Team Titans #2 (1992)

Team Titans #2 (October, 1992)
"Total Chaos, Part 6: From the Ashes of Defeat"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Penciller - Kevin Maguire
Inker - Will Blyberg
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Assistant Editor - Frank Pittarese
Editor - Jon Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

Wrapping up Act II of TOTAL CHAOS!

--

We open in the year 2001.  Remember Killowat's pal Josh?  No?  Well... he was part of Charlie's backup during the senses-shattering (and finger-cramping) Team Titans #1.  He's an Agent of Chaos... and hasn't had the change of heart ol' Chuck did.  What's more, he's totally cool with taking that one-way trip back in time to stop the Team Titans from endangering his lordship, Chaos.

Back in the present, Donna Troy is back... and she's huge!  I'm feeling really bad for the art teams here, because... this is a really tough scene to make look cool.  This jumps straight over "B-Movie" to Syfy original, without the snarky wink-nudge irony.

So... Donna appeared on Earth, just so she could freak out about not having her son... and so, she flies toward the Moon to reclaim him.  Starfire gives chase... much to Dick's annoyance, and Miri's pleasure.  Miri is positively rabid for the former Boy Wonder... it's really quite strange.  She didn't seem nearly this horny last chapter.  The Teamers' characterization has been really bipolar all throughout so far.  I'd suggest it's poor communication between writers, but... you know.

It's heavily alluded to that, during Mirage's time as Starfire... she and Dick, ya know... banged.  This leads to perhaps the oddest panels I've seen in quite some time.

Isn't depression just a fancy word for feeling "bummed out"?

We join Kory, who is flying toward the Moon... though, she must've forgotten that the Moon is in space, because she's surprised when she goes to breathe and finds that there's no oxygen filling her lungs.  The Titans (plus Mirage) decide to reconnoiter back at Dayton's Estate.  It's a good thing ol' Mento has so many homes for the Titans to destroy!

We jump over to the Teamers... who are rather ticked off that Miri is hanging out with the originals.  Ol' Killowat is taking this especially bad... seems he has a thing for their field leader.  Redwing takes off to survey their new home-year, and comes across a group of bad dudes (who look a lot like Zartan's Dreadnoks from G.I. Joe) pouring gasoline on a homeless man.  This it pretty hardcore, ain't it?  

The Teamers waste no time... wasting these geeks.  After several pages of beating the holy hell out of 'em... Nightrider actually kills one!  Ya see kids, these definitely ain't your daddy's Teen Titans.  Unless, of course, you were born in the last 20-30 years... in which case, they very well might be.

Troia arrives on the Moon, and finds... nothing.  She can feel that Chaos' essence has moved on.  Her thoughts immediately go to Terry.

On Titans Island, construction of the Pyramid is complete.  Lord Chaos signs all the paperwork, and starts moving in.  He monologues to his younger self... and promises to kill one T. Arthur Long.

The Teamers reconnoiter... and wonder what their next move might be.  How can they make Donna Troy come to them?  Well, Terra's got an idea... and it concerns "The Whiner", who... we're going to assume is T. Arthur Long.  Everybody wants Terry!

We shift back to the Dollar Store Dreadnoks, who now find themselves being attacked by that shadowy bemulleted fella who stepped out of the portal last chapter.

At Dayton's Estate... Kory returns to the team, and she's soaking wet.  Ya see, she flew into orbit... not realizing there's no oxygen up there... then plummeted into the Ocean.  You might figure a super-speed flight home might dry her off... but, you'd figure wrong.  I mean, it's gotta take at least a few days for her hair to dry.  Anyhoo, the Titans are attacked by the Teamers... and they want TERRY.

At that very same moment, Lord Chaos arrives... and, guess what... he wants TERRY too!

Fortunately for our main man... somebody arrives to peel the roof off'a Dayton's place like an easy-open soup can.  But who???  C'mon... 

We wrap up back in the alley with the Dollar Store Dreadnoks... again.  This time they get completely melted by a gun blast.

The final-page reveals that their killer is... I wanna make a "Cable" joke, but that's too easy.  We'll just call him by his name... ladies and gentlemen, meet Battalion!

--

Hmm... so, do I say "So far, So good", yet?

Okay, okay... this is getting silly.  I still don't necessarily consider it "bad" though.  I guess that's what you get when you revisit something with the lowest of expectations.  Hard to be disappointed, when you're expecting it!

What I will say, however is... this entire "Second Act" could have been done in a single issue.  We didn't need the bloated filler-flashback in Deathstroke #15... we didn't need the bloated Titan-Fitan scenes in New Titans #91... and we really didn't need the Dollar Store Dreadnoks getting so much "screen time" here.  Not that I'd consider "Act I" of Total Chaos to be especially "tight", but it did flow a heckuva lot better.

