REVIEW: Teen Titans - 60

So here's a bit of an oddity. I reviewed issue 58 of Teen Titans a little while back, and I seem to remember feeling a little uneasy about the book - worried about how it was floating along the 'middling to average' river. Not quite good, but not quite bad either.

And so here we are again with the same book a couple of months later, and I'm still not really feeling it.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Perhaps its just me, but the only thing that really resonated with me in this issue was Ravager's apparent departure from the team. I say apparent, because I get a feeling that she might be back before we know it.

The rest of the issue, alas, fell on deaf ears and blind eyes. It just didn't perform.

But anyway - Sean McKeever's script and Eddy Barrow's pencils are both again, perfectly competent - but neither give you the 'wow' factor that you should be looking for in a Titans book. Maybe they could do with having a read of Titans issue 3...

Pete's Score: 3 out of 5
(could have been better - decidedly average)

REVIEW: Titans - 3

Well crikey. I didn't see that one coming.

***SPOILER ALERT***

Isn't it interesting, how easily some heroes can give in to temptation, despite numerous encounters that should have educated them otherwise. Although, to be fair - sometimes... Sometimes I completely understand why heroes give in. Just like I completely understood why Nightwing (or 'Dick') did what he did with Starfire on page 13.

Lucky bugger. Bet Animal Man is a little jealous right about now.

Now - that aside, this issue is a nice return to form for Judd Winick and Joe Benitez after the slightly limp-wristed affair that was Titans issue two. The nice reveal of Trigon's three children (which I'll nickname Rage, Envy and Lust) at the end of the book gives a nice lead in to another episode of what might be one of those 'classic Titans' storylines.

Happily - this issue is very much worth picking up.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(thoroughly enjoyable - recommended all the way)

REVIEW: Teen Titans - 58

You know - reviewing comics is an odd thing. Sometimes, there are issues like Amazing Spider-Man 558, which are easy to review, because they're utter garbage from start to finish. Other times there are simply stunning comics, much like The Walking Dead 48 - also easy to review, because it demands a high score.

Then, there are comics like Teen Titans issue 58. Perfectly decent artwork, perfectly decent storyline, but nothing to really make it stand out.

Comics like these leave me with a bit of a dilemma. Do I be honest about it, and give the book an 'average' score, or do I bank on the fact that some fans out there will love the issue? As you can probably guess, I have to be honest about it.

Which in this case means saying - "this is a really average comic". Nothing bad about it - but nothing really great either.

***MINI SPOILER ALERT***

This issue focuses pretty much entirely on Miss Martian, giving us a look at how she deals with her split personality (or not, as it seems), and the memories of her past that haunt her (such as the death of her family).

This really should be grade A stuff (as DC does mind-@£$%s so well) - but you're left thinking that the issue could have been a little better, and that maybe this was originally written as a 'backup story', with a big 'BREAK IN CASE OF EMERGENCY" sign on its glaized chest...

Pete's Score: 3 out of 5
(I'm sure this would be a good addition to any Miss Martian / Teen Titans fan collection - but for everyone else...)

REVIEW: Titans - 1

Thank heavens above - I was starting to get pretty worried.

The last comic I reviewed from DC was the 'wonderful' Countdown To Final Crisis 1. Truly, one of the worst books I'd read in quite some time.

***SPOILER ALERT***

I'm so pleased to tell you - Titans issue 1 - is worth buying. And it's not worth buying because it might be worth something one day - it's worth getting because it's a damn good read.

So - why is it so good?

Those of you who will have read the recent Titans East Special will have caught the first part of 'The Fickle Hand', and will be up to speed with the backstory to this issue (part 2).

Luckily, this is one of those rare, well written part 2s - where a reader can jump on without being penalised for missing the start of the story. Judd Winick catches everyone up to speed when the time is right (towards the end of the issue), and asks an interesting question - "who is targeting current and ex-Titans, and why?"

Now - the writing aside - the artwork within this issue is for the most part - utterly fantastic. I would truly be surprised if Ian Churchill's pencils for the Starfire pages don't arrive in poster form sometime soon.

Thank you Judd and Ian. You've singlehandedly restored my faith in DC's ability to write and draw good comics. I salute you sirs.

Pete's Score: 4 out of 5
(truly - the best DC book I've read in months)