Teen Titans # 5 Discussion w/ Spoilers

[K. Jones]

Titans has been chugging away for a few months telling a pretty solid opening act with a decent high concept. Some have remarked that the heavy use of modern social media has been a bit forced, but it doesn't bother me much.

This is the first issue where Rocafort takes a break, first episode of the second story. Scot Hepburn does good work here - better than his usual when paired with the paints. We also have the debut of our new Power Girl.

It's quite a good issue, actually. Tim Drake does clever, paranoid Junior Batman stuff. Wonder Girl is a tank and loves her mom and doesn't know what to do about her (hilarious and clever) fan club. Raven admits she likes being a goth icon. Beast Boy is used ingeniously as a stealth operative. And Bunker punches a hulked out rich snob kid with a gigantic fist made of pink bricks.

The gang of one-shot enemies are great fun because they could feasibly return some day, or not - they work fine as a one-off. But the notion of bored rich kids popping Red Kryptonite pills and gaining temp powers makes for a fantastic and slightly topical thing for Youth Superheroes to face off against, since the drug parallels are so obvious.

Good B+ comics. Exactly what you expect when you pick up a Titan book - it feels like a DC Comic. It's ALMOST even Wolfmannish.

[Sirzechs]

Yeah this was really fun I missed Rocafort's art but not that big of a deal, loved the enemies they're not the typical boorish one shot villains.

[Ascended]

I agree with your assessment. I've enjoyed this run so far, and this issue was no different (though the loss of Rocafort hurt). The social media thing has been pretty heavy and an ever-hanging presence over the heads of the characters, but so far it honestly doesnt feel at all unlike real teenagers. And social media is an aspect of life that DC has generally ignored, so its nice to see the Titans make use of it.

The one-off "villains" here are rather bland, I think, but perhaps have the potential to grow as antagonists. The ringleader did mention that her father is a judge who can, and has, gotten them out of trouble before. Perhaps we'll see her father try to sue the Titans for aggravated assault?

[Claude]

Enjoyed this a lot - the characters actually had a dynamic together!

[JasonTodd428]

Has this title improved since the first issue of Pfiefer's run? I read that one and thought it was really pretty bland. I'm just trying to figure out if I should give it another go or not since it sounds like things are finally coming together. I'm not a fan of the writer but I'd be willing to give it another go starting with this issue if things are as good as the posts here are suggesting they are.

[Nipower888]

At first I could barely read it because I hated the art and goofy faces but after awhile I got used to the art I think I really like the issue and I can't wait to see the new powergirl in more action

[quinnzel]

Still really enjoying this series. I look forward to getting the new issue every month. This issue was a lot of fun and I actually didn't immediately catch on that Power Girl was the person who caught the truck and for a second I was like, "THEY DID NOT" and then haaaaaa, silly me.

I got the Darwyn Cooke variant cover. I like me some DC variants

[Rakzo]

This was yet another strong issue aside from the art which was admitedly not realy good.

[Deniz Camp]

Has this title improved since the first issue of Pfiefer's run? I read that one and thought it was really pretty bland. I'm just trying to figure out if I should give it another go or not since it sounds like things are finally coming together. I'm not a fan of the writer but I'd be willing to give it another go starting with this issue if things are as good as the posts here are suggesting they are.

It's similar to the early run; perfectly serviceable in every way, technically sound, but not very novel.

[HsssH]

It's similar to the early run; perfectly serviceable in every way, technically sound, but not very novel.

Similar to Lobdel's run...?

[Sirzechs]

Similar to Lobdel's run...?

Nope the writing is better and the characters aren't arogant dbags.

[Deniz Camp]

Similar to Lobdel's run...?

Actually the opposite; the polish/craft is solid, but the ideas are just really mundane.

It's not very specific.

[HsssH]

I don't see "social icons" as very mundane idea, did we have lots of such comics recently?

[Deniz Camp]

I don't see "social icons" as very mundane idea, did we have lots of such comics recently?

Sure, some of the side concepts are potentially interesting (although the social icons thing was been done well over a decade ago with Youngblood, and they did something similar with Superboy post-death), but they're not developed, and the actual plots are just very simple, very straightforward, very mechanical.

Read the first issue, and it's a fine first issue that allows everyone to show what their powers and personalities are, in success. But it's also a first issue that could have slotted almost anyone into it.

[Nix Uotan]

It's similar to the early run; perfectly serviceable in every way, technically sound, but not very novel.

I would argue that this is much better than the previous run... the previous run was very disjointed and doing completely random things with no set direction. Whilst this isn't thought provoking or outstanding, I would say this is a step in the right direction. Only complaint I have heard from some people is that Bunker isn't as loveable as under Lobdell's writing.