Teen Talk

In the 1980s, I was a HUGE New Teen Titans fan.  In fact, it was my picking up an early issue of New Teen Titans in a 7-11 convenience store that totally got me hooked on the gang, as well as on comics in general.  Marv Wolfman's writing/storylines drew me into the world of DC Comics' teenaged superheroes.  George Perez's drawings made me really appreciate comics as an art form.  When Terra was introduced in 1982 as the latest New Teen Titan, I was fascinated by this new character.  She was sweet, innocent, and served as a great potential girlfriend for the otherwise silly and awkward Changeling/Beast Boy.  By the time "The Judas Contract" storyline came around in 1984 and Terra was exposed as a traitor, I was shocked...but thrilled.  Not only was her betrayal startling, but it was also risque that a 15-year-old girl was in a romance with Slade Wilson (Deathstroke the Terminator), probably at least 25 years her senior! [Gasp!]  It was then that I realized that comic books were not just for kids...and I had to have more of this amazing world.  Every Friday, I would get my new batch of comics for the week and read them all over the weekend.  Weeks that included the latest issue of The New Teen Titans were my favorite.

In 2007, I won an auction on eBay featuring the first 30 or so issues of the latest Teen Titans series (which began in 2003).  Wow.  The characters and storylines hearkened back to the day of Marv Wolfman and George Perez' original "new" team.   "Who was this Geoff Johns guy?  He's a great writer for the Teen Titans," I thought.  "He really knows the characters well and gets into their personal lives."  I was also pleasantly surprised by the new Superboy and Wonder Girl.  They really complemented the team and weren't just teenage offshoots of their adult namesakes.  Plus, Geoff added cool nostalgic touches like bringing onboard Wendy and Marvin from the old TV Super Friends days.   

I caught myself up to the series' current issue and still craved more.  I went out and started purchasing other comic book series to see what had happened to my favorite characters over the years.  I also started buying more comic book series sets on eBay.  Once again, twenty-five years after the first time, the Teen Titans led me into the world of comic books.   

While I'm still reading and collecting comics again, I have to admit that, unfortunately, since Geoff Johns left The Teen Titans, no writer has been able to share or equal the love and attention to detail he showed the teens.  Sean McKeever focused so much on Ravager (Deathstroke's daughter) and some new supervillain group called the Terror Titans that I forgot which comic book I was reading.  Where were the Teen Titans?  Why weren't they in their own comic book anymore?  And why did this book become so Ravager-centric?  The team was whittled down to nothing (goodbye Robin, Superboy, Red Devil, and Miss Martian!).  When new team members were finally added, we got Kid Eternity, the new clutzy Blue Beetle, and Static?  Thanks, but no. 

I was excited to hear that a new writer would be taking over the scripting reins with Teen Titans #75.  Also, many characters were being brought back and/or added to the mix.  Someone must have been equally unenthusiastic with the downward spiral the Teen Titans had taken.  To add to the intrigue and my enthusiasm, the new writer was female.  Felicia D. Henderson, a TV series writer, was given The Teen Titans as her first comic book series assignment ever.  I was excited about the possibilities and what she might do with the female characters in the group:  Wonder Girl, the reinstated Miss Martian, new Aquagirl, and Bombshell.  Sadly, I've just read issue #81 and, seven issues later, my question is still unanswered.  Instead of giving us the female perspective or delving into interpersonal relationships, the book has become Static-centric (yes, we get that you really, really want people to like this former Milestone character) and features a Ravager story as the "second feature" in every issue (still written by Sean McKeever).  Yawn to both. 

Writers mustn't forget that these characters are, above all else, TEENAGERS.  They have different emotions, feelings, worries, and interpersonal relationships than the adult superheroes.  Most of all, they like to have fun.  Geoff Johns was very cognizant of these traits when he brought the characters (and the series) back to life in 2003.  I wish someone else would remember that before we're all having to say goodbye again to the Teen Titans. 

Filler

Filler. Yup. That's what DC Comics' Faces of Evil "event" is.

Using only a handful of writers (e.g., Geoff Johns, Gail Simone) on their regular staff instead of employing more talent (they won't even consider submissions for writers), DC has gotten behind in producing comics on schedule. So what's a comic company to do? Stage an "event." In this case, it happens to be the well-intentioned, great-on-paper, and poorly executed Faces of Evil concept. I've found that besides not really being about the villains' points of view, most Faces of Evil stories across the DC Comics' comics aren't even part of the current storyline. And basically...suck. Why? They're using "guest" writers and artists to fill the spots so the regular writers and artists get some time to catch up on their work.

Case in point, I just finished Justice League of America #29. This story --surprisingly-- actually was from the villain's point of view. Which villain, you ask? Starbreaker? Who? Um...Star...breaker? Starbreaker first appeared in Justice Leaague of America (vol. 1) #96 in 1972. Wow. That's a pretty generic name, you may say to yourself. And you'd be right. A pretty generic name, a pretty generic villain, and a pretty generic story. In fact, reading JLA #29, I felt like I was actually reading a comic book from the 1970s (note: that's not a good thing). There was the cheesy, generic villain; the cheesy, generic dialogue; and the cheesy, generic battle sequence. My brain hurt from reading JLA #29.

I'm very disappointed in DC Comics' execution of Faces of Evil. It was an "event" I was looking forward to, but ended up being sadly disappointed in. So much for the villains getting their day in the sun. Perhaps they should have hired some "new" talent who could have actually done something special instead of just providing "filler."