Sheehan Titans, Episode Five - Titans (vol.4) #1 (July, 2023)
With our four-part primer out of the way, we have finally arrived at the Dawn of DCTitans #1... which starts off with a (literal) BANG!
Our heroes have their first "official" outing as a unit, have a run in with an unsavory agent, and lay the first brick in what looks to be quite the little mystery story!
Are you a Titans fan, Titans-curious, or Titans Lapsed? If so, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this new Dawn of DC direction!
Titans (vol.4) #1 (July, 2023) "Out of the Shadows" Writer - Tom Taylor Art - Nicola Scott Colors - Annette Kwok Letters - Wes Abbott Edits - Rosa, Holzherr, Kaminski Cover Price: $3.99 On-Sale: May 17, 2023
I'd say something like "hey, we finally made it!", but such a statement would only be for my own benefit. Ya see, I've been working toward this discussion/review piece for well over a month at this point... it took me forever to simply crack this issue open, much less read the thing! That's kind of the problem with putting a whole lotta eggs in one pseudo-creative basket... you (or I, rather) kind of inflate the importance of certain elements of the "creative process" to the point where, rather than them appearing ahead of me like a simple hurdle on a runner's track... they become like brick walls on the interstate, unavoidable... unscalable... and, wildly, painfully, unpleasant upon impact.
This Titans #1 was actually a book I "double-dipped" on. On release day, I had... I guess what the "kids these days" refer to as "FOMO". Even though I already had the issue preordered from DCBS, I felt like I was missing out not owning a copy right away. I also assumed that, once I had said copy... I'd sit down, read, and write about it that very same day! I even bought the friggin' $5.99 "trading card variant"!
But, I never got around to reading it. In fact, I never even opened the "trading card variant" copy. I think I only took it out of the bag once to snap a pic to send to a pal of mine. It wasn't until my mail-order copy showed up a few weeks later where I'd actually give it its first flip-thru!
Now, let's not get it twisted any... I didn't not read it because I was scared it would be a bad comic. I think it was more that I was still questioning whether or not I wanted to get back on the content-creating-conveyor belt. Like, if I really wanted to do it... or, if I had fallen back into that bottomless trap of attempting to fill some sort of void in my life with some (poorly) written words.
It's pretty sad (and embarrassing) that such a thing required so much (or, any) "soul searching". I guess that's just who I be.
Anyhoo... howsabout I finally stop vamping and jus' do da t'ing?
***Spoilers to follow, natch***
--
We open with a gunshot. Wally West has been shot through the heart... but who's to blame? The Flash thinks to himself how bullets ain't usually a "thing" to him... he's kind of mastered how to deal with them, via speed and vibration. Not this time though. He realizes that he only has one option at this point... a jog on the Cosmic Treadmill. He rushes through his kitchen to tell his family he loves them before hopping on the 'Mill.
From here, we shift scenes to a bedroom... where Beast Boy and (a shockingly pink-haired) Raven are sharing a bed. I... wasn't aware they were romantically linked, but I don't see any problems with it either. I also wasn't aware Raven had pink hair! Thought for a second this was a deep-cut callback to Logan's pink haired girlfriend Jillian from wayyyy back in the long ago! Now, Gar's been having bad dreams, and is shape-shifting in his sleep... taking the form of a teeny, tiny mouse. Worth noting, Gar's eye has healed/grown back... which an editorial footnote reveals will be explained in (the upcoming) Tales of the Titans #4. I think we're still several months/a half-year away from that as of this writing. Oh well. Anyway, it's here we learn that today is the day the Titans are making their new mission statement "official".
Next stop, somewhere by the water. Dick and Donna are attempting to recruit Tempest, one of the originals, into their new Titans crew. Garth is... kind of a dick. He isn't sure the Titans can fill the shoes of the Justice League... and, he kinda gets all Namor-y complaining about how little the surface-dwellers truly care about the underwater world. He reveals that not only will he will NOT rejoin the Titans, but that he's already working with someone else... someone who, in his words, "can make a real difference" and "do what the Titans can't." Not sure who he's talking about... but, I sure hope it isn't Deathstroke. Feels like any time a Titan has this sort of internal conflict, Deathstroke is involved.
