Teen Titans (vol.2) #15 (Early January, 1998)
"Titans: Then & Now, Part 4 of 4"
Story & Art - Dan Jurgens
Finished Art - George Perez & Larry Stucker
Colorist - Gregory Wright
Enhancement - Digital Chameleon
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft/LA
Associate Editor - Dana Kurtin
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $1.95
Let's wrap up "Titans: Then & Now"!
Adding this story arc to our "Collected Editions" Page for ease of reading... or at least, not reading it backwards!
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We pick up where we left off last issue... what I believed was each of the original Titans seeing a different head under the Omen hood was actually... Omen just cycling through a bunch of faces, before finally settling on Lilith. Yes folks, Lilith has been Omen all along... but, c'mon, you already knew that. She reveals a couple of things... first, that she absorbs bits and pieces of the people around her... second, that Mr. Jupiter is her father!
The original Titans aren't quite sure what to make of this... Lilith took pieces of them without their knowledge or consent. Also, the big-bad of this story line, Haze... is her half-brother! There's also that whole "mind-wipe" thing, but nobody mentions that yet. Haze is annoyed that, at least for the moment, the spotlight is off of him. I mean, he even does the "Hel-lo?" thing.
So, he then kicks things up a notch. Tying his powers with Lilith's, he's able to give his visions "form". He can tap into the dreams of his foes, and make them "real"... and he starts with Roy, giving him a new costume... which is basically Ollie's Grell-era outfit in red. Ya see, Roy always dreamed of following in his mentor's footsteps.
Haze then turns his attention to Prysm, and gives her a glimpse of her family... before snapping it away in an instant. Jupiter implores Lilith to boot Jarrod from her head, however he's too powerful to evict.
Argent arrives on the scene, juuuuuust in the nick of time to be imprisoned in a concrete dome alongside her teammates. Thanks for comin', Toni!
Turns out these concrete domes are all in their heads, maaaaan. Just a mindgame from Haze. He's tickled by Wally's attempt at miming. In the Newbie-Titan dome, they chat about having a secret weapon.
That secret weapon? The Atom! At this moment, Ray is being taunted by his JLA pals... and his ex-wife. Jean calls him out for running away while their marriage was on the rocks... and, ya know... she ain't wrong. After reducing in size to be smaller than the individual atoms of Haze's gas, he's able to regain his composure... from here, he grows!
And what he sees? Well...
A pretty awesome sight of many of the Titans' foes to this point (minus Terra). The Titans, Then & Now take the fight to the hard-illusion baddies. Nightwing delivers a whopper of a kick to "Deathstroke", while commenting that Haze isn't quite up to speed on his Titans Lore... Deathstroke's vendetta is long over. Dick sends Roy off to snag Haze. Isaiah follows.
We shift over to a tower, where Haze unmasks... revealing his acne-riddled face. He cries out to his father... wanting to know why he never loved him. Jupiter hems and haws... before promising to "cure" him. Lilith tries reasoning with her brother too. This doesn't go all that well. Jarrod blows her off the platform.
Roy fires a trick "line" arrow for Lilith to snag on her way down. In the distraction, Joto cold-cocks Haze... causing the illusions to dissipate.
Haze threatens to "go nuclear"... so Roy, naturally, fires an explosive arrow at him. That oughta fix everything, right?
Roy hops down and snags his "line". Lilith has already grabbed Haze's limp body. Still on the platform, however, is Mr. Jupiter. Joto fights his way through the flames, and promises to rescue his boss.
On the ground, the Titans (Then & Now) reconnoiter. Then... from the smoky horizon, a figure emerges. An apologetic figure... carrying another.
It's Mr. Jupiter! He drops to his knees, dropping the man he was carrying... Joto. Joto has been burned beyond recognition... and is just barely conscious.
We wrap up with Joto passing away. His last words are to the effect that he died... a Titan.
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That was a pretty good ending! Had some interesting reveals... and suffered a loss (for now, anyway).