I wanna briefly talk about characterization when it comes to the Teamers.  They feel especially bipolar during "Act II".  Terra goes from crying when Changeling tells her to hit the bricks... to becoming such a jerk.  Miri goes from being in this almost cautious-awe of Dick Grayson... to jumping his bones, and taunting him about... well, sexually assaulting him!  Seems a bit severe... and makes me feel like we're missing a few key scenes.

So... everybody wants Terry, don't they?  It's almost humorous... well, no actually it is rather humorous that we have so many scenes of people vowing to find our man.  The Terry-obsession is strong... and contagious!  Head down to the pharmacy and get your shots today!

We also meet... Battalion!  Two of the biggest characters in comics around this time were Cable and Wolverine... seems like, with Battalion, they decided "screw it, just merge 'em together... the kids'll love it!"  We can tell that they were excited for this fella... he even gets a blurb on the cover!  I've forgotten nearly everything about this guy... so, I'm sorta-kinda interested in relearning what he's all about.

Worth mentioning, the art here is fantastic... but, some of the situations just defy artistic ability.  Just like with Baby Wildebeest, there's no way a 50-foot tall Donna Troy (in that gold onesie) is ever going to look "cool".  Maguire does his best with what he's given though!

Overall... definitely a weak "middle" for Total Chaos... but, like I've been saying... it's not as bad as you've (probably) heard it is.  If this is as far as the "other shoe" drops... I think I'd give this a solid recommendation.  Keeping in mind, however... we still gotta get through Act III.

--

Interesting Ads:

903

New Titans #91 (1992)

New Titans #91 (October, 1992)
"Total Chaos, Part 5: Growing Pains"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Penciller - Tom Grummett
Inker - Al Vey
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Assistant Editor - Frank Pittarese
Editor - Jon Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

Welcome to the "hump issue" of Total Chaos... we're smack-dab in the middle, and so far?  Not the worst thing ever.  There's actually rather a bit to like here.

Make sure that one shoe you're wearing is tied... just in case it decides it wantsta go for a fall!

--

We open with Donna and the Lords Chaos.  If you recall, we closed out Team Titans #1 with the birth of the newest member of the Long family.  Here, just as he prophesied, Lord Chaos delivers (what he believes to be) the killing blow to his mother.  It's also revealed that Donna gave birth on the Moon.  Not sure how she's going to handle the immigration paperwork when this all shakes out.

On Earth, the former Titans Island to be specific, that pyramid is nearing completion.  Seems whoever is funding this project has six entire construction teams working on the place 24-hours a day... so, what should take a year to build, has only taken a matter of weeks.

We briefly shift to a back alley... where, a portal opens... and a shadowy, possibly bemulleted fellow steps out.  I won't spoil this yet... but, if his silhouette strikes you as being somewhat familiar... there's a reason for that.

Back at Dayton's... it's a Titanic squabble.  This is where the book begins feeling like we're running in place.  There's a lot of Titans infighting... and not a whole lot of it is all that interesting.  The arguing is interrupted by the arrival of... Phantasm.  The ol' Sheet is searching for Donna Troy... and spends three. entire. pages. soliloquizing about it!

Back at Dayton's... again... the Titans try to wrap their head around the possibility that Lord Chaos and the Donna-Terry spawn might exist at the same time.  This train of thought is interrupted by the arrival of... Baby Wildebeest, who has been on-the-grow at a clip of one foot per day.

While the gang admires the "cuteness" of this horrid little critter, the news report detailing Deathstroke's arrest plays over the television.  Terra seems especially pleased...

She then gets extra snarky and suggests that New York City Mayoral Hopeful (and all-around "tough babe") Elizabeth Alderman perhaps "get ridda" Donna Troy for them as well.  Well, our man T-Long ain't hearin' that... and, of course... this leads to a fight.  I toldja... lots of Titan-Fitan today... it's almost as though they realized they still have half a crossover to fill.

We get several pages of fighting... all the while, a terrified Baby Wildebeest looks on (and attends to his "Mama" Pantha).  Finally, the terrible tot's seen enough, and morphs into his "final form"!  I'm not sure there's an artist on the planet who can make this look cool.

So... Baby starts wrecking Teamers.  Killowat responds with an electrical blast... that misses, and winds up starting a fire that threatens not only Steve Dayton's penthouse... but everybody in it.  The Titans load onto Baby's back... and leap to safety.  The Teamers (all but Miri), it's worth noting, leave first... and don't seem to care that the real Titans might perish in the blaze.

Lucky for everyone (except maybe the reader), Phantasm arrives in the nick of time to contain the fire... in some sort of fwooshhhhing portal.

