I am torn by this new issue of Teen Titans. On the one hand, it’s an entertaining comic with a really good focus on the team leaving their comfort zone to go on a group mission, kind of like going on a field trip. On the other hand, it’s the worst Death of the Family tie-in yet. And it adds to my growing hatred of the Joker’s omnipotence. Apparently while plotting the attack on Batman and the Bat-family, the Joker took the time to research all of the Teen Titans and construct an elaborate trap for them, which the Titans trigger exactly how the Joker predicted! He even drew the diagram on a chalkboard.

Teen Titans #15

So apparently people like Bunker and Wonder Girl factor into Joker’s big plan to get Batman, and the Clown Prince of Crime can accurately predict the actions and movements of Kid Flash. At least we get some solid Tim Drake moments.

Comic rating: 3/5: Alright.

This is not a bad comic as far as the Teen Titans are concerned. Finally, at long last, I really got the sense that they were a team that existed in the greater DCnU. Not completely, mind you. But I really got a strong feeling that Tim Drake’s motley crew of teenage superheroes might be the real deal. There are many ways that the DC reboot utterly failed to build a cohesive universe, with the Teen Titans towards the top of that list, but I really liked how the team came off in this issue. They’re done with the internal fighting and the silly N.O.W.H.E.R.E. stuff, and now it’s finally time to let them be a real superhero team responding to real problems. So at least that was spot on.

But oh lord, this issue is terrible when it comes to the Joker.

It makes sense that the Joker would attack each of Batman’s sidekicks individually, because that’s his whole scheme, to take them out in order to make Batman stronger. But the tie-in writers are really coming up with some stupidly elaborate plots to make this happen. Not to mention the question of how it is that the Joker is able to attend to each of these traps seemingly simultaneously? Especially when most of them rely on extreme guess work.

Damian found the Joker in Batman and Robin by discovering traces of hyena urine at Wayne Manor. So Joker is at the zoo waiting for him. Nightwing found the Joker in a warehouse in his own comic by analyzing the Joker venom that killed his friend. So Joker was at that warehouse waiting for him. Joker was also at Izabel’s apartment in order to kidnap Jason Todd in Red Hood and the Outlaws. And Joker is now out and about ready to kidnap and taunt an imprisoned Tim Drake. And somehow the Joker found time to predict exactly where Kid Flash would go looking for him, and plant a trap specifically designed for Kid Flash.

How is the Joker doing all of this!? And all at the same time? It’s getting ridiculous. Especially when an issue like this has very little to nothing to do with the overall Death of the Family story. Anyone who bought this issue just because of the tie-in will be disappointed. Especially since guest writer Fabian Nicieza just doesn’t do this new Joker any justice, not as much as the other writers on this crossover, at least.

Join me after the jump for a fully synopsis and more review!

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