Category Archives: Robin
Review: Teen Titans #16
I want Fabian Nicieza to take over Teen Titans on a full time basis. Make it happen, DC Comics. He just has a much better handle on these characters and what it takes to tell a good story than regular writer Scott Lobdell. The best issues of Teen Titans have all been penned by Nicieza, even if Lobdell was providing the plot. This issue is a perfect example. Lobdell has been writing a couple crummy additions to the Death of the Family story in both Teen Titans and Red Hood and the Outlaws. But this issue is a wonderful tie-in, pitting Red Robin and Red Hood against each other in an particularly devious plot by the Joker. And it was made even better by Nicieza’s firm grasp on Tim Drake’s inner monologue.
Teen Titans #16
This is a very good tie-in to Death of the Family, giving the two Reds a story that seems tailor-made to their places in the Bat-family. Tim Drake’s inner monologue is fantastic as he assesses and handles the threat. It really lets him shine as the series star.
Comic Rating: 4/5: Good!
I really like the friendship that has been building between Red Robin and Red Hood since the DCnU reboot. They’re really the odd men out in the Bat-family. Tim Drake, especially, hasn’t had much of a place in the world since Damian came in and stole his position as Robin. So the two of them teaming up definitely works, as does the idea that they get a more action-oriented battle with the Joker. There isn’t much psychology to mess with either of them, so the idea that the Joker pits them against each other in fisticuffs fits the characters. Their scenes are the best in the issue, and Tim Drake’s inner monologue is a real standout.
Sadly, though, Lobdell once again hits us with his ridiculous notion for foreshadowing. Twice in this issue, we cut away to a single scene focusing on an upcoming villain. Out of nowhere with little to no build-up. It just happens in the middle of the story. It’s a stupid way to introduce these villains, especially since he utterly ruins the mystery of Trigon! It’s infuriating! I loved how Lobdell and Nicieza started to lay the groundwork for Trigon a few issues ago, when they had his name mentioned in some ancient carvings. I thought that was wonderfully subtle and mysterious, and might just grow as the series progresses.
Nope. We get a full scene of a the fully demonic Tigon sitting on his throne in Hell surrounded by demons, and a scene of him just introducing Raven in all her glory. No mystery, no subtlety, no build-up. He just throws Trigon and Raven right in our faces. What a waste.
Anyway, join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 1/19/13
This is a great week for loving comic books. So many good and diverse books were released, from the horrific evil in Batman to the giddy happiness of Captain Marvel. Not to mention the return of Stilt-Man. That alone makes this a week to be remembered. This is one of the best and busiest weeks in comics I’ve seen in awhile. Mark Waid has two knockout successes with Indestructible Hulk and Daredevil. Batman’s Death of the Family story continues to rumble along, both for good and for ill, and DC tries to shove Threshold down our throats. It’s just as bad as I thought it might be. Ugh. But at least books like All-New X-Men remain top notch.
The winner of Comic Book of the Week is going to be Batman and Robin #16, giving us one of the best Death of the Family chapters yet. Though that’s not to say Daredevil #22 doesn’t give us one of the greatest lines ever spoken by man.
Oh how sweet it is
Comic Reviews: All-New X-Men #6, Batman #16, Batman and Robin #16, Captain Marvel #9, Daredevil #22, Indestructible Hulk #3, New Avengers #2, Savage Wolverine #1 and Threshold #1.
Review: Teen Titans #15
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!
Hench-Sized Comic Book Reviews – 12/15/12
Where are all the Christmas specials at? I would have expected more Christmas-themed comics this week, but perhaps everything is being saved for next week, when every comic under the sun is going to come out. Seriously, there are going to be almost a dozen comics for me next week! Which is so weird, considering there are only four this week. What’s up with that? But at least they’re four good comics, including some truly exciting chapters in the ‘Death of the Family’ story in Batman. The Joker is at the top of his villainous game, and he hits the Bat-books with a wicked one-two punch this week. And that’s not including the books I don’t read, like Batgirl, which this week announced the unceremonious firing of writer extraordinaire Gaily Simone. How DC could fire that woman is beyond me, especially firing her by e-mail. I’m definitely not going to pick up Batgirl anytime soon with Simone kicked off the book. Bad move, DC Comics.
Funny AND grossly disturbing!
But no matter, the rest of the Bat-books are doing splendidly. And out of the two I read this week, Batman and Robin inches ahead to win Comic Book of the Week!
Comic Reviews: Batman #15, Batman and Robin #15, Cable and X-Force #1, Winter Soldier #13.
Review: Teen Titans #14
I’m actually surprised to say this, but I liked this issue of Teen Titans. And it’s written by Scott Lobdell. Weird, I know! But, surprise surprise, the guy actually followed my advice and gave (most) of the Teen Titans a moment to slow down and interact like real people! Granted, he doesn’t give them long, and already the hints of future stories start crowding into this issue, but there are still some real moments of genuine character interaction! It’s refreshing and fun to read. The writer of the previous issue, Fabian Nicieza, still did a better job with the jokes and the teenage banter. But Lobdell’s efforts in this issue weren’t their typical terribleness.
Teen Titans #14
If only the rest of Teen Titans had been as good as these two issues, we wouldn’t be in this mess in the first place. The team still feels very sporadic and uncoordinated, but maybe we’re finally on the right track.
Comic rating: 4/5: Good.
The issue is split into two parts. Red Robin, Wonder Girl and Superboy continue the battle against Diesel. The dialogue isn’t nearly as good as it was last issue, under Nicieza’s pen, but it’s still serviceable and entertaining enough. The end is a little abrupt, and I’m not entirely sure what happened. But considering the cliffhanger ending to this issue, and the Teen Titans’ involvement in the Death of the Family story in Batman, I almost think Lobdell purposefully just stopped this story dead in its tracks in order to move on. I wouldn’t be surprised if he had a lot more planned for Diesel and Wonder Girl. Maybe we’ll find out in the future.
The real treat of this issue – aside from the art, which oddly, is a little worse than last issue – are the scenes between Kid Flash, Bunker and Solstice after they were left behind. Rather than get up to any weird mischief, the trio just kind of hang out, chat amongst themselves and act like real people spending time with their real friends. This is what I’ve wanted to see in Teen Titans since the first issue. This is the kind of thing that will get people to read this comic and love these characters. All action all the time is going to get you nowhere. Unfortunately, Lobdell can’t sit still for too long. A new villain starts to insert himself in these scenes, and it’s really disappointing. We don’t need to be constantly inundated with superhero action! That’s why the Teen Titans still don’t really feel like friends, but instead are just a bunch of characters thrown together in a comic book.
And lordy, the number of editors’ notes referring to other comics and other series are ridiculous. Nothing that happens in this issue or to these characters has me the least bit interested in jumping over to some other series to see where the action continues. And all these little reminders just get annoying.
Alas, Teen Titans is still filled with flaws. Join me after the jump for a full synopsis and more review.
Henchman-4-Hire 