New Teen Titans (vol.2) #20 (May, 1986)
"Past Imperfect"
Writer/Editor - Marv Wolfman
Penciller - Eduardo Barreto
Embellisher - Romeo Tanghal
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $1.50
Today we're going to pick up on an issue we'd covered quite a long time ago. Actually a lot further back in "the long ago" than I'd even realized! That piece is actually notable for being the one where I decided to begin including letters pages to the blog! So, how 'bout that?
Anyhoo, we left off with the Titans splitting up, leaving Donna no choice but to "call in the reserves" when Kind Faraday offers them a gig. The team we're left with is an odd mix of old and post-Crisis new. Let's get right into it.
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We open in South Africa, where Cheshire has been hired to, well, do what she does. She enters Kwazulu's Black African League and murders their Director, Robert Zembo. She also plants some dirty money in his pocket, and scatters some clues around the office to link the South African Black Government to the Soviets. This would certainly effect the perception of the Black Government among the citizenry. It should come as no surprise that she'd been hired to do this by... a Secretary from the White Government. Even though she just committed murder and linked an entire movement with "the enemy", she acts as though she's above this fella. I kinda get where they're going with this... but, it kinda falls flat. After accepting payment, Cheshire heads to a pay phone and throws the Secretary under the bus for the whole thing.
She returns back to a hut and rejoins an old man named Ch'ang. She tells him that they're done here... and next, they're off to Switzerland. Ch'ang calls her Jade... which really ticks her off. She's only to be called that when she's a) out of costume, and b) holding her... child?!
Switching scenes, we head to Titans Tower... where Donna is letting the new/old team know what's going on. Hawk doesn't care what's going on... so long as he can punch some "Commies". With as over-the-top as Hawk will be depicted in this issue, I can't help but get the feeling Marv's getting some frustrations out. Wally sees this as his first "real" opportunity to live up to Barry Allen's legacy. Aqualad just broods. Jason Todd is psyched to be there... and finally, Roy wonders just why Faraday chose the Titans... and not, say, the Justice League for this mission.
That mission? Making sure the upcoming United States/Soviet Union peace summit goes off without a hitch. The reason the Titans were chosen? Soviet radicals hired an "outsider" to throw a wrench in the peace talks... that outsider: Cheshire.
After some... more goofy dialogue from Hawk, we're in the T-Jet and headed for Switzerland. Donna's at the controls, but her head is anywhere but "in" this. She's so distracted by all of the Titans drama that she... very nearly, flies right into the World Trade Center. We'll... just leave that alone.
Donna owns her near-miss, and doesn't make any excuses. The rest of the flight goes off without a hitch, and several hours later they arrive in beautiful Zermatt, Switzerland (seriously, if you're unfamiliar with this place - like I am/was - Google it, it's pretty breathtaking). Wally gives the place the once-over, and Roy fires a recon-arrow into the sky. So far, the coast is clear... though, Donna is certain that Cheshire is there, and also... that Cheshire is aware of the Titans' presence.
The team checks into a hotel, and begins to make their plans for the following day. Donna can't shake the feeling that she's assembled a "broken" team. Hawk's a loon, Garth is emotionally-comatose, Jason is a child. Her mind then wanders to how everything "fell apart" with the New Titans... and how, at this point, it's as though everyone has gone their own way.
Before the gang decides to hit their respective pillows, we can see that explosives have been set up outside their window. Garth, having a keener sense of hearing, is able to pick up on this. He alerts the team, and Wally rushes out to confront the threat... and, wouldn'tcha know it... it's Cheshire!
Wally is able to take down a few of her men, however, is struck in the shoulder by one of her heat-seeking mini-missiles. Cheshire then calls for her men to evacuate the area before the bomb goes off.
Luckily, the Titans seemed to have heard that warning as well!
Then... it's fightin' time! Hawk is absolutely ruthless in his pounding of Cheshire's men. He even steals one of their guns, and threatens to use it on them! Donna catches this from the corner of her eye, and puts a stop to it. This distraction proves to be enough for Cheshire to get away.
