
DC Comics 2015
Written by Dan Abnett
Illustrated by Paulo Siqueira, Geraldo Borges & Jackson Herbert
Coloured by Hi-Fi
Lettered by Carlos M. Mangual
Dan is a God and this story is exactly what longtime Titans fans have needed and wanted to see. Ever since the restructuring of the DCU the original Titans have been cast out into the cold and finally they are coming back together. That this is continuity cannon for the entire line is of no real consequence to me since this is the title that A. brought me to DC to begin with and B. brought me back to them. Now if they could just do something like this with the Legion i’d be the happiest man alive.
With the opening of Dick, Donna and Garth fighting on the beach we finally see some of the realization that these characters have. Garth while trained to fight in the ocean is immensely strong and capable and Donna being an Amazon well there’s no holding that back when it comes to a fight. That these two can go head to head against one another showcases the fact that the Titans have the power to really go up against anyone. Finally someone like Dan has come along to realize this.
Poor Dick is out of his element when it comes to a free-for-all battle with them. Though in all honesty it’s been his thinking and leadership qualities that made him stand out. So if he can reassert those then we’ll be well on our way to regaining that which has been lost.
Lilith in her office facing off against the man or entity that wants the former child heroes is spectacularly done. I love that in the rain outside the window we see the visage of Mister Twister. He’s the man who brought three of the founding members together after all and is the reason the Titans even became a team. So that he’s no longer the man he was fits nicely into the mythology of the team throughout it’s incarnations through the New Teen Titans. Personally I love this better than him turning into the Gargoyle but then that’s part of classic cannon as well.
OMG the Hatton Corners Clubhouse made me squeal with glee. Almost as much as Mal’s instrumental involvement in all this. Plus seeing Karen albeit pregnant as she is and knowing her pet name is Bumblebee well yeah that’s just stuff that does this old heart good. Switching gears to seeing Roy be freed by Gnarrk was flawlessly done. I mean he was brought from the past to the present and then summarily dumped after noone seemed to know what to do with him. His reboot after the Crisis well that sucked too so having him back to how he was originally yeah that’s what i’m talking about here.
Okay so how this issue ends well Hell To The Yes people! Using the Herald and sound like any version of his Hornblower days that everyone, including his wife, can hear well that just sent me over the edge. Including the one person of a duo who heard it but not his partner. So yes there was a previous incarnation of that character so thank you comic gods for this.
The interiors here are phenomenal as well. The whole idea of updating classic looks for a new time to fit into who they are in this new reality while still being immediately recognizable well it’s brilliantly done. Hell even this Wonder Woman version of Donna is flawless in it’s execution. It really takes the notion of her being a sister to that level of both individuality and respect.
I am so in love with what’s happening here that after this Hunt story is over Dan and company need to come back to tell the tales of the Titans from the beginning. Make em young again and show us the adventures they had that inevitably lead up to them disbanding and only Lilith remembering them. Granted I’d love to see them ALL, yes Golden Eagle, Bat-Girl/Flamebird, Harlequinn, Beast Boy, Aquagirl and even Red Star, come back and least have a cameo or mention but i’ll be just as happy with this core team.
DC has recaptured the imagination and love that was there originally in a completely new and wonderful way. Keeping ties to what came first but making it fit beautifully into what is now. This is far and away the best thing DC is doing right now.