Jason Todd is the second Robin, and a prominent figure in the history of the DC Universe. While his origins have been fairly consistent since his restoration and transformation into the Red Hood, there have been some surprising tweaks to the fates of his family over the years.
What really happened to Jason Todd's family, and how did various reboots of the multiverse change their fates?
Joe and Trina Todd were Jason's parents in the Pre-Crisis DC Universe. The pair were part of an acrobatics routine with the Sloan Circus -- giving their son Jason a direct similarity with the original Robin, Dick Grayson. The Todd's specific admiration for the Graysons eventually led them to meet Dick through a mutual friend, with the pair then meeting Bruce Wayne in turn. Trina even learned Batman and Robin's secret identities during this time, but kept their secret.
The Todds tangential connection to Batman and Robin eventually got them killed, however. In Gerry Conway, Curt Swan, and Rodin Rodriguez's Batman #358, the pair ended up entangled in Grayson's investigation into a conspiracy involving Killer Croc. But this ends up dragging them into the crosshairs of Croc, who has them killed and their bodies dumped into a crocodile pit. Horrified by the event, Bruce ended up taking Jason in, resulting in Jason eventually taking over as the next Robin after Grayson vacated the role.
The Jason Todd of the Post-Crisis DC Universe was a far rougher character than the Pre-Crisis version. His parents, Willis Todd and Sheila Haywood, separated shortly after his birth. Jason was raised by his father and his wife, Catherine. However, Willis was a low-level crook in Gotham who was presumed dead following an encounter with Two-Face, while Catherine eventually passed away from illness. Jason was forced to live on the streets for a time, before catching Batman's attention. Taking the boy in, Batman tried to mold him into a hero, with Jason eventually becoming the second Robin.
Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo's "Death in the Family" storyline from Batman #426-429 revealed that Catherine did not die and had actually fled America to avoid punishment for botching a surgery. Catherine relocated to the other side of the world and was found by the Joker. Turned into a pawn for his latest scheme against Batman, Catherine betrayed her son and led him into a trap, only for the Joker to betray her in turn by leaving her to die when he trapped them both in an exploding building.
In the Post-Flashpoint DC Universe, Jason Todd was conceived by Catherine and Willis in an alleyway after a chance encounter. The two tried to make a relationship work, but their connection with Catherine's family fell apart over the years, with the family barely making it through the events of Zero Year. Willis became a career criminal, while Catherine dealt with depression and a substance abuse problem. However, things took an even worse turn when the Joker took notice of the young man. Arranging for Willis to be arrested and Catherine's death to be faked, the Joker used a defiant Catherine to lure Jason into the trap that would cost him his life.
However, while Jason believed his father died in prison, Willis survived and eventually returned to Gotham. He took over the mantle of Wingman, a costumed identity his son had also briefly utilized during his time with Batman Incorporated. While Jason was unaware of his identity, Willis knew that Jason was the Red Hood, and did his best to help him during a period where Todd had taken over Penguin's territory in Gotham.
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