We promise this week that we only have one group review for a Rebirth title and its Titans: Rebirth. We also promise that it’s a smaller group review so that you’re not stuck reading more about the comic than the comic. [su_quote]Comic Bastards Synopsis: Hey remember the Titans? Well they don’t… not until Wally West starts stealing their shit. Also, there’s a dead girlfriend in the fridge gag… maybe… I mean probably. Basically the Titans get back together and Wally West the First sets them on a course to figure out who stole their ten years![/su_quote]
ALLEN: 4/5
This is what I love about continuity. The flashbacks of Wally West and the various Titans give you cool little moments and help show off the world that has been around for decades on end. In addition to the little moments, the small conflict as the confused Titans try to capture Wally was also done well. Wally talks up his former teammates and the action backs the narration up. By the end you have a good base knowledge of who the Titans are, how Wally sees them, and their bonds that have lasted for years even though not everyone recalled everything until now.
Now having said all of the above, I hate that the last few pages is just explaining the continuity issues and what was missing. Unless the editors of DC Comics end up being the villain of this whole Rebirth thing, it just frustrates me. I think this comic really did the absolute best you can with this editorial mandate. The flashbacks made me smile a lot and until the last few pages I just loved this comic through and through. Pretty good show DC keep up the positive storytelling and awesome tying into the past.
DUSTIN: 3/5
Every time I see a “Titans” title I think of my first regular comic shop back in Colorado in which a woman was updating her pull list and put down Titans. This was probably five issues into Geoff Johns run on Teen Titans and so the lovely person running the story decided to very loudly tell her that it’s Teen Titans now and they’re not going to do Titans anymore. I remember wondering why she had done that because it confused me, I mean the guy behind the counter was just a dick, but over the years I grew to understand.
Nothing dies in comics. Nothing is put to rest. Everything old is new again.
The Titans are back and this issue is just Wally shocking everyone and them not figuring out that they should touch him if they don’t want the effects of him to be on them. They’re kind of dumb that way since they all go on to touch him… in his special place. Also, he’s already rocking the new costume which is meh. The hair has a nice old school touch to it, but it’s still meh.
The issue is average as fuck. I’d like to read more Titans. I’d like for this to be that strange book that young kids and young adults enjoyed over Justice League because it spoke to them more, but I think that comics aren’t like that anymore. It’s something that was lost along the path to grim and darkness and I don’t see any writers out there that can get it back there. I’ll read some more Titans, but it’ll never be that odd series that DC fans clamored for over and over. Basically, if that woman in the comic book shop still has it on her list, I don’t know if she’d really be excited about that fact after this issue.
ASA: 2/5
DC is really milking this Wally West business. This is the third issues in three weeks that is milking phony emotion out of Wally returning to a reality that doesn't remember him (see also Flash and Rebirth). I don't think I'd mind if there was any forward momentum, but it feels like spinning wheels. Each time he touches a fellow Titan someone remembers him and we have a grand old emotional time, but nothing actually happens in the issues. Nothing new is said about Wally or his teammates, and it feels more like a self-congratulation by DC on their re-integration of a fan favorite character. I've said it before in conjunction with Rebirth, but I really want stories with these characters not simply more continuity craziness. I don't really care why Wally is back or who's secretly manipulating the whole universe.
As with Aquaman, I am a little surprised the dialogue by Abnett isn't sharper. He's a writer whose impressed me on more than a few occasions, but his work here is more than a little lifeless. But I don't know, with Rebirth at this point, I am ready for all the posturing and #1 issues to be over so we can get on with it. At least 'Batman' was good this week.
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