle to live day to day, having to take care of yourself at such a young age..you were what? Nine years old and living on the street? You did what you had to do when the system failed to take care of you, and part of that is the reason you first met the man who would become you mentor for a time, isn't that right?

Jason: Yeah...Funny story behind that. I got lucky and managed to survive on the streets. As you said at nine that was basically a miracle....Or maybe I'm just that good? But we're not here to split hairs on that..But yeah anyway. Around my thirteenth birthday I stumbled on, of all things, the Batmobile.. Now I know what you're thinking? Most kids would be fanboying over that right? Well not me. All I could think about was how much I could get for it's parts. Enough to eat for weeks. Maybe even a roof over my head.

So long story short I snatched the hubcaps and got them back to this abandoned dive I crashed at sometimes. Hid them away so no one could snatch em' from me. So then I went back to see what else I could get..Annnd there he was waiting for me.
I don't remember what went through my head then..I just remember how imposing he looked..It wasn't fear really..I know that. I think..Maybe I wanted that..Wanted what he had. No one messed with him ..People knew who he was. Surprisingly he didn't haul my butt to jail..I guess I impressed him with my guts. So yeah..Next thing I knew I went from sleeping on the curb to living in a mansion.

Lois: An amazing turn about in life to say the least. Was it harder to adjust physically or emotionally to this new life? I mean here you are, child who had raised himself and had basically nothing he didn't fight for..and now you have everything you could ask for. It seems to me as if that wasn't enough, living the quiet sedate life of a normal...albeit well off, person wasn't for you. You needed to be out there like him, would you say that's accurate?

Jason: No..Yes..I..I don't know..I wanted to do something that would get me remembered..That might make people notice me. It felt kind of cool you know? I mean Batman was somebody. EVERYONE knows who he is..and he wanted me out there with him. What kid doesn't want that? I guess I didn't have the most pure of reasoning behind it.
It wasn't about justice, not at first anyway, and it wasn't about ego.. Like certain..other former boy wonders. I wanted to belong..To mean something and make the world remember me. I wanted people to know that Jason Todd was somebody and not just a piece of garbage to be tossed aside and forgotten.
But after I got out there I got caught up in it..I saw the monsters of the world in a whole new light and that anger returned. I wanted to hurt them..Punish them. I wanted them to be the ones that were afraid..I guess no matter how far we go in life there's some things that we just can't escape.
Anger and I are old friends..It was no surprise when it became increasingly dominant in my life as Robin. I guess I was frustrated..lashing out. But hey..It's not like they didn't have it coming.

Lois: Is that anger, that rage that fueled you, is that what lead you to become more and more reckless? You had an almost casual disregard for putting yourself in life and death situations, and then of course there was the tragedy with your mother and the Joker. How were you able at such a young age to even comprehend that let alone sacrifice yourself to save a mother who had never honestly been there for you.

Jason: One could turn it around and mention that my recklessness and fearlessness are part of what makes me so very dangerous though couldn't they, Lois? Mind if I call you Lois? I'm not big on formalities. Not really my thing.. Anyway.. Joker..Well I heard you don't pull any punches. I can respect that. Hell I can relate to that. As far as my mother goes..Well by that point I was losing everything.
Bruce..had given up on me. I'd pushed him one time too many I guess and he pushed back. I wasn't going to be Robin much longer and I knew it.. So everything I'd obtained was now being taken from me again. So when I found out my mother was still alive I was clinging to whatever I could.
Call it pathetic, call it what you like. Doesn't make much difference anymore.When she..led me into Joker's trap in some ways that hurt more than anything he did to me. But I still tried to shield her from the blast of the bomb at the end. Shield her with my own body..So the big question is why? I don't really know the answer to that myself..Maybe it was a childish hope that she might finally love me..Maybe..maybe Bruce rubbed off on me more than I wanted to admit and I wanted to be a hero.In the end I guess it doesn't matter because she died still...
As for Joker..One day we're going to settle up..and that smile will finally be wiped off his lips..bit by bloody bit..

Lois: So it is safe to assume that after you were miraculously brought back to life, some old wounds never healed? There is quite a mystery surrounding you're return from beyond but frankly that's not what interests me here today. Fascinating as the subject of you coming back is, what you are doing now is of more interest. Now, after your return you weren't seen for some time and as I understand it when you did make your presence known there was something of a vendetta you needed to settle. Old ghosts still needing to be laid to rest?