Back on the Moon, Lord Chaos thinks about stuff.  Things aren't quite adding up in his mind.  Ya see, he recalls killing his mother several years after his birth... where now, he did it just moments after he was "birthed".  He thinks on it s'more, and decides... "Hey, mebbe I should kill my dad too!"

We end this chapter with a wild storm brewing on Earth... there's tidal waves, tornados, volcanic eruptions (which isn't really weather, but might mess with your morning commute just the same).  Phantasm cries out that "Troy is everywhere"... and it's soon made clear why.  Donna's back... and looks goofier than ever (and that's saying something!)

--

Well, this one was a bit silly.

Feels a lot like a time-waster... which was par for the course during early-to-mid 1990's crossevents.  Snag a copy of just about any multi-team crossover, and you're bound to get an issue or two where the teams square off over some philosophical difference or another.  Keep in mind that this comes from a time where "hero vs hero" would just be a chapter of a crossover... and not the entire premise.  So, I guess things could be (marvelously) worse.

At the heart of it, this really does feel like wheel-spinning.  If I were reading this "week-to-week", I gotta figure that I'd feel pretty ripped off.  Well, maybe not "ripped off" necessarily, but... disappointed.  The first "act" of Total Chaos was... unironically, pretty damn good!  I suppose we've come to expect "second acts" to be a bit underwhelming... with a lot of "putting pieces into place", and that's exactly what we're getting.  Guess I can't be too mad at it for being "what it is".  Though, those Phantasm pages of "nothing"... yeesh.

But... we've also got goofiness, and uneven characterization.  Let's look at Terra.  In the last chapter, it seemed as though she was coming around... she wanted to make nice with Changeling (and I'd assume, the rest of his team)... here, she's an ass!  Snickering at Deathstroke's arrest (though, I'll allow that... she does have those residual memory implants after all)... but, then... suggesting Alderman "get ridda" Donna?  Seems an odd "about face", doesn't it?  Maybe I'm just thinking on it too hard.

The Wildebeest bit?  Ehhh... never liked the 'Beest... nor do I like the design.  Just looks overly busy without style... some of that "already been chewed" George Perez.  I think just the overall ugliness/goofiness of the character makes it so I can't go "all in".  Also... Troia.  Yikes!  That was horrid.  Makes the post-Who is Wonder Girl? look seem awesome by comparison.

Overall... this is probably the weakest chapter of Total Chaos to this point.  In fairness, it is Act II-Chapter II, so, you don't necessarily go into this expecting to be "wowed" by all-out action.  So, as of now, I'm still thinking... Total Chaos: Not nearly as bad as you might've heard.  I'm struggling to remember how I "received" this the first time around... all I know is that I didn't like it, and I don't know why.  That was before I was on the internet... so, I hadn't yet been entered into the "hive mind".  Really not sure.  Maybe I am just softening!

--

Interesting Ads:

902

Deathstroke the Terminator #15 (1992)

Deathstroke the Terminator #15 (October, 1992)
"Total Chaos, Part 4: Escape from New York!"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Penciller - Art Nichols
Inker - Will Blyberg
Colorist - Tom McCraw
Letterer - John Costanza
Assistant Editor - Frank Pittarese
Editor - Jon Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

My fingers are still twitching from yesterday's NINE-HUNDREDTH daily discussion.  A little "behind the curtain" on that one... it took about five hours to write!  I don't consider myself an unusually slow (or fast) writer... but, that sucker nearly did me in!

Talking about just one story today... well, it almost feels like cheating!

Before we get totally chaotic, I wanna thank everyone who reached out yesterday.  Sometimes I get caught up in my own head... and feel like nobody's reading.  I cannot thank you enough for proving that not to be the case!

Now, let's meet us some sweet, sweet Lili...

--

We pick up at Dayton's... and it's quite a scene.  Deathstroke gets a bit woozy, and passes out.  Meanwhile, in the background... it looks as though our main man Terry Long has used this opportunity to "goose" Starfire.  Changeling helps carry Deathstroke to the bedroom so he can lay down.  They are followed by Wintergreen and Terra.  Gar makes it quite clear that Terra ain't welcome.

We shift scenes to Times Square where New York Mayoral hopeful Elizabeth Alderman is being interviewed.  That helicopter that went down back in New Titans #90 is still smoldering, and she ensures the people of New York City that it is her mission to see the Titans unsanctioned.  She receives a call from a dude named Jack... who informs her that they've started to build on "Titans Island"... since, well, the Titans didn't exactly own the place anyway.  What they're building is... a pyramid?  Well, it looks like the Chaos-future might actually come to pass!

