Teen Titans Go! #8: “One Potato, Two Potato, Couch Potato/The Rocky Road to Love”
Written by Sholly Fisch and Amy Wolfram
Illustrated by Jorge Corona and Lea Hernandez
Colors by Jeremy Lawson
Letters by Wes Abbott
Oh what a gift laughing is. I know that this book and the show it accompanies aren’t for everyone, and that’s perfectly fine, but if you go into it expecting to be entertained and laugh at some dumb jokes, you’ll get exactly what you came for.
On the one hand, this book is really easy to review because it’s pretty consistent for that reason: you read, you laugh, you go on. On the other hand, it’s difficult to accurately score it because it’s completely subjective; a 7 here doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a better book than, say, the current issue of Grayson, just that I felt it was a better representative of its series than the latter was. Everybody should still read Grayson, though, because it’s aces.
Anyway, back to the book at hand. As usual, this issue is packed with gags and laughs with two great stories from Sholly Fisch and Amy Wolfram and the steady pencils of Jorge Corona and Lea Hernandez, respectively. Let’s dive right in.
The first, “One Potato, Two Potato, Couch Potato,” is the Titans watching TV.
That’s it. Brother Blood is in there somewhere too, but he ends up watching with them so it doesn’t really matter.
Its all about sight gags and references here, with great interplay between Fisch’s writing and Corona’s pencils. You’ve got a reality show where the contestants have to survive with nothing but a pocket knife and $30,000 cash, a commercial for Two-Face’s personal injury law firm (a better class of criminal indeed), and of course Raven’s Achilles Heel, Pretty Pretty Pegasus.
And a new use for Red Tornado.
Needless to say its a very visual story that doesn’t really lend itself to much discussion unless you read it and start quoting it with friends, but it’s fun and funny and perfectly suited for both kids and adult fans alike.
The second story, “The Rocky Road to Love,” is also pretty light on plot: Robin hates Valentine’s Day and tries to ignore his unrequited love for Starfire, but ends up wanting to drown his sorrows on that sweet Rocky Road of… hey, I just got the title!
The script, this one from Amy Wolfram, isn’t as funny or on point as the previous one, but it still has a few good moments. Lea Hernandez’s pencils are fine as well, though there were a few panels with some odd staging.
We do, however, get this panel, which is how I want Robin depicted at all times from now on:
And this gem of a catchphrase:
The issue actually ends on a pretty brutal downer, to be honest. It’s played for laughs and entirely consistent, but man was it hardcore. No spoilers, but Starfire is ice-cold.
In all, it’s a perfectly serviceable way to spend twenty minutes, and who knows? You may find a new catchphrase to use in everyday conversation with friends and/or confused co-workers (I can’t be the only one, right?), or parents may foster a love of comics in their kids. It’s never too early to start, and you could do a lot worse than this.
Recommended if:
- You just like to laugh.
- You too hate Valentine’s Day.
- Like last month, it’s got some pretty funny satire, of which you may be on board.
- Man, ice cream, right?
- Perhaps most importantly, if you’re a parent looking for a comic to enjoy with your children.
Overall: Delivering on its promises, no more and no less, this tie-in that could easily be a throwaway cash-grab proves to be just as funny and entertaining as the show it accompanies. It’s not for everyone, but anyone looking for a good laugh or age-appropriate book need look no further.
SCORE: 7.5/10
