Teen Titans (vol.3) #62 (2008)

Teen Titans (vol.3) #62 (October, 2008)
"Who is Wonderdog?"
Writer - Sean McKeever
Pencils - Eddy Barrows
Inks - Ruy Jose
Colors - Rod Reis
Letters - Sal Cipriano
Editors - Adam Schlagman & Dan DiDio
Cover Price: $2.99

#BooHauntedBlog

Today we're going to discuss an issue of Teen Titans from my unemployment-fueled "blackout" period.  I was still tangentially following reviews, and I recall this issue in particular getting a whole lotta critical guff... to the point where I wasn't sure if I'd worry about being a "completist" after reclaiming gainful employment.

Luckily, or unluckily... one of the larger comic chains in the Phoenix area began liquidating just as I got back to work, making my "filling in holes" tour cost quite a bit less than it would've otherwise.  So, for under a buck a pop... I figured "What's the harm?" and got up to date on several titles... including Teen Titans (vol.3).

Now, when folks talk about the post-Johns Titans, you'll see several words pop up... dark, dismal, gross... most of 'em bad.  Let's see if this one lives down to the hype.

--

We open with Wendy and Marvin... yeah, that Wendy and Marvin, making their rounds of Titans Tower.  By this point our Super Friends have become caretakers for the Teen Titans... it was a pretty strange time.  Anyhoo, as they awkwardly walk through the Tower's Memorial Room, they discuss their futures.  Feeling as though they have been relegated to being babysitters, the kids decide they want something more out of life.  Their discussion is interrupted by the arrival of a large (and friendly) dog!

They head inside and try to feed the cute beast, but he doesn't appear to be hungry.  Kid Devil and Blue Beetle offer him some (raw?) bacon... but, no dice.  While they talk, Miss Martian enters... and tying a towel/cape around the pup's neck, suggests they name him "Wonderdog".

Jaime notices that M'gann is... white?  Not that he wants to get "racial" or anything.  She focuses for a moment and regains her green pallor.  They chat about running into twisted versions of their future selves in an earlier adventure... including a very evil Miss Martian.  She says everything's cool, before shape-shifting into a canine form to chat up Wonderdog.  Wendy and Marvin become almost physically ill from the saccharine scene...

... and so, they continue their rounds... this time checking in with a returning Cyborg.  They chat him up, and try to convince him to make his return permanent.  Vic laughs, and suggests that they must feel like "glorified custodians"... though Wendy's not so sure about the "glorified" part.  Cyborg tells them they're doing a great job, and (foreshadowing!) that they have their whole lives ahead of them.

We follow our pair through the residence hall, where we become privy to a chat between Wonder Girl and Robin... and boy, is Tim on edge!  Ya see, Batman's missing... and his dead girlfriend (Spoiler Alert: It's Spoiler, err...) has returned!  Also, the Titans are quite the motley crew... down to five members, and not quite the picks of the litter.

Did I say five members?  Welllll, it's right now that M'gann decides to announce that she's leaving the team.  Welp.

We jump ahead to night... and it's a stormy one.  We rejoin Wendy as she is trying to track down the Titans' new pet.  After shouting "Wonderdog!" like a fool for several minutes, she realizes that... duh, he probably doesn't even know that's his name!  She runs into Kid Devil who... makes sure to tell her how much the Titans appreciate everything she and Marvin have done for them... comparing them to older siblings... family!  Wow, it really feels like we're building to something, doesn't it?

Kid Devil breaks away, heading off to a nighttime training session with the team, and Wendy continues on... heading into Marvin's room, where she finds...

... Marvin has been eaten by Wonderdog!  Well, that got dark pretty quickly!  Wendy beats a hasty retreat, and locks herself in an elevator.  It's really like a horror movie, the scene is quite well done.  Wonderdog hurls himself at the elevator door, and Wendy tries to make a distress call to the training Titans... but, the speakers look to be on the fritz, so much for Wendy and Marvin being all that great in their Tower-Caretaker roles.

Wendy pries herself out of the elevator, only to find herself face to face with the giant beast (who in a nice touch, is still wearing his "cape").  It's pretty academic from here... though, if I recall correctly, she doesn't get eaten... just really messed up.

After a job well done, Wonderdog reverts to his more Scooby-look, and flies off Titans Island... right to his master, whoever this guy is.  It's King Lycus, by the way... not that we'd know that!