Back at Dayton's Gar more or less bares his soul to an unconscious Slade Wilson.  Ya see, he's harbored hard-feelings toward the man for what happened at the end of Titans Hunt (Spoiler: Deathstroke was forced to kill his son, the Titan Jericho)... but, he now realizes why it had to go down that way... and he apologizes.  Gar goes to leave the room, but is stopped... ya see, Deathstroke was awake the entire time!  He thanks Logan for his kind words, and they share a nice quiet moment together...

... which is quickly interrupted by Terra rushing in to announce that Starfire and Mirage are fighting over Nightwing again.  Deathstroke uses this opportunity to sneak out of Dayton's place and back into the sewers.  Bet you weren't expecting to see those Morlocks again... I know I wasn't.  Well, I was hoping not to... but, here we are.  Deathstroke, get this, calls ahead to let them know he's coming.  He's got these geeks on speed-dial?

Once in the sewer, Deathstroke... collapses to the ground.  While he lay, he tells Wintergreen the story of his adventure in Cambodia.  Well, can't have a crossover-event without some filler, can we?

The quick and dirty of it is, the Khmer Rouge was holding a "local princess" captive in the Siem Pang Wat... and Slade accepted the gig for fifteen-grand in silver.  What they find is... well, I don't wanna say "cat house", but, yeah... pretty much.

Slade and the boyz escort the ladies through the jungle... and everyone except Slade and Sweet Lili are gunned down by the bad guys.  Slade winds up taking a shot to the head himself, actually... but it's just a graze.  Lili took him deep into the woods to treat his wound... and, ya know... bang.  They did this for two weeks.

Back in the present, Slade and Wintergreen are found by those Morlocks... and they carry him to, well... Sweet Lili's Seweriffic cathouse?  Okay.  Well, I guess that was where Slade was headed to last issue... so, stands to reason that she'd have a doorway into the sewer.  Also, it's probably useful for disposing of bodies.

Once inside, we can see that those street kids we met (also last issue) have made it there safely.  I'm now starting to wonder if Deathstroke sent 'em down with thoughts to their becoming "workers" for Sweet Lili.

As Slade is led away for "treatment" (those quotes are probably unnecessary... all signs do point to him actually getting treatment), Wintergreen is led through a back room... where he spies a young girl with naturally white hair!  Could this be?  Well, yeah... of course it is.  Welcome to the world, Rose Wilson.

After his treatment, Slade is escorted outside to a waiting car.  He is to be delivered to a helicopter... then to an airport... then, it's off to the relative safety of Germany.  I guess anywhere you're not considered a "fugitive" is safe.  Unfortunately for Slade, that one Morlock he bested last issue, is narcing him out!

Slade doesn't realize he's been tricked until it's too late!  The helicopter escorts him directly to the top of a building where he is deposited before New York Mayoral Hopeful Elizabeth Alderman and a whole bunch of press... and cops!  Do not pass "go", and all that jazz...

--

Well, into every crossover... a little filler must fall.  At least it was entertaining... ish!

This issue had an amazingly strong start... some neat inter-Titan drama, plus that excellent scene between Changeling and Slade.  The Beast Boy/Changeling-Deathstroke relationship has always been one I've had a weakness for.  Heck, 901 days ago, our very first "Discussion and Review" was all about their relationship!  These two are kinda responsible for this blog even being "a thing"... so, we can thank and/or blame them, I suppose!

Add the new Terra into the mix, who is paying for the sins of the girl she looks like... and, that's just some great Titans drama.  The concept of "transference" is kinda fun to think about... because, it happens without us even realizing it.  The Titans (Gar especially) is transferring all of his feelings (and expectations) regarding the old/real Terra onto this new gal... who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.  Of course... this is maybe a little stronger than actual psychological transference... because... I mean, we've got DNA and an identical face/power-set here... but, the point is still valid.  Again, really strong open!

The Sweet Lili stuff?  Ehh.  Not bad, but not what I was looking for as "Part 4 of Total Chaos".  I'd suggest that "whoever was writing Deathstroke didn't wanna get sucked into a Titans crossover"... buuuuut, this entire thing is written by Wolfman.  I suppose it sets up future stories for the Deathstroke solo... while moving him into place for whatever is to follow in the Total Chaos-verse... plus, it gives a nearly complete story for folks who only read Deathstroke.  Can't be too mad at it.

Overall... ya know, I'd say this is the most "missable" chapter of Total Chaos up to this point... but, man... that opening few pages is some of the strongest Titans writing in some time, I'd hate for anyone to miss out on it!  So... I'm gonna say it for the fourth time: Total Chaos... so far, so good!  We're almost at the halfway point... surely that other shoe is about to drop... right?

--

Interesting Ads:

901