Underwhelming And Trite: ‘World’s Finest: Teen Titans’ #2 Review

After a spectacular debut, the original Teen Titans set out on a new mission in World’s Finest: Teen Titans #2, and while it does a good deal in allowing focus to remain on both Aqualad and Wonder Girl, the story it chose to tell, while heart-warming, was a little underwhelming for this particular reader. Underwhelming and rather run-of-the-mill as we witness the aforementioned Garth and Donna, along with the help of Speedy, try and come to the rescue of a missing student who was last seen in a haunted house. But not before we get scenes of Donna wandering around the city enrapt by all the little things she never had on Paradise Island. Donna and Garth are the veritable fish out of water – which writer Mark Waid has decided is her and Garth’s thing – as we are reintroduced to characters at the start of their superior careers. Kinda like Starfire was back in The New Teen Titans, but without the overt sexuality. But, it certianly adds an optimistic zest to proceedings, even if Garth doesn’t necessarily share this feeling at the start of this issue. And, a reversal of roles, of a sort, by the end of the issue.

Along the way to a rather trite and conveniently happy ending we get the reintroduction of further classic Titans characters from the ‘60s. But not in any way that really matters to the story. Rather to be made use of at a later date. K’know, like the appearance of Golden Eagle last issue as the Titans’ social media manager. I suppose it all goes to swelling the ranks. But with this being a Donna and Garth focused issue, there is simply not enough comic book real estate to push too many plot lines. 

The art is the saving grace, with Emanuela Lupacchino’s smooth line work as comfortable drawing contemporary city settings with the more unnerving elements of the haunted house. Jordie Bellaire’s colours give the whole affair a glow that embodies the exuberance and energy of a young team of teenagers. This is a comic to be enjoyed and not to be taken too seriously. Like its counterpart title, Batman/Superman: World’s Finest, this title is a celebration of DC Comics rich, fun history, recast and recounted for a contemporary readership. And while this issue wasn’t my cup of tea, I can see how it’s another example of Waid trying to recapture the excitement and joy of the Silver Age and reinvent it to suit our more enlightened times. A bumpy, unoriginal second issue, but at least the ending promises a lot more fun next issue. 

World’s Finest: Teen Titans #2 is out now from DC Comics