This Week in Comics: Red Hood is on the verge of a shocking discovery

Yes, it’s a terrible pun, but it’s also 100% true. Red Hood and the Outlaws #18 came out this week, and it was a shocker.

Okay, I’ll stop. Seriously, though, in case you haven’t been following along, after having his life saved by Lex Luthor months ago, Red Hood’s buddy Bizarro has been enjoying a crazy-smart brain as a side effect. But he’s also been weirdly secretive about certain things, and he’s put one foot over the line a few times. At some point, it’s all going to come crashing down, and it will be interesting to see how it shakes out. If you’re not reading Red Hood, you should. It’s electric.

In another part of Gotham, Detective Comics #972 showed Clayface regressing back to his typical, murderous self, and Batman trying to neutralize him. If you’ve been reading this title, and you’ve been put off by how everybody makes Bats look like a chump, you’ll likely be relieved by this installment—he actually looks pretty capable this time around.

Batgirl and the Birds of Prey took a trip to Paris, and while it was a better ride for the Birds than we’ve seen in a long while, it was still just okay—and it actually gets worse with subsequent reading. We’re all holding out hope for the day that we can recommend this book, but it ain’t today.

Finally, we would be remiss if we didn’t take the opportunity to commemorate the end of an era. Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner have been writing Harley Quinn for a looong time, and they concluded their run with this week’s #34. It was a hugely successful ride, and lots of fans are sorry to see it end. Hats off to Jimmy and Amanda for building—and sustaining—such a beloved run for so long.

What did we miss? What did you read this week that really caught your eye, if anything? Let us know in the comments. And if you’re new to the world of comics, let us know that, too—we’re happy to help you find your bearings. And to read what we thought about all of this week’s releases, check out the Comics page.