Teen Titans #19

(w) Scott Lobdell and Tony Bedard     (a) Eddy Barrows

I don't even know where to start.


** SPOILERS AHEAD **


What a mess of an issue. Seriously. Was Scott Lobdell just trying to throw everything that came into his head directly into Teen Titans #19? It's got the full team (minus Skitter, whom I'll remember but Lobdell certainly wont), plus appearances by Psimon, Raven, Beast Boy, and the evil demon, Trigon. Yes, it makes sense for Raven to be floating around seeing as she's Trigon's daughter, but beyond that, nothing in Teen Titans #19 has any semblance of cohesion.

Let me back up.

The ONLY good part about this issue is the revelation that Wonder Girl's father is none other than Lennox from the pages of Wonder Woman. It makes sense, and it finally makes a decent connection between Cassie Sandsmark and the Olympians. But it's only one panel, and it's not really a revelation because Cassie can't see Trigon's imagination. So basically, the audience now knows who Cassie's father is (if you've been reading Wonder Woman and shame on you if not), thereby achieving some fairly freshman-grade dramatic irony.Oh-la-la. Also, Scott Lobdell's inexplicable obsession with inner monologue is tempered quite a bit by Tony Bedard's co-scripting. Thank you, Tony.

Now let's talk about the bad.

First, we get a guest appearance from Beast Boy after the events of The Ravagers #12. For those of you who haven't read that particular issue, don't worry; it hasn't been released yet. So basically, disregard Beast Boy because his inclusion is based on events that haven't technically taken place yet, and he's not all that important to the story anyway.

Next, let's talk about Psimon. He's was a B-list villain (at best) before the 'New 52', but now, he's more like a flunky because Scott Lobdell has turned him into a sniveling, angst-ridden teenager who gets pouty when everything doesn't go his way. I suppose in an unintentionally metafictional sense, Psimon is a great interpretation of a teenage super villain, but that doesn't change the fact that he's just an asshole and all I wanted to do was get past any time he was in-panel. Oh, and there's a part where Beast Boy and Psimon battle until their powers "cancelled each other out" which makes no sense because one has mental psychic abilities while the other has physical shapeshifting. In what world do those two things coincide? My brain hurts.

None of this is to mention Scott Lobdell's dialogue, which I (think I) know is his because it's so much more awkward sounding than the stuff Bedard wrote. Like when Kid Flash is a huge prick after saving Superboy and says, "The words you're looking for are 'thank' and 'you'!" It's a minor complaint, but when has Kid Flash ever used more words than necessary? He's a speedster that gets things done quickly. Or the gem from Raven; "Why do humans visit such harm upon their children?" Well, first off, that's terrible diction. Visit? Sure it works, but it just sounds really dumb. And that's not even taking into account that fact that humans, technically, really didn't do any of this to these kids. It was Harvest, REMEMBER?!?!?! So why is the human race being judged?

Teen Titans #19 is another issue of terribleness from Scott Lobdell. Tony Bedard's co-scripting helped out, but there's little to be achieved by putting duct tape on a giant engine made of random parts that barely works and is constantly on the brink of completely falling apart.

Oh, and Red Robin is still being a huge dick for no reason whatsoever.

GRADE

3/10

Teen Titans #18 (mini review)

(w) Scott Lobdell     (a) Eddy Barrows

Holy God. 

Seriously. 

Words might not be enough to describe just how much I loathe Scott Lobdell's Teen Titans. The man has single-handedly decimated years of amazing character development from Geoff Johns and others that made the Teen Titans one of DC's best books. 

Teen Titans #18 is so full of terrible, I basically stopped reading after the first half. It took everything in me to continue reading, and I was upset the entire time. Nothing about this issue is good. Tim's super awkward semi-psychotic breakdown over Damian Wayne's death is just god-awful. He just yells at a nonexistent Damian before Alfred finds him hugging nothing. If I were Alfie, I'd be calling Arkham.

Then we get the weird reuniting of the Teen Titans wherein Superboy continues to act like a complete dick to the surprise of no one. What did surprise me was that Scott Lobdell, once again, felt it necessary to reference N.O.W.H.E.R.E. It's infuriating to see that terrible acronym pop up yet again for no reason whatsoever. Get over it, Lobdell.

None of this is to mention the inclusion of the Suicide Squad. Why? Just because. Deal with it, apparently.

And isn't Red Robin supposed to be possessed by the Joker or something? I don't know. I'm so far beyond hoping or believing that Scott Lobdell can write a coherent story I just don't know what to do.

