Comics on the Bubble: Team Titans (1992)

Comics on the Bubble: Team Titans

Wow. This comic is BAD. I had forgotten how awful Marv Wolfman's work was on this title at this point. I mean, I loved Titans even during Titans Hunt, which set up a lot of the status quo here, but still. Characters go unnamed through the entire crossover. Battallion is the worst example of 90's excess I can remember, he's more obnoxious than Cable!

The toughest part about this series is the top-notch artists that worked on the launch issue.

Issue 1 - With art by Kevin Maguire, Adam Hughes, Kerry Gammil, and more, how can I dump these? Actually, I think I'll only keep the best one. I think I like Kilowatt best, so I'll keep his, and dump the rest. SELL

Issues 2 & 3 - A few chapters in the middle of the average Total Chaos crossover. SELL

Issue 4 & 5 - Oh man, these issues feature a punk band who can turn into armored warriors. SELL

Issue 7 - Hee hee, this issue introduces the future-Nightwing who becomes "Deathwing" next issue. SELL

That was easy!

DC Relaunch part 3! Bat-stragglers, Vertigo, and Teens!

Wow. DC has been loving this, I’m sure. I don’t think I’ve EVER spent so much time thinking about DC comics before this last week. They’ve got me tweaking my sublist on a daily basis!

So we’ve covered the Justice books, Green Lantern, and Batman. Let’s see what else they’ve got for us!

First, a few bat-stragglers.

Nightwing – Kyle Higgins and Eddy Barrows – they sure made us wait for this, didn’t they? You know they were loving the internet frenzy over Dick Grayson. I don’t know Kyle Higgins’ work at all, but Eddy Barrows is serviceable. I’m tempted. Not sold yet.

Red Hood & the Outlaws – Judd Winick and Kenneth Rocafort - hahahaahah! Oh man, look at Arsenal’s ball cap! He’s so hip! I wish Starfire wasn’t in this book so I could totally ignore it, but I do like her. I wonder who else will round out the team. Winick loves these types of books, but I got bored by Outsiders, so I can’t imagine I’ll love this. I don’t love Rocafort’s work either. No thanks.

Batwing – Judd Winick and Ben Oliver – I loved this guy’s visual in Batman Inc. I’m thrilled to see that Batman Inc. is continuing, it really seems like the Batbooks are not getting rebooted. I’ll check out the first issue.

Then we have the returning Vertigo characters.

Animal Man – Jeff Lemiere – I don’t know enough about Lemiere’s work either. How weird is this going to be? Another one I’m not sure about.

Swamp Thing – Scott Snyder and Yanick Paquette – this is a darn solid creative team. I can’t imagine a world where I care about a vegetable man on a monthly basis, but this team might be able to do it. This is another wait-and-see.

Justice League Dark – Peter Milligan – Peter Milligan, Zatanna, and Shade the Changing Man? I have to at least give this a try!

Demon Knights – Paul Cornell – described as medieval super-heroes, Cornell says this book is targeted for folks who like Dragon Age and Game of Thrones. I hate that I’m so easily identified as the target audience. But I guess that means I better buy it!

Frankenstein: Agent of SHADE – Jeff Lemiere – Frank was my favorite from the Seven Soldiers, so I at least need to sample this. It looks like it may be a sort of Creature Commandos type situation, and I want in on that.

Resurrection Man – Dan Abnett & Andy Lanning and Fernando Dagnino – never in a million years would I have predicted this book making a return. I loved the original, I’m back for the encore, even if it only lasts a few issues.

Voodoo – Ron Marz and Sami Basri – interesting, this is our first ex-Wildstorm title. I loved Marz’s work back in the day, and I hear good things about Witchblade under his pen, so maybe I’ll try an issue?

I, Vampire – I don’t care who the creative team is, I don’t need romantic, beautiful vampire comics. NO.

Today we got the teen titles. Some surprises in here!

Teen Titans – Scott Lobdell and Bret Booth – This has got to be one of the worst re-designs of the whole DCnU. Those folks look TERRIBLE. My daughter wanted to buy this comic, but I’m not sure I can let her. NO.

Static Shock – John Rozum and Scott McDaniel – I loved Rozum’s work on Xombi, and McDaniel’s art has a kinetic energy that I’ve always enjoyed. Plus I adore Static as a character. Sold!