Something I'm not sure about is... well, what was this story supposed to be? Was it intended as a "passing of the torch" from old to new? If that's the case... I'm not seeing it. This whole arc, despite being steeped in Titans lore, felt very... I dunno, non-committal? Perhaps I'm projecting... knowing how weirdly hard-lined DC seemed to be about separating this series from the Titans franchise... while still using the name, and certain trappings.
What we basically have here is... the Newbie Titans being shown as heroic... yet inept. Not the best look for a team trying to prove itself... or step out of the shadow of its predecessors. For the founding Titans... it seems like this is just another day. Even though they fought side-by-side with their successors, it didn't feel like a) they were a team, and b) that this was an endorsement or anointing.
I dunno.
What we do get is, some pretty neat action... and some wonderful art. It was cool seeing like 99% of the Titans rogues gallery, even if they were just illusions. Really cool seeing them flex these characters every now and again.
There was also the reveal of Lilith's parentage. Mr. Jupiter has always been her father... which makes her early appearances feel a little bit weird, I suppose. It's not like they implied anything salacious between the two... but, it was still kinda weird. Either way, this paid off a long-lingering Teen Titans mystery... so, it's got that going for it.
Now, I'm a little confused by the final conflict. Why in the world would Roy fire a heated arrow at a man threatening to "go nuclear"? Does that make sense? Did I misread it? Seems not only like the wrong thing to do... but the most wrong thing to do!
Overall... a pretty satisfying ending, in the sense that it felt like an ending. We had most of our questions answered... and are left with new worries on the horizon. The next issue of this series is a "Then & Now Epilogue"... I suppose we could take a look at that one tomorrow, and hopefully tie a bow on this arc.
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Teen Titans (vol.2) #14 (November, 1997)
"Then & Now, Part 3 of 4"
Story & Art - Dan Jurgens
Finished Art - George Perez w/Larry Stucker
Colorist - Gregory Wright
Enhancement - Digital Chameleon
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft/LA
Associate Editor - Dana Kurtin
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $1.95
Ready to find out who Omen really is?!
Well... about that...
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Picking up a handful of minutes after we left off, we open inside of Haze's "neighborhood". We're with Tempest and Risk as they're questioning a down and out wino. They ask him how he came to be here... to which he spins a yarn about Haze tricking him into a date by posing as a pretty young thing. He claims that there are hundreds of others Haze ganked off the streets here, and also explains that Haze is something of a Psychic Vampire, drawing from his captives to fuel his own powers.
Just then, some of Haze's rent-a-cops burst on the scene (what, you can't even chat up a wino anymore?)... Risk is stompin' for a showdown, but Tempest suggests he settle his tea kettle. Ya see, if Haze really is feeding off of energy, the last thing they ought to do is expend more of it! Garth grabs Risk, and they dive into some nearby raw sewage to flee into the sewers. Man, that Haze has thought of everything... even sewers!
While in the muck, Risk begins to come around to Tempest's methods... and they make nice. While attempting to rearrange some pipes, a trap door opens below them... and they fall into the purple "ishy, gooey" water below. While submerged... they are confronted by their fears... again. Getting tired of that yet?
We shift scenes to Wally and Prysm, and they get to know one another. Then... they see some dead bodies, annnnd lights out! Prysm freaks out, and somehow Wally is now wearing Barry's version of the Flash costume. After being confronted by the Jupiter Father and Son, Wally is overcome with the lightning bolts on his costume... and Prysm is wrapped up in an outfit not unlike Doomsday's original duds post-break out.
Next stop, Nightwing and Argent. They dodge some gliders as they attempt to infiltrate a tower. Get this... Dick is confronted by Batman... again. Argent is haunted by generic-looking aliens, all claiming to be her biological father.
Dick seems like he's going to be able to snap out of it... but is then attacked by Haze himself! Haze resorts to some dirty tricks and puts Dick in a state of Vertigo, before kayoing him with right fist. He then backhands Argent before dragging Dick away with him. Argent is left behind because... really, why would you need her? Devin Grayson ain't writing the book yet.
