If there’s one thing DC has drilled into the minds of Batman fans about his dynamic with Jason “Red Hood” Todd, it’s that the Dark Knight despises his second son’s violent tendencies. However, Batman is now changing his tune, going so far as to admit that he actually envies the anger his former Robin carries.
The preview for Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora’s DC K.O. Knightfight #1 is finally here, with the full issue set to release on November 5, 2025. As the name suggests, this limited series directly ties into DC’s ongoing crisis event DC K.O., where Earth’s heroes and villains engage in tournament-style deathmatches to forge a champion strong enough to face and defeat the more powerful than ever King Omega Darkseid.
Knightfight, however, diverges from this main storyline, forcing Batman to battle the Batmen of the future. Before these fights begin, though, a notable revelation concerning Red Hood comes to light.
After 42 Years of Criticizing Jason Todd’s Violence Issues, Batman Admits He Envies His Anger
Comic Page Comes from Joshua Williamson’s DC K.O. Knightfight #1 (2025) – Art by Dan Mora
Knightfight #1 kicks off with Batman reminiscing about his sons and the heroes they have grown up to become. During his musings, he notes how he sees a bit of himself in each one, while also pointing out what makes each of his sons unique. For Jason, Bruce labels him “The Rebel” and “The Survivor.”
These two labels are unsurprising, but it’s what he says next that might cause some Bat-Family fans to do a double-take. Bruce’s internal monologue continues, “I worry about Jason’s penchant for violence, but then sometimes I envy him. He embraced his anger in a way I never could.”
While the first part of Bruce’s musings aligns with the well-established narrative of him frowning upon Jason’s violence, the part where he admits to sometimes envying his second-oldest son is shocking. It’s a sharp departure from Bruce’s well-documented condemnation of Jason’s anger, highlighting this character-defining distaste as one of the biggest lies DC has ever told.
Bruce’s Secret Envy Could Ignite Jason Todd’s Fury and Upend Their Dynamic (Again)
Main Cover by Dan Mora for DC K.O. Knightfight #1 (2025)
Jason would undoubtedly be surprised to hear that Bruce envies anything about him, especially his violence and anger. Jason, especially in his most vulnerable moments, has been shown to have severe daddy issues, feeling he has never lived up to Bruce’s standards for a son or Robin, the standards that the ‘Golden Boy,’ Dick Grayson, set.
Hearing that Bruce envies parts of his ability to harness his anger might actually trigger Jason’s rage, as the second Robin would undoubtedly point out how rich it is for Bruce to have spent years condemning him for his violence and anger, when the older man secretly envies it. If Batman ever admits this out loud to Red Hood, it will undoubtedly shake up their dynamic once again.
DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 is available November 5, 2025, from DC Comics!