Teen Titans has been released again in the New 52. Writer Will Pfeifer (Aquaman, Catwoman) and artist Kenneth Rocafort (Red Hood and the Outlaws) take us down the journey in a continuation/rebooting of the Teen Titans. The cover (if you didn’t get the Batman incentive cover) is a take off of social media, complete with a fake Twitter search, a la “Chirper”, and hashtags giving us the direction this new comic should take us. If you haven’t seen the ad for this title in other comics this month, it reads, “They call us weapons. We call them tools.” It features Red Robin holding a burning copy of Justice League #1. It’s interesting and I suppose it will gain attention (they were sold out at my local comic book shop today…thank God for having a pull list!) but I thought the ad was pretty lame. The comic, on the other hand, I very much enjoyed.
This issue centers around a school bus heist in the middle of New York City. Our players are Wonder Girl, Red Robin, Raven, Bunker, and Beast Boy. Pfeifer does a great job showing us some of the characteristics of each Titan. My favorite, I think it should go without saying, is Red Robin. He is the head honcho of the group and everyone respects him. He is equal (less than if calculating powers and such) to the others, but he commands the leadership role well. In this issue, he is directing the other Titans about the city in preparation of combating the hostage-takers on a school bus. From the get go, we see Tim place his people where they need to be. Also from the start, we figure out there is more than a school bus highjacking going on. This will set the stage for the next few issues to come I’m sure.
As events unfold on the bus, Red Robin and the Titans act accordingly. When someone is in danger, a Titan makes a move to stop it. Each member has a moment to shine. Beast Boy’s quick and chipper nature crops up. Raven’s subtle obscurity is apparent. This is a #1 comic that sets a foundation firmly in action and resolutely in character. Seeing Bunker stand against a threat to S.T.A.R. labs as well as perceived prejudice is a great way of showing character.
This issue of Teen Titans is an absolutely solid issue. It has the advantage of wiping the slate clean for a semi-fresh start as well as building off underlying themes in prior issues. I don’t think I would have felt so favorably about this comic had I not been absolutely wowed by Kenneth Rocafort’s artwork and Dan Brown’s colors. I loved every single panel of this issue. Nothing was too obscure for me to follow. Everything pushed the story forward. Rocafort’s artwork is simply amazing. I cannot say enough about the art. I will look forward to further issues if only for the artwork.
Recommended If:
- You’re interested at all in the Teen Titans.
- Rocafort melts your face off when you see his panels.
- Red Robin makes a better “Martian Manhunter/Batman”-type commander in your opinion.
Overall:
With a fresh start, the Teen Titans are back. Good writing and amazing art combines to form a fantastic #1 issue. I have to admit, the series reboot wasn’t something I’d looked forward to reading. Boy, was I off. I really enjoyed this issue. For $2.99 I give this two thumbs up.
SCORE: 9/10
