#graveposting

The first time we see Jason Todd's grave, it's in the New Titans (1984) run, in issues in the same era as his death. Dick finds out Jason is dead, and takes the time to visit.

While there are small variations, the core concept of the grave remains the same: a solid, rectangular piece of stone with his name inscribed. Underneath, the words "Rest in Peace" or perhaps the years of his birth and death (it's a shame the numbers are hard to make out.) Sheila Haywood is buried to the right (to his left?)

There are flowers at his grave, presumably delivered by Dick Grayson.

The next time we see Jason's grave, it's in the early 2000's, the variation that's become iconic: A hooded angle with spread wings and hands pressed together in prayer, stood on a pedestal that reads: "Here Lies Jason Todd."

This is very consistent across comics from this era. However, it's completely different from Jason's other grave. Sheila Haywood's grave is nowhere in sight.

Interestingly enough, Batman: Hush, written in 2002 and the first one to feature this variation, offers an answer:

Of course, the secret is slightly ruined by the fact that this is still a seemingly public graveyard, and Jason's name is on the pedestal. However, this does mean that it makes perfect sense that we saw a different design for Jason's headstone before: He has two graves.

The first, the one next to Sheila Haywood. Where he was "officially" buried, but there's no body down there. Instead, his actual grave is elsewhere, secret, with an angel guarding over his body.

Batman: Hush, in this reveal, also tells us that the second, secret grave has been desecrated--defiled--and that it's empty. Jason's body is gone. This is, of course, revealed to be all part of Hush's game, with Clayface pretending to be Jason Todd pretending to be Hush.

I suspect this particular detail is being disregarded (retconned), because a scant three years later it turns out Jason's body was buried all along! In a different spot? Because we need to exhume it now as a part of Batman: Under the Hood.

...here at the unmarked grave of Jason Todd.

Hang on. What was that? There's a third(???) secret grave for Jason, which is not marked at all? He's just buried under the turf somewhere?

There's an angel statue in the background, which could maybe be the angle statue for Jason's secret second grave, though the posing looks slightly different. So perhaps his body was moved slightly... at some point.

Perhaps some time after he had already broken out of his coffin? So Jason crawls out of his second secret grave in Batman Annual 25, his resurrection gets covered up by the League of Assassins, and then later (perhaps post-Tower of Babel, where Martha and Thomas Wayne's corpses are stolen by Ra's?) the empty replacement coffin gets moved to the secret third grave? And somehow no one notices it's empty?

I don't have a good conclusion for this. Everyone join me in thinking about Jason Todd's grave.

Notes:

It's entirely possible that Dick does not know where Jason was actually buried, and has been visiting the wrong grave this entire time, which could lead to a fun horrific argument with Bruce upon finding out.

According to both Lost Days & Annual 25, replacing Jason's coffin is one of the last things that happens before his debut in Hush. The entire discussion of Jason's coffin/casket itself is an interesting topic, but perhaps a discussion for another time.