Teen Titans #17 - "Grey Matters"

[perletwo]

- or, "Prologue to A Tale of Light and Dark," which is the Titans' next big arc, apparently. 3 whole pages and 2 partial pages for a total of 4, and man did I have a hard time cutting it down to just that. This is a bridge issue, tying up the Death of the Family crossover story and putting pieces into play for this Light and Dark thing, so there's a lot going on here.



We open with an unnamed doctor at a clinic promising a young Korean boy he can remove the boy's increasingly difficult to control light powers. He does so by stealing said powers and in the process killing the boy....

Then we move on to the Titans in civvies, in a limo driving home from Gotham in mostly awkward silence. Tim's text boxes narrate. Miguel asks how long they're going to have to keep calling him "Red Robin;" haven't they earned a little give-back in the trust department for sticking by him through the last couple of arcs? Tim apologizes, reminding them that having met some members of his "extended family," they should now appreciate that his secrets are truly not just his own. Kiran accepts this gracefully, and Tim apologizes for their getting off on the wrong foot. One speech I want to transcribe in full (this is a very talky issue FYI) because it ties in so nicely with my Original Recipe Titans post below.

"I...come from a place where it isn't easy to admit mistakes. A very rigid "father," enough "sibling rivalry" to fill two seasons and a very special Christmas episode of Dr. Phil. So earning your faith in me? Starting out as strangers and becoming friends? Let me just say that the Teen Titans have been the light at the end of a very long tunnel."

Cassie requests a return to the awkward silence, "because if we start hugging I guarantee I am going to hurl. More than once."

The limo pulls up to NYC's waterfront, where Tim explains that as their leader and the only one with a credit card, he made a command decision: welcome to their new HQ.



I don't know why they're drawn looking away from it, but it's still a nice splash page.

Next we have the nickel tour, including a high-tech "war room" with beyond-cutting-edge surveillance equipment that will take the Titans to the next level; but until he works out his plans for it, Tim requests the others regard it as off-limits.

The kids settle in, but have trouble getting to sleep despite their state of exhaustion. (We also cut away briefly to the hospital bedside of Miguel's comatose brother Gabriel, whose skull flashes with light not unlike that in the first sequence; ominous much?) Tim meets up with Kiran on deck, and she apologizes for thinking harshly of him when they first met, as seeing his Gotham home has made her reevaluate. "I never should have judged you. We all find our own way in life."

Adds Tim, "And sometimes? Sometimes it takes us a while to notice that the things we want most in life..." *puts a hand on Kiran's arm* "...are only an arm's length away."

"Exactly! ...Wait, what?"

That would be this:



Cut to a brief interlude where a random teen massacres a crowded coffee shop with light powers simply for annoying him.

Back at the ranch, Cassie comes into Tim's room for a little heart-to-heart and to thank him for helping her with Diesel. I do wish I had room to post this entire page, because there are some interesting things going on with the layout here (and on a few other pages).



Woah. Busy night for Timmy!



I wanted to post this page for two reasons. One, this artwork makes me feel marginally better about this dreadful Raven redesign; in this Gothy splash, it almost looks decent. Two, the way the text boxes at the top segue suggests to me that Raven is at least observing the Titans, and it made me wonder if Tim's sudden interest in the sexytimes might be due not to the Joker's influence, as the solicit suggested, but to Raven's empathic powers?

Double splash page of Raven talking with the ghoul she's addressing above; Trigon wants her to join him as the troops are ready to invade Earth. "May all the Gods of Light and Dark hear my prayer - and grant us the strength to accomplish the impossible task before us...and that finally - fatefully - justice will prevail through the coming storm!" I give you this speech of Raven's because frankly, I'm not sure how to interpret it and thought I'd open it to discussion. Does it suggest she's fully on board with Trigon, or hint that maybe she's not so much his creature as he thinks?

We close with an external view of the ship, surrounded by broadcast bubbles: radio reports of the coffee shop incident, and snippets of a phone conversation setting up a drug buy, being spied upon by...



dun DUN DUN

Again, I'm of two minds here; the red eyes suggest Trigon/Raven, but the grin is of course pure Joker.



Can't swear to it, but I think I may be looking forward to the War of Light and Dark thing.

Comments

[chrisdv]

TIMOTHY ROSCO DRAKE! I expect this sort of behaviour from Dick, but you?!

Side note: Anyone else read that "Bart..." "Isn't here." exchange as Tim cheating on Bart?

[perletwo]

Now now. Our little Timmy is finally growing up. Leaving the nest, if you will. ♥

[chrisdv]

...I'd like to hear Stephanie Brown's thoughts on this development.

[perletwo]

Me too! i wonder if it'd be something in the vein of "boy, I sure can pick 'em, can't I?"

[lieut_kettch]

Side note: Anyone else read that "Bart..." "Isn't here." exchange as Tim cheating on Bart?

Do you even have to ask?

[darkknightjrk]

This makes a theory I heard a while back seem a lot more plausible now.

Back in The Culling, Harvest talked about everything was going to plan, even when the young teams were destroying everything around him. When the Legion meets the Titans, they mention that in their timeline, there was no team called the Teen Titans for almost 30 years.

What if Harvest is actually Tim Drake from an alternate timeline--one where his obsessive nature and possibly some other horrible events turned him to villainy, and he's going back in time to try to save himself by taking him out of his head and giving him friends to rely on?