I am counting the days until Justin Jordan's debut issue on the series because it seriously could not be any worse than this steaming pile Scott Lobdell calls his work.

GRADE: 0/10

REVIEW: SUPERMAN #15

(w) Scott Lobdell
(a) Kenneth Rocafort

One of the biggest identifiable problems with the 'New 52', thus far, has been consistency in characterization between titles. Often, a character will act a certain way in a team setting, and a completely different way in his or her solo title. Unfortunately, both Superman and Superboy are at the top of the list when it comes to broken character development. Superman as portrayed in Action Comics has been vastly different from the Superman seen in the eponymous series and Justice League. Similarly, Superboy is written as an emo kid just trying to figure it all out in the pages of Superboy, but here, in Superman #15, Scott Lobdell has turned Kon-El from an antisocial basket case into a cheesy kid sidekick who wouldn't be out of line saying something like, "Aww, shucks, Superman! What're we gonna do now!?"

Superman #15 really stretches the whole "He'l on Earth" tie-in label because H'el does not show up at all. We get to see him in two panels, in flashbacks, in the background both times. It's not out of line to want to have some sort of interlude that deals with side issues, but Lobdell basically uses the entire issue to focus on Lex Luthor. And really, it's for no reason at all. Superman claims that he's come to Luthor looking for help, but in reality, as Lex puts it, "You would have figured out H'el's plan the instant he made his way into the fortress and got his hands on the artifacts you keep there." So why does Superman take the time to visit good old Lex? He's there to make himself angry. H'el is the most powerful adversary Superman has ever faced, and now he needs to give himself motivation to take on this new threat with everything he has. Beyond his meeting with Luthor, Clark seems to be taking a rather militant and stoic approach to his relationship with Superboy, speaking in short, curt sentences and generally not being very helpful before scolding Superboy like a father figure.

Now let's talk Superboy. Why has he turned into a Boy Scout all of the sudden? For over a year, Kon-El has done nothing but disregard orders, chastise those of authority, and generally do whatever he wants. Now, because Superman has lent him the Kryptonian armor for medical purposes, Kon has turned into some weird 1950s version of himself. "Man you are hardcore!", uses only four words to disassemble an air of sophistication Superboy has been trying to build since he first woke up in Superboy #1. Then "...if we're trying to get H'el the hell out of our your house, what the heck are we doing here?" reminds me how little regard Lobdell has for the green line when writing in MS Word. From a literary standpoint, there's no reason to craft such awkward sentences. 

Don't even get me started on, "You're still recovering from H'el nearly splitting you genetically in two". The first of the two examples could just have easily read as, "Why are we here if we're trying to get H'el out of your house?", while the second example could quite effortlessly be revised as, "H'el nearly ripped you apart at the genome, and you're still recovering." These obviously aren't the only ways to rewrite these sentences, but it just shows how easily good grammar and effective syntax can be.

Superman #15 is an interesting read if you're curious about Lex Luthor in the present day. Other than that, Superman and Superboy are not written as themselves, and it's very off-putting. As much as I disagree with how Kon-El has been handled up to this point, it's even more frustrating to see all the character development go out the window in the name of a shaky crossover. I usually like Kenneth Rocafort's artwork, but here, even his beautiful pencilling gets dragged down by the weight of the dialogue. For an event that's felt rushed and half-asked since it started, Superman #15 hits the brakes hard and provides more of an interlude than anything else. It's not terrible, but there's simply not a lot going on.

GRADE

6/10

REVIEW: TEEN TITANS #15

(w) Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza
(p) Brett Booth
(i) Norm Rapmund

In the new year, I've resolved to moderate myself a bit more when it comes to my dislike of certain comic books and/or their creative teams. In that spirit, I'll give it up to Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza for staying consistent in their use of overbearing inner monologue. In issues past, the've confined this technique to the character on-panel, but in the case of Teen Titans #15, Lobdell and Nicieza go the extra mile by injecting Red Robin's awkward and creepily accurate inner monologue into the sequences featuring the rest of the Teen Titans, thereby making Tim Drake an omniscient narrator in the story he's in...and...wait...

Red Robin's personal thoughts seem to predict his teammates exact sequence of actions, and after reading the part of this issue featuring Tim and the Joker, it makes a bit more sense -- Tim's thoughts are being broadcast to the world. There's no other way to explain how Joker knows exactly what Tim is thinking. How Tim doesn't know his mind has been hijacked on that scale is anyones guess. Well, except for Lobdell and Nicieza.

