Robin’s new Teen Titans team starts coming together, for better or worse. Can the dysfunctional bunch actually become a proper team? Will we learn more about the characters? The answers to that are in this issue and . . . what’s this? Is romance in the air? Are the teenage hormones kicking in long enough to give a character a crush? (Not counting Crush who can absolutely crush someone with her bare hands but is not crushing on anyone.) Let’s take a look and find out.
Light spoilers ahead.
Written by Adam Glass
Illustrated by Bernard Chang & Scott Hanna
Colored by HI-FI
Lettered by Rob LeighThe Teen Titans head to Gotham City, where they must thwart a plot to assassinate Commissioner Gordon! So who is the mysterious figure giving Robin his intel, and how does he know so much? Speaking of Robin, is he developing real feelings for the magical Djinn, or is he falling under the spell of her mystical ring? Meanwhile, more secrets come to light and more drama unfolds, putting Kid Flash and Red Arrow at odds!
One of the issues, or at least concerns, that I had with the new “Teen Titans” team is how little we knew or cared about half the team. Robin, Red Arrow, and Kid Flash are well-established, but Adam Glass introduced several new characters — Djinn, Crush, and Roundhouse are all entirely new. So the comic had to both establish and develop new characters while building them as a team, and frankly, it wasn’t quite doing it for me.
However, this issue of “Teen Titans” does give us a little more time for actual character work. Using Djinn to provide some narration helps us get to know her a little better, and we get moments of conversation between the characters that feel like a step towards growth and development. We actually leave this issue knowing a little more about the characters.
The most unexpected feature that helps is, of all things, Robin apparently starting to crush on Djinn. While the last thing anyone expected is for Damian Wayne to actually start having feelings for someone other than “begrudging respect” or “condescension,” he is a growing boy, with all that it entails. However, it’s also hinted that it may be more than teenage hormones, as it started once he put on Djinn’s ring to let her use her full power. This information sets up more concerns and depth for Djinn, who up until this point had been one of the least interesting members of the team due to the extent of her powers.
On the other half of the issue, we get a little more information about Roundhouse, last seen making a heroic sacrifice when he got thrown into space with a nuclear device. Up until this point he’d primarily been “Kid Flash’s friend who is sometimes useful but often annoying,” but by giving him some one-on-one time to talk with Kid Flash, we get a better idea for who he is and how he viewed his place on the team. He’s still a little annoying, but I do really like the scene where each of the Teen Titans quickly addresses their own parental issues (Wanted, dead, Batman, etc) and he notes “y’all need some serious therapy.”
The story itself comes secondary to the characters, but it does still move the plot forward. We still see the team try to work together as a unit (to varying results) and get an idea of how their growth and changes have impacted the team dynamic, while dealing with an assassination plot and the deeper mystery behind it.
There’s a good amount of action, mostly a chase with a fair amount of violence thrown in. It’s fast-paced, and the artistic team of Bernard Chang and Scotta Hanna, accompanied by HI-FI’s color work, create a great flow and sense of dynamic action. It’s made bright by the light of the city and the various explosions, while the panels are quick and placed close to make it fast and intense.
Throughout the issue, the artistic team provides solid artwork. The characters are designed in all shapes and sizes, with very expressive faces even with the masks blocking their eyes. The little creases and shading that they add to the character designs bring out their emotions nicely in every scene.
Continued belowThe artwork overall manages to provide a good amount of detail without being bogged down by extra scratches and shading lines; it’s crisp and clear while making everything pop. Nearly all of the characters have different color schemes, like Djinn’s purple and Roundhouse’s light blue and white, so the scenes never get oversaturated with a single color. While occasionally they can clash visually, it serves well to showcase how the Teen Titans team itself still has its internal clashes.
Overall, this issue of “Teen Titans” is a step forward for the team and series. While I was initially concerned about the team lineup and the characters, Adam Glass is starting to provide them with more growth and insight so we can get to like them just a little bit better, and the illustrations and color work help make each scene pop.
Final Verdict: 7.2 – The team is starting to come together and the characters starting to develop, so it’s starting to grow on me. Bright and energetic art makes the comic visually engaging, and if nothing else we’re getting to see how Damian acts when he likes someone.
