Titans Together
Written By: Dan Abnett
Art By: Bruno Redondo, Marcelo Maiolo
Letters By: Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 10, 2019
Art By: Bruno Redondo, Marcelo Maiolo
Letters By: Dave Sharpe
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: April 10, 2019
*Non Spoilers and Score At The Bottom*
We have finally reached the end of the road. The final issue of this series has come and I, for one, am incredibly relieved. This book has struggled heavily ever since it got the new lineup after the No Justice storyline. Since then it has been thrown into crossover events and been a slave to the other events taking place in the DC universe. It’s is just time for the book to finally end and we have finally reached that point. Perhaps the book could have been salvaged at one point but it’s time for the series to end and maybe someday in the future we will get a new and better series. Anyway, let’s just jump into this issue and see where it takes us.
Our issue begins with a flashback that features Nightwing and Raven. This takes place after Nightwing had met Raven in the desert. She doubts that they will be able to do anything to change the issues with the Source Wall. Nightwing believes differently. We return to the present where the Titans are taking of the members of the Blood Cult. However, they are all very weak still from the previous fight. Meanwhile, Mother Blood has tapped into the Bleed. She has restrained Kyle, Steel, The Creator, and Lord Travesty forced them to open the portal. In order to do so, Mother Blood will have to destroy Unearth in order to do it, betraying Lord Travesty.
We flashback again to Nightwing and Raven. They discuss the source wall some more before Nightwing gives Raven a locket that belongs to Jenna. It is to the patron of lost souls to remind her that they are not a lost cause. Back in the present, Raven is able to finally face off with Mother Blood. However, she has already begun to tap into the Bleed, giving her incredible strength. Mother Blood has Raven pinned and all seems lost until Beast Boy saves her by tackling Mother Blood into the Bleed. As he does, the door to the Bleed begins to close quickly.
In order to save Beast Boy, Raven jumps into the Bleed after him and is able to pull him out. Afterwards, Steel and Kyle destroy the link to the Bleed and the portal closes, trapping Mother Blood inside. When checking on Beast Boy, Raven suddenly sees that he is back to normal. The Source energy that was messing with his body seems to have faded. Our team regroups and leaves Unearth. Hinston decides to stay in his world that he created and make new stories. Our team teleports back to earth before we get one last flashback. Nightwing tells Raven that while the cynical adult in him makes him doubt himself, the young kid that he once was when the Titans began believes in them. Because of this, Raven decides to join the Titans. This is where the series ends.
This issue is alright. The story that has led to this moment hasn’t been great and thus, the ending suffers from that. However, the rest of the book is mostly made to set up a flashback between Raven and Nightwing. It’s actually a really nice moment that is presented. We also get the usual quick fixes to bring everything back to the status quo from before the comic even started. It’s not something I particularly enjoyed but at least it is all over.
Bits and Pieces
The finale of this series hits some nice moments before wrapping up a mediocre story and bringing everything back to the status quo. I’m happy that this book is finally over. At least the art was great on the way but this series became a huge disappointment.
The Titans of Rebirth was pure gold but something destroyed that. No justice event was the excuse but we'll never find out who or what caused the Titans downfall. Conspiracists believe it was Dan Didio's work who hates the OG Titans while others point to Scott Snyder. Scott Snyder however is as much an assignee as Abnett was.
ReplyDeleteWhat about Tom King. He had dick grayson shot in the head and killed Wally and roy!!!!
DeleteI agree 100% Didio used the company's workers to kill the original Titans because they make him feel old. Which is an absurd reason to say he wants the mentors to stay safe and not be overshadowed by the sidekicks. No justice couldn't affect the psychology of the Titans and Dan Abnett wasn't supposed to make future Troia the secret villain. Something forced Dan Abnett to change his script so that an excuse to break the classic Titans was secured. One day the truth will come out like it did with the Hobgoblin identity arc in Spider-Man and Xorn in the X-Men.
DeleteTom King is a tool used by Didio. King goes through an identity crisis or midlife crisis and wanted to write a story about PTSD and Didio leapt at the chance to destroy Dick, Wally, Roy and Gnarrk altogether. I think it is plain as day. I remember for Nightwing's April Fool's cover they had Nightwing being harassed by Didio just for laughs and in the splash page of HIC #4 where Donna carried a drunken Tempest in front of the original Teen Titans graffiti Didio's signature was signed on Dick's thigh. The man is evil and obsessed.
DeleteAnd if there are disbelieving people about Didio killing the classic Titans take a look at Wally who has been put through the wringer just because he was better than Barry as a Flash. Again Didio fears the sidekicks will eclipse the mentors who are brand names. Wally West has been killed in Flashpoint, in Rebirth's H.I.V.E arc and Heroes in Crisis two more times, he was blackwashed during new 52, erased when the Rebirth started and has lost his entire family. He was given a pacer and was made depressed. Didio will not stop pushing the Kanye West clone of Wally until Wally fades away and Nightwing will remain Ric for God knows how long.
DeleteYeah Tom King killed 2/4 of the OG Titans but there are editors who could have stopped him and we know how much Didio hates hopeful characters with bonds of friendship so King was free to do as he pleased. First half of Rebirth the Titans who had a reunion where selling 50 to 40k copies and sad as it was the plot became gloomy just before No justice hit. Evil synergy.
DeleteI think Tom King is more than a tool to Didio Jaime Braz and has control over his actions. It's because he is a hack writer and doesn't even like writing comics why his darkness is so thick therefore he and Didio make a terrible match to bring DC comics down. About the OG Titans fate I pretty much agree.
DeleteThe Titans will have to wait for Doomsday Clock to wrap up to see light at the end of the tunnel and what New 52 did to them be erased from continuity. Troia is wearing her starry red costume again so that is something good. Dick, Wally and Roy will be alive and back together soon after that.
DeleteKiki, from what a bunch of DC writers have told us, Doomsday Clock isn't going to change things the way it was going to originally because of the delays and DC is fine with this darker, gloomy universe they are writing now
DeleteWhy DC has the bad habit of ending titles on short notice and with a dry plot? If I knew it would get cancelled I'd pull it sooner off my list. I liked Beast was very beast-like but Raven was meh as always, nothing good to come from her. I hope Doom Patrol will get relaunched on Earth Prime and Beast Boy joins the team to walk nostalgia lane. Gerard Way doesn't know Doom Patrol.
ReplyDeleteYoung Animal is coming back with Gerard Way this summer so we will have to wait for a proper Doom Patrol even longer!
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