Legion World Forums LEGION COMPANION Dr. Gym'll's Cultural Rarities Oh Yeah, That Forum: The Titans An EDE RETRO REVIEW: Teen Titans #45

BEWARE 30 YEAR OLD SPOILERS!

Okay, so I paid like $11.50 for this. Which seemed freakishly expensive. But it's Titans month, and Lash is all obsessed with the Titans from this era, and I *am* co-writing Groovy 70s Titans: The Series, and... well, it's actually pretty damned good.

THE PLOT
Speedy makes Mal quit the Titans. Speedy quits the Titans because he made Mal quit the Titans. Mal gets caught in an explosion caused by a neighborhood gang upset at development in their neighborhood. Mal has a near-death experience, which results in him getting Gabriel's Horn. Mal blows the horn which teleports the Titans (including Speedy) to his location to help him fight the gang. The Titans fight the gang members, who have the neighborhood wired with booby traps and cool weapons like a missile-firing mailbox. Everyone lives happily ever after when Speedy invites Mal to join the Great Frogs.

THE GROOVY

--Mal kicks Azrael's ass! No, not *that* one. This one's a lot less wussy!

--Julie Schwartz correcting the angel Gabriel in a footnote! ("Actually, a ram's horn known as a Shofar--")

--Did I mention missile-launching mailboxes?

FUNNY 70S CURSING DEPT.

Speedy: "Aw, spit!"

Mal: "Darned straight, Robin!"

THE "COULD THIS GUY BE ANY WIMPIER?" DEPT.

Aqualad. Sheesh!

ASSESSMENT

I found this far more enjoyable overall than the Legion material of the same period. It's a well-written story, which changes one of the the cast members in an interesting way. Mal reads a bit as a black stereotype, but I really like the focus on him. And the notion that he he'll die if he ever looses a fight is intriguing. Gabriel's Horn strikes me too much as a deus ex machina power, ala Tyroc's though. The nice thing about Mal is the focus is really on the character, not on the power, especially since he went through various identities.

Anyway, I liked it a lot!

Wow, awesome review, EDE! I'd love to get into these Titans back-issues that Lash has been raving about as well, but that price tag is kind of making me weary. Way to be a big spender though!

Dare I hope that missile-launching mailboxes make it into Groovy 70s Titans: the Series? Sounds like Aqualad could use the firepower and personality development time.

Zoinks! I had NO idea that run of the TTs had gotten so expensive-- when I was replacing some of my rattier issues several years back, they were still in the like $3-$5 range. I smell a price gouge!

It's likely these books will NEVER be reprinted in any format, so this is the only way to get them, I guess.

Anyway, Eryk, despite that price I am thrilled that you enjoyed the book! I'll certainly agree that it was more fun than the LEGION stuff of the same period!

I'm guessing it was just over-priced. The other issue I picked up, #47, was $4.50. I can't imagine the first appearance of Mal with Gabriel's Horn is significant enough to make #45 worth nearly three times as much. Anyway, I'm just pretending I paid $8 for each of them, which doens't seem nearly as bad.

That's so funny because I do the same thing to justify some of my purchases.

I have almost this entire run (bought new off the rack ) so if you need any research done, just let me know.

Yeah. If you buy enough comics out of the quarter bin, you can get a really good deal on Action #1 with them!

What I remember most about this issue was the introduction of the gang -- a panel revealing each of the characters' names and nicknames. (Was the leader called "The Wrecker"?) I was a sucker for introductions like that, even when the characters didn't amount to anything.

I, too, liked the focus on Mal, though I never understood why he didn't continue to use the Guardian's costume from the previous issue. After all, no one else was using it. It seemed a shame to let it go to waste.

The scenario of the angels battling for Mal's soul was an interesting subplot, but it never really developed, and, to my knowledge, was forgotten when the series ended. It's too bad, because the glimpse of the afterlife/spirit world it suggested was rare in comics.

Jeepers! Maybe I'll have to do a retro review on that other Titans issue I picked up last year!

Hmm...I don't think it went to waste, HWTTSS, the Guardian costume was ditched for the Black Lightning-esque funky duds in TT 49, (debuting as Hornblower) but mysteriously re-emerged for the Titans East-West team-up the following issue

Also, i can't recall if Aqualad's "fainting spells" had ever been cured (even off-panel)

Bah! I was all excited because I found two issues of Groovy 70s Teen Titans at the shop today, but then I realized they were the issues I already had!

Issues?

Why only one review then?

Stop denying me! Get with the program! I must have more EDE 70s TT RRs!

Jeepers! Okay, I'll do a retro review of Teen Titans #47 once I get the chance to re-read it!

But, as a teaser:

EDE RETRO REVIEW: The Hostess Fruit Pie Ad from Teen Titans #47!

Bat Man in "The World's Upside Down!"

So, our story starts with Batman hanging around in Gotham City one day. And he is literally hanging by his batboots, for the villainous Topsy-Turvy Man has struck! Now for those of you who aren't hardcore Batfans, you might not be familiar with this particular arch-fiend! I know I wasn't!