Next... Arsenal and Joto. You remember all the chuckles when we found out this dude's name was "Joto"? Weird stuff. I suppose I ought to mention that Joto is Swahili for "Heat"... which makes sense. Don't urban dictionary it though. Anyhoo, Isaiah and Roy plan to fire a bolt into Haze's tower after Joto works his mojo on it... this way they (or he) can "see" inside. Despite Roy's crossbow not having the penetration power of his old bow, Isaiah is able to get a snippet of what's going on.
Turns out, however, that's all a ruse! The real Haze isn't even there... in fact, he's here! Haze hits Roy with an awkward-looking superkick before haunting Isaiah with visions of Argent. After giving Joto the kayo, Haze haunts Speedy with... you'll never guess... visions of his time as a -- junkie?! It must really suck to have like one event in your life define you from that point on.
Anyhoo... we next check in on Atom and Omen... lotta four-letter team-members here... Atom, Omen, Joto, Risk... hmm. Argent comes to, and sees them... however, they don't see her. Before she can call out, they disappear. We wind up inside Haze's "office", where he has his collection of Teen Titans... new and old. Also, Mr. Jupiter. He sends his rent-a-cops off to find Omen... but, not so fast, kemosabe... just then, the Atom tears the roof off the place.
Haze is initially rather surprised (perhaps even impressed) with the fact that the Atom can now grow huge. Then... it's hoo-doo time! Ray is haunted by the laughter of his former JLA teammates. This gimmick, man... getting tired. Haze then threatens to kill Mr. Jupiter in front of everyone.
Suddenly the Titans are able to move again... and Omen is revealed to be... Raven! No, make that Phantasm! Err, maybe Lilith! Um, or the Hornblower! Ya see, each Titan sees Omen as a different person! The newbies are as confused as we are!
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So, yeah... the gimmick is kinda getting played out.
How many pages do we need to spend on the Titans (new and old) being confronted with their fears of letting people down? I think we all get it by now. Perhaps if these visions added anything new I'd feel different... but, really... it's just the mentors telling the Titans that they're failures over and over again. Well, that and Argent's dad might be an alien.
It feels a little bait-n-switchy on the Omen reveal... which might be a weird thing to say in 2018... we've known who Omen really is for over 20 years at this point (where did my life go?). I mean, it's some good intrigue, I suppose... but, not the payoff promised in last issue's "blurb".
Really not much more to say about this one, I mean... it's a "Part 3 of 4", we're just putting pieces in place. At least not anything that we won't expand on tomorrow when we wrap this up. Is it worth checking out? Sure... I mean, the gimmick is beyond played out... and it feels a bit like we're filling pages... but, I feel like there is a solid story worth being told at its core.
We'll wrap up "Then & Now" tomorrow!
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Teen Titans (vol.2) #13 (October, 1997)
"Then & Now, Part 2 of 4"
Story & Pencils - Dan Jurgens
Finished Art - George Perez
Colors - Gregory Wright
Separations - Digital Chameleon
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft/LA
Associate Editor - Dana Kurtin
Editor - Eddie Berganza
Cover Price: $1.95
Let's continue this Titanic four-par... waitasec, this is a Genesis tie-in?! C'mon, we didn't sign up for that!
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Picking up right where we left off last issue, the "founding Titans" are in that fictional land of "Wyoming" and find themselves stood before their younger selves. Naturally, this leads to some fisticuffs... and some trash-talk. From the get-go, the "real-deal" Titans are kinda getting their butts kicked. The younglings are talkin' smack, and clappin' back... performing at a level of experience they really shouldn't have. The only Titan able to best his younger self is... duh... Nightwing.
