Teen Titans #7
"The Rise of Aqualad, Part Two"
Story and Words: Benjamin Percy
Pencils: Khoi Pham
Breakdowns: Phil Hester
Inks: Wade Von Grawbadger
Colors: Jim Charalampidis
Letters: Corey Breen
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 26, 2017
Hey, it's Teen Titans... and DC just announced that there will be a live-action series. When I hear that, all I can think of his "Man it's going to be annoying to Google the Teen Titans from now on."
Anyhoo, let's see if we can't get us a sixth member.
What Happened:
Jackson arrives, and we learn that this is the first time he's ever seen the Ocean and he dives in. The Teen Titans engage in battle with King Shark, and it doesn't go as swimmingly as Robin might have hoped. After a Titanic snafu, King Shark escapes back to Alcatraz where we meet his army of "reborn" shark-faced inmates.
Back at the Tower, Jackson pleads his case to join the team. Robin informs him that they're not interested in any unsolicited auditions (and yes, this is going to end exactly the way you think it will). Over the news, the gang learns the Bonnie Chung is being held at Alcatraz by their hammerheaded foe. After telling Jackson to hit the bricks one last time, the Titans (quickly) head out.
The gang makes relatively short work of the uglies, while Robin and King Shark duke it out by the shore. Damian is easily overpowered by the gargantuan brute and just before the King can land a killing blow... that's right, Jackson shows up to save the day!
We wrap up with Jackson becoming a probationary member of the Teen Titans and King Shark reporting back to his mysterious benefactor...
What I Dug:
Damian's dependence on "playbooks" that no one else on the team could be bothered reading was a hoot. It reminds me of reading old X-Men comics and having Cyclops or Professor X instruct the team to use "Plan Q" while training in the Danger Room. I'd always wonder how they could remember an entire alphabet's worth of plans and maneuvers.
The brief romantic "eye contact" moment between Raven and Kid Flash. It's probably nostalgia talking, but I can't help but think back to a time when Raven was sorta-kinda in a relationship with different Kid Flash.
Similarly, I really liked seeing how well the entire team worked together. After the initial "Maneuver X" snafu, their second go-round went off without a hitch.
I'm happy that Jackson actually joined the team here. I was afraid his induction was going to drag on a bit. If not for next months Lazarus Contract crossover, it very well might have!
What I Didn't:
I'm pretty sure we all saw this ending coming from miles away. I mean, if the purpose of this arc was to introduce Aqualad to the Teen Titans, this is probably how it was gonna go down. I will say that I was hoping to be surprised, but whattayagonnado?
The super-villain reveal at the end of the book... a bit too predictable. I was hoping we wouldn't go there quite so quickly. Hopefully this doesn't pay off for a little while.
Bits & Pieces:
While this was a paint-by-numbers introduction for Aqualad, it was still an enjoyable read. The team is learning to work together, and Damian has no choice but to learn how to lead... even if he needs to throw out his original playbook.
7.0/10
The team faces their biggest challenge yet. This issue is packed with action, drama, and shocking revelations. Beware, major spoilers ahead!
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