Donna and Hank begin to fight... Donna explains that under absolutely no circumstances are they to "intentionally murder". Hawk ain't diggin' that, so he starts throwing fists. Donna, being Wonder Girl, catches said fists... and proceeds to slam Hawk into a nearby tree... and she presses... and presses... and presses, until Robin pulls her off. It's a good thing too, as she very nearly caved Hawk's chest in!
Donna then turns to Jason and... quits as team leader! She assigns him the spot, after all... this is Robin's group anyway. Worth noting, this is post-Crisis, but Jason Todd is still very much a "golly, gee" superhero at this point. Hasn't been completely post-Crisisified just yet.
After standing stunned for a sec, Robin rushes back over to Donna and accuses her of engaging in a bit of ol' fashioned transference. She isn't looking at Jason as Jason... all she can see is a Robin costume. She's transferred all of Dick Grayson's attributes, skills, and experiences onto this poor kid... and is expecting him to act in kind. Donna falls to her knees in the snow, and starts to cry. She apologizes... and reclaims the "reins" of the team.
Elsewhere, Cheshire kneels by the fallen Wally and Roy. She's thankful they're still alive, and insists they stay that way... for now... and, for reasons we'll get to. Wally begins to stir... and she tells him to pass along the message "Cheshire Remembers"... before kayoing him with a kick.
We jump ahead to the following morning. The Titans are licking their wounds over coffee... and discussing their plans for the day. Hawk acts like a cartoon character... still. I feel like he and Guy Gardner could've started a support-group for characters that writers used as strawman caricatures back in the 1980's.
Due to the injuries he'd suffered, Donna insists that Wally stay behind. He doesn't dig the idea... but he gets it. Next stop for the rest of the team, is a tram heading toward the Matterhorn.
After reaching their destination, they rendezvous with King Faraday. He explains just how high the stakes are... which, I mean... is kinda like "dropping the knowledge" that water is wet. I'm sure we've all worked with or for a person just like this.
Speedy and Robin head back inside the cable-car, in attempt to escape the cold. They share a brief conversation, where Jay engages in some armchair psychology/detectiving before... Cheshire zooms in!
We wrap up with Cheshire facing off with Roy. As she holds him at gunpoint, she reveals that they'd once shared a passionate night together... and, not only that... Roy is the father of her child! Well, if that doesn't just shout "cliffhanger", I don't know what does!
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Kind of a weird issue, no?
There was definitely this underlying... I dunno... discomfort (?) about this one. It felt like we never had the opportunity to "settle in" with the team... which, I'd imagine, was the intention. I gotta say, looking at these issues... ones I'd read more times than I can count... with an "analytical" eye, is rather a challenge. I'm so used to just bullet-training through these issues, just one after the other, that I don't often get the opportunity to reflect... and, thus, don't really take the time to appreciate all of the disparate "moving parts" some of these issues have.
Let's bring in a bit of context here for our team... the Crisis did quite a number on most of them! Aqualad is depicted as emotionally detached/numb... due to the death of his girlfriend Tula who died in Crisis on Infinite Earths #9 (December, 1985). Hawk is shown as being even less "balanced" than usual... which is saying something. This very well might be due to the loss of his "cooler half", his brother Don "Dove" Hall died in Crisis on Infinite Earths #12 (March, 1986). Wally is already in "Saint Barry" mode, and is trying to live up to his mentor/predecessor. Barry, of course, died in Crisis on Infinite Earths #8 (November, 1985).
Jason Todd is a bit of a wild card here. It's hard to really reconcile his behavior and demeanor here, as this is post-Crisis... however, his post-Crisis origin wouldn't be established until a year after this issue hit, in Batman #408 (June, 1987). He's still very much a Dick Grayson-lite, "golly gee" sorta kid here. I suppose it's easy enough to write it off as either a) he was starstruck being with the Teen Titans, or b) he's just putting on an act... perhaps even feeding into Donna's transference. Seems like the kinda thing a jerk might do, right?