--

Okay, okay... I get why folks would hate this issue, I really do.  At its core it's a subversion of an innocent and cartoony concept for nothing more than shock value.  I suppose it can be looked at as kinda lazy, and playing off (and perverting) nostalgia.  This really only affects folks who would know who-or-what a "Wonderdog" is in the first place... otherwise, the impact might fall flat.

When I heard that Wendy and Marvin were being added to the mainstream DC Universe, I thought it was pretty cool... just because I appreciate everything being "part" of something.  I don't have nostalgic "warm fuzzies" about Super Friends, as that was a fair bit before my time, but still appreciate its place in DC lore.

Now, to properly discuss the criticism of the gore in this issue, we need to put it in context.  Reading this issue in a vacuum... sure, it's kinda gross... a bit extreme, but it serves to introduce a new superpowered baddie for the Titans to overcome, so it's forgivable.

When we look at the post-Johns/pre-Krul Teen Titans as a whole, however, we find that this isn't really an "out of the ordinary" issue... Titans were dropping like flies!  There's actually an issue that bears a cover with a Titans-themed casket on it (I'll include it below), with the copy "Another Titan Dies!", that's how bad it got!  Titans readers were trained to believe that the team members were disposable... rendering them, and their (often gory) deaths meaningless!

Now... it's not entirely fair to judge this issue on that basis... so, let's pop it into a vacuum.

As a story?  I mentioned it during the synopsis, but it felt so much like a classic horror flick.  The lead-up was full of foreboding language, informing the reader how important Wendy and Marvin are to the Titans.  We get very measured lines, Cyborg telling them that they have "their whole lives ahead of them"... which, lemme tell ya... if you ever find yourself in a dangerous environment, and someone tells you that?  Run... because things are about to get ugly.

The scene of Wendy discovering Marvin's half-eaten body and fleeing the Wonderbeast was quite well done (for what it was).  Like I said, I had very little affinity for Wendy, Marvin, or Wonderdog... so, I didn't have perhaps the guttural reaction many longer-time fans did.  I just saw this as a "evil in our midst" sorta scene.  There's a great deal of tension in this scene... and, really, the issue as a whole.  I find that I really can't get mad at it.  Sure, it's a bit more extreme than I want from my Titans... but, it wasn't nearly as gross as I feared it would be.

So often, critics use a single image from a book to inform on their position... for this issue, it's usually Marvin's death scene.  Just like that Rise and Fall of Arsenal series, and the dead cat... this has become what the issue "is".  While that's certainly "the big scene", there's more to it than that.  This issue is as much (if not more) an homage to horror films as it is a Titans story.

Is it worth your time?  Well... I dunno.  I suppose that depends on your Super Friends mileage.  If you always hated Wendy and Marvin... yeah, you might dig this more than others.  If you loved'em and hate the idea of the "Wonderdog" concept being perverted, you may not.  If you are looking for a Teen Titans-centric story... well, you're barking (pun!) up the wrong tree here.  They're more background noise than anything.

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JLA #116 (2005)

JLA #116 (September, 2005)
"Crisis of Conscience, Part Two"
Writers - Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg
Penciller - Chris Batista
Inker - Mark Farmer
Letterer - Rob Leigh
Colorist - David Baron
Assistant Editor - Michael Siglain
Editor - Mike Carlin
Cover Price: $2.50

The Secrets's's's out... So, what now?

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Picking up where we left off, with the Wizard informing the League that the Secret Society of Super-Villains knows... everything!  They remember them League members' secret identities... and the fact that they were mind-wiped!  J'onn asks Batman to buy him a minute so he can wake Wally and the rest up.  Lucky for him, Catwoman is still around... and she's packin' heat... literally!  She blasts the baddies with a flamethrower.  She's so pleased by her good deed that she even asks if this makes her part of the Justice League... to which I say, <balki> Of course not, don't be re-deek-o-luss </balki>.  Could'ja imagine Catwoman ever being part of the Justice League?  Pssh... who's next, Lobo?  John Constanti--... er...

Unfortunately for her, Felix Faust (literally) returns the fire... sending her off the edge of a building.  Batman 'rangs her before she can plummet... but finds himself in the grasp of the Floronic Man.  Hawkman is nearby to lend a helping mace... which would've likely caved in the skull of any man not made of foliage.  The Matter Master nyoinks Carter's shield... and immediately embeds it in his shoulder, nearly severing his arm!