Legion of Super-Heroes – Paul Levitz and Francis Portella – I’m afraid I fell away from the Legion when they did the whole “Supergirl &” relaunch and I’ve never come back. Too bad, it looks like this book is picking up without another reboot
(thank goodness!)

Legion Lost – Fabian Nicieza and Pete Woods – that’s a crackerjack creative team, and I still remember Fabian’s New Warriors fondly. I’m sure I’ll give this an issue, depending on the regular cast. At a glance I only really know Wildfire, Dawnstar, and Timber Wolf.

Hawk & Dove – Sterling Gates and Rob Liefeld – unlike a lot of folks, I don’t have a problem with Liefeld’s art, but I have no interest in the characters. Pass.

Overall, I think my DC pull list is going to go up with this reboot!

My main concerns at this point is the lack of JSA, Martian Manhunter, Blue Beetle, and Wally West announcements.

Flashpoint #1

Clearly, I'm missing something. Over the past few months, I had sort of written off Flashpoint as an enormous Elseworlds, surely one that will impact the DCU in some ways, since Geoff Johns is writing it, but an Elseworlds in any case. Then the Internet popped for the premiere issue yesterday, with everyone raving about how good it is. This is just proof that I'm still not jaded as a reader, I went out and bought Flash 10-12 (to be reviewed tomorrow) and Flashpoint #1.

And? Did the issue live up to the insane hype and the even more insane number of tie-ins? Meh. It's fine, but it is an Elseworlds. There are some people in different costumes, Captain Cold seems to be some kind of vigilante rather than villain, Talky Tawny from the Marvel Family looks like a cool Battle Cat from He-Man, and a few other changes. I do like seeing Cyborg as the main man of the DCU, but if the stuff he says is correct, Wonder Woman and Aquaman are straight up EVIL.

Seriously, death on the scale described here is unbelievable, and the US could not and would not be sitting by while that type of genocide was going on. Of course, this is still an Earth in the DCU, so maybe they've grown accustomed to mass murder? Very possible.

As far as I can tell, this doesn't really pick up as the next chapter after Brightest Day or anything like that. This really seems to stand on its own. Honestly, this feels 100% like Age of Apocalypse, the story everyone thought this would be riffing on. And that's fine, I loved AoA, but I don't have the disposable income (or the space in my longboxes) to follow something like that now.

And let's not avoid my main problem: Barry Allen. The guy is boring, and centering a crossover around him is not going to do it for me.

I must admit, Andy Kubert's art is great. Alternate Batman looks cool. Battle Tawny is awesome. I like Shade the Changing Man's look and team. But I'm just not wrapped up enough to keep up with the deluge of titles for this crossover.

Average

Justice Legue of America #49

James Robinson gets to write his style of story in this done-in-one. There is more focus on characters overcoming personal demons than on big action. This is a downtime issue as the team recovers from their battle with the Starheart. Robinson gets a few panels of development for everyone, but the bulk of the issue focuses on Donna Troy and Jade. The two photographers are trying to figure out where they fit in. Jade tags along with Donna as they stop off at the meta-prison at Alcatraz, where Donna is checking in on an old Titans villain, the Bogeyman. He has a good, creepy visual; I especially liked seeing his old-school villain suit.

Because this is a DC book, Robinson had to darken the Bogeyman with some back-story. It turns out he's a pervert who prefers entering the mind of young girls. He also tormented some kids so badly that they had to kill themselves. Hey kids, comics!

I like that Donna and Jade come out of the experience stronger, and the explanation for Jade's "dark green" energy is pretty interesting. She may have paid off her White Lantern debt, but her Black Lantern days aren't totally behind her. Interesting.

I recognized Pow Rodrix as a new penciler when I saw how Supergirl was prettied up on the first page. Mark Bagley is a solid storyteller, but he doesn't lavish attention on the ladies, but Rodrix likes drawing gals. He's fine, his take on a whole slew of characters was fine, although he tends to draw some of the characters too large; check out Superboy's shoulders.

Fair

Kid Review: Tiny Titans #31

(Written by my 5-year old daughter)

Match is FUNNY. I think it is funny that he says "oooh, what shirt should I try?" Because none of them really match his color. It's kinda funny when Wonder Girl throws snowballs at Psimon. The Brainiac club better watch out for Superman. I like Saturn Girl. Is she a fairy. I think Brainiac 5's pet is kinda funny because he just leaves trails of himself. I REALLY like it when Match thinks Psimon is an ice cream cone and then he eats him. It's funny that that guy (Lightning Lad) is just like "uhhhh" that he's there. He doesn't care! That guy (Chameleon) is tapping saying "whatcha doin?"

