Spoiler Warning. Review contains spoilers. Proceed with extreme caution.
I’m usually the first in and out of my local comic shop. Wednesday there was no exception. As I was getting my comics scanned in the cashier saw the cover to Teen titans #24 and questioned Superboys baldness. The second cashier said “Superboys part Lex Luthor.” Cashier one flipped through and suddenly gasped: “HOLY CRAP!” Cashier two walked over and was stunned with what he saw. The manager joined in about the issue. “Yeah, he broke Robins arm.” I had my eyes closed and my ears covered trying to stop them from ruining it for me. So, when I got to read Teen titans my first instinct almost half way through was this: HOLY CRAP!
DC is blood thirsty. Think about the level of action in the titles, the amount of blood being spilled, and the atmosphere the characters now live in. This month alone we got Fiddler shot point blank in the face, Green Arrow shot and beaten with a bat by Riddler, Wonder Woman trying to drown the already dead Medousa, a b and c list DC characters getting offed at every turn. Were getting all this with intense and suspenseful stories.
This first part of the four part crossover with Outsiders is a real treat for the fans of both books. It’s even a great introduction to people who haven’t tried the book. Sure you may not get to know the characters but what you get is a quick set up and some intense action with a nice cliffhanger ending. Now, just cause the set up is basic doesn’t mean it’s lousy. Anyone whose followed these books will have already known a lot of what this crossover is fueled by. There are parts of this crossover that date back to the Graduation Day story from two years back. Plus dealing with subplots that both titles have been exploring. The opening gives readers new and old a look into Superboys mind as he still copes with the knowledge that his DNA isn’t just that of Supermans but also of Lex Luthor. He’s decided to come out and tell the fellow Titans after pressure from robin but before he can a mysterious transmission from his laptop changes Superboy. That’s when he DESTROYS THE TEEN TITANS!!!
The newly bald Superboy takes out most the Teen titans with ease and the ones he doesn’t get hurt a lot worst. Over on the other other coast of the US the Outsiders deal with their own problems. Still reeling from Deathstrokes manipulation. Plus the suspicion there is a traitor in their midst. Robin calls for back up but before the Outsiders can respond they run into a little problem of their own.
Geoff Johns proves once again why he is DCs go to guy. I can’t believe I even dropped this title for a brief period of time. Knowing Johns has been working up moments like this make me vow never to ditch this book again. Then we got Matthew Clark on art. I like what Clarks done on Adventures of Superman and seeing him here makes me wish he’d stay on this title. Clark delivers a great fight scene with plenty of human feeling in the faces of these characters. I hope that DC has something lined up for Clark after this because he is one talented man.
Teen Titans hit me hard in the chest and knocked out my breath. It has everything you need from the spandex clad set. Larger then life characters in larger then life situations. Now, time to see if Judd can win me back on Outsiders.