A now-stirring Wally helps Ralph to his feet... just in time for the Star Sapphire to command them to get on their knees.  A sorta-smitten and sarcastic Wally considers it for a moment, before Hal pops in to pull them to safety.  Elsewhere, Ollie yanks the shield out of Hawkman's shoulder... and while doing so, is informed by Chronos that his time bomb trick arrow is... ticking.  The Secret Society sure has the League's number this time around!

J'onn and Zatanna join in... and wind up face to face (to face) with Felix Faust, who looks to be about to sacrifice a cat.  As if by design, he is suddenly jumped by another Cat(woman).  Defensively, he slashes at her throat... which "almost" hurts her, but she notices that she's bled out in the shape of a pentagram.  By now the League has recovered, however, before they can attack the Secret Society splits out.

Wally gives chase throughout Gotham before returning to inform his teammates that the Society is nowhere to be found.  As the dust settles, the League notices that Batman and Catwoman have left.  We join them in the Batcave, where Selina is laid out and being attended to by Alfred.  Moments later, J'onn arrives so they can talk.

Batman ain't keen on chatting... so J'onn suggests he just listen.

Zatanna steps forward to apologize for the mind-wipe.  We learn that Batman lost 10 minutes of memory... and I realize that I can't remember what I had for dinner last night.  Hmm.  She asks how she can make it up to him... and he tells her that she (and the rest of the League) "can leave".

Ollie takes a bit of exception.  He gets (and understands) that Batman is ticked off... however, at the moment they've got a serious threat to consider.  The Secret Society knows all of their civilian identities... they can argue about the lobotomization later.  Batman still ain't having it... and so, Hawkman gets in his face.

And so, Batman hauls off and decks him!  Thankfully (and somewhat surprisingly) nobody popped their head in to chirp "One Punch!"

Carter says he hopes it was worth it... because now Batman's in for 10 minutes he'll never forget!  Well, that is, if the rest of the League doesn't intervene of course.  Batman reminds them all that if the Society remembers that they were mind-wiped... they probably also remember why they were mind-wiped.  Which... er, I thought everybody already realized, however, they're treating this like brand-new information.  Suddenly everyone feels the need to rush home to protect their loved ones. 

Wally, wasn't your identity public for most of your career?

Lonely J'onn heads back to the Watchtower... where he discovers who is behind the Secret Society getting their memories back... Despero!

--

As much as I appreciated the first part of Crisis of Conscience, this issue kinda falls apart for me.

We've got a Batman who doesn't appear to be able to prioritize.  He's so bothered... betrayed... that his teammates would rob him of certain memories, that he won't aid in their protecting their families?  That just doesn't seem right to me.  I'd figure Batman would understand that there's a time and place for them to hash things out... right now, folks like Linda Park-West (though, Wally's identity was public most of his career) and presumably Lois Lane are in terrible danger.  I mean, be mad... I get it... but, just really didn't like the way he comes across here.

We can see that J'onn... who was also betrayed, has decided to help his friends before reaming them out.  He stands beside the League and understands the potential threat before them.  That's the kinda teammate/statesman/mentor Batman ought to be.

Keeping with J'onn... I was kinda thrown off when he informed the League that their loved ones were in danger.  I thought that was the whole point!  I don't get how the League treated this proclamation as brand-new information.  Are they really that dense?  It should stand to reason... and be the first thing that comes to mind, that if the bad guys discover civilian identities, friends and family of those IDs are in danger.  Duh.

The League interaction, sans Batman, was pretty well done.  It's always neat seeing Ollie and Carter's uneasy "friendship" at the fore.  I also appreciated how poorly the League conducted themselves in battle.  I thought this felt natural in light of their preoccupation with the threat their secret identities being "out" posed.

Overall... I enjoyed this far less than the first chapter (to the point where I'm not entirely sure I'm going to continue with it).  Still an important story for League lore, and probably still worth checking out.