Finally, we're back in Blüdhaven for the Titan-ic P.R. event. Before kicking things off, Dick... for some reason, tells Gar and Raven that he's not sure of their sleeping arrangement... and so, has made sure they each have their own private quarters in the new Titans Tower. Seems like a... I dunno... sort of inappropriate time and place to be having this conversation? Like, they really couldn't have discussed this before (or after) having the "eyes of the world" upon them? Feels just a bit forced. Anyway... Gar thinks it's a good idea to sleep separately, Raven disagrees... and the two engage in a bit of a make out session right then and there. Again, feels just a tad forced.
Before our heroes can "officially" enter Titans Tower for the first time, Oracle calls in with a Titans-Trouble-Ticket. We've got a Category 3 Emergency that needs addressed right the eff now. Cyborg BOOM TUBEs the crew to a nuclear power plant where Titano the Ape is wrecking more than a little bit of havoc. Like, this could get ugly...er very quickly. Which. Hmm.
Okay, here's something I didn't wanna bring up. This threat has the potential of being a "big" one, yes? Like, cataclysmically big. Now, just because the Justice League is no longer an "official unit" or whatever... that doesn't mean that the individual members of the League are in retirement. Like, we've got a nuclear power plant being threatened/attacked... are we supposed to believe that Superman is just ignoring it? Is Wonder Woman just watching it play out on Themyscira TV with a bowl of popcorn in her lap? I know the "mission statement" of this book... but, it being part of a shared universe kind of makes it difficult to completely "buy in". Not a fault of the book/writing, more that it's just one of those things that kinda digs its way into my lizard brain.
Unless, of course, this is going to be a "story beat" somewhere down the line where the Titans learn that they've been working "with a net" the entire time. Like, they've been tasked with protecting the planet... all the while, Superman and the League have been watching over them (or even secretly stepping in) "just in case"? Who knows?
Anyway.
Gar takes this opportunity to transform into a Tamaranean Kaiju, so we can have a take on a Godzilla vs. King Kong sort of scene... which is a great reminder of what a ridiculously talented and versatile artist we have on this book. Like, damn... the art here's so good, I'm almost getting mad at it. Anyway, while Gar preoccupies Titano, the rest of our heroes perform their roles. While most of the crew is focused on scooping up as many civilians as possible, Cyborg heads to the core to contain, what he calls, "one of the most destructive nuclear events in history"... which, hrmm... again, where's Superman?
Cyborg's so good at what he does, he does it off-panel. So, the world is safe! What's not safe, however... is this book, because everybody's favorite -- Peacemaker, has just shown up! Now, I haven't read any current-year Peacemaker... and, if you've followed my "work" over the years, you'll know that I am a "cinematic universe" denier. I have less than zero use for any of that shi-- crap. I know Peacemaker is now something of a "funny, ha-ha"... so, hopefully he won't overstay his welcome.
So, Peacemaker arrives alongside a whole bunch of choppers. Upon landing, he orders that Titano be killed. The Titans step in to stop this from going down, and instead just beat the baddie until it drops... far enough away from the power plant as to not cause any potential "booms". Now, it ought to go without saying that Peacemaker is a dick. He comes across like mid-80s Guy Gardner... on steroids. Like, the "might makes right" strawman caricature of a Reagan voter. To the point where Donna even suggests that Peacemaker (and not the giant monkey who just nearly caused "one of the most destructive nuclear events in history") was the worst monster they'd have to face today. Oy.
Anyway, from here Peacemaker approaches Nightwing and says that the President of the United States would like to talk to the Titans about working for the government. Nightwing, unsurprisingly, turns down the call. The Titans are not interested in doing the bidding of a single country... they will be working for the betterment of the world. Peacemaker warns that they're only going to get this offer one time... and that, the fact that the Titans even exist ain't entirely kosher to some'a the political power players. After a polite "go eff yourself", the Titans BOOM TUBE on outta there. Once they're gone, we find out that Peacemaker is working for Amanda Waller (duh).
Back at Titans Tower, our heroes (finally) head inside. They're greeted by a trail of bloody (and familiar) footprints. Following them downstairs, our heroes discover the dead (?) body of the Flash. All of the monitors turn on... revealing the message "SOLVE IT".
--
This wasn't a perfect first issue... but, I really dug it. I think I can file this, along with the Nightwing arc that proceeded it, under "pleasantly surprised".