Besides the inner monologue, the rest of Teen Titans #15 is enjoyable. The guest appearance from Batgirl is a welcome addition to a team that doesn't have a lot of direction without a shadowy leader. Wonder Girl stays in character with her needless opposition to Batgirl's driven style. Kid Flash also gets the spotlight, but in a horrific way as his actions lead to a city-wide Joker serum epidemic. While the connection between the Red Robin/Joker confrontation and the terrors befalling the Teen Titans is a rather thin one, it's still fun to see just how broken and twisted the Joker has become. In a way, it shows not only the Joker's madness, but also how predictable adolescents can be, to the point that Joker was able to assume their every move and stay one step ahead the entire time.

Teen Titans #15 is a fun read, if not a strong tie-in to "Death of the Family". Yes, the Joker does indeed psychologically torture Red Robin, but he's been doing that to all the Bat-allies, and this meeting didn't seem to have much meaning to it besides informing Tim that his teammates would be responsible for genocide. Why is Joker going after Tim's teammates? Isn't the whole point of his rampage to get at Batman, not Red Robin? It seems like Lobdell and Nicieza are using the transitive property to justify an attack on the Teen Titans. Hopefully, Tim will get that pesky thought-projecting bug taken care of by next issue so Joker doesn't have as much to work with.

GRADE

6.8/10

REVIEW: TEEN TITANS #14

(w) Scott Lobdell and Fabian Nicieza

(p) Ale Garza

"The Origin of Wonder Girl" has been my favorite arc of Teen Titans so far, mostly because it's the first story to actually resemble a 'putting the team together' aesthetic. While this should have happened in the first...you know...arc...it didn't because it was constantly being overshadowed by N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and the perceived deep integration with Superboy. Now, readers are finally getting some back story on the members of the Teen Titans, starting with Wonder Girl and the Silent Armor.

Last month, I explained how much I enjoyed Fabian Nicieza's writing for Teen Titans #13 and that if things kept going the way they were, TT could really grow into one of DC's best series. And while last issue took two steps forward, TT#14 takes one step back by moving Nicieza from sole scripting duties to being a co-writer with Scott Lobdell. It's a little frustrating to see Lobdell's spin on an arc that I've loved up to this point. Thankfully, it seems Nicieza put the nix on frequent thought balloons and stiff inner dialogue, though, so it's not nearly as painful to read as some of Lobdell's earlier issues.

A large chunk of Teen Titans #14 is focused on the team members themselves, which is a far cry from Lobdell's plot-only writing style. Solstice gets a visit from a mysterious phantom-esque character named Lance who claims to be able to alter metagenes and help Kiran regain her human appearance. I found myself wondering if this was Kurt Lance from Team 7, then a small editors note mentioned I should check out Birds of Prey for some insight into Lance's identity. Meanwhile, Red Robin and Superboy have to accept that Wonder Girl is going to live with the Silent Armor, something that casts a pall across the three of them, while the rest of the team jokes about their sour attitudes.

The final pages of the issue lead directly into next month's "Death of the Family" tie-in issue. Teen Titans is slowly, but surely, getting better. N.O.W.H.E.R.E., Harvest, and "The Culling" were all meant to be factors that would add to the Teen Titans mythology and lend meaning to the creation of the team. Instead, Lobdell botched the entire storyline early on, never fixed it, and now has to dig his way up toward a better book. It's working, but each month I find myself worrying that the title will dip back to it's former platitudes.

GRADE

7.5/10

REVIEW: SUPERMAN #13

This review was originally published on PopMatters.com.

(w) Scott Lobdell
(p) Kenneth Rocafort

There’s something different about Superman in the ‘New 52’. I’m not just talking about the new costume or back-story, or the fact that Grant Morrison is handling his early days in Action Comics – DC has fundamentally shifted the Man of Steel’s position in their mindset, and it basically amounts to a downgrade for the Last Son of Krypton.

Hear me out.

In recent years, Batman has become not only DC’s most popular character, but also arguably the most popular comic book character, in general. Christopher Nolan’s “Dark Knight” trilogy framed Batman for a modern generation and it became a huge success. Hence, DC has focused a lot more of its comic book efforts on Batman. The ‘New 52’ features 13 different Batman-related titles each month – five of which focus on Bats exclusively or with a partner – while there are only four dedicated to the Superman Family. For as long as Superman has been around, he’s been DC’s poster boy and, frankly, the most iconic superhero in the world – until now.