Fortunately, this notorious criminal is explained for us: "Topsy-Turvy Man, arch-villain, has the ability to turn things upside down!" What does that amount to? Well, he seems to be some kind of gravity manipulator, who can make things fall "up" instead of "down", making the whole world seem as though it's turned upside down. Except apparently people don't fall up, only the loose change and bills and hostess fruit pies from their pockets fall towards him as he's hovering around walking upside down on air. But people's capes and hairdos and such are pulled upward even if they aren't. I'm not sure if he controls what's affected by his power or not.

Anyway, best I can figure out is that this topsy-turvy guy's powers won't work on toupees, and they keep falling off every time he tries to walk around on the air upside down, which explains his really miniscule combover and bad disposition. And so he's set about using his power to steal people's money and fruit pies and stuff.

So, Batman kicks his ass. And the apple, cherry, and lemon fruit pies are safe!

SUMMARY

Note to self: If visiting the groovy 70s, beware upside down short guys with bad combovers!

He isn't kidding!

The Whole World\'s Upside Down!

He's mastered the evil hand-wringing... or is that how he activates his powers?

You got to love the fact that the kid's more amazed by the real fruit filling than the fact that the entire world has turned upside down!

And of course, anyone with a comb-over is evil.

EDE RETRO REVIEW: Groovy 70s Teen Titans #47

By popular demand!

THE PLOT

So this story starts with an attack by Topsy-Turvy Man's cousin Mirror Man, who has the power to turn left to right and right to left! Well, not really, but we do find out that Gotham City and New York are apparently twin cities, only with inverted skylines. And stamp exhibits in both are apparently simulataneously under attack by the same three criminals: Flamesplasher, Sizematic, and Darklight! Their dorky codenames and goofy costumes just scream "second-rate villains", though they seem to be more than a match for Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, and the Joker's Daughter, who interrupt their heist in Gotham, clued in by Duela's "esp" connection with the mastermind behind the gang. The gang's fire, growing, and darkness powers allow them to k.o. the Titans.

After their defeat, the Titans limp home to their new Disco HQ, which the rest of the Titans are busy constructing. Soon Duella gets info on the gang's next caper, and goes with Speedy, Mal, and Aqualad to stop them. The Titans are all prepped with intel from their colleagues defeat, but which turns out to be bad, since the villains defeat them with their water, shrinking, and light powers.

So, the second group of Titans limps back to Gabriel's Horn. Aqualad falls into a coma from what Aquaman speculates is a case of the "hydro Asian flu". Duella gets yet another "esp" message, and she and Robin take off to investigate it. Meanwhile, the remaining Titans see that the gang is causing more trouble on the news, and rush to face them once again, unaware that Robin and Duella have fallen into a trap!

THE "WE'VE GIVEN UP TRYING TO MAKE AQUALAD USEFUL" DEPT.

So let's just give him fainting spells to get him out of the way!

THE BAD AIM DEPT.

So, Sizematic walks around with a great big Bullseye on his chest, and nobody hits it!

THE "SHOULDN'T MAL BE DEAD?" DEPT.

I thought the deal was he couldn't lose a fight? Sure looks to me like Darklight creams him... or was it he couldn't lose a fight after using Gabriel's Horn? Maybe I need to go back and reread #45...

THE PETITION TO GET SPEEDY BACK ON DRUGS DEPT.

Jeepers! The guy's going through massive withdrawal all issue! Yelling at Mal and Kid Flash and Duella and anyone else who gets within earshot!

THE "WHO'S YOUR DADDY" DEPT.

Duella claims the criminal mastermind is her father!

SUMMARY

This is a solid, if somewhat predictable, issue. I think it serves to set up later issues more than anything, but, unfortunately, I don't have the later issues!

Who couldn't love a heroine who throws off her opponents by calling them "Daddy"?

Thanks for the excellent review, Eryk!

The Sizematic twins were slated to appear in the SECRET SOCIETY OF SUPER-VILLAINS issue that was cancelled. An image of them appears on a monitor screen in the final published issue of SSoSV.

Yeah, this issue is definitely the set-up for the next issue and Duela's confrontation with the criminal mastermind she claims is her father.

I didn't care for the art for this issue. This guy's Duela is particularly ugly. And though Don Heck (who drew the Titans West tale in 50-52) has never been a favorite artist of mine, I'd rather he had drawn this issue, and can't imagine his Titans East/West tale drawn by anyone else.

I liked the art in 44, 45 and 46 and would have preferred those artists I think. Fortunately this was just a 1-shot art job for TT.

Tellya what, EDE... I still have some issues that need to be replaced due to over-reading and general rattiness of condition (#s 48, 51 and 52, iirc). When I replace them, I will send you the original issues if you want them. Warning: They are in REALLY ratty condition; they're the originals I bought off the spinner rack and have read, like, a zillion times. But free if you want.

(and of course, you will want to do an EDE 70s TT RR on them!)

I'm now pulling for an EDE all-Hostess snack ads review thread.

Hmm... not a bad idea...

I live for this thread!!