We then shift scenes back to the Cardy Boarding School... a couple of hours earlier. The Mad Mod is shocked by the arrival of the... New New (New?) Teen Titans (can't remember if I refer to them with two or three "News"). He's happy to see that they are safe... and happier to learn that Prysm ain't dead. Ray Palmer then demonstrates his new ability to grow taller than six inches.
Turns out, they were off dealing with the events of Genesis... which might only be marginally less terrible than being held hostage. The Atom explains that his new powers are a result of the Genesis-Wave. The New-est Teen Titans then load up in their jet and head toward Wyoming. They leave the Mod behind, so they don't hear his warning that the original Titans are already there.
We follow the Newest Titans on their trip... and it's a pretty contentious scene. Risk is tired of the Atom name-dropping his pals in the JLA, and isn't shy about letting him know. This little "power struggle" might be interesting, if I cared a lick about any of these characters.
Upon arrival in Wyoming, the Newest Titans are attacked by... uh, "those Psion freaks"... and a fight is on.
After some scufflin'... Omen arrives to lift the "veil of deception". Turns out the "young Titans" the originals were duking it out with were actually the Newest Teen Titans... and the "Psion Freaks" the newbies were tusslin' with were the Originals!
Once the "veil" is lifted, the two Titanic teams shake hands and make nice. Argent seemed to enjoy Nightwing "hitting on her"... wow, this was a couple of years before Devin Grayson started writing her! Then, a portal opens... and Omen is nyoinked inside by some tentacled beast. The originals find something about Omen to be familiar. Hmm... (just play along)
The Titans then find themselves standing in front of Haze's castle... er, neighborhood... uh, place. The giant form of Haze shows off his "spiffy" new costume, cracks a few jokes and invites them inside to search for Mr. Jupiter. This dude is lame.
Wally suggests getting the JLA involved... which, c'mon man, nobody wants to hear that. Nightwing puts together a plan wherein the Titans split into teams of two... one original and one newbie. We've got four teams... with the Atom assumed to have already infiltrated the place to scout around.
Ray is indeed already inside... and he observes some Haze rent-a-cops pushing around some "citizens" of the neighborhood. I... guess we'll just keep playing along.
Deeper inside, Haze has Omen chained up. Looks like her "lifting the veil" earlier is exactly what he expected to happen. He's been using Omen to bring the Titans to him. After he "mwah-ha-ha's" a bit... he leaves. The Atom then enters are tries to figure out a way to release his teammate.
He decides to grow huge and break the bindings. In so doing, Ray also knocks Omen's mask off revealing her to be... continued next issue!
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Whew... seems like we sure dodged that pesky (and aggressively boring) Genesis Wave here, didn't we? I'm usually not too big on "red sky crossovers", but I think I'll make an exception this time around! All we really need to know is, the Atom got his growing-powers back. In the words of the Mad Mod, "Bully for him!".
I feel like there might've been a less-confusing way to tell this chapter. Jumping back "a couple hours" to see the Newest Teen Titans get the skinny from the Mod felt a bit, I dunno... "piecy"? There just wasn't much "flow" to it. We go from Titan-on-Titan action to this chatty scene that happened "before" with character we, up to that point, hadn't even seen in the story yet.
That opening Titan-on-Titan scene ends with Nightwing being surprised by a sudden arrival... which doesn't pay off until after the Newest Titans return from Genesis... talk to the Mod... head to Wyoming... and fight the "Psions". And that sudden arrival turns out to be Omen... but, the "progression" from that first scene is kinda "lost". I dunno how to really write what I'm trying to say here... just didn't dig the (lack of) flow here.
Last issue we saw some neat interpersonal chatter and conflict among the original team... and this issue, we get some of the same from the newbies. It was appreciated, in the sense that it attempted to flesh these folks out... but, without having history, it kinda fell flat. Rather than sound justifiably disgruntled, the Newbies came off as petulant. And, nobody wants to root for that.
Overall, this chapter was definitely weaker than the opener. It must've been 20 years since I read this... and I honestly don't have any idea what's to come. Hopefully they can bring it back around!
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