Of the Superman-related titles, two of them focus on Clark Kent’s alter-ego. Grant Morrison has been guiding Superman through his early years in Action Comics to varying degrees of success, while the character’s eponymous book has been caught in a flurry of creative switch-ups, editorial tightening, and overall dissonance concerning the direction the title should be moving. George Perez publically left the title after revealing a number of woes concerning management at DC dictating creative choices, leaving Superman to flounder for a bit. With no solid course or focus, the title has been lacking. Last month, Scott Lobdell was brought on board for Superman #0 to lead the series into the upcoming “H’el on Earth” crossover between Superman, Superboy, and Supergirl.

I have a rather tumultuous personal opinion concerning Scott Lobdell. While I absolutely hated his runs on both Superboy and Teen Titans, I find Red Hood and The Outlaws to be one of my favorite titles month to month. I can’t really explain it, and at this point, I don’t know that it much matters. Superman #13 affirms that Lobdell is bringing the best of what he brings to Red Hood and The Outlaws – including series artist Kenneth Rocafort – to his interpretation of the Man of Steel. All the stiff dialogue, convoluted plot, and unrealistic emotional drama that littered the pages of TT and Superboy are absent here, replaced by a surprisingly solid handle on Superman as a character with a clearly defined and structured narrative path.

Superman #13 almost acts as a reset button for the series. While events in previous issues are mentioned, it’s mostly to set the scene. The only real thing any new reader would need to know going into this issue is that Clark Kent has been frustrated working for the Daily Planet for some time. Clark’s grand Network­-style exit from the hallowed halls of journalism are quickly (and humorously) tamped when “fashion-obsessed, self-absorbed bobblehead” Cat – a fellow journalist – walks out after Clark and explains how she was inspired by his speech. While Cat wants Clark to feel better about what he’s done, the fact that she came and no one else did points to Clark’s all-around attitude concerning the money-grubbing entertainment conglomerate. It’s a sly move on Lobdell’s part, giving both Clark and Cat more depth as characters with little more than a tactical conversation.

The beginning of the issue heralds a new character, Dr. Veritas. She’s a rather utilitarian-looking figure with a lab coat draped over what looks like body armor. Of course, the more obvious explanation is that Kenneth Rocafort’s penciling style just makes everyone look badass like they’re wearing battle armor. If that’s the case, awesome, if not, then there’s got to be a reason for her unexplained militaristic get-up. Either way, Veritas is already an interesting character because Superman knows who she is and we don’t. Oh, and she has a lab with a machine that can exert the weight of the planet for Superman to bench-press. The machine’s amazing capabilities aside, the fact that it exists and that this woman owns it is incredibly fascinating. I found myself wanting to know more and more about Dr. Veritas and her relationship with Superman the entire time I was reading.

Scott Lobdell is a curious writer, for sure. Some of his work falls so terribly flat I want to go back and save the paper and ink used to make the issues he’s written, and some of goes on my “Must Buy” list for the month. Superman #13 reads fantastic and looks fantastic thanks to Kenneth Rocafort and his chiseled feature-heavy style that compliments Superman so well. I was starting to get annoyed by how frumpy Supes was looking as drawn by Jesus Merino and later Dan Jurgens. Not only does Lobdell start an excellent new chapter in Clark Kent’s life, but he also builds directly up to next month’s start of “H’el on Earth”, featuring the other last survivor of Krypton’s death. Basically, if you were reading Superman and got disappointed each month, stick with it. If you haven’t read this series up until now, start here.

GRADE

8/10

FEATURED REVIEW: TEEN TITANS #13

(w) Scott Lobdell with Fabian Nicieza
(p) Ale Garza

Now that Scott Lobdell has duties elsewhere (come back soon for my Superman #13 review), he's leaving Teen Titans in the hands of Fabian Nicieza, whose most recent work with Kid Flash in DC Universe Presents #12 was completely sub-par. Now, I assumed, going into this issue, that I would not be impressed. I figured that Lobdell's plot coupled with Nicieza's scripts would just be too much for my brain to handle, causing me to shut down mid-issue. To my surprise, Teen Titans #13 surpassed all my low expectations and made the title viable as a 'top tier' book once again. Nicieza brings a sensibility to the general plotting that makes it far less campy and stylized that most of what Lobdell writes directly.