Jason: Truth of the matter is I don't exactly know how I came back either, nor do I care. Oh I've gathered rumors and hearsay but what matters to me is that I am back..And maybe you could say old ghosts. Or maybe I just wanted make a point? Maybe I think that things need to be done differently...How long now have people been trying to rule Gotham through fear? Well..Look around you, Lois. That plan's been failing for a long time and believe me..I'm not scared.
Batman does his thing..But it's obviously not always enough. How many times will the cycle continue. He beats up Scarecrow or Zsasz or..Joker..They go to jail or Arkham..they get out..More people die. So what then is the greater crime? To end the life of vermin like that or to let them continue and let more and more people die? Who has more blood on their hands, Lois? Me or Batman? Just a little food for thought there..not expecting an answer. Needless to say I've still got plenty of matters and old ghosts to deal with so I won't be going away anytime soon.

Lois: And that brings me to my next question, you've made yourself a rather prominent figure these days. There's hardly anyone on either side of the law who does not know of your exploits as the Red Hood, but lately they have seemed to change. Have your motivations changed and methods followed or is there some other reason...something more personal perhaps that has given us this apparent new leaf in your life?

Jason: That seems to be on everyone's mind these days. I keep hearing. "is Jason going soft? He hasn't killed anyone in weeks.." heh..maybe I just want to be unpredictable? Maybe this is just another of my games. I'm sure you've heard I'm quite fond of those..All life's a game, right Lois? or maybe I found something that makes me feel something..besides anger and hate. But would that be very like me? That's part of the mystery now isn't it? Can something become more important than revenge to the guy who's lived his every waking moment since his return living only for vengeance? So at this point I'm wondering if I should continue the mysterious sexy act and try and flirt with you like I heard Dickie-bird did last time you interviewed him?
Tempting, really tempting buuuut...I'm gonna have to pass. And knowing you and your resources I'm sure you'll be able to tell me just why it is I'm passing should you choose..Which makes me wonder if Bruce didn't train you too? Kidding..Or am I?

Lois: Thanks for the complement, but this is just good old fashion reporters doggedness, nothing like the sort of training the worlds greatest detective has. But, as a woman I have my ways, and the flirtation is flattering but never on the first interview. Aside from that I do believe there's a certain fair haired young lady who would have no problem cutting me down to size, and I mean that in a frighteningly real way. So...enough dancing around that subject..the rumors of you and the daughter of one Slade Wilson...care to clear those up? You've been spotted publicly more than once..escaping the police and authorities...evading another of your Batfamily and even less flashy events like dinner on the town. So tell me Jason, just what is the truth behind these rumors?

Jason: You know...if any other reporter asked that I'd get mad..Rose is..Rose is an amazing girl. An amazing woman..The best thing in my life. I won't let any tabloid's exploit her just to get a scoop on me..Like I said if anyone else asked that I'd be thinking the worst but I've learned to respect you, rare from me, so I can take it at face value.Rose Wilson ..Can't really begin to know what to say about her other than she's nothing likes her father, nothing like anyone I've ever met before..Things have never been better than since she and I met. She's had a rough life and I'm not about to go splashing her private life for people to read..
But I will say this. She's the most beautiful, amazing girl I've ever met and one of the strongest people I know..Stronger than she realizes. I'd do anything for her..So I guess that answers your question..Anyway moving on before people start accusing me of being sappy and I have to break their jaws..Not that I mind that..

Lois: Thanks for the candor, I guess that leaves only one question. What can the world expect from Jason Todd from here on out? You've been the victim, the villain, the hero, the vigilante...you've played all the parts. What direction do you go in from here? Especially now with someone in your life, as you yourself said, that gives you something to live for. Have you finally found something of the home and belonging you've looked for all your life? And if so..where will it lead you?

Jason: I...Can't really say. I don't know. Surprising huh? The smart mouth wise guy with all the answers doesn't know the answer to this one. There's still lines that need to be crossed at times, but will I be the one to cross them? I guess we'll just have to wait and see...I guess the only thing I can say for certain is that no matter what..be it hero, or villain..be it monster or legend..Whether I walk whatever path I choose alone or in company..People are gonna remember me and I'll do the same thing I've done all my life, both my lives if you want to get technical..I'll keep fighting..Because I don't know any other way.

Lois: Thank you for taking the time to talk with me today Jason, it has really been a pleasure. And Whatever you do choose to do in the future good luck, you can rest assured we'll all be watching.