Titans #1 Discussion/Spoilers

[Rakzo]

Yeah, this is something that I wasn't particularly excited about. Don't get me wrong, I love the team but I can't say the same about the current writer.

I have a weird history with Tom Taylor. I think he has quite a few of the positive traits of what I consider a good writer, the problem is that he also has many, MANY of what I consider a bad one, being the decompression, poor grasp at continuity and history, the shallow shock value or even the more shallow "political" commentary, there's just a lot to hate in every Taylor work and at times it surpasses any of the good that he could bring so you have to understand my doubts about this new incarnation of the Titans.

Funnily enough, what came to my mind the first time I read this issue was: Man, this is a BLAND opening.

Because it is, I was at least expecting Taylor to deliver his typical big moments to at least make the story more exciting but they weren't at all. I mean, there's one concerning Wally that I guess you could call a "big moment" and it actually sets-up where the plot is going but at the same time, there's very little action in this chapter. That's not necessarily a problem but when one of the strongest aspects of a writer doesn't deliver then you can't expect much from the rest and sadly the rest isn't particularly engaging. Characterization is by the numbers and doesn't really deliver much new, there's just the classic Taylor pandering this time focusing on the pairing of Beast Boy and Raven and a few details about the powers of each character but again, there's nothing that makes you really invested in this new adventure of them nor each one of them as a hero.

But do you know what did make me think this is a Taylor story? *sigh* When it went "political". Yes, Amanda Waller sent Peacemaker to make the team "serve their country" and this is just the stereotypical way in which Taylor handles this sort of topics to try to gain some attention from media and we all know that he will implement the subject as simple as possible.

Nicola Scott handles the art and is just great, beautiful and expressive characters and she follows the little amount of story there is clearly.

Aside from that, this is mostly a boring beginning and I don't expect things to get much better.

[sifighter]

I wouldn’t get on Peacemaker too much considering how he’s appearing in a lot of other places doing either the exact same thing or some villainous plot for Waller.

They gave him sentinels in Doom Patrol and he’s apparently going to fight the Green Arrow family.

[Digifiend]

Flash being shot dead just has no stakes - he has a solo book, so we know he'll be back.

Donna's comment to Peacemaker about America not being her country shows poor research on Taylor's part. She IS American, if the saved from the fire origin is her current one (which it is, according to last year's Artemis Wanted one-shot).

[M@Bowers2014]

Flash being shot dead just has no stakes - he has a solo book, so we know he'll be back.

Donna's comment to Peacemaker about America not being her country shows poor research on Taylor's part. She IS American, if the saved from the fire origin is her current one (which it is, according to last year's Artemis Wanted one-shot).

Just because Donna was born in America doesn't mean she identifies as one. Especially if she grew up on Themyscira which I'm assuming she did after being saved by whichever Amazon saved her. Anyway I loved the issue. Especially as a #1 issue which can often be boring since they have to set up the series. The artwork was absolutely amazing. Definitely the best by Nicola Scott to date. I really love the design of the new tower. It wasn't a perfect issue but I highly enjoyed it. Oh yeah as a Garth aka Tempest fan I'm intrigued by his part in the story.

[sifighter]

Flash being shot dead just has no stakes - he has a solo book, so we know he'll be back.

Donna's comment to Peacemaker about America not being her country shows poor research on Taylor's part. She IS American, if the saved from the fire origin is her current one (which it is, according to last year's Artemis Wanted one-shot).

Yeah the moment it was revealed Flash was shot I went “yeah he’s probably giving a warning from the future or something.”

At least Garth or any other Titan was actually killed off.

[Primal Slayer]

Donna's comment to Peacemaker about America not being her country shows poor research on Taylor's part. She IS American, if the saved from the fire origin is her current one (which it is, according to last year's Artemis Wanted one-shot).

That's not poor research. She doesnt identify has an American and was not raised in America.

[D.Z]

Cyborg book combines his early history with JL and Titans, so he was a teen joing JL first then the New Teen Titans.

[Primal Slayer]

Cyborg book combines his early history with JL and Titans, so he was a teen joing JL first then the New Teen Titans.

lol what!?! that's even worse

[Frontier]

Wouldn't it make more sense for him to join the Titans, then join the League, then go back to the Titans?

[Iclifton]

As someone who enjoys Taylors Nightwing, this was just okay. Stakes didn’t seem any higher than your typical Titans book. So far nothing “JL” level.

One other thing that has always bothered me, even in Nightwing, is how witty or similar every character seems to be. Like the conversations don’t seem real to me. Taylor can also write his characters to be super on the nose and they can sometimes give off an “after school special” vibe. It’s more of problem in this book though because of the large cast.

[sifighter]

Wouldn't it make more sense for him to join the Titans, then join the League, then go back to the Titans?

I got a guess, something tells me someone at Dc knew the general public knew Cyborg from Justice League but the actual comic readers knew he was a Titan.

So my guess is while he’s no longer a founding Justice League member, it’s now he was on the league for a short minute and then decided to be a Titans member that way they can say he was on the league but the place he feels he belongs is with his actual friends.

[Frontier]

As someone who enjoys Taylors Nightwing, this was just okay. Stakes didn’t seem any higher than your typical Titans book. So far nothing “JL” level.

One other thing that has always bothered me, even in Nightwing, is how witty or similar every character seems to be. Like the conversations don’t seem real to me. Taylor can also write his characters to be super on the nose and they can sometimes give off an “after school special” vibe. It’s more of problem in this book though because of the large cast.

I've often found it an issue in Taylor's books where it seems like most of the cast are fighting to be the first or best quip.

[Factor]

The art was great, but the story is very by the numbers. After an entire arc setting up this new status quo in Nightwing, I was hoping this book would start with a bang. Titano and the 20th Peacemaker cameo of the month is just not it.
I hope Taylor starts showing how exactly the Titans are stepping up, because they keep talking about it and yet this could have been any Titans issue ever. No need to retire the League so that the team gets a new tower again and has an argument with Waller’s pawn.

At least Nicola Scott continues to be absolutely incredible. She deserves better.

[BohemiaDrinker]

About Wally, my guess is:

spoilers:

Wally was shot in the near future, probably by Peacemaker in some Waller plan. He travels to his "past" (our present), warn himself, and lets a message for the titans to solve the crime. Present Wally will go into hiding, current Titans solve it, Wally reappears. Or something like that.

end of spoilers

[ayanestar]

All I'm expecting from Taylor are some nice character interactions. I don't expect much from him storywise.