"The Origin of Wonder Girl" continues this month and still stands as my favorite Teen Titans arc thus far. Not only do we get the more comprehensive story behind Cassie and Diesel's relationship, but we get more development from Superboy and Red Robin, though more indirectly by their responses. Before this arc, Cassie Sandsmark was little more than a girl with mystical armor - no real personality or depth beyond her fierce and aggressive attitude. Last month's Teen Titans #0 was great for fleshing out Tim Drake as Red Robin, but Drake's a character who generally wasn't altered much beyond some minute details. Cassie, on the other hand, seems to have no connection to Wonder Woman or the Greek gods at all.

Previous issues of Teen Titans have brought information dumps, but never have they been enjoyable or subtle in their context. For some reason, Lobdell always figured it would be best to just give readers all the information at once, leaving reactions and discussion until the end when we (and the characters in the book) could take a moment to reflect on what was revealed and/or explained. This was a big mistake because this isn't how people operate! We interact with each other while storytelling, especially when the story is interesting and the listener wants to know more. It might seem like a small bit of technique, but the fact that Nicieza has Superboy and Red Robin interjecting from time to time with offhanded comments and observations makes a world of difference when it comes to making a story more believable. Add to that a reduced use of the inner monologue Lobdell is so fond of, and Teen Titans #13 might just take the cake for my favorite single issue of the series so far.

It's unfortunate, but a lot of Scott Lobdell's missteps are not a result of the title he's working on, but rather a fundamental misunderstanding of how people read comics and how they stay interested and compelled in the contemporary marketplace. For Lobdell - a writer who came to prominence in the adjective-soaked weirdness of the 1990s - trying to write the Teen Titans effectively was not working. His tailored style didn't fit with today's teenagers, and it was systematically pulling the series into the dirt. I'm glad Fabian Nicieza is getting a chance to make the series good. Hopefully, he can keep this trend going and make Teen Titans one of the 'must have' titles of the 'New 52'.

GRADE

8/10

SUPERMAN #0

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Kenneth Rocafort

"What started out as mild scientific curiosity has become a matter of life and death!"

Oh my god, Scott Lobdell.

Scott Lobdell, oh my god.

The above quote might possibly be one of the absolute worst lines of dialogue I've ever read in a comic book. That's saying something with the sheer amount of content out there. Then again, Scott Lobdell is not one for subtlety. In fact, he seems stubbornly against the idea that he should write as if a normal person were speaking, instead content to pen words that feel like an old man - obviously out of his comfort zone - trying to be witty, retro, and modern all at the same time, only to come up short in every department...oh, wait.

Honestly, I don't know what Scott Lobdell should be writing. His penchant for writing inexplicably blunt and wooden doesn't seem to have a place in modern comic books outside throwback stories meant to resemble books from the 1950s and 60s. He certainly shouldn't be writing Teen Titans, Superboy, or Superman, the first two of which he helmed for the past year, and the latter of which he's just been given.

Superman #0 is painful. So painful, in fact, that I found it hard to actually read the entire issue. Lobdell had a chance with this prequel issue to start things off right with his run on Superman, and he squanders it just as badly as he did with Superboy and the Teen Titans (but, strangely enough, not like Red Hood and The Outlaws, which has been uncharacteristically good under Lobdell's watch). Superman's parents are part of the Kryptonian elite, a class that resembles our own humanly aristocracy from the Victorian era through the early 20th century. I get what Lobdell is trying to do, but in trying to write the citizens of Krypton like upper class snobs, he's made them all read like morons who just learned the finer points of diction and syntax and decided to have a field day. "So pensive you are tonight, Jor,", "...everyone within a three-arc radius of the CRC are, simply put, no more," and, "I would like to think that our days spent discussing continuum particle theory and our sweat-soaked nights spent on the magma cliffs of Corga had a...lasting impression," are just some of the outlandishly terrible lines littering these pages.

One of the biggest draws to Superman #0 was the supposed reintroduction of Oracle, the moniker taken by Barbara Gordon when she was paralyzed by the Joker and confined to a wheelchair. But of course, Lobdell makes readers froth at the mouth for nothing, and gives us some alien behemoth capable of blowing the weird extraterrestrial horn first seen in Superman #1. Sure, it gives a bit more credence to the horn's significance in the greater DC context, but as a 'cool twist' at the end of this terrible, terrible issue, it's so much more of a letdown than anything else. The only saving grace for this issue - and I'm assuming subsequent issues - is Kenneth Rocafort's art, which has always been good in Red Hood and The Outlaws, and continues to be quality work here in Superman.