Let's talk about Cheshire. I gotta say, that whole do-si-do at the start, didn't really work for me. When she turned in the white secretary, I'm not sure if our takeaway was supposed to be in the vein of "no honor among thieves"... or, that Jade has this weird sense of honor. Either way, I mean... she killed that one dude! You can't really claim the "high ground" when, you took the money... and, you were the one actually pressing the knife into someone's back. I feel like I get what Marv was going for here... just thought it was a dumb way to go about it.
Another character where... I get what Marv was going for, was Hawk. Now, I get it, Hank Hall has been sort of a punching bag for writers ever since Ditko left. All of their social and political frustrations are put in this guy, that at some point he actually ceases to be a character. Halfway through this issue, I resorted to just skimming Hank's dialogue, because I knew it wasn't going to be anything important... just ranting. He's only here to be the antithesis to the Titans' tolerance. Not sure it was necessary... even in being the "problem child" who tested Donna... because nobody else on the team even came close to taking his side. Everybody just dismissed him as a loon... not that I could blame them... but, still.
The only reason I'm okay with his presence was that it facilitated that scene where Donna very nearly caved his chest in. This entire issue has been a very strong look at Donna Troy... her self-doubt, her feelings of guilt... it was all very well done. That scene where she almost killed Hawk though, that was some really excellent stuff. I feel like we've all been, at one point or another, so angry... or frustrated, that the only reaction we're capable of is... bursting into tears. This really emphasizes how at "wits end" Donna is. She's trying to stay cool under pressure... but, just can't! It's a very human reaction, and I'm glad they "went there".
We get just enough King Faraday here to remind us that he's that jerk boss we've all had who states the most obvious thing as though it's the most unique concept ever thought up by a human brain. Fair enough... he didn't overstay his welcome... though, the two or three panels we do get of him are more than enough.
Overall... a weird issue. Not one of the greatest, but far from the worst. It's horribly dated, of course, with its Cold War intrigue (and even that near-miss with the Twin Towers)... but, certainly worth checking out. Our main takeaway (with hindsight, of course) is the revelation that Roy and Jade share a child. I gotta plead ignorance here, I'm not sure this is still "a thing" in our current day continuity. I feel like it's the sort of thing that "sometimes is/sometimes isn't". This issue has been collected, and is available digitally.
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Letters Page:
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New Teen Titans (vol.2) #1 (August, 1984)
"Shadows in the Dark!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors - Marv Wolfman & George Perez
Letterer - Todd Klein
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $1.25
Yesterday, I made a statement that I didn't feel great about after hitting "Publish". I said that the Tales of the Teen Titans "newsstand" series was a more enjoyable read than the earliest issues of New Teen Titans (vol.2 - "Baxter").
I mean, any time I reflect on it, those were my actual feelings. However, it's been so dang long since I gave the early Baxter issues a look, that I kinda feel like I could "back it up". And so, today... we're gonna hop right in to the first issue of that Direct Market only series!
That's what we do here... test our preconceptions... and see if they still hold true!
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We open in the Danger Roo... er, outside Titans Tower, where the team is running through some training exercises. Nightwing leads the team as they try and hunt down their newest member, Jericho! This proves to be a bit more tricky than anyone expected... considering Jericho could, with nothing more than eye-contact, body-hop and take control of any of them. And he does just that, starting with Gar!
From here, the Titans shift their focus, and try to figure out a way to expel Joey from Gar. Cyborg blasts him with a "zillion" decibels... but that doesn't quite work... all it does is annoy poor Master Logan. Donna manages to snag Changeling with her lasso... and as Starfire goes in for the catch -- CONTACT -- Joey jumps from Gar to Kory!
It comes down to Cyborg... who, wisely closes his one actual eye, making "contact" impossible. He blasts Starfire with enough voltage to "stun" her... causing Joey to be ejected. Vic then biffs Joey in the chin.
