Customer Reviews

The Hood (New Avengers)

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"The Hood" is "Lost" scribe Brian K. Vaughan's (slightly) more realistic take on the Marvel Universe. What if the super-hero who was granted mysterious powers turned out to be not so much of a "hero"? While the same "sympathetic super-villain" card has been played out, Vaughan does manage to wrangle an entertaining and morally challenging story out of the premise. The book is labeled as containing "explicit content," which equates to an f-bomb on every page.

While the Hood faded into obscurity, "New Avengers" writer Brian Michael Bendis has recently thrust him into a starring role in the New York criminal underground.

"The Hood"
Written by Brian K. Vaughan
Illustrated by Kyle Hotz
(Marvel Comics, 2002/2007)
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This book is one of the better titles in Marvel's Vertigo-esque, mature-content "Max" series -- there's explicit language and some mild sexual content; but mostly there's a good, solid story that takes place on the criminal fringes of the Marvel superhero universe. The amoral protagonist of this 2002 miniseries is a low-level criminal named Parker who stumbles into a failed heist that accidentally leads to his gaining superpowers. With his newfound powers of flight and temporary invisibility, Parker decides to go for it, and become a full-fledged costumed bad guy. His next job, however, runs him afoul of a Kingpin-like crime boss called the Golem, as well as several branches of law enforcement. The story arc that follows is quite satisfying and fun; the only trouble is that at the last minute several new plot points are dangled in front of us, including a new super-heroine out to get revenge on Parker for the death of her husband, as well as some supernatural blowback from the source of his powers. Neither of these points were resolved before the cancellation of the book back in '02, but the Hood has since emerged as a major baddie in the post-Civil War Marvel universe, and is clearly a favorite character for several current writers. If you want to see where this character got his start, by all means pick this book up and give it a shot. The "origin story" never got tied up into a nice, neat little ball, but it's still a fun book to read. (DJ Joe Sickpack, ReadThatAgain book reviews)

If you're reading about the Hood in the Avengers or another comic and looking for background this is an OK read but if you're looking for a complete story look elsewhere.

This book tells the origin and initial adventures of a budding supervillain the Hood. The character is interesting enough the story is well-told but it ends on a very incomplete note. The book sets up foes for him, some mysteries and a cliff-hanger and then ends. There's no resolution, no complete story here. Maybe the author assumed he would return to write a sequel but 6 years later it hasn't happened.

There are countless comics about some average guy who is in the wrong place at the right time and obtains, somehow, superpowers. In most cases, you'll read about the way in which this guy puts his powers to good use and becomes a champion for justice.

But not Parker Robbins, a 19-year-old ne'er-do-well whose bungled robbery attempt lands him a magical cape and boots that give him the powers of limited flight and, for as long as he can hold his breath, invisibility. You just know Robbins, a high school dropout who juggles a pregnant girlfriend on one hand and an exotic hooker on the other, is not cut out of the same cloth as heroes. For him, this is a chance to get his share of the pie. But a ne'er-do-well is a ne'er-do-well, and it takes more than fancy clothes to change his stripes.

"The Hood," written by Brian K. Vaughan and pencilled by Kyle Hotz, is an atypical comic, to say the least. And Marvel's use of its MAX adult-themed imprint gives Vaughan some freedom to play in this stand-alone collection.

Vaughan, whose credits include "Y: The Last Man" and "Ex Machina," certainly knows how to create complex characters and motivations, and I can't think of many writers who could make this gimmick work. There's no question throughout that Robbins is a bad guy, and not a particularly charming or endearing one, either. But Vaughan scripts a man who you might not root for, but you'll certainly understand. His dialogue rings true, and Hotz delivers the moody illustrations (supported by inker Eric Powell and colorist Brian Haberlin) to carry the action along.

by Tom Knapp, Rambles.NET editor

With Brian Michael Bendis finding a use for the character in the pages of New Avengers, now is the time to get re-acquainted with The Hood. Originally released a few years back, The Hood was written under Marvel's mature themed MAX line by Y: The Last Man and Ex Machina creator Brian K. Vaughan, and tells the story of young hoodlum Parker, who comes into the posession of a mysterious pair of boots and red cloak which grant him some weird powers. Eventually, he comes under the crossfire of a crime boss, who enlists super villains Jack 'O Lantern, Shocker, and Constrictor on him; all of which adds up to a surprising and funny turn of events. Vaughan's poppy dialogue sizzles, and his grimy look at the Marvel universe is just plain fun. The moody art of the underrated Kyle Hotz stands out as well, and it's great to see The Hood get re-released in a handsome hardcover edition. Maybe with Bendis finding new use for the character, Vaughan will re-visit The Hood and deliver a worthy sequel. After reading this, you'll be hoping for the same thing.

I bought this book because Brian Michael Bendis is using this character in the New Avengers, which i read every month.
I thought if this character was going to be big i thought i should read his back story, and plus it is written by Brian K Vaughan who is also doing amazing things in his other books "Y The Last Man".

Backstory is a guy finds a cloak (think red riding hood) and uses it to his own advantage.
There are apperances from Villians such as Shocker and Jack O Lantern.

I was really pleased with this book, i liked the idea of how he has to activate the suit which i won't spoil.
Vaughan does a good job of making you feel for the character, then you realise what he is doing, and do not want to.

I'm gradually making my way through every original comics offering that bears the imprint of Brian K. Vaughn because I continue to find his work inspired, entirely accessible and absolutely brilliant. The ONLY problem with this multi-layered story is that BKV moved far too swiftly past Parker Robbins to other original projects I flat-out love, so there's JUST enough of his rich, luxurious, exquisite storytelling (and Kyle Hotz' mouthwatering art) to whet an increasingly ravenous appetite.