Let's tackle the cliffhanger before getting too deep into the weeds. Wally West is dead... again... maybe... possibly. It's definitely a "statement" cliffhanger, which is the sort of thing we usually get at the end of a first ish. Now, do I see this death "sticking"? I'm... not sure!
I haven't yet read (or even have a copy of) Flash #800 as of this writing... but I am aware that that its cover copy reads "A Celebration of Wally West". That sorta statement doesn't exactly bode well for our man, does it? Of course, all things are relative... and "death" in comics... even perma-death, is still very much a revolving door. So, it's probably best not to worry about the wheels-within-wheels of the comics creation process... and just sit back and let it all play out.
Either way though... this was one heckuva cliffhanger... and, laid the first brick in what will hopefully be a fun comic book mystery story.
Now, on the other hand, let's head into the weeds!
I ever tell y'all why I stopped reading Marvel Comics back in 2015-2016 or so? I'm sure I have... though, this blog is in such a state of disrepair that I wouldn't even know how/where to begin citing myself. One of the reasons I just couldn't take Marvel anymore was the way they were shoehorning S.H.I.E.L.D. into every friggin' book in the line (in some cases, pushing titular characters into supporting roles). It was bad enough when every issue of a Marvel comic would end by getting a reaction from the Avengers... but, when we reached the point where even Earth's Most Exploited superteam had to check in with Nick Fury Maria friggin' Hill every third page in order to get a snarky approval before acting on a global threat, I had to throw in the towel.
I didn't start reading superhero comics to see the good guys constantly fight bureaucratic red-tape... and deal with endless cutaways to darkened monitor-filled rooms. Unfortunately, that's kind of where we're at right now. I wasn't a fan of it at Marvel with S.H.I.E.L.D.... and, I'm not a fan of it here at DC with Amanda Waller and Company. Like, to the point where I literally started to glaze over. Not a fault of the writing... as I'm sure this Waller edict is coming from on-high. The Dawn of DC Primer was chock full of the Peacemaker/Wall tandem... you'd almost think that Bendis was still here.
I could go on, but I'll curb it for now. Suffice it to say, I'm not looking forward to seeing the Titans vs. the United States Government... or, whoever the hell Waller is actually working for/with.
Another bit that caused my antenna to sorta-kinda "ping" was the soapbox near-miss to Nightwing's refusal to join up with Peacemaker. I feel like most contemporary comics writers feel they have a lot to say about what's going on in the world... it's just that, precious few of them are able to put elements of that into their writing without coming across like... well, a ranty Twitter user or an echo-chamber resident (as if those aren't the same thing). I think, so far, we're safe here... but, I feel like we started to brush up against a lecture with this scene. Like I've been saying, I don't know Tom Taylor. I'm detached from social media, I don't read any comics "newz" sites, and Wizard Magazine hasn't been a thing in well over a decade (more like two decades if we discount the absolute horror show that Wizard became toward the end)... I just hope he doesn't wind up going all Winicky on us. This would normally be where I'd link to all my Judd Winick posts... but, damned if I can figure out these WordPress digs... every link I try and add comes up a 404! What a pain in the ass.
I've already chatted up my qualms with the big guns of the DC Universe sitting back and letting the Titans try and solve a nuclear threat during their first "official" outing... so, I'll just let that be. Putting the story in a vacuum... like, if we were to pretend that all the power-players were "off-planet" or whatever, I'd say this was a very well-done scene. It featured a massive threat and played up to the strengths of each of our heroes... expertly displaying that even their "support roles" (civilian detail, etc.) are vitally important to the overall unit. Plus, the art was... ya know, phenomenal.
Overall, minor quibbles aside (mostly/completely informed by my own comics cynicism), this was a very good initial outing for our new-old team. I'm definitely looking forward to more... though, I am worried that I'm going to wind up "double-dipping" as to not have to wait for my monthly DCBS order to arrive.
Sheehan Titans, Episode Four - Nightwing (v.4) #104
In which we wrap up our discussion on the four-part Dawn of DC Titans lead-in story arc, Rise of the Underworld! What will SuperDick do with his powers? Will he sell the soul of his nine-year old ward in order to keep them?
Are you a Titans fan, Titans-curious, or Titans Lapsed? If so, I'd really like to hear your thoughts on this arc and new direction for the team!
