Stop it, you're Culling me.

Teen Titans (volume 2364) Annual #1

I just read "The Culling" storyline that ran through the recent issues of Teen Titans, Superboy, and Legion Lost (although I didn't read the Legion Lost issues because I don't normally read that comic).  At one point, I had to flip back to the cover of the comic I was reading to check out the credits and make sure it wasn't Felicia Henderson writing Teen Titans again.  (We all know how that turned out the last time.)   It felt rudimentary and written by a beginner who didn't care a whit about character development.  It was like reading a script for a porn movie vs. reading the script for Schindler's List.  That's how awful the story and dialogue was.

The concept of "The Culling" itself might have been better if it wasn't already so prevalent in everyone's minds as a little story called The Hunger Games.  Worse, this story has already been done before in the last volume of Teen Titans, when it was called the Dark Side Club, pitting Titan against Titan in the ring for others' enjoyment.  Only this time, instead of getting the Terror Titans series out of the story, we get The Ravagers. Worst, the name "The Culling" itself only brings to mind Edward Cullen from the God-awful Twilight series.  They're trying to capitalize on the popularity of both Twilight and The Hunger Games in one fell swoop.  [Insert barf here.]

Superboy and Bunker

The best part of the story came after all was said and done and the team was bathing half-naked in some spa pools in a mystical dinosaur-laden land.  Here, we finally get some real character interaction that doesn't feel forced (or poorly written).  We also get a bit of comedy as we see Bunker calling out Superboy's hotness, something we don't get to see anymore now that he's no longer in a tight-fitting T-shirt and jeans.  

And speaking of costumes, where did the Teen Titans get theirs?  At the estate sale for the latest Tron movie?

Now on to The Ravagers, their name taken from the former Ravager herself, Rose Wilson, daughter of Deathstroke, leaving the new Rose Wilson in DC's New 52 without a codename.  She's just known as Rose Wilson.  Not Rose, but Rose Wilson.  This Rose Wilson still has both her eyes, though, having never lost one of them to her father's madness.  In fact, I don't think we even know if she's related to the new Deathstroke.  Who knows in the New 52?  And, seriously, at this point, who cares?  Please, please, please let this all just be happening on Earth-52 and eventually get back to Earth-1 where all of my favorite characters still reside pre-Flashpoint. 

Ravagers #1

In The Ravagers, the team consists of Caitlin Fairchild, Terra, Beast Boy, Thunder and Lightning, Rose Wilson, Warblade, and Ridge.  Fairchild has the ability to pump up her boobs.  Terra, Beast Boy, Thunder, and Lightning aren't the characters we know (and love!) from Teen Titans past.  Rose Wilson is...well, Rose Wilson.  Or some cheap white-haired knock-off of her.  Warblade is a character that might have (and did) come out of the 1990s when comic stories started to get as lame as the generic codenames that came along with them.  (See: any 1990s X-title.)  Ridge, a new character to DC Comics, seems to be the only decent character, and maybe that's because there is no former character or past history of his to fuck up. 

Young Justice #0

To summarize, Marv Wolfman and George Perez's New Teen Titans is what made me seriously start reading and collecting comics in 1981.  Geoff Johns' Teen Titans is what made me start reading comics again in 2007 after a 15-year absence.  Unfortunately, DC's New 52 version of Teen Titans might make me stop reading comics again all together.   Young Justice, the cartoon series and related comic from DC's kid-friendly all-ages line, does a better job of treating the legacy of Teen Titans (and its long-time readers) with respect. 

Bitter Teens

Teen Titans #4 (2011)

In the latest incarnation of Teen Titans #4, the team hasn't fully formed yet and everyone is still getting acquainted...violently.   Superboy and Wonder Girl (Yikes! Can I call her that without getting beat up?) do battle in Times Square on New Year's Eve 2011.  What a difference from the romance and losing their virginity to each other in the previous volume of Teen Titans.  At least this Superboy looks bigger and more toned than the scrawny one in the Superboy solo series.  

Meanwhile, new characters Bunker and Skitter quarrel, too, as do Kid Flash and Red Robin...over clothing.  Sigh...

Unfortunately, the dialogue is reminiscent of Felicia Henderson.  Is "Scott Lobdell" her pseudonym?  Or vice versa?  Both writers seem insistent on giving the teens lame dialogue (even for teenagers) and making them angry...all. the. time.

Old Solstice

And what's with Solstice now being puffs of black clouds with intermittent lightning flashes throughout?   It was so nice adding some diversity to the team last year, and now the beautiful Indian girl is just a puff of smoke?

New Solstice

As for the rest of the characters and storylines -- eh, who cares?  Bring back the old series, please.   

Angry Teens

This ain't your dad's Teen Titans.  Heck, it isn't even mine.  

The latest reincarnation of DC Comics' Teen Titans was nowhere as good as Geoff John's 2003 version or Marv Wolfman/George Perez' 1980 version.  It wasn't totally awful, though, either.  

These new teens are full of anger.  I guess that's closer to how real teens are/stereotyped to be?   In this first issue, we meet Red Robin, off his stint as Robin.  He's got some issues with the whole former Batman team-up thing.  He's also monitoring the recent sudden appearance of teens with superpowers around the world.  