Superman's Dad thinks Beppo is Superman, that is ridiculous. His father is just being crazy. I like the issues that have a lot of Superboy and Supergirl.

This comic was funny with Match in it.

Comics on the Bubble: Devin Grayson's Titans (1999)

Wow. Talk about a rough era of comics.


Beast Boy isn't on the team. Flash is constantly talking about the better team he's on (the JLA), and Cyborg is a gold alien robot. What? This barely feels like the Titans. I can appreciate Devin Grayson wanting to honor all previous eras of the book by including characters like Argent and Damage, but man, there is too much drama in this. Donna Troy has some wacked-out situation where she never really existed, so she was re-formed by Wally West's memories? I know that most of these problems don't stem from Grayson's writing, but she doesn't help by continually dredging up this silly drama. The choice of villains is kind of weird too.

I will say, this run has the best take on Arsenal that I think I've read. I mean, I hate the guy, but he's almost likeable here. Almost. Tempest is pretty fun here too. I think I actually thought he was cool at this point.

I can't complain about the art, it is generally pretty decent. Mark Buckingham handles the bulk, and like his "realistic" take on the heroes. Tempest in particular seems like a nice, normal dude when drawn like this. He doesn't draw Starfire quite as... endowed as I'm used to, though. I've been spoiled by REBELS!

The run holds up a lot stronger than I thought it would!

• Issue 1: Most of the issue has the team talking in a seafood restaurant. SELL


• Issue 2: The Titans need to show Superman they are all grown up as they fight the HIVE. Not bad, actually. KEEP


• Issue 3: The team takes on Marilyn Manson... sorry, Goth! The issue is complete with awful lyrics and acting out teenagers. SELL


• Issue 4: More Goth. SELL


• Issue 5: Character focus on Tempest, Damage, and Argent. They take on a cool new mermaid villainess, Siren. KEEP


• Issue 6: Guest-starring the best GL ever, Kyle Rayner. KEEP


• Issue 7&8: Weird little speed villain story. Fairly generic. SELL


• Issue 9: Unnecessary crossover with Day of Judgement. Not good. SELL


• Issue 10-12: Strongest arc of the run. The Titans face off against Vandal Savage's Tartarus, made up of some of the best Titans villains and guest-starring Deathstroke. KEEP


• Issue 13: Aftermath issue. Beautiful art by Patrick Zircher. KEEP


• Issue 14: Brian Vaughn helps on the writing and solid art from Cully Hamner. The team actually seems more competent once it slims down. KEEP


• Issue 15-16: This issue plays into Grayson's worst tendencies. She focuses on the old Teen Titans and they spend a long time wallowing in their interpersonal issues. It's sort of a chore to get through. I hate most of the team. SELL

Summary: SELL 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9, 15, 16.
KEEP 2, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,

Titans: Villains for Hire Special #1

SPOILERS AHEAD!

Well, that was ridiculous. I hope there aren't any fans of the Ryan Choi Atom out there, cause his time is done. Deathstroke accepts a contract on the Brave New World character and assembles a group of villains to take him out. Actually, the odd part is that I wouldn't have pegged these guys as actual villains. Tattooed Man has been heroic at times, Osiris wants to be a hero, and the new fire gal was cruising towards being a vigilante rather than a villain. The only true bads on the team were Deathstroke and Cheshire. That's before this issue though, since I don't think you can remain a 'tweener after you slash a hero's guts out and deliver his corpse in a matchbox.

I don't think I've read much (if anything) from Eric Wallace, but the needless humiliation and death for Ryan Choi pretty much guarantees he's not my kind of writer. Heck, the best thing I can say for the issue is that at least Deathstroke comes off as a professional and allows Choi to fend off his girlfriend. This was a downer and yet another example of the gore pervading the DCU.

This book is ridiculously gory. I actually liked the art by Fabrizio Fiorentino, it's shaded in an interesting way that reminds me of Simone Bianchi. Fiorentino doe shave a habit of drawing too many angry faces, but overall I like the style.