Nightwing (vol.4) #104 (July, 2023) "Rise of the Underworld, Finale" Writer - Tom Taylor Art - Travis Moore Colors - Adriano Lucas Letters - Wes Abbott Edits - Berbey, Chen, Abernathy Cover Price: $4.99
Been using the silly pre-ramble section of these pieces to talk more about the covers than I usually do... mostly because I've been away from writing for so long, that I still haven't quite found my footing. There are only so many times I can say, out loud and to myself, "Wow, it's weird to be writing again" and "Wonder how long THIS is going to last?".
With that in mind... hey, check out the cover! It's like that meme... and, well... I can't decide whether or not it annoys me! I feel like it really SHOULD but it kinda doesn't. I dunno, maybe I'm softening... or maybe my brain is smoothing. Whatever the case, here it is:
And yeah, I just Googled "Ohhh meme".
Anyway, howsabout I quit with the vampin' and we wrap up this first Titan-ic Dawn of DC arc?
--
We pick up right where we left off last issue... Nightwing has just been granted superpowers by Neron in the baddie's attempt at tempting our hero into signing Olivia's soul over to him. Dick's just getting a taste of the "great power"... two hours... but, it can be made permanent if he coughs up the kid's soul. Neron suggests our man try out his "new normal" by heading Themyscira way and helping out his Titanic pals... and so, that's exactly what he does.
It's almost as though he hates to admit it, but Nightwing appears to be having a great deal of fun with his nigh-on Kryptonian powers. The speed, the strength... he sees all the good he could do if he were to make this arrangement permanent. But, for now, he's got some friends to rescue! We next see him arriving on the shores of Themyscira, where the Titans have been downed by the trio of Grodd, Polaris, and the Grinning Man. Dick swoops down and nabs Gorilla Grodd, saving the good guys from his mental hoo-doo.
Upon his return, the Titans have rebounded... Starfire kayos Doctor Polaris, while Donna chokes out the Grinner. Raven checks in with Olivia to make sure she's okay... and, thankfully she's just fine. In a fun callback to ish #102, Dick reveals to his teammates that "he flies now". Okay, Tom ya bastid... I laughed. I tell ya, I truly wasn't expecting this to be funny. Like, maybe "dur-hur comicbook funny"... but not actually funny. Really good stuff.
Anyway, Raven reveals to the rest of the crew that this is, in fact, the real deal Dick. He speaks of his temporary arrangement with Neron, and how he's got these powers for the next hour and change. One of the Titans asks him what he plans to DO with the next 60-120 minutes... but, we'll have to come back to that.
First, let's head downstairs to Hell... where Neron is being visited by the 100 foot tall... TRIGON THE TERRIBLE... who, believe it or not, does NOT announce that he is Raven's dad. Huh, I guess that only goes one way then? Anyway, Trigon mocks Neron for having a problem with a little girl, and warns that it isn't a good look for any'a the Lords of the Underworld. Neron is told to get his house in order... or else.
Back to Dick, who is spending his power-hour(s) doing super-things with Wally. Using his powers for good... in ways he's never been able to before as a mere mortal. I gotta ask... Dick Grayson's been around for nearly a century now... is this really the first time he's gotten super powers? Can't be, right? Oh well. After helping out the Flash, Dick zips over to Metropolis to chat up, and shake hands with, Superman. Clark thinks being super-powered is a pretty good look for Nightwing. Together they head into space so Dick can get a gander of the planet he's been tasked with defending in it's full glory. The scene gets... a little preachy... but, it's point is well-taken. Their chat is interrupted by Oracle calling to let Nightwing know he is needed back on Themyscira... and so, off he goes.
Once there, he sees the Titans wrapped up in a battle with dozens of demons. Beast Boy, in the form of a unicorn, gallops over with Olivia on his back. He asks for Nightwing to zip the kid as far away from the ruckus as possible... and so, he does. Some miles away, while crossing some tundra... Dick's power hour(s) comes to an end. With a snap of his fingers, Neron drops our hero (and Olivia) into the snow. Once on the ground, Neron makes him the offer again. He could go back to being super-powered... forever. All's he's gotta do, is hand over the li'l one's soul.
