REVIEW: TEEN TITANS #16

(w) Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
(a) Brett Booth

I usually take the time to express my opinions on a given comic book issue as best I can. I put effort into what I write because the people writing and illustrating the comics I read put effort into the work they produce. Unfortunately, Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza seemingly do not respect their readers enough to not treat them like dimwitted know-nothings, so I'm not going to give the same effort I usually give for this review of Teen Titans #16.

First off, Red Robin's internal monologue at the beginning of the issue is as ridiculous and asinine as ever, but the real kicker is that Lobdell tries to convince us readers that Tim Drake and Jason Todd are so close, they're like brothers. Any fan of DC knows that this is a BIG FAT LIE. In what world are Tim and Jason close? The one where Jason died before Tim was even introduced into the Batman mythos? Or the one where Jason came back from the dead and tried to kill Tim, who was Batman's sidekick at the time? I would say he was Batman's Robin at the time, but we all know how Lobdell dropped the ball on that one. 

Also, Tim says there's no one he'd rather have by his side than Red Hood when facing the Joker. Really? Not Batman? Or Batgirl? Or Nightwing? Or any of the other people in the DC universe that are more trustworthy than Red Hood? What an absolutely stupid idea. Seriously, Scott Lobdell, stop insulting my intelligence.

Oh, and the big thing.

WHY DOESN'T RED HOOD SHOOT JOKER? Jason has his gun the entire time he's conscious. If 17 issues of Red Hood and The Outlaws, not to mention years of pre-'New 52' character development that stayed in-continuity, have shown that Jason has no problem using a gun to kill people, why doesn't he lift his arm up and unload into the Joker? Because Scott Lobdell can't write. It's such an obvious plot hole that can't be ignored.

Almost forgot about the gas bomb dummy Jason shoots up instead of the Joker because Joker apparently had all the time in the world to keep talking to Red Robin and Red Hood while also escaping without them noticing him replacing his body no more than ten feet away. WHAT? I nearly closed the book at this point because there's no way this could have happened in a way that would make sense.

There's a lot of dialogue to hate in Teen Titans #16, but my favorite bit of awfulness comes from Wonder Girl speaking to Arsenal who is right next to her: "So, Arsenal isn't the moron he made you out to be." Like nails on a chalkboard, this sentence sounds. She refers to Arsenal in the third person then references some unnamed person who described Arsenal with no further information. So frustrating.

And Raven pops up for no reason other than to awkwardly set up the next arc. And Lance from Team 7 is around for some unexplained reason. God, I just wanted it all to end and it just kept going.

In conclusion, this issue was awful. Just awful.

GRADE

.5/10

And the '.5' is only because the stupid fight between Red Hood and Red Robin was kind of cool looking. Kind of.