Titans 34-38

Titans (Volume 2) #34
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

Despite hating what happened to Lian Harper and the disgusting way Dan Didio has talked about killing her,  and then what happened to Ryan Choi… this was a good issue and that is due to the creative team telling a strong story. I am actuallu interested in what is to come of Osiris and this creepy guy who takes people’s eyes.

 

Titans (Volume 2) #35
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino and Phillip Tan

Another good issue of this dark series. I hate how Lian and Ryan have died but Eric Wallace sure knows how to write and Fiorentino knows how to draw beautifully. There was a lot of story in this issue. Wallace isn’t writing for the trade and I like that. The ending where Deathstroke has to fight essentially the creatures from the movie “the Descent” was quite creepy. I wonder if Vixen will ever form her new street team of heroes (Which ironically is how she originally joined the League in the 80’s right because Aquaman wanted to remake the team like that). All of the plots in this book are interesting.

Titans (Volume 2) #36
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

This issue wasn’t as good as the last. The art seemed weaker and it ended the arc too easily to me. It was exciting to see the Justice League show up at the end to take Deathstroke to task for the murder of Ryan Choi. Other than that it was only okay. I don’t really care much about Tatooed Man’s arc which is what most of this issue was dedicated to. Deathstroke mentions that Roy and Jericho were once on the same team but…was Jericho and Roy ever on the Titans at the same time? I don’t remember if they were. It seems not but I could be wrong.

Titans (Volume 2) #37
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Travis Moore

This was a return to form as Jericho is resurrected by a device Deathstroke helped Sivana create. Then they offer to bring back the dead relatives of the Titans including Lian Harper! I was screaming yes! But the problem is that it might also give Lian eternal life which is hell I guess but Roy should know that in the DC Universe they will figure out how to fix that. Bring back your toddler who didn’t deserve to die at he hands of Prometheus/Dan Didio! Can’t wait to see how this concludes.

Titans (Volume 2) #38
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Travis Moore

In the final issue the machine that would have ressurected Lian Harper is destroyed which is too bad but I guess Roy is reformed now and has decided to lead the Titans even though Jericho is now it’s only member. Wallace is a really good writer and I hope he landed somewhere else in DC’s line up after this book. What I like the most is that he included a heartfelt funeral for Ryan Choi which showed he respects the character even though I am sure that editorial forced him to kill Ryan. I am glad Ryan returned in DC Rebirth but I wish it was the same Ryan Choi. I hope in the end it will turn out that everyone’s memories had just been erased and that it is the same Ryan without his memories of being the Atom. Long live the real and original DC Universe!

 

 

Taking Power From Shazam

Titans (Volume 2) #32
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino and Phillip Tan

 

Now this was an enjoyable issue as we finally as Osiris is officially restored to life by the white light after he takes Freddy Freeman’s powers away which somehow bring Isis back but something bad has happened to her apparently. I am actually excited to see what happens next which is not something I say often about this book. Tatooed Man leaves and Deathstroke gives more hints that this whole team has something to do with Jericho.

Pick A Name And Stick To It

Titans (Volume 2) #31
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Okay DC you need to decide whether Freddy Freeman is going by Captain Marvel or Shazam – in story its always Shazam – but in the text and their advertisements it’s like that can’t decide which is really unprofessional and annoying. Pick one! Osiris is way over the edge and this book is in no way fun to read anymore – from Arsenal’s downward spiral (hell at least he isn’t an outright villain just yet) to the disgusting murder of Slipknot I just didn’t care for this issue. And this is coming from someone who doesn’t mind violence in comics all that much.

Leaving Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #30
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

It’s a shame this Arkham arc is coming to an end as this has been the best this book has been since the Villains for Hire thing started. Heck any comic set in Arkham is usually a treat but this setting really amped up the fun for this series which I found to just be incredibly depressing before. Osiris leaves and swares off killing for now, which is a good thing, although it was kind of abrupt and the confrontation between Dick and Roy was great cause I am glad to see that Dick still believes in his friend even if Roy has become a drug addicted mess. I wonder where this is going.