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JLA #115 (2005)

JLA #115 (August, 2005)
"Crisis of Conscience, Part One"
Writers - Geoff Johns & Allan Heinberg
Penciller - Chris Batista
Inker - Mark Farmer
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Colorist - David Baron
Assistant Editor - Michael Siglain
Editor - Mike Carlin
Cover Price: $2.50

Welcome to October!  I wasn't sure if I was going to attempt a another #boohauntedblog horror-themed month like we did last year.  Seeing as though it almost burnt me out last time around, I figure we'll still talk some horror... however, without the daily mandate.

Not quite sure how we'll approach it either, as over the next few weeks, the wife and I will be moving house... so pretty much, our daily discussions may become relegated to "whatever book I can reach" while things are moved, stuffed, boxed, and made wildly inconvenient rather than rolling with any sort of schedule.

For folks looking for a scare, I'm happy to report that my bloggy-brother Mike Carlyle over at the Crapbox of Son of Cthulhu is going daily and full-on "Creepybox" this month!  Give him a look eerie, err... every day!

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We open on Mars, with J'onn doing that thing where he picks up a handful of dirt and lets it fall through his fingers... he seems to do that every time he visits home.  Meanwhile, back at the Watchtower... the JLA is in the middle of the mother of all arguments.  Hawkman and Green Arrow are going at it like never before... however, today it has nothing to do with their politics... or even chili recipes... today, it's about a secret the League has long kept.  A secret that Wally has decided Batman ought to know about.

J'onn returns.  Overhearing the commotion, he asks what's going on... and more importantly, what is this "secret" they're all talking about.  Wally invites him to read their minds and find out... to which, J'onn finds that he cannot!  Ya see, Zatanna used her magic to block Martian minds from prying.  Suddenly, newly Rebirthed Hal Jordan pops in to try and reason with Hawkman.  He suggests coming clean and owning up to past mistakes, after all... he might just know a thing or two about that.  Hawkman dismisses him, and is steadfast in his position that what the League had done was no "mistake"... rather doing what needed to be done.

Now, here's where it gets sticky.  Knowing that the beans are about to be spilled, Hawkman makes for the door... Hal blocks him in.  Next, we flashback to the League just prior to Firestorm joining up.  Hal explains that the Secret Society of Super-Villains had somehow discovered all of the League's secret "civilian" identities... and so, Zatanna's magic was used to erase their memories.

Okay, so far... I'm not completely on board, but more or less... no harm, no foul.  I mean, just about every issue of (pre-Giant Size) X-Men ended with Professor X engaging in the ol' mindwipe.  Here's where it gets stickier... During Identity Crisis (which we'll discuss a bit in the review portion to follow), it was revealed that Dr. Light once attacked and raped Elongated Man's wife, Sue Dibny.  When the League caught Light... they voted to have Zatanna, well... not so much mindwipe him... more like lobotomize him.  This explains how he was often depicted as rather bumbling and ineffectual rather than any real threat.

But... we're not done yet.  Ya see, during the magical lobotomy... Batman popped in, and tried to stop the proceedings.  And so, the League went ahead and wiped Batman's mind too!  For good measure, they hid the memories from Martian Manhunter, just in case he accidentally read an errant thought from a teammate.

Now... Hawkman is still adamant that, given the situation, the League acted properly.  J'onn makes his position clear... altering the mind of another is the worst violation.  Hawkman continues to argue, before Wally brings us back to reality.  He fears that the secret is out, as he's heard rumors from the Rogues.  Also, Batman hasn't responded to his League signal device.  J'onn plainly states, "He knows." before suggesting his teammates "fix" things.  Well, given the way they've "fixed" things in the past, you may wanna be a bit more specific J'onn!

We shift scenes to Belle Reve Prison where Debbie Darnell, former flight attendant for Ferris Aircraft (and, err, Star Sapphire) lay in a medico bed.  While a pair of pervy prison guards watch over her, she is awakened by the Star Sapphire Gem... and, an off-panel benefactor.

Back at the Watchtower, Zatanna feels super guilty for her trespasses.  Hal tries to comfort... flirt... comflirt with her, telling her that when everything went down she was still a rookie Leaguer... she was basically just following orders.  She seems somewhat appreciative of his efforts, but lets him know it isn't necessarily the action itself that's worrying her... it's that, if given the opportunity... she'd probably do it all over again.

Their chat is interrupted by an emergency call from Happy Harbor Rhode Island... it's Red Tornado... well, most of him anyway.  It's clear that he's been messed up pretty bad.  Suddenly... another distress call comes in, from Opal City... it's Ralph Dibny!

