Art by: Emanuela Lupacchino
Colors by: Jordie Bellaire
Letters by: Steve Wands
Cover art by: Chris Samnee, Matheus Lopes
Cover price: $3.99
Release date: October 10, 2023
World's Finest: Teen Titans #4 attends a Wally-hosted sleepover for Garth and Roy, where some painful truths are brought into the light. Meanwhile, a villain wants into an exclusive gang, and the price of admission is a dead Titan.
Is World's Finest: Teen Titans #4 Good?
World's Finest: Teen Titans #4 may not be the biggest, loudest, most action-packed superhero comic on the shelves, but it's still one of the best-written comics on the shelves and the best Titan book around by a county mile. I don't know what Mark Waid is doing or where this series is headed, but every issue is a master class in character development, treating the characters like real people who have lives you care about.
When last we left the Titans, TitanCon turned into a bust when Toyboy's unhealthy obsession with Bumblebee started a riot. Now, the boys (sans Robin) get away for a weekend at Wally's parent's house for some R&R, Bumblebee gives Mal Duncan a special gift and an up-and-coming villain is given a kill order.
Far and away, Waid's script is all about the character work. You get to know the Titans as real people with distinctive personalities and quirks who are adjusting to a team of strong-willed heroes. The friction in their interpersonal conflicts isn't over-the-top like a reality show, but you can see how a truly diverse group of people from very different backgrounds would struggle to adjust to each other in different ways.
What's great about World's Finest: Teen Titans #4? As an ensemble character piece, this issue is outstanding. You get to know the individual Titans, warts and all, and appreciate them for who they are. There may not be a lot of big, flashy superheroics going on, but this gets you to care about the Titans on a personal level, which gets you invested in whatever stories come later.
What's not so great about World's Finest: Teen Titans #4? Admittedly, no, there isn't much superhero action or plot development in this issue. Readers used to stories with arcs that have a main villain and a clear journey may be bored with Waid's script.
How's the art? Lupacchino's art style is tailor-made for this type of comic. Heavy emphasis is placed on character acting and emotional beats, which appear to fit snugly in Lupacchino's wheelhouse. The line work and facial acting are pristine, and the character interactions are excellent.
That said, Jordie Bellaire's coloring execution is solid, but the palette selection is muted. It would have helped the visual interest to add a little more pop.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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Bits and Pieces:
World's Finest: Teen Titans #4 is a masterclass in character development and emotional storytelling. Waid gets you to care about the individuals that make up the Titans instead of simply throwing the team into one brawl after another. That said, the plot takes a backseat to the character development, so readers looking for many Titans' actions will be left wanting.
8.5/10
I enjoyed this issue more than the others. So does this mean Speedy's uncle was Jim Harper/The Guardian in current continuity and will that even come up again? And what's up with Wally's parents? The seemed like the loving and supportive pre-Crisis versions. Has this now been retconned?
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