There are a lot of comics out there, but some stand out head and shoulders above the pack. With “Don’t Miss This,” we want to spotlight those series we think need to be on your pull list. After the events of “Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths” and with the Justice League no longer active, the DC Universe needed a team to step up and be the protectors of the world. That team is the Titans.
Who’s this by?
“Titans” is written by DC mainstays Tom Taylor (“Nightwing,” “Superman: Son of Kal-El”) and Nicola Scott (“Wonder Woman,” “Earth-2”). Taylor has really blossomed since being introduced to DC audiences as the writer of the small books like the “DC Universe Online: Legends” series and a Rose and Thorn spotlight in “National Comics.” With the “Injustice” series, Taylor began to get more attention for his writing, which led to gigs on “Earth-2,” a Justice League/Power Rangers crossover, and a few miniseries. However, it was one-two punch of “DCeased” and “Suicide Squad” that really established Taylor as one of DC’s major writers in the pre-‘Dawn of DC’ era. Since taking over “Nightwing,” being the post-Bendis shepherd for Jon Kent, and now being the “Titans” scribe, Taylor has established himself as the showrunner of the not quite Teen Titans but not quite Justice League corner of the DC Universe.
Scott, an Australian like Taylor, first came to DC prominence as a collaborator of Gail Simone’s on “Birds of Prey” in 2007. Since then, she and Simone worked together on “Secret Six” and “Wonder Woman,” and she picked up stints on books like “Earth-2” (with Taylor), “Teen Titans” (with J.T. Krul),” and a second run on “Wonder Woman” with Greg Rucka.
What’s it all about?
“Titans” takes place after the events of “Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths,” where the Justice League decided it was time to take a step back. In their absence, they promoted Dick Grayson, aka Nightwing, to be the protector of Earth. Dick turned to his Titans teammates to reinstate the team and be the world’s first defense against threats. Their titular book, thus far, has been about an old Titans foe, Brother Blood, and his attempt to rebrand his Church of Blood Eternity, as well as solve the murder of Wally West, the Flash, in the not-too-distant future.
What makes it so great?
Part of what makes Taylor such a fantastic writer is his ability to get the voices of these characters down pat while not sounding like a retreat of past work. Sure, it’s easy to think “been there, done that” with Brother Blood, or if the team of classic Titans, without new or surprising members, doesn’t exactly get the juices flowing the way that a new Justice League lineup would. But Taylor is able to take the familiar and do interesting things with them.
Take, for instance, the complex relationships on the team thus far. Raven and Beast Boy are just starting to date; Dick is on a team with Kory, his ex-girlfriend. Garth, aka Tempest, turned the team down and instead joined the Church of Eternity. Donna is struggling with being a leader. Wally is struggling with the knowledge of his seemingly upcoming death and doesn’t like Dick babying him. Beast Boy takes the destruction of rainforest as a personal affront and can’t be held back from his anger. All of these are rooted in past stories, but Taylor is able to remix them in such a way that it doesn’t feel like old hat.
A big part of that is due to the gorgeous art by Scott. Her work has a clean line and a robust sense of fluidity; when a Scott character is running or flying, they seem absolutely natural in that action. But beyond that, her work manages to wring so much expressiveness and emotion out of the characters. Her Starfire’s eyes, pupil-less and bright, tell an entire story with just the slightest adjustment of their shape. Her Beast Boy can be goofy one minute and terrifying the next, and both seem like natural expressions of Garfield’s feelings. Wally is a brave hero who has to stare at his own dead body and isn’t quite sure how to do that.
Continued belowScott’s linework gives all of these moments natural grace and searing intensity. Her work is malleable in the best way, able to turn on a dime just like our pesky human emotions. Her composition also deserve a moment of praise. Scott creates scenes that seem totally natural for the characters in it, but are also decidedly not ordinary. She makes heroes seem at ease while standing over a pit of lava, but never so at ease that the reader forgets exactly what they’re looking at.
All of these reasons make the Titans seem, for the first time in their history, like the most important group in the DC Universe. And yet, because of who they are as characters, they still seem more approachable and humble than the Justice League or the Birds of Prey or the JSA. These folks love each other very much, and that informs all they do, and that love, along with their powers and heroism, is on full display.
How can you read it?
“Titans” #3 dropped on Tuesday and is available at finer comic shops everywhere. Issues #1 and 2 are also currently available on DC Universe Infinite Ultra.
