5 Differences Between The Batman: Under The Red Hood Comic And The Movie

5. There Are More Supporting Characters In The Comic

In the original source material we see Superman, Zatanna, Green Arrow, Nightwing, Oracle, Mr. Freeze, The Joker, Onyx, etc. Cutting out a majority of the characters in the film and just keeping characters like Nightwing and Alfred makes it easier for the fans to concentrate on the story more. Plus, I don't necessarily think those characters were needed in general.

There were way too many characters involved to a point where it felt like they were padding the story out. The pacing is handled a lot better in the film without the unnecessary supporting characters involved.

4. Red Hood's Reveal

From the film Bruce is able to detect Jason is the Red Hood by using his computer in the Batcave to decipher his voice and it matches up with Jason's as a kid. Not only that but the body that he found in the casket that Jason was supposedly “buried” in was a fake and wasn't the real Jason. Meanwhile, in the comics Bruce tries getting answers from Green Arrow and Superman about their death experience to confirm rather or not Jason is alive or not. As opposed to the film in the comics there was no body buried in the casket.

3. The Ending

The ending in the original story ends with how Jason was able to escape from being buried alive after Superboy Prime punches reality. After being found by a couple nearly dead the only thing he kept whispering was, “Bruce". Talia takes in Jason despite her father's wishes and is rejuvenated thanks to the Lazarus Pit and is able to escape with help from Talia. Unlike, the movie ending this doesn't end with a cliffhanger.

I would say that the ending to the film is much more wholesome and heartwarming. It also leaves you guessing on rather or not Jason made it out alive from the explosion.

2. How Jason Returns From The Dead

This comic panel in the Under The Red Hood is Superboy Prime punching reality during "‘Crisis On Infinite Earths' which effected a lot of things in the Canon universe of DC including bringing Jason Todd back to life. Personally, I prefer how Jason was revived in the film just because how simple it is. Ra Al Ghul takes Jason Todd's body, replaces it with a fake one and revives him from the Lazarus pit. However, it doesn't go the way Ra anticipated because while it was successful in bringing him back Jason, he goes insane from the powers of the Lazarus pit and disappears without a trace.

1. The Joker Plays A Small Role

Believe it or not compared to the film The Joker is actually pushed towards the backend of the story. Black Mask even gets into a sparing match with Jason in the comics. While, Black Mask thinks he has him killed it turns out this is a trap set by Jason until Batman saves him.

Black Mask is one of the two main antagonist next to Jason Todd. There is a saying that goes, “save the best for last". The reason it works better in the film is because there weren’t so many characters in the story so they had more time to focus on The Joker.