Average

Kid Reviews: Tiny Titans #27

Why does Trigon like Kid Devil so much? Kid Devil doesn't talk because he's scared of Mr. Trigon. I like the part where Kid Devil bites Mr. Trigon.

I also like the part where Kid Devil burns the bacon. I love bacon!

I like that Streaky is in a picture with people he doesn't live with. Why is Kid Devil red and Blue Devil blue?

I liked it.

New Teen Titans #1-6 (1980)

I'm reading the New Teen Titans Archive from the library because I'm pretty sure I'm not a full comic nerd until I've read these issues. The problem? I don't love them. Like Marvel Two-In-One, they are a product of their age, but I think Marvel had a better handling on pacing earlier. It takes Trigon 6 issues to fully materialize, and then he spends 2 or 3 issues backing down from challenging anyone in exchange for Raven taking her place at his side. And heck, both of them know she won't stay! Trigon has some fantastically evil dialogue, the bit where he dissolves Psimon into the lightstream because death is too good for him is just wonderful. But I didn't care for the fact that the threat is resolved by Raven's mother sacrificing herself to stop Trigon. It seems like the team kind of got off easily after getting their butts kicked for 6 issues. Heck, they lose to the Fatal Five pretty convincingly. It really seems like the team needed some more effective members like Wonder Girl and Starfire.

As for the actual team members, I'm surprised at a couple things. Kid Flash isn't even sure he wants to be a hero, he just wants a normal life with a wife and kids. This is very different from the Wally West I remember from the 90s. Robin is a strategist, but that's almost all he is, he's basically useless in combat. Raven is as annoying as ever, was she ever popular? Wonder Girl and Starfire are the main powerhouses of the team, I'm not sure they could beat anyone without these two ladies. Cyborg is a lot angrier and less powerful than we see now. I like seeing how far the character has come. Beast Boy had his thing down even in these premiere issues, he's the team doofus.

George Perez is awesome, of course, and I love seeing him lavish time on Starfire's skimpy outfits and Robin's bare legs. He clearly loved drawing this book. Was he the first to draw Deathstroke? I love the guy, but Ravager's costume is actually pretty cool too.

Fair

Kid Reviews: Tiny Titans #26

I like that girl Martian thinks that guy is a dolly. I like it that every time he has someone grabbing on to him, he pushes a button. Kroc wants to be the dolly. Kroc raised his hand to be the dolly. Miss Martian's hair is really super red. Miss Martian liked the dolly more than Beast Boy when he was a puppy.

Why is Cyborg on the cover if he's not green. He wasn't in the comic very much. Kid Flash was only in the comic once.

I like Speedy's green suit and I like that Superboy was in it. I thought their milkshakes were water.

Everything green is flying out of Gizmo's backpack.

This was good. This was a little bit as good as the other Tiny Titans and it was a little bit not as good.

Kid Reviews: Tiny Titans #25

NOTE: This is my daughter's review, but since she turned 5, her old 4-year-old review tag is out of date. We're switching to the more generic "kid review!"

Sometimes Match gets silly because sometimes he has two arms and sometimes he has three. Match is funny because he says "barf arf arf." I liked Stargirl being in the comic. She's brand new. Terra got the red ring because she is angry. Is yellow bad? Joker's daughter got the yellow ring because sometimes clowns scare people. I wanted Starfire to get the Star Sapphire ring because it matches.

I like Ch'p and Gnort. I like it when Match yells about gum. I like that Starfire is the first one to meet Star Girl. I know that because both of their names start with "Star."

Why do you think there is a cupcake on the floor of the place where Speedy trades? I wouldn't eat it because it is on the floor.

Sometimes it looks like the treehouse is talking.

This comic is the best.

Teen Titans #77

If J.T. Krul isn't careful, he's actually going to stand out as a competent Titans writer. After a strong effort in the Blackest Night: Titans mini, he steps into the main Titans book to give us a Ravager/Deathstroke-centered tie in. There are a lot of dead folks in Deathstroke's past, and they're all back to get him in this Blackest Night story. I liked how quickly the father and daughter team switched from trying to kill each other to helping each other fight off their zombified family members. It's clear that Ravager and DS don't actually want each other dead; they just don't know how to relate to each other in any other way than hand-to-hand combat.