Nightwing hops onto Joey's back, piggyback-style... and Donna wraps them both up with her lasso. It looks like it's all over but the cryin' at this point... but then... Raven shows up! As is usual with her, she's got some dire news... and is in need of aid. Joey uses this opportunity to -- CONTACT -- hop into Raven's body! This doesn't go all that well.
Raven vanishes, leaving Jericho a quivering mess. He begins signing at an unfollowable pace. When he finally gets his wits back about him, he reveals to the team that he felt a great evil inside of her. He wants to help her... which leads the Titans to ask themselves why they hadn't tried reaching out to her of late.
After heading inside, the Titans recount what just occurred. Jericho volunteers to go to Raven's room for a chat... and after a little hemming and hawing, Dick agrees. As Joey leaves the room, Vic suggests that Raven's appearance might be changing. More on that in a bit.
First, we'll follow Jericho. Inside Raven's darkened room, she speaks... kinda in riddles about her "destiny". I mean, we all know this is Trigon stuff, right? It's always Trigon stuff with Raven. She refuses to leave the room without her hood, which kinda backs up Vic's deduction that she's beginning to look different.
After the chat, Raven appears in the Titans meeting room... and quits the team! She doesn't want the team to feel responsible for her anymore. She feels as though she's been more of a hindrance and a liability of late. I tell ya what, she's often a hindrance to my enjoyment of an issue! Anyhoo, her plan is... staying the night at the Tower, and leaving in the morning. The team protests... but, it's no use.
For something completely different... and potentially even more boring than Raven... we shift scenes to Vegan Space, and Tamaran. We learn that thanks to the Omega Men, the war is over. Peace will reign, and it's now safe for Princess Koriand'r to return home. Now, I love subplots... but not that kinda subplot.
Back at the Tower, Gar walks in on Vic while he's screening some old video. Gar giddily asks if it's porn... but, no dice... Vic is actually looking at old Titans footage, footage featuring Raven in particular. Here we see the progression of Raven's appearance. Starting with her softer look early on... to a more severe look... to her current almost sinister appearance!
Elsewhere in the Tower, Jericho sits awake... trying to practice his guitar, however cannot shake his worry over his soon-to-be-departing teammate. He decides to take the situation into his own hands, and visits Raven while she sleeps. What's kinda neat is that he actually "suits up" in his complicated Jericho attire before leaving his room.
Then -- CONTACT -- sorta, I think. Maybe Raven sleeps with her eyes open... maybe Joey just pried one open before hopping. I dunno.
Next stop for Jericho... yawn... the craggy cliffs of Azar. He looks on as Raven is tortured by visions of her mother, and the shouting of... well, duh... Trigon.
Trigon even notices Joey's presence... and figures, "what the hay", and begins torturing him a bit for good measure.
The Titans are awakened by one whopper of a scream... Dick suggests that it wasn't even human in origin. The team rushes into Raven's room, only to find Joey. Raven, has vanished. Joey frantically signs the word "father".
Joey finally regains his composure and explains the whole thing. Dick meekly lectures him about entering Raven's body... but Vic reels him in. The Titans now know what they're up against... however, before they can take the fight to Trigon... they're going to have to find Raven!
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Now, I've never claimed to be the sharpest bulb in the shed... and it's almost embarrassing for me to admit this, but... I never realized that these stories, which would be reprinted for the newsstand in Tales of the Teen Titans about a year later, actually also take place (about a year?) later.
Today's Trigonny issue would go on to appear on newsstands in Tales of the Teen Titans #60 (December, 1985).
Yesterday we discussed Tales of the Teen Titans #45, which had the same cover date as this issue (August, 1984), however, was clearly taking place immediately after The Judas Contract. Gar was still all torn up, and Joey wasn't yet an official member of the team. Here, Gar's back to normal, and Joey has a portrait in the meeting room. I can't believe I never noticed this before... it only makes me wonder... in what order do I usually reread these things?!
Oh well... I suppose that's just something for me to pull my hair out about later... let's get to the story!
