2023
WISE Score
A gritty crime drama where the guy in the Marvel cloak is a cheating, small-time crook making all the wrong choices.
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If your kid is looking for a superhero story, this isn't it. The Hood is a gritty crime noir that happens to be set in the Marvel Universe. It’s well-written, but it’s intentionally dark and morally bankrupt.
Parker Robbins is a dirtbag protagonist. He’s not a misunderstood anti-hero; he’s a guy who finds a mystical cloak and uses it to become a more efficient criminal. For an adult fan of 'Dark Reign' era Marvel, it’s a great collection, but it’s a hard pass for younger readers.
This is strictly for older teens (16+) and adults. Between the infidelity and the organized crime dynamics, it’s closer to The Sopranos than it is to Spider-Man.
The protagonist is a career criminal who is actively cheating on his pregnant girlfriend with a mistress while climbing the ranks of organized crime. It is a study in moral decay, not virtue.
It offers a gritty, street-level look at the Marvel Universe where mystical artifacts are used for petty crime rather than saving the world. The 'Dark Reign' era world-building is top-tier for fans of lore.
This is a 'Mature' title. It deals with institutionalization, infidelity, and brutal crime-boss violence. It is not a standard superhero romp.
It works as a cautionary tale about the cost of 'easy' power, but the primary goal is entertainment for adult comic readers rather than developmental growth.
Although this 2023 collection brings together several different runs, the core of The Hood is rooted in that early 2000s era where Marvel was experimenting with gritty, R-rated storytelling. It was originally written by Brian K. Vaughan (of Saga fame), which explains why the character work is so sharp despite the protagonist being a total mess.
What makes this interesting for a mature reader is how it deconstructs the 'Great Power, Great Responsibility' mantra. Parker Robbins looks at a mystical cloak and sees a business opportunity, not a calling. The 2023 collection is particularly useful because it bridges his origin story with the Dark Reign event, where he actually becomes a major political player in the Marvel underworld.
Parents should be aware that this is a 'villain book.' There is no moral center here. You’re watching a man lie to everyone he loves while he 'wheels and deals' with the likes of Loki. If you have a teen who is obsessed with the lore of the Marvel underworld and is old enough for HBO-style drama, they’ll find the tactical side of the super-villain community fascinating. But if you're looking for a gift for a middle-schooler who liked Endgame, this will be a jarring and likely unpleasant surprise.
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