Teen Titans Go! #7
Written by Sholly Fisch and Merrill Hagan
Illustrated by Ben Bates and Jorge Corona
Letters by Wes Abbott
A good sense of humor and fun goes a long way, and if nothing else, that’s what Teen Titans Go! offers in spades.
Having said that, though, this is probably the hardest book for me to review. It’s fun and always worth at least a few laughs, but since there’s really not any continuity it follows (save for some recurring gags) and the plots are more about making jokes than telling stories, there isn’t an awful lot to talk about. I mean, ruining jokes is a no-no, and just summarizing every single event gets boring. So do you know what I’m going to do?
I’m going to talk about satire.
The first story in this issue, “Starstruck”, is definitely satirical. The problem, though, is it seems about two or three years late with its main joke, if not its premise.
Much to Robin’s dismay, Starfire has become smitten with Teen Pop Sensation™ Dusty Goober (I get it!). Not one to go down without a fight, Robin does what any sane person would do in this situation: gets a stupid haircut and becomes a Teen Pop Sensation™ himself.
It goes about as well as you’d expect.
It is, honestly, pretty funny, especially when the Titans are unable to perform heroics because Robin’s fans constantly trample everybody. The problem, as it is, is the focus of the joke. There have always been and always will be pop stars, but the Justin Bieber parody seems a little too dated. I mean, didn’t we cure Bieber Fever a few summers back?
No matter, because this is all harmless fun. I mean, it’s not as if Fisch is trying to make some grand statement about the fickle nature of stardom.
…or is he?
The second story is much funnier, while still retaining the high parody/satirical edge of the first half. Cyborg’s body becomes stripped away and, while waiting for his replacement parts to arrive, he dons a sweet new trench coat. Thus begins a game of increasing levels of one-upping between each of the Titans, each trying to be more rad than the last.
It goes about as well as you’d expect.
This time, the Titans are satirizing the ridiculously complex superhero costumes that have recently come back en vogue. You’d think that the Nineties throwbacks, what with Robin’s sweet pouches upon pouches, Beast Boy’s even sweeter jacket and sunglasses combo, and Starfire and Raven’s impractical but EXTREME upgrades, would be even more dated than a Justin Bieber parody, but given the cyclical nature of trends we’re pretty much right back where we were twenty years ago. I mean, look at the cover of any issue of Deathstroke. Any of them. I’ll wait.
As with the first story, this one is light on plot, but that’s fine. It’s self-aware in its own ridiculousness, and sometimes that’s all you need. I mean, when the best line from a comic is “stop crying and get ready to expose yourself right now!”, you pretty much know what you’re getting into.
Recommended if:
- You want to know how coolness math doesn’t work.
- You want to see how rad a rhino wearing a sweet jacket and sunglasses would look. SpoilerSo rad.
- You want some goofy laughs.
Overall: Handling some pretty decent, if not exactly cutting and completely good-natured satire, this issue provides what every other issue does: laughs, gags, and (mostly) clean humor. It isn’t for everyone, and it doesn’t break any sort of new ground, but it’s a fun time with fun characters, and sometimes that’s all you need in your comics.
SCORE: 6.5/10
