Teen Titans Go! Digital Issue #22 review

Teen Titans Go! Digital Issue #22: “The Family Plan”

Written by Sholly Fisch

Pencils & Inks by Dario Brizuela

Colored by Jeremy Lawson

Lettered by Wes Abbott

It may just be the recent lull in quality in my regular comedy books, but this installment really surprised me.  With a welcome return from Sholly Fisch, this digital issue made me laugh about as much as I have since the last Bizarro.

The Titans, as good of friends as they are heroes, accompany Raven to the underworld as she attends that most dreaded of events: the family reunion.

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It never is, Vic.

Things go about as you’d think they would: Robin tries oh so hard to be the stalwart hero, Cyborg and Beast Boy want to eat everything (even though they really shouldn’t), Starfire is charmingly naive, and Raven is just rolling her eyes at everything.  It’s as much an example of sticking to a formula as you can get, but that doesn’t have to be a bad thing.

First, even based on that panel above alone, this is some of the sharpest, show-accurate art this book has ever seen.  These characters look like they could be from cels used on the show itself.  Kudos to Dario Brizuela and the always great Jeremy Lawson for their work here.

Fisch, too, is in good form, as he throws quite a few gags at the wall and, thankfully, most of them stick.

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I used to hate puns… then I became a dad. Now it’s all I’m about.

My personal favorite line?  When Starfire quotes “the philosopher Hallmark.”  I was rolling after that.

This book is always a safe read, in that it’s perfectly harmless and appropriate for readers of all ages.  In recent installments it’s slipped in quality, but when it’s on it’s on.  Adults can laugh at the puns, kids can enjoy the artwork and time with their favorite characters, and families can enjoy some quality reading time together.

It does peter out a bit towards the end, coming to a pretty predictable conclusion, but it’s still a fun ride while it lasts.  I mean, where else are you going to come across this great of a name?

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Well, now I’ve got to get into Scooby-Doo Team-Up

Recommended if:

  • You have kids and want to read something you’ll both enjoy.
  • You want some solid laughs.
  • I mean, it’s $.99.  That’s a good deal.
  • You like Teen Titans Go! in general.
  • Oh, and I think this is my 100th post, sooooooo… yay?

Overall: The best installment in months, I laughed harder than I have in at least a month.  It may not be as smart and witty as Tiny Titans was, but it’s still a good comedy book with some fantastic, colorful art.  Check it out if you have children you want to read something with, or just want an enjoyable read by itself.

SCORE: 7.5/10