And then there's Cassie Sandsmark (Whatever you do, don't call her Wonder Girl!).  She's definitely got some anger issues, and a bit of mystery surrounding her existence as well.  Gone is the sweet Cassie from series' past.  She's also wearing a costume that's a combination of her former costume and Donna Troy's black starry one.  

As for the rest of the team, we did see some confusing segment about Kid Flash, but the rest (pictured on the cover) are still yet to come.   And, also, where is the new Aqualad? 

After reading the first month of #1 issues of the New 52, I've discovered a recurring theme throughout the new DCU:  the heroes aren't really "heroes," per se.  They're operating covertly, outside the law, as vigilantes and don't really have the support of the public.  All of 'em.  I'm not sure this is a wise decision on DC's part.  Having some vigilantes and covert operations is good.  But all of them?  It doesn't make any of the teams/individuals unique.  Now they're all Suicide Squad, Secret Six, or X-Men-ish.  And how are they all funded?   How do they survive without jobs?  I'd really like to see more of their personal lives, their "secret identities."  That's how we really get to know them as characters, not just by watching them battle one foe after another. 

Teen Titans was better than I expected (I had low expectations), so I hope it develops into another TT series that I really love.  But let's lose the anger...

Lastly, I'm not crazy about the logo.  However, I wasn't crazy about the former logo either.  Can we take this back to the marketing department?

Holy Menage a Trois, Batman!

I just read the new Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 by DC, featuring Red Hood (Jason Todd / Robin), Red Arrow (Roy Harper / Arsenal), and Starfire (New Teen Titans).  All I can say is, "Holy menage a trois, Batman!" 

SPOILER! (?)  Starfire is apparently Jason's "sort-of-girlfriend," but hooks up with Roy.  Because, well...that's what she does.  The "new" Starfire will apparently sleep with anyone.  I'm curious if down the road the three of them will have a threesome.  Now, *that* would be interesting. 

These three characters are familiar, yet distinctly different from their pre-Flashpoint counterparts.   Red Hood is now a Punisher-like mercenary.  Jason Todd is also back to having dark hair.  I guess that's so readers can distinguish him from the red-headed Roy Harper.  Red Hood rescues the criminal/bad boy Red Arrow out of custody.  Starfire is still an alien from the planet Tamaran, but she has no emotions of love or feelings of caring.  Her only related interest is physical sex.  She was with the Teen Titans in her past life, but she doesn't really remember much about it, including her relationship with Dick Grayson.  Those details aren't important to her.  Both Jason and Todd seem totally cool with the other sharing a bed with Starfire. 

The Outlaws are the tougher-sounding Outsiders and/or Secret Six.  They're mercanaries/antiheroes.  There's only three of them, with Red Hood acting as the leader.  

Essence

The story in the first issue was well-written by Scott Lobdell.  The introduction of the mysterious character Essence intrigued me.  The plot was interesting enough that I'll continue buying the series for the time being.  I'm curious to learn more about these three characters, as they were favorites of mine in the "old" DC Universe. 

The New New Teen Titans

Teen Titans #100

As you can tell from my previous posting, I'm thrilled by the new direction and writing and art chores on the Teen Titans comic.  After the disaster that was Felicia Henderson, I have nothing but high praise for J.T. Krul and Nicola Scott, especially the introduction of their newest diverse member, Solstice.  

On June 1, DC Comics announced:  "DC Comics will be making history this September. We’ll be renumbering the entire DC Universe line of comic books with 52 first issues. We’re publishing innovative storylines featuring our most iconic characters helmed by some of the most creative minds within the industry."

My first thought was, Damn!  And the Teen Titans are so close to reaching their 100th issue!  Luckily, though, it looks like they still will.  The Teen Titans comic is shipping twice monthly this summer, so it will reach issue #100.  That looks to be like the last issue, though, as DC Comics' series will begin with #1 in September, thereby eliminating the long-running Batman, Superman, Action Comics, Detective Comics, and recently renumbered Wonder Woman comics as well.  So much for reaching issue #1000 for those series one day!

Teen Titans #1 (2011)

DC recently posted on their DCU Source blog some samplings of the future comics/series that will begin anew.   One of those was for the Teen Titans.  In the new series, "Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash."  And then there's the image of the new Teen Titans team and their new costumes.  I really like Red Robin's new costume; it's very "Black Condor."  It's also much more visually appealing than his current costume and really sets himself apart from any Batman, Robin, Nightwing, or Red Hood costumes, giving Red Robin his own identity.  The rest of the team's costumes, though, I can do without.  They look like a throwback to the early 1990s when storylines and character development were "out," and stylized art, accentuated body parts (hello, big female boobies and tiny, tiny waists), and hologram covers were "in."  Who's that crawling on the ground with their hair sticking straight up?   Legion from The New Mutants?  And is that a new Solstice or Terra in the background?  She looks awfully dirty, whoever she is.  I guess the color scheme for the new group is black, red, and gold?   

I'll definitely give the new series a try, since the Teen Titans are my favorite group of all time.  Sadly, though, just when the Teen Titans were getting back on track with Krul and Scott, in comes writing chores by Scott Lobdell with art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund.  I hope they do the Teen Titans proud, but I hope this isn't the rebirth of the quality-lacking 1990s that drove me away from comics oh-so-many years ago.