Naturally, he ain't feelin' it. Olivia, seeing how much good a super-powered Nightwing can do for the world... suggests maybe he just signs her over. Instead of doing that, however, our man pulls out his escrima sticks and says: "Nightwing is Awesome". Now... you might be asking: Da hale is that all about? Well, this is another callback to the Nite-Mite issue (#98). Nightwing's Fifth-Dimensional Imp gave Dick a trigger phrase to give his sticks a bit of juice... that phrase was "Nightwing is Awesome". Turns out, the sticks still had a little bit of zsusz left in'em... and, with it, our hero is able to zap Neron back to his true form... which is, more or less, a pile of Lovecraftian gore. With that, our baddie blips back to Hell.
We jump ahead to Themyscira, where Olivia is welcomed to live and train among the Amazons... so, the Titans won't have to also be a daycare facility. Nightwing presents Olivia with a plaque, making her an honorary Titan. She decides on the codename "Nightbuster", blending Nightwing with Blockbuster, largely because it'd annoy her father to have his name mashed with Nightwing's. Raven reminds us that she has daddy issues as well (because we almost made it an entire issue without that), and promises Olivia that Neron won't ever bother her again before she leaves with her new crew.
We wrap up back in Hell about an hour later. Raven is visiting with Neron... telling him he's pretty much done. She kayos him before handing him over to Blaze. Blaze is grateful for the gift... but notices something a bit peculiar about our gal. It's almost as though a piece of her... is missing! We're told this will be continued... in Titans #1!
--
Ya know, when I started X-Lapsed back in 2020... I assumed I'd be starting my coverage with X-Men (vol.5) #1, which was the first of the Dawn of X line of books. I wanted to "hit the ground running", so to speak. Then, while rifling through my dedicated "current-year X-Book shortbox", I was reminded that the House of X and Power of X mini-series's's's's x-isted. Not gonna lie, I was kinda bummed out that I had this weird "prerequisite" I needed to devour and discuss before getting into the new status quo proper. Turned out that HoX/PoX was an absolute necessity in gaining a proper footing in the X-Men's "new normal"... it was also (mostly) an absolute blast to read.
When I got the half-assed bug to do do a Lapsed-Type-Thing with the Titans, I automatically assumed I'd begin with the Dawn of DCTitans (vol.whatever) #1. This was around the time I was chatting with a buddy of mine about how much I missed the Titans... and how, with the Dawn of DC volume, I felt like I was finally ready to get hurt again...
Buddy informed me that, if I didn't feel like waiting... the Dawn of DC issues of Nightwing were basically a Titans book in all but name. I suddenly found myself with those weird HoX/PoX pangs of bummed-outedness. Like I now had another prerequisite I needed to cover if I was actually serious about this project. What's more... (several of) these books were out NOW... so, I couldn't just daydream and fixate on some day in the future where I might write something... where I might script/perform something. To be a bit (more) precious (than usual) about it: The future... was now!
Well... turns out, this Titans-prereq... was an absolute blast to read. Not sure how necessary it will wind up being in the grand scheme of things... or if it's actual "must-reading" for folks who were planning on jumping in with Titans (vol.whatever) #1... but, speaking only for me... I'm so very glad I forced myself to read this. I tell ya, it takes a lot for me to actually crack the cover on a comic anymore... but, I truly couldn't be happier that I did!
You all know how I hate repeating myself (he repeats to himself), so I'll spare you all several painful paragraphs of me attempting to define "heart", "humor" and "real Titans stories"... just know that I definitely feel as though this arc HAD heart, WAS humorous, and FELT like a real Titans story.
While this was definitely a Titans story... it was with this final chapter that I felt like I was reminded that it isn't a Titans book. This is Nightwing's book, which I definitely don't have any problems with... but, it was with this issue that I feel the Titans were kind of relegated to the background. Again -- that's not a complaint, just an observation. It just sort of reminded me that, if this "Titans-Lapsed" project continues, that this might be the last issue of Nightwing we cover for quite some time. Not sure how intertwined the titles will be from this point on! Also not sure why that struck me as such a surprise... especially when the Bat-Emblem (rather than the Titans "T") is front and (off) center atop the cover!
Anyway, let's get outta the self-indulgent weeds and discuss some of what actually happened in this here book, eh?
We get to see Nightwing make use of his temporary superpowers... which was neat. I like the idea that he only had a "power hour" (well, two), and had to decide how to best use his time. I appreciated the choice(s) he made... using those powers to both do good, and to take in a grand view of who and what he's "doing the good" for.
