WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for "What the #!$% is Task Force Z" Part 1 from Detective Comics #1041, on sale now from DC Comics.

Jason Todd's Robin may have been a sidekick, but the Red Hood has always struck out on his own. Ever since the character returned to Gotham, he's rebelled against his mentor's ideals and created his own path ever since. Though he's led his own team of Outlaws in the past, that doesn't mean he's always worked well with them. Despite his aversion to working with others though, Jason's attitude has begun to change recently, so much so that he may just become someone else's sidekick.

The backup story "What the #!$% is Task Force Z" Part 1 in Detective Comics #1041 by Matthew Rosenberg, Darick Robertson, Diego Rodriguez and Rob Leigh follows reporter Deb Donovan as she hunts for the truth about a story based on an anonymous tip. After unknowingly receiving a note on the city's transit system, Donovan investigates Gotham's morgues. At first, it seems that there's no story at all, but when the body of Astrid Arkham, the Arkham Knight, is discovered as missing, things start to get a little more dangerous.

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Shortly after leaving the morgue with the missing body, Donovan is threatened at gunpoint by an unknown assailant. They demand that she drop the story or else. It looks like they would have followed through on their death threat too, if not for the timely intervention of the Caped Crusader. After saving the reporter's life, Batman tells her to drop the story.

Shortly after this incident, she contacts her fellow journalist Vicki Vale. Initially, Vale believes Donovan should pursue it, even wanting to take the story herself. However, when she learns that Batman told her to move on because the story is too dangerous, she changes her tune and sides with the Dark Knight.

Despite the warnings from these two experienced veterans of Gotham's criminal underworld, Donovan still plans to investigate. When she gets back to her apartment, she discovers who tipped her off to this mystery in the first place - none other than Red Hood.

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After the part he played in taking down the villain Cheer, Red Hood is refocusing his methods and it looks like that may include his position on partners. It's important to note that Jason was the one who sought out Donovan here, which means he needs her expertise and doesn't want to do this investigation on his own. This both shows a change in his character and in how he operates. Usually, he wants to take the lead but it looks like, this one time at least, he's willing to follow Donovan and her unique skills instead.

However, it should be noted this is a prelude to the upcoming Task Force Z series from Matthew Rosenberg, Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira. Whilst Donovan and Red Hood are clearly investigating this upcoming team and how it will come together, the leader of this team will eventually be Jason Todd. This of course calls into question the fate of this new partnership and whether it may be doomed from the start. When the two find out the truth about Task Force X how will Jason end up betraying Donovan and joining the team? Or perhaps he'll find a way to make her abandon the story altogether to keep her away from the danger. After seeing the determination she shows here, the latter seems unlikely, which begs the question, what will become of Deb Donovan?

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