Have you ever felt that special thrill whenever your favorite team fights hard for a win, and secures a victory? It’s a feeling, an emotional connection to a group that doesn’t necessarily affect your everyday life in a direct way. Yet there you are, seeking that thrill time and time again. Well that my friends, is not the feeling that I felt after reading the second issue of Convergence: New Teen Titans. My experience felt more like the crushing defeat after losing a sloppy, but close game. I’ve read a number of the Convergence tie-ins, and for the most part I’ve enjoyed their short stories. I even felt like this particular book was one of the stronger candidates after reading the first issue. However, this ine was the straw that broke the proverbial camel’s back. I’m pretty much over Convergence. Save for about two more titles, I’m anxiously awaiting the arrival of June. I appreciate the event for what it is; a celebratory stroll down memory lane. It’s conclusion and any possible lasting affects need to speed it up.
All complaining aside, the issue was not a complete mess. Most of the criticism comes from how good the first issue was compared to this one. I thought that maybe it was just a result of me losing interest, but I’ve recently read other issues that I fairly enjoyed. The story plays out pretty simple. Both sides are teams full of good guys. The teams want to do their best at protecting their cities or world, but one team is willing to do whatever it takes to ensure the success of their mission. This leads to the injured Cyborg’s capture, increased tension between Dick and Koriand’r, and the finally vocalized unrequited love from Kole to Jericho. These emotional dilemmas resonate a bit, but I wasn’t invested into Kole and Jericho’s story all that much. They did share a nice scene together when Jericho worked on his painting. Reminded me of that clay scene from the movie Ghost, with Jericho being Demi Moore. Now I’m imagining the movie Striptease with Jericho’s face instead of Demi’s. Why must you torment me, Convergence?!
Nikola Scott’s wonderful retro-looking art has returned for the conclusion of the Titans’ adventure. The colorful and detailed characters stood out in each panel and flowed coherently as the story progressed. Fortunately, this is a nice book to look at. Starfire has such a fiery glow to her that looks amazing, especially when someone is the target of her wrath.
Recommended if:
- You want to see how the New Teen Titans story finishes
- You’re collecting all of Convergence
- You want to catch the preview for one of DC’s new books starting in June
Overall:
Honestly, the book is what you expect from a Titans story. The action and emotion is there. The biggest problem for me was the ending of the issue. It led to absolutely nothing. Most of the tie-ins end with a conclusion to the two city skirmishes, and comment on the character of the protagonist(s) involved. This conclusion left me scratching my head and wanting more, but by that point I really didn’t even care. Luckily, DC has offered 8-page previews to their June books in a few of their May Convergence titles, and Robin: Son of Batman was the prize for this issue (print version). That was a nice treat and got me excited for what’s ahead, so that might be extra incentive for you if you plan on checking out this 2nd issue. It was a fun romp that started off with a blast and fizzled out. Bring on June
SCORE: 6.5/10
