Crash! Bang! Kersplatt! Onomatopoeia threatens all of the above on the citizens of Star City, and only Robin and Red Arrow stand in the breach. Maybe! Can the rest of the Titans convince Kid Flash to come back and help them help Damian help Emiko? Or will Wally keep his back turned and leave his former psycho commandant at the mercy of a terrorist? Find out in Teen Titans #14!
Maybe a little too easy
I’ll start with the major downside: this arc is over too quickly and too easily. Damian and Wally had a serious split, and I feel like their reunification should be given more space to work itself out. Maybe it would be more convincing if Kid actually saves Robin from Onomatopoeia instead of simply teaming up for the takedown. That might have made the short arc work a bit better. But ideally, Robin would have a longer journey of discovery and come to understand that he had been too harsh in the first place. I’m not usually too hard on Percy for regressing Damian, but I think it hurts here especially. His interpretation of the character thus far would not be so quick to welcome Wally back.
But still satisfying
All of that said, I’m still pleased with the reconciliation. It seems fitting that Percy’s Damian would avoid saying sorry while saying sorry. I also liked having Wally as part of the team at the start of the series, so it’s nice to have him back.
Another thing I think Percy handles very well is the budding relationship between Damian and Emiko. He is clearly smitten, and while she is somewhat harder to read, she seems at least mildly endeared to him. The two of them are cut from the same cloth, and a natural pairing, so I hope we get to see more sooner than later.
The team is as fun as always. Starfire’s difficulties with English catch-phrases should have gotten old by now, but I still chuckle every time I read things like “punch-butt” or “let us roll.” Beast Boy is, well, Beast Boy. Raven and Aqualad seem a bit flatter this time around, though the latter receives some nice visual representation during the issue’s main battle sequence.
Reliable visuals
The artwork on Teen Titans has settled into a consistency that’s easy to take for granted. Pham’s layouts don’t break any ground, but they are simple and effective; and he, Scott, and Charalampidis combine for a beautiful finish. Charalampidis, especially, makes this book look gorgeous, whether he’s coloring fire or water or anything in between. I know I’ve criticized some of his strokes in the past, but that really is a small nitpick when compared to the lush look he gives Teen Titans every month.
That’s about all there is to say. There’s a bit of an artistic slip at the end when Scott and Charalampidis tag out, but I won’t say anything else about that to keep this spoiler-free. Thankfully, it’s just a page. The rest of the issue looks great, and reads well-enough, as Teen Titans keeps consistently plodding along.
Recommend if…
- You like Percy, Pham, Scott, Charalampidis, and Breen—they’re still here, and they’re still familiar.
- You want Wally back on the team.
- You don’t mind that Percy has set Damian back a bit from the conclusion of Batman and Robin.
Overall
The little comic that could continues to roll along on rails. Teen Titans never brings me to the highest of heights, but it always entertains me, and I can’t complain when I’m getting some bang for my buck each month. The artists bring the same low-profile excellence that they’ve brought before, and it makes this book a really easy read.
SCORE: 7/10
