liedownquistion | carrd by spiritsglade

Roy Harper/Jason Todd Comic Reading Rec List

This Carrd is an abridged copy of the original Tumblr post, which includes accompanying commentary on each recommended comic.Bolded entries indicate issues that are foundational for development or characterization.

individual

Jason

Italicized entries denote Jason's pre-crisis comics that may not have rolled over into post-crisis continuity.

  • Batman (1940) #408-411

  • Batman (1940) #367/Detective Comics (1937) #534

  • Batman (1940) #368/Detective Comics (1937) #535

  • Detective Comics (1937) #573-574

  • Superman (1939) Annual #11

  • Legends (1986) #1-6

  • Batman: The Cult

  • Batman (1940) Annual #12 (second story)

  • Batman (1940) #421-422

  • Batman (1940) #424-425

  • Batman (1940) #426-427

  • Red Hood: Lost Days #1-6

  • Batman (1940) #635-641, 645-650, & Annual #25

  • Task Force Z #1-12

Roy

  • Secret Origins 1986 #38 (second story)

  • Saved by the Belle Reve (fourth story)

  • Green Lantern/Green Arrow (1960) #85-86

  • Action Comics (1938) #613-618

  • Action Comics (1938) #627-634

  • Action Comics (1938) #636-640

  • Aquaman (1994) #60

  • Showcase '95 (second story)

  • Arsenal Special

  • Titans (1999) #1-25

  • Green Arrow (1988) #75

  • Batman Plus Arsenal

  • Arsenal #1-4

  • Green Arrow (2001) #32

  • Teen Titans / Outsiders: Secret Files & Origins 2003

  • Outsiders 2003 #1-6, 11, 17-19, 23

  • Justice League of America (2006) #1-7, #11

  • Titans (2008) #19

  • Titans (2016) #20-22 & Annual #2

  • Infinite Frontier #0-6

  • The Flash (2016) 2021 Annual & Flash Forward #3

  • Titans Academy #8-14

  • Green Arrow (2023) #1-13

combined

This section includes every comic featuring Jason and Roy together, regardless of quality. Asterisks (*) denote short cameos, mentions, or otherwise minimal overlap.

  • New Teen Titans (1984) #20-21

  • Outsiders (2003) Pay As You Go #44-46 & Annual 1*

  • Red Hood and the Outlaws (2011) #0-40 & Annuals

  • DC Universe Presents #17

  • Red Hood and the Outlaws: Future's End

  • Red Hood/Arsenal #1-13

  • Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #25 & Annual #2

  • Dark Crisis #3*

Roy Haunts the Narrative

  • Red Hood and the Outlaws (2016) #27, 31, 49

  • Event Leviathan #2-3

Jason on Roy's Mind

  • Infinite Frontier #0, 2

  • Green Arrow 2023 #1

parallels

Instead of recommendations, this section notes similarities between Roy's and Jason's storylines.

  • Batman (1940) #426-427 ⇔ Action Comics #613-618
    Desperate missions to reunite with a member of their biological family, (Sheila Haywood & Lian Harper respectively,) because they barely have anyone to begin with

  • Batman (1940) #426-429 ⇔ Green Arrow (2001) #47-50
    Hurt by a villain, but as collateral targeting someone else entirely (Batman & Green arrow respectively).
    (And the "matching" neck/throat scars from GA #49 & Batman #650)

  • Legends #5-6 ⇔ Green Lantern/Green Arrow (1960) #100 (second story)
    Heroes with broken limbs who run out to help anyways.

  • Detective Comics (1937) #527-533/Batman #361-366 (1940) ⇔ Green Lantern/Green Arrow (1960) #85-86
    Jumping into things that are dangerous for them to compensate for loneliness/abandonment issues (Jason's desperation to be Batman's partner/Robin so he can be close to Bruce, Roy's addiction as a coping mechanism for loneliness.)

  • Death in the Family/Lost Days/Under the Hood ⇔ Justice League: Cry for Justice/Rise of Arsenal/Titans Villains for Hire
    The attempts to reforge themselves in the wake of tragedy take them down a somewhat villainous path. The parent who lost their child & the child who died.

  • Teen Titans (2003) #29 ⇔ Rise of Arsenal #2
    Attacking their successor for the perceived adjacency between them and their tragedies.

Additional Food for Thought

Jumping off points for interesting dynamics and other moments they could have met in canon.

  • Titans (2008) #28-30 involve Roy breaking into Arkham Asylum while Jason would have been present, after the events of Battle for the Cowl.

  • Per World War III #1, Jason had taken up the Nightwing costume during the OYL timeskip, likely prior to Roy's move to Star City. It's unlikely that Roy would ignore the news of Nightwing's pivot into killing.

  • Given the lack of information on Roy's mother across eras, Roy going off on a quest to search for his biological mother, much like Jason did in A Death in the Family, is very possible, providing interesting opportunities for potential roleswap AUs.

  • Brave Bow/Raymond Begay gave up Roy to Oliver Queen because he was dying. It's possible Roy witnessed much of his decline, similar to how Jason did for Catherine Todd.