I don't even want to keep writing about this issue. Such a fail.

GRADE

F

TEEN TITANS #0

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Tyler Kirkham and Batt

Just like with Superboy #10, Scott Lobdell proves with Teen Titans #0 that he's not completely inept at writing the characters he's been given. For this "Zero Month" issue, Lobdell gives us the origin of Tim Drake, better known as Red Robin: former protege of Batman. A few months ago, Lobdell shocked the fan base at San Diego ComicCon by announcing that Tim Drake was never an official 'Robin' of Batman's. Instead, Tim's been Red Robin since he became a caped crusader. In essence, Lobdell majorly altered the character history of arguably the most iconic Robin of them all (at least, on par with Dick Grayson) - this was a big pill for fans of the third Robin to swallow. But putting aside comic book fanaticism, it really doesn't make that much of a difference - Tim still fills the 'Robin' roll at Batman's side, his costume is basically an all-red Robin get-up, and he eventually moves on to let another youngster take the sidekick roll. The truly interesting thing about Teen Titans #0 is how well Lobdell reinvigorates a character who was more or less a carbon copy of Bruce and Dick when he was originally introduced.

Tim Drake is now a prodigy in both the physical and mental arenas. He excels at all intellectual projects, has the potential to be on the US Olympic gymnastics team, enjoys a completely happy home life, and impresses everyone he meets...and that's the problem. After observing Tim in person, Bruce rightfully decides that Tim doesn't shouldn't be Robin. Dick Grayson and Jason Todd came into the roll of Batman's sidekick because their lives had been shattered and broken, same as Bruce years and years ago at the hands of Joe Chill. Tim Drake's life couldn't be better - he's got a bright future and his parents love him. There's literally no reason for him to be Robin. But of course, Tim has a secret obsession with Batman's secret identity.

This is where Tim goes from being a Golden Child to being a multi-faceted character who has a huge flaw: pride. After falling into Bruce's trap by following set-up clues, Tim gets scolded by the Batman who tells him to lay off and just enjoy his life. Unsatisfied with that response, Tim uses his exceptional hacking skills to steal the Penguin's fortune. If this behavior seems alarming and odd, well, it is. Tim's meeting with the Bat didn't discourage him so much as it validated his actions - Tim took the next step in his fight against crime without Batman's consent because Batman even bothered to meet him at all. Lobdell has done good work in making Tim fundamentally different from Dick and Jason before him. His pride in himself becomes his weakness. Now, this wouldn't be a Batman-related story without at least some tragedy. The hacking stunt causes the Penguin to put out a hit on Tim and his parents.

Tim's parents don't die. Lobdell avoids his pitfall and instead puts the Drakes into the witness protection program. The twist comes when Tim is left behind in Gotham - as a perceived orphan at this point - to have the chance at good and successful life he wouldn't get being forced to hide who he is in witness protection. The end result is that even though he's seen and treated as Bruce Wayne's orphaned son, Tim's parents are still alive. Somehow, this is going to tie into future stories, whether it be the upcoming "Death of the Family" crossover (which would make a lot of sense, considering the familial elements at play in this issue), or future arcs.

All in all, Teen Titans #0 is fantastic. Scott Lobdell's writing usually leaves a lot to be desired for me, as a reader and a critic. This month, though, he really stepped up his game and gave a solid origin story for Tim Drake that may not be what hardcore fans wanted, but manages to change the character enough to make him interesting again.

GRADE

B+

TEEN TITANS #12

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund

Whenever I review Teen Titans, I find my thoughts tend to devolve into "Scott Lobdell can't write." That's a harsh accusation and one that's barely accurate. Scott Lobdell does indeed have a lot of good ideas - he thinks big and writes even bigger. Too often, unfortunately, those thoughts are simply too big, causing Lobdell's entire structure to fall apart. This was the case for "The Culling", which was rooted in interesting causes, but was conveyed in such disarray, that it ended up being one of the weakest story arcs of 2012. On the flip side, Teen Titans #12 points out another monthly problem with Lobdell's writing: the inability to accurately express teenage dialogue.

Just like in the real world, each character in DC's universe has their own voice. One of the chief goals of a comic book writer is to convey said voice effectively while simultaneously injecting their own narrative flair. Writers like Geoff Johns and Scott Snyder understand this concept - one doesn't change so much as bend a character in an effort to develop something new. Pushing these heroes to their limits is acceptable, but Bruce Wayne's favorite band or hairstyle doesn't change from creative team to creative team.