Arkham Fights

Titans (Volume 2) #29
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

This was an okay issue but I don’t feel like a lot happened – just a lot of fighting inside Arkham and Tattooed Man talking about his dead son – who I didn’t even know was dead. But it’s still Arkham and that is always fun. Osiris is completely nuts now.

A Trip To Arkham

Titans (Volume 2) #28
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

I have to say that this is the best issue of Wallace’s run yet, and that has a lot to do with it is always awesome when a comic is set in Arkham Asylum and the Bat-Villains show up. The idea that the one guard had the key to all the cells is incredibly dumb but whatever. Osiris is a full-on killer now I highly doubt he can be redeemed even if he thinks killing is going to bring his sister back to life. Arsenal is actually quite interesting as a drug addict but it’s still so sad to see him like that. It was just as heartbreaking to see Ray Palmer investigating Ryan Choi’s disappearance. A part of me still has some hope that Ryan may still be alive somehow.

Cracking Up

Titans (Volume 2) #27
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The violence wasn’t as bad as past issues – but this book is still filled with disgusting violence that isn’t even balanced off by humor like over in Secret Six. Everything about this book is depressing from Osiris believing he has to kill to bring back Isis’s to Arsenal’s drug addiction and loss over his daughter. But there is an interesting mystery as to what Deathstroke’s plans are – and why is Isis’s statue cracking? So I am torn about whether I like the new direction of the book or not.

Arsenal Joins

Titans (Volume 2) #26
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

Arsenal joins these new Titans with a plan to take down Deathstroke with Cheshire. Roy has changed a lot since Lian’s death and I get that…I hate seeing him like this and I hate that Lian is dead but I see this as what would happen to Roy after he lost his daughter – the most important thing to him in the whole world. Having him in this book makes the team a lot more interesting. This was by far the best issue of Wallace’s run to date. I like that Wallace is also fleshing out the characters by having small moments between each members of the team. One thing really holding this book back is the art…Fiorentino makes some scenes pretty confusing with the way he sets them up. He is a good artist I just think he needs to work on his storytelling skills.

Directions

Titans (Volume 2) #25
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The new Titans battle Facade and defeat the shape-shifter in this rather bloody issue. The over-the-top violence works in Secret Six because the humor balances it out – but it really does not work in this book. Yes, they are villains, but it’s hard to read something so violent and take it seriously. I am still not sure if this was the right direction for this book and I hope this is building to something.

Not Sure What To Think

Titans (Volume 2) #24
Written by Eric Wallace
Art by Fabrizio Fiorentino

 

The new era of Titans begins as Deathstroke’s group of villains for hire take center stage as the new cast – it is an interesting idea and kind of strange but I am not completely against it. Having the former Teen Titans in this book wasn’t exactly doing anything for it – I just wish they hadn’t launched this concept with the death of Ryan Choi. Anyways, this wasn’t an awful start – it was certain violent but it is expected I guess. I am not sure what to think just yet about any of this. I certainly liked the art a lot.

JLA 13 – 26

Justice League of America #13
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Joe Benitez

When I first read this issue, I was a little turned off. I guess I expected more from the first issue of McDuffie’s run and I certainly expected better art. But now I think this was a pretty good read and did remind me a lot of the TV show. Good start, and at least much better then anything Meltzer did on this title. I think the Injustice League is very cool and I like how they are opposite numbers of the League. Of the villains we have seen so far this is what the breakdown is.

Superman:

Lex Luthor
Parasite

Batman:
The Joker

Poison Ivy

Wonder Woman:
Cheetah

Firestorm:
Killer Frost

Hawkgirl:
Shadow Thief

Green Lantern:
Fatality

The Flash:
Gorilla Grodd

Black Canary, Vixen, Black Lightning, Red Arrow, Geo-Force, and Red Tornado are sadly without any villains yet.

Justice League of America #14
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

This is another good issue. The Injustice League is shown to have Cheshire and Shaggy Man in it’s ranks as well. Cheshire is a Red Arrow villain arguably (even if he has a kid with her) but Shaggy Man and Dr. Light are just general villains not specific to anyone.