[perletwo]

That is an interesting theory. I'm not terribly invested in the "Who is Harvest?" question, but I just picked up the Teen Titans trade with the Culling storyline in it, and it contains a couple of hints. He says at one point "Who I am would surprise you," and at another that they are "two humans battling for the metahuman race." Of the Legion Losties that whittles the available candidates down to Tyroc and Wildfire, with Captain Adym as an outside chance. I hadn't considered any of the Titans, though; that would mean Tim created Kon, wouldn't it?

[sigmund_droid]

Man the art is both astounding and peculiar. the backgrounds are amazing but bodies and faces look really really awkward.

Saying that, the picture of Raven there is almost Desktop worthy.

[perletwo]

Yep - and like I said, they're doing some interesting stuff with panel layouts elsewhere in the issue. It also felt like they were doing a lot more splash panels and double-page spreads than usual. Except for Bart, none of the Titans get into costume this ish, I'll be interested to see how this team handles that aspect of the art.

I felt I had to post that Raven splash in the interest of fairness, since I harshed so much on the reveal of the redesign last issue. Here she looks less like a Bat-reject and borderline scary, as Trigon's daughter should.

[sun_man]

le yawn

[perletwo]

That's pretty much how I've felt about this reboot up to now. But I want my Raven back, so I'm on board for the foreseeable....

[sun_man]

you like this new Raven design?

[perletwo]

I hate loathe despise the redesigned costume, especially the headpiece that looks like a plant is eating her head. But I liked the characterization Rachel had when last seen in Phantom Stranger #1, and I have hopes that some of the worst 90's'isms will filter out of the costume over time, when/if she joins the good guys again.

[espanolbot]

Tim actively setting out to make out with people? I'm scared and confused.

[perletwo]

Human sacrifice! dogs and cats living together!... mass hysteria!

[shadowpsykie]

it's a nice shift from the perpetual virgin...


so when is he kissing Bunker :D

[icon_uk]

After Kon, before Bart... and the fact Kon wasn't the first one he turned to tells me Tim is under some sort of empathic influence...

[perletwo]

*nods* It is the logical next step in whoever's diabolical scheme...

[sinisterlink]

Yeah, that was the point in the scans I was instantly like, "Well, Tim's possessed or been replaced or something, OBVIOUSLY."

[espanolbot]

Since it's Trigon, I figure he's being controled by Raven's brother who apparently has lust powers.

Which is icky, as it potentially means he's mindcontrolling Tim into making out with his teammates (at least) against his will.

[sinisterlink]

I bet Trigon just got tired of writing Tim Drake fanfiction all the time and decided to make the real thing happen.

Trigon: Hmm, yes. Now have him go make out with the rest of the team.
Trigon's kid: Even Bunker?
Trigon: ESPECIALLY, Bunker. Mwahahahaha.
Trigon's kid: ....
Raven: And dad wonders why I hate him so much...

Sign me up

[blue_bolt]

"Especially bunker?"

If that's what Trigon is into then where do I sign my soul over?

[perletwo]

I don't know if the Sons of Trigon still exist in the nU. But in her original incarnation Raven could and did manipulate other people's emotions to suit her purposes. That faded out in her later reincarnated versions, but it could be back - she originally manipulated the New Teen Titans into forming, she could be manipulating this group of Titans to play whatever her current game is.

I'd really rather it was Raven, because frankly her brothers were pretty skeevy IMO. Them I could do without. Besides, the whole reason Raven was originally such a valuable pawn was that she was supposed to be Trigon's only successful spawning. A whole slew of brothers kind of undercut the point.

[kajivar]

The Sons of Trigon do still exist. One of them popped up in Phantom Stranger #2 and mentioned his brothers. I don't know if they're still doing the seven deadly sins theme, however.

[coldfury]

Again? Man, I must have Teen Titans amnesia, because I don't recall the firsts makeout session between Cassie & Tim.

[auggie18]

During Kon's time going deadie bye. Tim and Cassie had a sexy grief kiss because they were both nursing their sad boners over Kon's death.

[chrisdv]

Wait, so THAT carried over after the reboot, but ACTUAL FAN FAVOURITE CHARACTERS didn't?

Ow. The lack of logic there hurts my brain.

[auggie18]

Oh, no. I haven't been following reboot Titans, I was just going back to the only other makeout session between the two I remember.

[chrisdv]

Oh. Well then.

[darkknightjrk]

Well, they don't have sad grief boners anymore--just awkward teenage ones.

[auggie18]

Raven's mucking around with the Titans' emotions? Must be tuesday.


I do like that look on her, though.

[superfangirl1]

lol. I hope it lead to crazy scenarios in the comic.

[chieflewal]

Here's a random unfiltered thought: Would giving the Joker Trigon powers make him more relevant? Or would that make him a Spawn villain?

[icon_uk]

It would rehash both "Emperor Joker" and an old "Super Powers" miniseries IIRC.

[perletwo]

Well, everything 1990s is new again at DC these days, so why not make him a Spawn villain? *shrugs*

[espanolbot]

Ah, if they ever carried through on people's demands to have someone just kill the Joker, chances are he'd come back as one. Yeah, he's the Joker, except he's undead and has demonic powers.

[lieut_kettch]

Next up: Tim Drake strutting down the street, making "gun fingers" at random passers-by.

[onceaskrull]

Haha. Insert requisite link to Spider-Man Bim Bam Baby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wCwdWY1MNSU

(The implications of the storyline make me kind of sick to my stomach, so I'll go back to reading Red Robin now)

[maxisanacorn]

So Tim is now being mind controlled by Trigon or Raven or something and essentially committing sexual assault on the girls? This is really gross. This is pretty rape-y. What a terrible character to do that too. I always liked Tim's perpetual virginal streak lol.

I'm guessing the new light guy is the new Doctor Light? Does this mean Hoshi is erased?