Joe Bennett is the originator of the current Titans house style, so of course his work fits perfectly here. Equally adept at faces and action, I really love the way his beautiful people break things and each other.
Fair

Blackest Night #5

Ok, we've got some plot movement! Blackest Night is clearly a GL story; I opened up this issue and was immediately confused on how the rainbow corps got together. So I closed the book and moved GL 48 to the top of my stack and everything became clear. This issue picks up with Barry Allen taking on Nekron, Scar, and the Black Hand. There are some great moments as Barry is in rough shape, outnumbered and outmatched, but Wally West arrives and lends a hand immediately. I dug Barry's acceptance of Wally as an equivalent Flash too, I'm starting to believe "my" Flash won't be totally sidelined after Blackest Night. Green Arrow, Black Canary, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Teen Titans arrive shortly after Wally does in a nice splash page. Along with Fire and Ice. Hoo boy, I don't like Fire or Ice's odds of making it out of this alive; they have fodder written on their foreheads.

Back in NYC, the JSA is still facing down Jean Loring and the slew of dead villains from the last few issues. There's an odd scene where Jean grabs the Atom and Mera and shrinks them all down into Atom Smasher's Black Lantern ring. I have no idea where this is going. I'm curious if this subplot will end up being important...

The Rainbow Corps arrives with some witty banter between Hal and Barry, as expected. There are numerous bits of dialogue and plot that pick up directly from GL #48; it would be impossible to read these separately. Black Hand gets nasty when he resurrects a Black Lantern Batman, although Bruce Wayne's name is in quotes, so I don't think it is the real guy. However, BH uses the emotional tie the heroes feel for Bruce to send black rings out to a ton of the heroes resurrected in recent years. Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Arrow, Ice, Impulse, and more are immediately turned, with rings flying after Hal and Barry too. Things could get mighty ugly very quickly, there aren't going to be any headliners left to lead the good guys! After a slower previous issue, things were flying along again here. Johns knows what he's doing.

Ivan Reis draws great gristle. These zombies look horrific. His post-transformation Scar is spooky too, she goes from creepy to full on scary very quickly, wrapping her tongue around Wally's throat. Gross!

Good

One final thought: Where's my Martian Manhunter?????

Batman: The Widening Gyre #3

I'm confused on exactly when this series is taking place. Bruce Wayne is clearly still Batman, and Aquaman is beardless and acting "classic." Tim Drake is Robin. Silver St. Cloud has been gone for years. I've heard rumors that the new vigilante Baphomet will be getting an ongoing series, but how long has he been off the scene comic-time wise?

Kevin Smith is doing some neat stuff in this series. I really liked the Robin reveal while Cornelius Stirk had Batman captured. The pacing was dead-on and Robin's appearance actually made me chuckle. The follow-up conversation between the dynamic duo was pretty funny too. Bruce starts to take it easy as the book goes on, spending his days on a tropical island with Silver St. Cloud and then jetting back to Gotham to keep doing his thing. Batman and Baphomet finally get a chance to speak and Smith gives Baphomet a nice voice. The guy is a smart mouth and very confident. I loved Batman taking him down a peg asking if he was a "stoner." Awesome. I really liked how the issue closed; Aquaman looks in on Batman and Silver's happy times and then swims away. Aquaman is pleased to see the "ghoul" so happy. I like the friendship apparent in their interaction.

Walter Flanagan is still a bit inconsistent, but he's getting better. I really like how fun he makes Silver with her goofy and affectionate facial expressions. There are actually a fair amount of guest stars in this that look good too. I'm not sold on Baphomet's mask yet, it seems like it would be too easy to grab.

Fair

Blackest Night: Titans #3

Hmm. So Dove, powered by white light, is somehow able to destroy Black Lanterns? I wonder which other DC heroes will have this power? I'm suspecting Wonder Woman, although I could also see her being rage-powered. Dove succeeds in destroying Wildebeest, Pantha, Terry, the zombie baby, and the other minor dead Titans, leaving only Hawk, Tempest, and Terra to escape. If I had to guess, Tempest will be resurrected at the end of Blackest Night, but I bet the rest are gone for now.

J.T. Krul does a pretty good job with this story. He's got the voices of the Titans down, with his Beast Boy and Cyborg being standouts. The Black Lanterns are almost excessively cruel in this series and the hurtful things they spit out at the Titans are really pretty upsetting. And speaking of upsetting, how about Donna Troy first caving in her ex-husband's chest then crushing her zombie baby? That's some pretty intense stuff.