It's pretty good! Not sure it was the best choice to launch a new series, but for those already familiar with the team... it's not bad at all! I guess we kinda have to put ourselves back in 1984 to fully appreciate this sort of thing. If you were to venture into a comics specialty store back then, and buy this issue, chances are... you were there for this issue, and would already be familiar with everything going on... and good to go.
I think that sort of thing is lost on us these days. We kinda thumb our noses at "New Number 1's" that don't give a proper introduction to the characters and concepts... given their ubiquity, I suppose that might just be fatigue. That, and getting increasingly tired of being told that "current year" publishers are making efforts to reach the fabled "new" reader... by feeding them the same convoluted stuff that confuses even the most tenured of readers. But, least there's a #1! That'll put somebody's kid through college, right?
Okay, okay, enough of that. Let's look at this, not as a #1... but as any ol' story. The opening, is almost Claremontian in it's format. I couldn't even hazard a guess at how many issues of Uncanny X-Men start in the Danger Room (probably far less than I'm imagining... but, lemme tell ya, it felt pretty often). This gives us the opportunity to see the Titans in action without having to deal with an actual threat. Good stuff!
Now, Raven bores me to tears... but... I gotta say, I love the idea of Vic checking through some old footage to verify his hunch. I gotta wonder if readers of the day had picked up on Raven's appearance becoming more sinister over time. Or if, just like with the Titans, it was so gradual that nobody paid it any mind? Really great subtle storytelling here. This was given rather a long time to "breathe", and the payoff here is pretty wonderful. A great big "A-ha" moment we can all share.
Another thing that bores me to tears... Tamaran. I don't care to see Starfire get married several times, or turned into a slave several times. Have no use for Blackfire... or any of the bug-eyed golden folks on that planet. One thing I can recall about my Titans re-reads... I skip the Titans-in-Space issues! Still, I'm a fan of subplots being peppered though me comics... so, I'm kinda conflicted!
Now before we cut out, let's talk Joey. It's weird... the Titans seem to find him a warm and comfortable presence, right? Well, even as just a lowly reader, I kinda feel the same way about him! There is a sort of serenity when he's on panel... like, I dunno... hopefulness. I find his addition to the team to be a good one... really dig him being around. I feel like his powers might be a bit too convenient at times, but overall, he's a net-positive for the Titans.
Overall for the issue... it's good! Personally, I'm not into the Trigon and Azar stuff, but even with that said, we get some really good interaction between the Titans here... now, it's not quite as soapy (I swear, I type "soupy" first every time) as it's newsstand counterpart, but definitely worth checking out. It's been reprinted a bunch, and is available digitally.
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(Not the) Letters Page:
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Tales of the Teen Titans #45 (August, 1984)
"Old Times, Old Friends"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors - Marv Wolfman & George Perez
Finishes - Mike DeCarlo
Letters - Ben Oda
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Cover Price: $0.75
Here's a fun one... what could be more terrifying than... Terry Long's Bachelor Party?!
Worth noting, this issue doesn't have a story title... "Old Times, Old Friends" was added later for a collected edition. I'm nothing if not completionist, so I'm gonna include it.
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We open with Aqualad arriving at Titans Tower, with a rapidly declining Tula in his arms. They're both having a heckuva time breathing... and are in desperate need of some fresh water. They take an endless elevator ride down to the Titans' pool, however collapse before making it into the drink.
We shift scenes to a shady arms deal goin' down at some old warehouse. Gar has taken the form of a wildcat and is looking on from above. After the deal is done, he pounces! There's something different about young Garfield today, we'll get into that shortly.
The baddies decide to flee... and I can't say that I blame them, especially after Gar shifts into a porcupine and nestles in one of their... uh, "pusses". Yee. Unfortunately for the would-be smugglers, they run right smack into Cyborg!
Gar then takes the form of an elephant... and charges at the lead baddie. Despite his pleas, Gar just keeps pushing... crushing the fella... even crying as he does so. Vic rushes in to pull Changeling off... and remind him that Titans don't kill.
