Blackest Night: Titans #2

I'm not sure how I feel about zombie babies biting their mothers, but I have to admit JT Krul seems to be having fun with this. The gore is off the charts like in all the other Blackest Night tie-ins, but I suppose that is to be expected. I just can't make myself get too worried about anyone in the core cast, since I know three quarters of this team are destined to appear in other books, but it is fun seeing these heroes put through the paces. I think part of my problem is that Dick Grayson really should be here, the dynamics of the Titans don't work exactly right without him, so I feel like I'm still waiting for the headliner to appear. Cyborg and Starfire make for good almost-leads, but having Beast Boy and Donna Troy as the main draws is never going to do it for me. I will admit this is probably the most I've empathized with Donna. She's in an awful place here; with her dead family returned, she is in one of the most heart-breaking predicaments of any of the heroes facing the dead. Having a zombie kid involved also makes it one of the creepiest.

I'm curious what the static around Dove is going to mean. The two dead Hawks are unable to get a read on her, somehow due to the peace of her being, I think. Will Dove end up as one of the predicted "White Lanterns?" I'm not sure, but with Hawk II killed off so quickly, DC may as well try to find a new place for Dove. Bringing in a new Hawk this fast will just weaken the core concept.

I loved how Ed Benes has Terry Long looking totally 80s, like in his heyday. I also enjoy how the recently dead like Hawk II immediately gain the desicated look of a Black Lantern. Benes is actually a good fit for this book, with Starfire, Wonder Girl(s), and all the other gals in small costumes, there is actually some excuse for all the butt-shots. He does a solid enough job on the storytelling that the mood is still effective even with the heavy dose of cheesecake.

Fair