posted
Review: Although these reviews focus primarily on the writing of the series, I want to mention that, although Curt Swan is a more than able substitute for Pérez, my favorite part of the issue is the cover. The foreground action is impressive enough (Goronn looks more dangerous than he turns out to be); however, it’s Pérez’s breathtaking view of the temple against a star-filled sky that won me over. There’s something about the Titans swinging into battle (literally, in Robin’s case) against the multi-level grandeur of the temple that evokes . . . I dunno, a sense of epic adventure. This cover, more than any other so far, captures what I think the New Teen Titans were about: youthful heroes coming of age amid massive adult surroundings and challenges. The cover almost seems to mirror the story’s theme that the Titans are not ready to take on this responsibility—but one day they will be.
Now, on to the story . . .
This issue rushes headlong towards something of an early climax for the series. Trigon, the reason for the team’s existence, has come to earth and, ready or not, the Titans have to do something about it. For the most part, the story is exciting and well-intentioned. It strives to make a serious point about the heroes’ valiant struggle even though they clearly cannot win. However, as with most issues so far, it is also hampered by clichéd writing and melodrama.
For example, there’s Trigon himself. Creating an “ultimate villain” is always hard, and Wolfman and Pérez give it their all. Trigon certainly looks impressive and original, with his lobster skin, two sets of eyes, and antlers. In truth, though, Trigon is pretty much a run-of-the-mill extra-dimensional demon out to destroy our universe for the thrill of it. How does he go about getting his kicks? By disrupting traffic and knocking down buildings in New York City. ‘Cause, y’know, NYC is the center of our universe.
(To be fair, Trigon may have been drawn to the Big Apple because that’s where Raven happened to be. Still, the panels of Trigon flying over city, causing destruction for the “gnats” below, smack of cliché and pettiness. One would think that a demon of Trigon’s supposed stature and power would attack capital cities or even natural structures such as mountains to demonstrate his power. Instead, he plays with the “gnats.”)
In order to show how powerful Trigon is, Wolfman has to show how unprepared our heroes are. While this idea has plenty of merit and could be used to show our heroes’ bravery in the face of overwhelming odds (which Wolfman does attempt to show; see below), its execution is weak. Once again, a mere five issues into their own comic, the New Teen Titans are routed by a villain; the only real victory they’ve had so far was defeating the Gordanian slavers in the first issue. Is Wolfman rushing headlong to a climax too soon? It would be nice to get a sense that our heroes can win—against, for example, some less important villains—before going up against Trigon. Early victories could have made them overconfident, and their defeat here would have been far more painful.
But instead of real emotion, Wolfman resorts to melodrama: overwrought scenes of Raven tearfully defying her father and simplistic scenes of the Temple Azarath inhabitants (priests?) willing to sacrifice earth in order to preserve peace at all cost. Such scenes are meant to convey the idea that Trigon is a real threat and that only the Titans stand in his way. However, Wolfman’s approach has all the subtlety of Sarah Palin: Never mind the facts; give us moral outrage.
There are, granted, some very good character moments, such as Robin wondering why Raven picked him for the team and Raven telling him that he has the makings of a leader. Or Cyborg stepping out of his clichéd Angry Young Black Man role and serving as the voice of reason, first by interceding in a fight between Dick and Wally and then by coaxing Wally into admitting his feelings for Raven.
However, other characterization is heavy handed. After such wonderful and surprising use of Cyborg, above, Wolfman has him hesitate before going into battle because Vic is “a little scared” of being a super-hero. (Gotta have somebody to remind us that going into battle is dangerous.) Kid Flash acts like a jerk throughout and announces he is quitting the Titans twice. Granted, he is in emotional turmoil over his feelings for Raven and her manipulation of him, but he comes off as so irrational that one might wonder who’s really manipulating whom.
Most of the other Titans go through the usual tropes. Changeling cracks jokes. Starfire impetuously rushes into battle. Wonder Girl serves the needs of the plot and nothing more.
Melodrama isn’t the only problem; the story also suffers from lack of organization. On Page 15, Wolfman and Swan carefully craft a sequence of panels in which each Titan rushes into battle accompanied by a large caption telling us who they are and what they are feeling or thinking. However, it is far too late in the story for such exposition. On the screen, this type of sequence would build suspense by letting the viewer supply the emotions and thoughts; on the comic book page, it’s clunky and slows the story down.
Another organizational problem comes five pages later, just after the Titans are summoned to Temple Azarath. Robin wastes valuable time telling us how Trigon ignored them after Raven departed the previous battlefield and how Kid Flash figured his way out of Trigon’s trap. Wouldn’t it have been better to show these events happening in “real time” rather than slowing the story down with a flashback and a flashback within a flashback?
All of this isn’t to say that NTT # 5 is a bad read. It accomplishes what Wolfman set out to do: present our heroes’ first unsuccessful battle with Trigon and make us care even more for Raven (who emerges as the only truly interesting Titan so far). However, it’s not the penultimate chapter one could have hoped for.
At least the art continued to be a bargain for the price of admission. My only quibble with Curt Swan’s stellar substitution is that he often depicts Raven as if she’s wearing a Batman-style cowl, with forehead shadow extending below her pupil-less eyes. At times, however, Swan’s straightforward super-hero renderings are more welcome than Pérez’s ornate flourishings.
The “address the reader directly so she can’t miss your main point” dept.: Robin on p. 23: “Peace just doesn’t happen. You have to work to maintain it . . . struggle to preserve it.”
The “foreshadowing the catchphrase of another fictional universe” dept.: Trigon on p. 9: “Resistance is futile . . .”—more than eight years before the first appearance of the Borg.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
Apparently, I've not only killed this thread but the Titans forum, as well. Nobody has posted here since July 1.
Are people tired of the Titans? Tired of Titans reviews? Too much verbiage? Nobody remembers reading this issue?
I'd love to continue doing reviews and to read others' thoughts. If interest has waned, though, I'll stick to inane posts.
[sulks ]
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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