I haven't been this interested in the Titans in some time. That last panel where Donna can see the spectrum of her teammates was excellent. My fave, without a doubt, is the split of willpower and rage for Cyborg. He's a great character and I sure wouldn't want to mess with him after this issue.

I think Ed Benes ramped up the cheesecake again this issue. I noticed Starfire and both Wonder Girls made the most of every opportunity to show off their assets to the reader.

Good

4-Year Old Review Tiny Titans #21

I like the alien pets. Silky and Poopu. I called Silky Plu Plu. I bet a bad guy has never joined a good guy club before. Bunnies are ok but not bunnies that are Marvel bunnies. Cyborg's robots are silly robots. I like the lightning bolt (on Captain Marvel Jr.) It is silly that all of the people are in the pet club. Most of the Titans are at the Pet Club. But some aren't. I like Mera. I thought she was a mermaid. I know who is at the JL Watchtower; Green Lantern, Flash, and Martian Manhunter. I don't like Martian Manhunter because he's just green. I don't like green. I like Green Lantern because he has a little white and a little black. Don't throw rocks. At all. Never ever ever ever. Not very good, Terra.

I like comics with my Daddy.

Great

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

Teen Titans #74

Bryan Miller has only written a handful of comics that I know of, but he's already fitting in nicely at DC. He's already killed a Teen Titan (everyone is doing it!) This time it is Eddie Bloomberg, Kid Devil, who died saving San Francisco from a nuke-powered villain set up as a weapon of mass destruction. I will give Miller some props for at least featuring Eddie pretty strongly in this 3 part story. Eddie had good dialogue and some nice center-stage action, in addition to him actually having a heroic death. While this certainly adds to the general dead-ish ways of the DCU, at least Miller spent some time developing the character he was killing.

The new savage take on the Fearsome Five is pretty interesting. Shimmer is immensely popular, something I often forget. During the battle with the Titans, she transforms a building into water, dropping bystanders down to the street. I enjoyed seeing Wonder Girl and Aquagirl handle crowd control while Traci 13, Blue Beetle, Static, and Bombshell took on the villains. Miller did a nice job setting up the conflicts. The Five seemed like powerful foes, but I believed the Titans had the ability to beat them too. I'm not sure what's going on with Kid Eternity and the Calculator at the end, but it is spooky for certain.

Joe Bennett has really made this book his own. While Wonder Girl is the only headliner on the team, the rest of the lineup is pretty striking and inspiring looking. I'd love to see Bennett drawing Superboy or Robin again.

Fair

Titans #16

Starfire is one of those characters that I like the potential of far more than I like the actual character. An alien warrior-princess freed from slavery to be a hero on Earth. That's a great high-concept. Yet she is usually relegated to crowd shots and pin-ups, or being Nightwing's girlfriend when she's lucky. I was pleased to see that she'd be featured in an issue of Titans. Unfortunately, while it is an effective recap of her story, there isn't a ton new here to like.

Christopher Yost handled the story here, but I don't remember seeing his name with other Titans material in the past. He certainly handled the many elements of Starfire's past well though. He tied the story into Infinite Crisis with a thematic connection with Starfire's slavery to the anti-life equation and her childhood slavery. Unfortunately, the way the story is presented, with Starfire telling her dreams and memories to a psychiatrist, I'm not sure we get anything new. Starfire doesn't really seem to have a breakthrough or anything, she's still mopey and crying at the end of the issue. The neatest thing about the issue is that Vixen asked Starfire to join the JLA. Perhaps this is a hint about James Robinson's upcoming lineup? Maybe an appearance in the JLA will enable Starfire to live up to her potential.

Angel Unzuetta's art is solid. There are many callback panels to big events in Titans and Outsiders, so clearly the reference is solid.

Fair

4-year old reviews Tiny Titans #18

I don't like it that Starfire wasn't in it. It was ridiculous when Coach Lobo and the other loved donuts. Those kids aren't all bad because Robin is there. Robin is good. I don't like the Monitor. He was too mean. Those guys aren't kids. Mud man likes mud. Darkseid changed the lightbulb dark. I like this guy (ed. note - the Anti-Monitor). He had a fight with the Moditor (sp). I like Batman's sign. I like the joke sections. I sure remember the jokes.