Then, we get a pretty amazing scene. Gar just unleashes all of his frustrations on Vic. We're in the shadow of The Judas Contract at this point... Terra just died. Gar, having been smitten with the traitor, would've loved to have someone to talk to about his feelings after the dust settled. Turns out, none of his Titanic pals were around for him. Not even his supposed "best pal", Vic Stone! Vic gives some halfhearted excuse about being "too busy" because his grandparents were coming for a visit... which sounds so lame. Gar give the ol' "I know where I stand" line, and flies off. Loved this page!
Speaking of Vic' grandparents, they've just now arrived to Vic's ramshackle apartment. These codgers are a hoot. Love the way they're depicted here. Anyhoo, Vic ain't home... so, Maude picks the lock with her "lucky" hatpin. Before Vic heads home he tries calling Gar at Dayton's via a payphone... not sure why he didn't just call from home, but whattayagonnado? He's informed by Jeeves that Master Logan hasn't checked in yet. We can see that there is a guest at Dayton's with a heavy English accent.
Then... we're off to Terry Long's Bachelor Party... and it's a rather packed house! I mean, (best man and brother) Barry Long does it up right! Seems everyone besides Dick Grayson and Terry himself are three sheets to the wind even before the giant stripper-filled cake is rolled in!
During the strippery festivities, Dick scoots off to sit by himself. He is soon joined by Terry, who gives him his "guide to ogling"... it's basically "it's okay to look", a motto he surely carries with him into the classroom. Ya know, I poke fun at Terry's creepiness quite a bit (perhaps too much), but I rather enjoyed this scene. I like the idea of Terry and Dick becoming friends. Maybe I'm just a sucker for soap-opera.
Meanwhile at Paradise Island, Donna is having a sorta-kinda Bachelorette Party... which is more like her trying to get permission to marry from Queen Hippolyta... and in so doing, relinquish her powers. She's asked if she "loves" Terry... a question she... sidesteps. I'm not sure what it is, she never seems to plainly say "I love him". Weird. Anyhoo, Hippolyta gives the thumbs up... but doesn't take her powers from her. In fact, she is presented with a new pair of bracelets from her sister Wonder Woman, showing that she is of "two worlds" and "welcome in both".
Over at Manhattan College, Raven is heading home from class. She's chatted up by some dude named Steven... who tells her that he feels great when he's in her presence. Ya see, Raven might unwittingly be using her empathic powers here... something she is aware might be a possibility... so, she tries to keep her distance. She's picked up by Joey... and they share a moment of "mutual kindness" on the ride home. Raven is summoned to Titans Tower by someone she never expected to hear from again... she bugs out, leaving behind a book on sign language, which fills Joe's heart with happiness.
Back at the Tower, we see that she was summoned by... former sorta-squeeze, Wally West. He (and new squeeze, Fran) found Aqualad and Tula dryin' out on the ground. Right now though, they're in a special tank, and Nightwing is trying to get them rehydrated.
Next, we get another great little exchange. Wally wants to know why nobody told her that Terra died! He's upset that he couldn't attend her funeral... after all, she sorta took his "spot" on the team! The Titans are keeping her turncoatedness hush-hush here... and their reasons for doing so, are up for debate, I suppose... we'll talk more about that later. Kory changes the subject back to the Aqua-teens.
Dick deduces that there is a strange chemical in the lungs of the Aquas... and is repeatedly flushing it out of their systems. After a few tries, the Aquas begin to stir. Once they're outta the tank, they share their story. Turns out, they were swimmin' outside of the hustle and bustle of Atlantis... and were in the proximity (and wake) of a terrific explosion!
They were then attacked by the... yawn... H.I.V.E. Before the scuffle, however, Tula realized that she can no longer breathe! The Aqua-teens hitched a ride on a pair of whales to get as far away as possible.
At this point, Dick's heard enough. He's all "suit up, Titans... even you, Wally!", to which, Wally says "nope". It's okay though, Jericho will come along on this adventure... despite not officially being a Titan just yet.
