Are you reading Teen Titans? Scott Lobdell is writing it, and his work on X-Men (and later Uncanny X-Men) was nothing short of prolific. Don't believe me? Go back and read that story about Iceman's racist dad getting beaten up for defending his mutant son. And Lobdell was writing that s@# before it got trendy.
In Titans, he's made the bold move to feature Red Robin (the Tim Drake version, natch), Wonder Girl, and Kid Flash on the team. But he's also created a host of brand new characters who are actually pretty interesting. There's Skitter, an insect-like girl who shows very little rational, coherent thought in her "bug state" (more on her this issue). Solstice; who is apparently made up of some sort of blue light in a black smoke girl form. And finally Bunker; a carefree Mexican gay character who can create purple energy constructs. For example, he likes to form "brick hands" when punching people. We still don't know much about the newbies. This issue is a direct follow up from the Superboy attack in #5, with the team slowly regaining consciousness. The immediate danger? Kid Flash was vibrated so fast by "The Superboy" (I like how they put the "The" they put in front of his name in this and other issues) that he is now in danger of vibrating out of existence.
The team go visit Virgil Hawkins, who you may remember as the animated superhero Static. I will level with you. I don't like Static. He has the same basic powers as Magneto, but is somehow lamer with none of the villainous flair. But this issue? I like him. Because he doesn't wear a superhero costume for one, and because they kind of portray him as this absent minded teen genius. I also just like the fact that him and Tim Drake are friends (Virgil designed his wings). And even though Kid Flash and the rest of the Titans wind up there, it's really only because the Justice League isn't really answering his calls. They don't really explain Tim's relationship with Batman at all so far, but a Titans story should never really be about that I guess. I'm curious just because it hasn't really come up before, and it's not really addressed here. 
Anyway, Solstice stays by Kid Flash's side (awww!) during his bad vibrations. Tim and Virgil work to crack the case of the mysteriously vibrating boy. Meanwhile, a creepy teen villain with no discernible mouth "senses" the team and reaches out to Skitter's mind. He's able to take control because of her lack of psionic defenses or WHATEVER it is in comic book speak. When Skitter skitters off, Wonder Girl and Bunker go after her. They eventually confront the villain. He comes dangerously close to killing Wonder Girl (arguably the heavy hitter on the team right now) because he can paralyze people, but Bunker's energy constructs are made from his mind, so he's able to knock that sucker out. Bunker is just adorable. Seriously, it's hard not to have fun reading him because he's having so much fun in every issue he appears. In true 90's fashion, the issue ends with Kid Flash getting a new costume to resolve his vibration problem. These issues might work much better in trades (little action ends up taking place issue-to-issue) but I don't have the same buyer's regret that I do from reading Lobdell's Superboy. Brett Booth's art is just so darn pretty. I look forward to it every month in a way no other comic is doing for me right now. In conclusion, read Teen Titans.
1 comment:
I have not seen this, but I like Lobdell's work. I'll have to take a look. Thanks!
Post a Comment