One of the reasons Teen Titans feels so half-baked is because there hasn't been any effective character development. Basically, he's so wrapped up in his plot to pay any close attention to smaller details that build a character from the ground up. I've spent paragraphs outlining Lobdell's missteps, so I'll spare those of you who follow my coverage of TT. But this lack of development is really only the beginning of the problem.

Having cardboard cutouts as your main characters in issue 12 is a huge fault with Teen Titans #12. Without more concrete personalities, each member of the Titans ends up sounding like an uptight, 30-something rather than adventurous teenagers who have already seen more horrible things than most of us will ever see in our entire lives. "I'm sorry...but the longer I am fully covered in the Silent Armor, the less control I have over my actions," is about the blandest way this concept can be conveyed. Seriously, what kid talks like that? A much more believable sentence might read, "This armor...the more I wear it, the more I lose control" - it get's the same point across without sounding cold and clinical, like reading from a script or cue cards. Later, Red Robin chimes in with this gem, in reference to Cassie's soul becoming engulfed by the mystic armor: "I know that is you inside that armor!" A sentence so awkwardly structured that I had to read it again just to make sense of it in my head.

This strained, clumsy working of the English language isn't even normal for refined adults, let alone superpowered teenagers. In a motel off the Jersey Turnpike, Bunker, Kid Flash, and Solstice are holed up while Miguel recovers. As the ever-tenacious Bunker attempts to go help Superboy and Red Robin, only to fall to the floor in pain, Solstice analyze's the team's situation in yet another terribly awkward sentence: "Miguel, if we're going to be a team, which you have been such a strident proponent of, then we have to take our leader's orders seriously." (Aside from the atrocious substitution of commas in place of hyphens) When writing, it's a general rule of thumb to use the least amount of words possible while still effectively conveying your idea. The revised version of the above sentence could easily read, "If you want this team to work - something you've been fighting for quite adamantly - then you've got to follow Red Robin's orders." While not wildly different, the latter sentence flows so much more easily and naturally.

But enough of Jay's English Class.

Teen Titans #12 continues to look at the origin of Wonder Girl. And honestly, this arc has been far more interesting than anything so far - I really enjoyed the mythology and mystery surrounding the Silen Armor. Last month, we found out the Silent Armor was forged in the center of the sun and somehow causes Cassie pain and cuts years off her life. Now, things are getting harry as Cassie loses control to the armor more and more, harming her teammates in the process. Red Robin and Superboy hatch a plan to give Kon-El a sliver of separation between Cassie and the armor so he can use his telekinesis to separate them, thereby destroying the armor.

That's when homeboy Diesel shows up. Honestly, he's not that important yet. After taking the essence of the armor from Cassie while ripping her a new one for leaving him for dead, Diesel doesn't even try and fight Cassie - he just flies away. Cassie's remarks about the situation on the last page help make things interesting as far as cliffhangers go, but nonetheless, Diesel is still a pretty big enigma.

I spent a lot of time on this post, mostly because I feel that in the past, I may have lambasted Scott Lobdell without anything to back it up. Sure, I explained my general misgivings with his style, but I really wanted to find examples, evidence to my claims that the man just keeps tripping over one of the easiest character archetypes in the literary world: the awkward teenager. So while I'm admittedly impressed with this arc's mythological aspects, the Teen Titans themselves are still about as interesting as a plank of wood.

Also, where's Skitter?

GRADE

C+

TEEN TITANS #11

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund

It seems that my issues with Teen Titans and Superboy in the first nine months of DC's 'New 52' had a lot more to do with the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. arc than I realized. While I still feel that Scott Lobdell's scripts are a bit long in the tooth for a pair of series about teenagers, I've been enjoying both titles loads more since the end of "The Culling". A big part of this change of heart comes from more character development, something Lobdell neglected in favor of a convoluted, painfully intertwined plot.