Justice League of America #15
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

The way Batman basically tells Firestorm that he has no choice, he has to join the Justice League was awesome! This concluded the Injustice League arc and it was good, but this arc as a whole would have been a whole lot better if someone else was doing the art.

Justice League of America #16
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Joe Benitez and Allan Jefferson

Eh….this issue was okay. It just served as a preview to two other mini-series’s which is kind of annoying. I would have rather had a story in this series that starts and ends in it.

Justice League of America #17
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and Joe Benitez

Haha the main story I could care less about. It was lame and had awful art. But the back up written by McDuffie was good because McDuffie comments on the fact that Meltzer’s whole Vixen is using the powers of the Justice League thing makes no sense. I love it! Take that Meltzer!

Justice League of America #18
Written by Dwayne McDuffie and Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes and John Boy Meyers

Meh….this was very decompressed and was basically filler. They could have cut this entire issue of the arc. But the back up was good.

Justice League of America #19
Written by Allan Burnett
Art by Ed Benes

Thank god this arc is over because it was not very good. It just served as a sidestory to another mini-series! Whatever happened to this series having its own stories. Hawkgirl being so jealous over Cheshire is just stupid and seems completely forced. Also, I know Geo-Force was transferred to the Outsiders but you would think someone would have mentioned it for people who aren’t reading
the Outsiders. Instead, he just dissappears. That’s bad editing.

Justice League of America #20
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ethan Van Sciver

This was by far the best issue of McDuffie’s run so far. And you wanna know why, Ethan Van Sciver. Look at how much of a difference Ed Benes’s art makes with McDuffie’s writing. McDuffie is a good writer, but Benes’s art is soo bad that it is killing a good story. Anyways, this was a beautiful issue with a nice story with the Flash and Wonder Woman. I liked it a lot.

Justice League of America #21
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Carlos Pacheo

This is a final crisis tie-in issue that is rather enjoyable. In fact, it was just as good as last issue. This book is sooo much better without Ed Benes. Please DC, get rid of him! Anyways, it made me happy to see that Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman were going to add Martian Manhunter back in the league before he died but the trinity is acting kind’ve elitist. Libra is a visually stunning character and I can’t wait to learn more about him in Final Crisis.

Justice League of America #22
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Bene

Unfortunately Bene is back this issue….with some ultra terrible art. He draws just one body type…it’s so annoying. Plot-wise, it was only okay. Red Tornado taken over by Amazo does NOT interest me, especially when the League already fought Amazo under Meltzer’s pen. The vixen subplot interests me more but not by much. I really can’t reccomend this issue.

Justice League of America #23
Written by Dwayne McDuffie Art by Ed Benes

While this may have not been a horrible issue if Ed Benes was not doing the art, it was horrible when comined with the art and the rather dull fight with Amazo that lasted the entire issue. Damn. And this series was finally getting good again.

Justice League of America #24
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art byAllan Goldman

Yay! Benes is gone again this issue. This made the fight with Amazo so much better but still rather dull. The best moments of this issue were at the end where they go to meet Animal Man. I did not even think of the vegatarian thing. I am intrugued as to where this is going.

Justice League of America #25
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes, Ian Churchill, Doug Mahnke, Darick Robertson, Shane Davis, and Ivan Reis

This anniversary issue was rather good. I am happy to find Red Tornado leaving the team as I never really grew fond of the character. Also, Anansi seems like a great villain for the league to face. I like how he speaks and how he spins the webs of stories. I look forward to the next issue.

Justice League of America #26
Written by Dwayne McDuffie
Art by Ed Benes

Now this alternate reality issue of JLA is one of the best issues of McDuffie’s run. He can write some great stuff when he isn’t editorially mandated to do things. There were so many great moments. The Brown Bomber! LMAO. It was refreshing to see Vixen calling upon Animal Powers again and I have to wonder if Meltzer only had it go away because he was too lazy to look up animals to use (:. But the anansi thing did seem to end rather quickly. I bet McDuffie wanted it to be longer but then was told he had to do the whole Milestone crossover thing. Well at least this is a new arc I can look forward to, even if it is editorially mandated.