While I felt the Superman scene started to lean into soapbox territory, I still feel it was well done... and, was pretty important in giving Dick perspective on the task laid before him. He and his will be stepping up and protecting the entire planet... and while I'm hoping this doesn't devolve into something akin to Captain Nightwing and the Planeteers, I thought it was a pretty powerful (and necessary) scene.
Taking out Neron with his Nite-Mite trigger phrase was cute... especially with how embarrassed Dick was to say "Nightwing is Awesome" back in issue #98. Though, if you started reading this title with the first Dawn of DC-branded issue (#101), you wouldn't know any'a that. I just so happened to read #98, mostly because I thought the cover was a hoot... not sure how many other new/lapsed readers did the same. Though, I certainly can't fault a book for paying off a story thread from an earlier arc... that's the kind of comics I personally dig. Sadly, the industry has long been in the business of training readers not feel the exact opposite.
Shuffling Olivia off to Themyscira was a good idea, in my opinion. While I liked the character, I was a little bit worried she'd wind up being the Titans latch-key kid. Like a Danny Chase or D.E.O. Kid du jour for the current generation. I'm glad that isn't going to be the case. She's off training with the Amazons, which keeps the door open for guest appearances, while not actually making her a "fixture". Best of both worlds!
Overall... like I've been saying (over and over again), this was a very good arc... and a really good pre-req for this new volume of Titans. If you're a Titans fan, or are simply Titans-curious, I'd recommend checking out this arc.
Next time out... we'll actually discuss Titans (vol.whatever) #1.
Sheehan Titans, Episode Three - Nightwing (v.4) #103 (2023)
Taking a look at the penultimate chapter of our Dawn of DC Titans "pre-req" story arc. During which, your humble host can't help to fumble and stumble over his words as he attempts to adequately describe and define why this storyline feels like a "real" Titans story... and how it has the nebulous quality of "heart". It's a(nother) half-hour of me rambling is what I'm trying to say -- join me, won't you?
Are you a Titans fan, Titans curious, or Titans-Lapsed? I'd love to hear your thoughts on this story and new-old direction for the fan-favorite team!
Nightwing (vol.4) #103 (June, 2023) "Rise of the Underworld, Part 3 of 4" Writer - Tom Taylor Art - Travis Moore & Vasco Georgiev Colors - Adriano Lucas Letters - Wes Abbott Edits - Berbey, Chen, Abernathy Cover Price: $4.99
Last time we confabbed on an ish of Nightwing, I spent this sad little pre-ramble portion kind of complaining about and complimenting the cover. Well, here's another one! One that I actually quite dig! It was the first issue of Nightwing I bought "new" in many, many years (I did buy issues 100-102 the same day off the "six month wall", but this one was still a "new release"). I'm pretty sure, even if I hadn't already known that Nightwing was a "de facto Titans book" at the time, that this cover would have brought me back into the fold.
It's just a cool cover... plus it's got that classic TITANS logo!
Can the story inside be just as cool? Let's find out!
*NOTE* - As this is a new-ish ish, pics are at a minimum... though, be warned, you will be spoiled if you read past the dashes!
--
Picking up shortly after we left off last time, we join Raven... who, I'm sure I need to remind you is THE DAUGHTER OF TRIGON THE TERRIBLE... as she leads her fellow Titans, Beast Boy, Nightwing, and Cyborg through a portal into Hell. She insists on putting a sort of psychic blinding hex on her teammates to save them from having to see all the suffering... suffering they'd be powerless to stop.
Elsewhere in Hell, Neron is meeting up with Blaze... who is quick to mock him for being beaten by Blockbuster's nine-year old daughter. Oh, she's also cut the tongue out of one of Neron's demon underlings, so there's that. Neron lashes out with a TOOOM in order to kayo Blaze before revealing that he's about to head topside for a bit.
Speaking of topside, we shift scenes over to Themy... Thym... Th--... can I just call it Paradise Island? Okay, hold on... let me grab the damned book. A-hem, we shift scenes over to Themyscira -- where Donna Troy, Starfire, and Batgirl (iz Babs a Titan now too?) have taken young Olivia in order to teach her how to better fight. Not sure why they necessarily needed to bring her here... but, ehh... we'll allow it.
