Weekly Ones is a weekly post written by me, Drewtos, where I review one brand spankin’ new #1 issue. First impressions are everything. This week I’m diving into Teen Titans #1 published by DC Comics and written by Will Pfeifer (Red Hood and the Outlaws) with art by Kenneth Rocafort (Red Hood and the Outlaws, Superman).
Marvel Comics’ most recent incarnation of Young Avengers by Kieron Gillen, which ended in January 2014 with issue #15, was an amazing achievement. It had a perfect blend of humor, drama, and action. Young Avengers was a great example of how to do a teen superhero book right. So, after living through Scott Lobdell’s dark, depressing run on Teen Titans, it would make sense for DC to follow in their rival’s footsteps. The cover for Teen Titans #1 makes it seem like DC is going for a similar “fun” approach. The use of social media also reminds readers of how Young Avengers very cleverly featured alternate versions of Tumblr and Instagram through out its run. Does Will Pfeifer’s Teen Titans #1 aim to mimic Gillen’s Young Avengers? It’s too early to say.
It might be a little unfair to compare the two books, but seeing the cover for Teen Titans #1 automatically made me think of Young Avengers. That being said, this first issue is definitely fun. We get to see each team member—Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, Raven, and Bunker—use their unique abilities in an attempt to rescue a school bus filled with children held hostage, while Red Robin leads them. While the issue reminds us of all their abilities, it doesn’t take too much time fleshing out the characters backgrounds. Pfeifer may be assuming most readers have read Lobdell’s previous run with that these characters or these character have been featured in plenty of other media already, and no in depth introductions are needed. He wouldn’t be wrong to assume this. Red Robin, Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, and Raven have been staples in the DC Universe for years now, but Bunker, a creation of Scott Lobdell, is still a fairly new character.One of the last few panels does remind us of the prejudices Bunker has to deal with and I’m always glad to see DC, or any publisher, shed light on the issues of gay rights in a respectful manner, while not becoming too preachy about it. While social commentary is appreciated, Teen Titans is still a book about teen superheroes and fans should have fun when reading it. As far as writing goes, I think Pfeifer has the potential to whip out a series that’s better and funner than Lobdell’s run.
As for the art, I might be a little biased. I’m a huge fan of Kenneth Rocafort’s art. His style is so unique and looks a lot different than DC’s typical house style. Months before Teen Titans #1 hit the stands CBR writer Janelle Asselin criticized Rocaforts cover, specifically his rendition of Wonder Girl, pointing out her breasts are the “size of her head” and they were “popping out of her top.” Despite the backlash DC Comics received after Asselin’s article, the final cover remains the same but features Facebook-esq face-tagging over the character’s faces. Perhaps to distract? While I agreed with Janelle Asselin on the outrageous breast size and impractical costume (some straps would be nice), I can’t say I don’t love the interior art in this first issue, but I would understand if some readers will still have a problem with Wonder Girl’s getup.
Verdict:
Teen Titans #1 is a refreshing first issue. I’m definitely interested in seeing where Will Pfeifer and Kenneth Rocafort take this series. I hope it remains a fun comic, and avoids becoming too dark and depressing like Lobdell’s run. I say check it out.P.S. - I don’t hate Scott Lobdell. His run on Red Hood and the Outlaws was awesome.
- Drewtos
3 Notes/ Hide
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