The League splits into two teams to handle the emergencies.  Hal, Ollie and Dinah head to Happy Harbor.  Upon arrival, Reddy tells them it's all going down due to "the Secret"... and I don't think he's talking about the little ghost girl from Young Justice.  Spotting their enemy, Dinah gives a sonic scream... however, instead of her normal concussive waves... she just coughs up a bunch of black birds!  Ollie draws on his bow... which he finds is suddenly covered in thorns!

Hal... just gets paralyzed, which is nowhere near as fun.  We see their foes are Felix Faust, Chronos, and the Floronic Man... oh, say it ain't so Floro!  You're a New Guardian, dammit!

At the same time in Opal City, Maryland... Maryland?  Okay.  Anyhoo, we join Ralph Dibny as he makes a mad rush (and reach) for his cupboard to grab his last bottle of Gingold.  I notice that he's not wearing his wedding band here... not sure if that means anything, or if it's a plot point I'd forgotten about.  Just stuck out to me.  Anyhoo (again), as the world around him spins into a vortex, Hawkman swoops in for the save.  He is accompanied by Zatanna and Flash.  We see that their foes include Star Sapphire, the Wizard, and the Matter Master.

Meanwhile... in Gotham City, Catwoman is beating down Firefly.  Batman arrives to stop her from going too far... then demands she hand over the stolen diamonds that she recovered from the baddie.  She begrudgingly hands them over... asking if an exchange of diamonds means they're engaged.  Hmm... Anyhoo, the potentially touching moment is interrupted by the arrival of the Martian Manhunter.

J'onn tells Batman that there's something mighty important they need to discuss... however, before they can, they are interrupted (lotsa interruptions today!) by the entire Secret Society of Super-Villains!  What's worse... the Wizard greets Batman as "Bruce"!

--

Okay, a little background.  Identity Crisis... don't wanna say too much about it, because I'm pretty positive we'll eventually discuss it long-form here on the blog.  Hell, for a story that "status quo changing", it'll very likely get a Cosmic Treadmill episode somewhere down the line.  

I will say that... hmm... part of me absolutely hates it, while another... I dunno... doesn't?  It's far from a story that I'll ever say I liked, however, it might be the best example of an "event" that actually, as we like to say, "stuck the landing".  Identity Crisis was unlike any event that came before it... and hell, even as I was reading it, I wasn't sure how they could possibly make it "stick" in DC continuity.

I mean, surely they wouldn't leave Dr. Light as a rapist/murderer, right?  I mean, he's not that terribly important of a character, but still... this is levels of irredeemable that won't be able to be walked back.  This is going to, in a way, taint every prior Dr. Light appearance.  Added to that... the Justice League voted to lobotomize him!

... and then, they mind-wiped frickin' Batman!  Even if the story ain't my cup of tea, I gotta hand it to 'em (DC) for for their willingness to "commit to the bit".  This didn't get "Cosmic Cubed" away... and has been a scar on the face for the League ever since (reboots notwithstanding, of course).

I think it was with this arc in JLA that many DC readers realized that Identity Crisis wasn't going to just "go away"... it wasn't going to be relegated as an Elseworlds, or something to only be addressed when convenient.  While not a "Crisis" in the comics-classical definition, Identity Crisis did signal a sizable shift in DC's landscape... characterization, storytelling... so many things changed.  Not all for the better, sure... but, also... not all for the worse, either.

This issue features some great conflict... and reactions from each member that more or less fit in with their established personalities.  This isn't Civil War "square peg into round holes" characterization... at worst, it's amplification of the Leaguer's basic archetypal traits to facilitate the story.  Worth mentioning, it seems pretty clear that Johns is enjoying having Hal interact with/as part of the JLA again!

Overall... despite my hesitance to recommend anything Identity Crisis-related, I cannot deny that this was a more-or-less enjoyable read.  I don't think I'd jump in with this issue if you haven't already read Identity Crisis... which, err, is to say... yeah, I guess I'm recommending checking out Identity Crisis.  It's not anywhere near my favorites, buuuuuut... whether we like it or not, it is a thing that happened.  It brought with it some crazy changes... and like it or not, it probably shouldn't be ignored.

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(Not the) Letters Page:

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