Second Tier Is Calling Once More: Reviewing ‘Titans’ #16

It’s a new dawn in the DC Universe as the Justice League returns. So what’s that mean for the Titans? That’s a pretty darn good question.

A new era means a new creative team and direction as John Layman, Pete Woods, and Wes Abbott begin a whole new story arc with Titans #16.

I would love to say that it’s a bold, bombastic, really heroic way to kick off a new run, but wow, was this just awkward. Not bad, just awkward.

As the intro stated, things have been shaken up in the DC Universe. Absolute Power saw the heroes struggle and come back to beat Amanda Waller and her meta-destroying coup. At the same time Darkseid is seemingly dead (see the recent DC All-In Special). Out of all that chaos Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman decided it was time to bring the Justice League out of mothballs. Albeit a bigger wider “unlimited” version that sees basically almost every known hero becoming a version of the team.

Therefore, the Justice League is now the premiere hero team of the DC Universe again.

You know … that spot that the Titans found themselves in when the League disbanded, which is where they were when this series began. Imagine being a minor league team elevated to the majors when one team disappears, only to have that team come back and take their space again. What a wild spot to be put in.

Layman does a good job of really putting the awkwardness out there, both on purpose and also clearly not on purpose. Most of the issue is the Titans being folded into the Justice League (along with Beast Boy causing an issue with a baby-like alien that gets him screamed at) and how much they are pissed about it. It just feels so stilted at times and kind of forced, where even the sudden threat of Clock King using nostalgia as a weapon kind of just falls flat.

My feelings about the previous run are well documented (I do review the book after all), especially when it comes to how much it kind of dropped the ball with the whole premiere hero team thing. It was always clear, because ongoing IP comics, that it was temporary, but it wasn’t ever handled in a way where they actually felt like the premiere team. So that, mixed with the change here, just leaves this book in a really strange space to begin.

Donna being the leader is a good call, but the execution to get to it all feels so weird to. Suddenly Nightwing is blaming the Waller stuff on his having his own book and leading the team too (what a Batman thing to do…which is not Nightwing) and is taking off from the team. Absolute Power just had a whole thing showing how the Titans were very much a premiere team with a premiere leader…and it’s all washed away now?

Flash’s ditching of the team at least makes sense with Barry Allen now depowered. Arsenal’s addition to the team is another awkward notch on the belt, as I’m pretty sure he and Donna have been around one another since any romantic stumbles. One of a few character beats that felt a bit like a turn back the clock situation for no reason, though the villain might be part of that. We’ll see.

I’ll give it more time (see what I did there?), but this just feels like they needed the Titans back to second tier by any means possible. Which makes for a really odd read.

It at least has a fun feeling to it from the visual side.

Wood is drawing and coloring here, really playing into the idea that this era is a far brighter one. As the colors are very vibrant with a lighter touch, as are the pencils. Characters flow around and the spaces have plenty of detail to really make sure we know how big this new era (and the new Watchtower) really are. Body language and facial expressions really tell a story, as they should, and speak to how familiar these characters are with one another.

While not as grand as what we saw recently with the Flash-centric issue of Absolute Power: Task Force VII, it’s still got quite an epic feeling to it. With enough lighter aspects to allow it to still exude a more fun and open energy. I imagine that some of the more action heavier issues likely to come will feel quite kinetic and powerful.

Some nice touches are done with the colors when there are flashbacks, pulling back and creating a sort of filter effect. Otherwise, they are a good mix of vibrant and subdued. Reminding us this is a superhero book but also giving it a tangible grounding quality.

Not everything has changed with the book though, as Abbott remains on board from the previous run to keep bringing all the letters to life. Doing some really fun things with the shape of bubbles, like screams that are big bold block style letters where the bubble conforms to the words. Plenty of really loud and in the moment SFX, as well as colors that add some visual life but also personality to captions and dialogue.

Here’s hoping that things are a bit smoother and far less awkward with the subsequent issues.

Titans #16 is now available from DC Comics.