Back in Hell, the Titans happen across Blaze as she's coming to. It's actually HERE where we're "officially" reminded that Raven is THE DAUGHTER OF TRIGON THE TERRIBLE. Raven reveals that they are here looking for Neron's soul-contract filing cabinet. Blaze immediately cooperates in order to take Neron down a peg or two... leading them directly to the Big Bad's pointy, spiky, chainy tower. Blaze informs the gang that the "record-keeping computer" is located on the top floor. I know what you're (maybe) thinking... Neron keeps his records... on a computer? Isn't that perhaps a little "too cute by half"? Well, read on... it'll be worth it.
Nightwing asks Beast Boy to shapeshift into the form of a demon... which, if I'm remembering right, was something he was able to do during the (rough to the point where I still haven't read all of it) Bill Jaaska era of New Titans. Back then, he was able to transform into a whole lotta demonic and hellish shapes. Anyway, Gar-as-Demon makes like he's taken Dick and Vic captive in order to gain entry into the pointy, spiky, chainy tower. Upon learning that the Master of the House has gone topside, they drop the ruse and just blast and beat their way inside.
Once at the top floor, Vic takes a look at the late-80s/early-90s looking bank of PCs... and is shocked by -- all the icons Neron has on his desktop! Not to mention all the malware, spyware, pop-up ads, and all'a dat yadda yadda we had to deal with back in the long ago. It's actually a lot funnier than I'm making it seem. To the point where Vic warns Gar and Dick not to give him any of their personal information after he interfaces with this corrupted rig.
Our boys wind up inside Neron's hall of contracts, or whatever... and are able to find the Olivia contract. It's revealed here that her mother is... former Bat-love interest, Jezebel Jet... who is, unfortunately, currently dead and without a head. Ya see, if she were still alive, an argument could be made that the Olivia contract is invalid, due to the fact that she's a child... and that both of her parents didn't sign off on the deal. Dick, however, isn't outta tricks. More on that later.
From here, we shift scenes over to Iron Heights, where Flash is making sure The Grinning Man is still safely tucked away in a prison cell... which, at the moment, he still is -- but, not for long. Ya see, he's being visited by Neron... and somehow knows that Olivia's been taken to Thym... Theyr... that place where the Amazons live. Neron is a bit trepidatious about stepping to the Amazons, claiming it wouldn't have good optics... but, he's still got a plan.
Let's jump ahead to the next day and see it play out, eh?
Back on T-h-e-m-y-s-c-i-r-a, Olivia's training sesh rolls on. At some point, they're interrupted by Wonder Woman who asks the tot to give her "her best shot". Olivia summons all her might and throws a punch... which Wondy catches with ease. She then returns fire by kicking the everlovin' bejeezus out of the kid (which gets another TOOOM sound effect... they sure like that one, don't they?). The ladies start freaking out for a bit, before being hammered with psychic and magnetic attacks. Turns out, "Wonder Woman" is actually The Grinning Man (duh), and he's been joined by Doctor Polaris and Gorilla Grodd! Remember when either of the two latter names would've been major threats all by themselves?
Scene shift - over to Blüdhaven Town Hall, where Dick is filling out some paperwork, while Oracle fills HIM in on what's going down in Themyscira (hey, got it in one that time!). Nightwing sends Gar, Raven, and Vic out to help their teammates while he finishes up his clerical work. No sooner do the Titans warp out than Neron makes his presence known.
Turns out he really wants that kid's soul. After all, it was kinda promised to him, yes? Can't say that he's actually done anything wrong... a contract's a contract, right? Oh well. Like I said, he wants Olivia's soul... but, the paperwork Dick just filled out granted him custody of the child. He's just signed a temporary foster form making him Olivia's legal guardian... a legal guardian who hasn't signed on the dotted line for the fair-exchange of her mortal soul. Not sure social services ever works that quickly (I mean, we're not even into the "next business day" at this point)... but, we'll allow it.
Neron's all "oh, c'mon dude..." and attempts to make Dick an offer he can't refuse. He appeals to his mortality... and how, when compared to his friends, teammates, and peers in the superhero community -- he ain't diddly squat. He's got no actual "super" powers... not yet, anyway. Ya see, if Dick agrees to "play ball" with Neron, the Big Bad will grant him the power and strength of... a Kryptonian! We close out with our hero getting "just a taste".
--
Well... there's THREE in a row!