We wrap up with Wally and Fran leaving Titans Island... and learning that any time Wally uses his powers, he is left in terrible pain. He refuses to tell the Titans about that, because he sees it as "his problem". Meanwhile, the team has loaded into the T-Sub, and is headed for the... yawn... H.I.V.E.!
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Okay, shocker... I loved this! This kind of issue has the perfect... to me... "formula" for making comics. In only 23 pages, we bring several subplots up to speed, and introduce a threat. Everything feels like it's building to something... and actual "pay off", and not just a neat 'n tidy six-issue trade paperback.
Let's take a look here... using our mutant ability of hindsight.
We've got Gar dealing with his emotions... a plot that will bubble along until, one of my personal favorite issues... and perhaps part of the reason this blog exists, Tales of the Teen Titans #55.
Vic's grandparents showing up... which will lead to a pivotal Cyborg story arc in the pages of Tales of... before it becomes a reprints-only mag.
The Terry and Donna Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties... which are obviously leading up to the milestone Tales of the Teen Titans #50.
There's Raven trying to get a better grip on her powers... Joey working his way onto the team... Wally's speed-induced maladies... that English-accent visiting Dayton's. I mean, all of this... and we haven't even touched on the actual cover story yet! I hate using the word "perfect" to describe, well anything.... but this is the format I love my comics in. Probably why so much of my fandom is informed by New Teen Titans and X-Men comics.
Now, let's dig a bit deeper.
I wanna start with... Terra. It could be argued that the Titans are keeping her death "virtuous" in order to protect her family and legacy. Seems silly to keep Wally in the dark about this, but, we'll get to that. Part of me feels like they're keeping this all "mum" because it... I dunno, makes them look bad for allowing a traitor into their midst. Early on in the issue, Vic more or less says just that:
"None of us wanted to talk about Tara. We were all so naive. We believed her because why shouldn't we believe?"
Sure, the Judas Contract changed the dynamic of the Titans... it affected their worldview and forced them to "grow up" a bit. I gotta say, I love the idea of each Titan dealing with the reveal... but not sharing their feelings with each other. It's more powerful this way... it's just a festering ball of doubt and regret... which none of them are equipped to put into words.
I like the idea of Wally being this strange outsider among his friends. That feels very real to me. Right after High School... like literally, two days after graduation, my family moved across country from New York to Arizona.
I didn't get back "home" until about a year later... and, it was at that point that the realization hit me... people's lives actually go on without me! What nerve, right? It was a tremendously tough pill for me to swallow. I didn't have the emotional intelligence or maturity to realize that my friends wouldn't just slip and fall into molten amber awaiting my return.
Wally's reaction to seeing his old friends is similar to the way I felt: "Wanna hear something funny? I felt like a stranger. I'm gone three months and the whole group's different. They sure didn't waste any time replacing me." Definitely a tough pill to swallow... and the kind of uneasiness I still have sometimes, even all these years later.
The pre-Wedding scenes were pretty great, despite my allergy to T. Arthur Long. I said it during the synopsis, but I really dig the idea that Terry and Dick would become pals. I found it a bit funny that he was the only Titan present, but considering the other two fellas are A) green, and B) mostly machine, I guess I understand. There was something about that panel, where Terry and Dick are laughing (included above). For whatever reason, that one panel really drove home what a family these folks have become.
It's funny... if I were to have a single complaint about this issue... it's the cover story! H.I.V.E. is tremendously dull to me... always has been, probably always will be. The idea that the Titans are headed back into battle with them... does nothing for me. Aqualad and Tula... ehhhh, they've just never really been that big of a part of "my era" of Titans, so, I can pretty much take them or leave them.
Overall though... despite my boredom with H.I.V.E., this was a wonderful issue. I find it interesting that this came out around the same time as New Teen Titans (vol.2) #1 (the Baxter Series), and, if you ask me, is head and shoulders above that one in enjoyability. As mentioned above, this issue has been collected... it is also available digitally.
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Baxterrific Letters Page:
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