If the goal of this storyline is another Terror of Trigon rehash I would agree completely.
What I am beating around the bush about is that I don’t think that is the end goal of this story arc. I think it’s more of a learning to accept all of herself and her background arc. The route to get there looks a lot like a Terror of Trigon rehash with some Judas Contract mixed in.
I'm not counting either horrible Raven run that Marv did. She wasn't the same character.
I don't think we can really talk about her as one continuous, harmonious character, as she's not. It would make more sense to differentiate the various versions, as their histories, power sets, etc are all very different.
What I thought he was going for was a Raven incompetent at human interaction plot line with Trigon and Arella as her only example of a relationship growing up among monks and of course her demon operating on the want, take, have version of relationships.
I agree the story arc didn't work and it is a large part of the failure of Raven’s character over the past few decades to move beyond her teenage years issues successfully into 20 something issues. Raven is far from the only character to suffer from this problem.
I think the current arc is attempting to update Raven’s character and relationships including with Trigon into something that works for a 20 something Raven. If it works or not remains to be seen, but it’s integrating demon lore and concepts from TTG and the animated films so who knows. I agree there had been some variability over time with the demon lore for Raven.
Ultimately updating her core relationships is part of what the character needs to break the cycle.
Trigon’s motivation needs to be updated as well. Control daughter worked for a teenage years Raven, but stopped working post emancipation years and led to the character to be in a hole recycling weaker versions of the same story.
Last edited by jmc247; 02-10-2024 at 08:52 AM.
Some thoughts about New 52. There were some evolutionary features to Trigon and Raven’s characters I felt were worthwhile.
For Trigon it was his embrace of both halves of Raven by going the route of him wanting her to be greater then himself. Him just being interested in red half leads to one storyline and one story outcome. Not much was done with it though.
For Raven it was her human sides willingness to work with her darker half of herself for a positive benefit which ended pretty abruptly.
Beyond that I am still of the position Trigon works best as more a mix of Eldritch Horror, Galactus like entity from another universe, and characer some demonic themes from folklore and religion attached and less straight Christian based devil knock off character. There are many Satan knock off characters in fiction. A legion as it were.
Underlying all the issues with Raven is a need to shake up her story for the same old storytelling. I am less critical then many of the recycling of her warring with her demon plot line namely because I see one or two avenues for them to move the characters story forward as well as Trigon’s in a larger sense.
Though it might not be taken up in which case it’s just another repetition of the same story Raven has been trapped in since the free and learning to feel stuff stopped selling… which didn’t take long.
Last edited by jmc247; 02-10-2024 at 11:15 AM.
Last edited by Veni; 02-11-2024 at 04:29 PM.
Link
Could be Damian led like the animated movies. I really felt the animated movies did a great job with both his and Raven’s characters.
Last edited by jmc247; 02-11-2024 at 05:20 AM.
Happy Birthday to Tara Strong.