You know... the more I get back into writing, the more I realize my (many, many) weakness(es) as a writer. In my "analysis", I tend to become hyper-focused on certain things. Usually it has to do with whether or not the story we're discussing has the, say it with me, "nebulous quality of heart". There are few things in comics/fiction/entertainment/commentary analysis that I just can't seem to get over... and, top among that pile, is whether or not the "piece of business" in question has "heart". It's pure projection on my part... and, heck, I'm probably - at best - a deeply-flawed critic. After all, what is "heart"?
I could (and have in the past) keep chasing my tail about what this means... but, for your sake (and, I suppose, my own), I'll just pretend you know exactly what I'm rambling on about.
Now, I said all'a that -- or, hell, I tried to say all'a that -- so that I might say this. This story, to me, definitely has "heart".
Am I over-romanticizing it? Perhaps. Am I just really hungry for a classic-feeling Titans tale? Definitely. Am I asking myself easy questions to inflate my word count and to give myself an unearned appearance of pseudo-intelligence? You betcha!
The fact remains, however, that -- to me -- this story, thus far, is the most "Titans" thing I've read in ages. Like I said last time out, the characters feel like friends... which was a huge part of what made the classic team(s) feel special and stand out. The fact also remains that, over the past several years I've found it much easier to be negative and talk about why I don't like something -- which is probably part of the reason why (outside of everything I've already said) I'm having such a hard time putting into words why/how this story is "working" for me. It just is.
Is it perfect? Certainly not. Despite what the "10 outta 10" comics critic community shills tell ya, nothing is. Pitting the Titans against Gorilla Grodd and Doctor Polaris felt a bit outta nowhere... kinda like they just stopped on a couple of random pages of a Who's Who... omnibus. Nothing worth really holding against the story, just felt a bit like an afterthought (unless, of course, my current-year DC ignorance has blinded me to some context?) -- while also kind of selling short the threat each baddie would usually prove to be. I'm never a fan of seeing a villain "leveled down", especially for what feels like just some throwaway fight scene.
Dick becoming Olivia's "legal guardian" was clever... though, maybe a bit unrealistic. Which, yeah, we're hacking computers in Hell -- and, somehow, this is my "bridge too far". Dunno. Just kinda felt rushed. I'm pretty sure it took two weeks for me to get the "okay" to replace the natural grass in my front lawn with artificial turf... I imagine taking legal custody of the orphaned child of a supervillain might at least take "one business day"... then again, what do I know, I don't live in Blüdhaven.
Very minor quibbles aside... heck, they ain't even so much "quibbles"... just things that kinda stuck with me... but, those aside, there was also plenty to dig here!
The ladies taking Olivia to Themyscira for training was pretty cool and made sense. It also, at least to me, really hammered home that the Titans are "a team". Does that make sense? I mean, of course they're a team, right? Dunno how to explain it... but it was this scene that kinda made that "clear" to me. It said to me that this is more than just a one-off reunion... or some old friends just "hanging out" again. It made the whole thing feel more "real".
The Hell Heist was well done... and, (again) much to my surprise, quite funny! Vic's quips about his own "privacy settings" while hacking into Neron's ancient virus-filled PC inspired a sensible chuckle or two outta me... and, in comics (especially modern ones), that very rarely happens.
Dick getting tempted with the powers of a Kryptonian is a pretty neat twist, and the temporary costume he gets is really cool... but, as far as cliffhangers go, I mean -- does anybody think this'll be permanent? Does anybody think Nightwing is going to sign over the soul of a nine-year old girl to a Lord of the Underworld? Course not... but, what I AM looking forward to is seeing if our man struggles any with the decision... or, gets the opportunity to flex his new super-powered muscle.
I guess we'll all find out together! Ya know, unless you already read this arc.
Sheehan Titans, Episode Two - Nightwing #102 (May, 2023)
In which your humble host's inner comics cynic takes a good, hard look in the mirror!
Taking a look at Part 2 of the Dawn of DC Titans "pre-req" story, and having an uncharacteristically great time with it! Listen to me stammer on and on about how this feels like a "genuine Titans story", without being able to actually put into words what a "genuine Titans story" ought to feel like! I guess it's just one'a those things where ya know it when ya see it!
Are you currently reading, catching up on, or lapsed on the Titans? I'd love to hear your thoughts!