Teen Titans #11 kicks off with a bang, as Kid Flash, Bunker, and Solstice come under attack by Loose Canon, a surly blue fellow who can feed on energy then weaponize it (similar to, say, Cable or Ms. Captain Marvel). It's actually a fun little fight scene that ends when Cassie stops moping in her room and over-charges Canon, causing him to burn out. The actual fight really isn't all that important, while the reason for the fight boils down to Bunker's mistake. After hearing of Red Robin's intention to disband the Titans - in last month's issue - most of the team disagreed with Tim's course of action. Bunker takes things into his own hands and puts out an ad on Craigslist to recruit new members. Obviously, things don't turn out well, but the entire episode does a great deal to bolster Bunker's personality. Unlike Red Robin, Superboy, and Wonder Girl - who have all been revamped - Bunker is a brand new character, a fact Lobdell has been taking advantage of in Teen Titans, as well as in Superboy, where the gay Mexican guest-starred earlier this month (what a weird sentence to type).

Lobdell has been deftly building up Miguel Jose Barragan as the team's heart and soul. Red Robin is too buys brooding, Kid Flash never takes things seriously, Superboy isn't an actual member of the team yet, Cassie is a total basket case, Solstice is still trying to figure out how to lead a normal life, and Skitter is barely even seen these days. Bunker gets to be the straight man - the most normal character of the bunch - who has to deal with his teammates craziness. And to be honest, the whole Craigslist idea isn't that bad in today's modern age of technological communication.

Side note that really has nothing to do with the rest of the issue/this review: Superboy looks like he flew out of 1994. It's 2012, Scott - wearing shades at night, black tank tops, and motorcycle gloves went out of style with Culture Club and Clear Pepsi.

The main focus of Teen Titans this month comes down to Wonder Girl and the mysterious Silent Armor she wears. After quickly defeating Loose Canon, Cassie seems to lose all control over the ancient armor "forged in the heart of the Sun..." Without much wanring, Wonder Girl attacks and defeats Solstice, Kid Flash, and Bunker before Red Robin and Superboy show up to find Cassie begging for death before she takes another life. Brett Booth makes the right decision to withhold showing the readers the full power of the Silent Armor until the final panel. Instead of revealing the blood-thirsty version of Wonder Girl mid-issue, Booth keeps her off-panel while using the Titans' reactions to convey the horror of their friend taken by a godly power.

GRADE

B

SUPERBOY #11

STORY: Scott Lobdell (Plot) and Tom DeFalco (Scripts)
ART: R.B. Silva and Rob Lean

I don't know why Scott Lobdell and Tom DeFalco are so intent on making Superboy such a difficult character to write. Not only did they take Kon-El's original clone backstory and make it so convoluted that it's mostly just a blur of 'super secret organization' gobbledygook, they're moving forward with a characterization that makes Superboy sound (and act) like a HUGE dick. That being said, Superboy #11 continues an upward trend of overall quality that started last month, which is interesting seeing as Lobdell penned last issue all by himself, while DeFalco is back to scripting duties this month.

Apparently, some time has passed since the Titans were transported to New York City by Danny the Alley, and Superboy has his own penthouse now, complete with weird, random antiques and art pieces that make him look like some rich, foppish trust fund baby with too much time on his hands. This seems like a missed opportunity for DeFalco - glossing over an major part of Superboy's very young life like meeting a regular person person for the first time. Kon-El takes some time to tell his visiting guest, Bunker, all about his new landlord and how he robbed (ahem, borrowed from) a bank for personal funds. It's scenes like these that make me want to ask Lobdell and DeFalco how they plan to compensate for the errors in their narrative. If Superboy is supposed to have collective knowledge that was pumped into his head since he was created, how was it never explained that robbing banks is wrong? If Superboy knows that messenger bags are fashionable, he's got to know that bank robberies are faux pas.

It seems like DeFalco often uses Kon-El's origins as a clone to explain his misunderstanding of the real world. Unfortunately, scenes from early issues will prove that, even though their endgame was to make Superboy a weapon, N.O.W.H.E.R.E. attempted to give their clone a bit of real-world experience through psychological manipulation.  In so facto, basic ideals of right and wrong must have been ingrained, otherwise he could never have known that hurting people was wrong. "Money's a thing - you can't hurt it," says Superboy like it's no big thing. What's supposed to sound naive just sounds pretentious and snooty.

Superboy #11 also brings about the dreaded 'S' tattoo that whining fans got their panties in a bunch over when the 'New 52' started last year. At the time, Kon-El was wearing a black tank top with a pencilled Superman logo duct-taped to his back, which may have made the tattoo seem all the more ridiculous. Now, it doesn't feel so forced. In actuality, Bunker and Superboy's visit to the tattoo parlor is one of the more grounded parts of the issue. Bunker explains that Kon needs to feel a connection with his symbol, the only thing that is part of him now. It sounds sappy when I write it (and it very well might be a lot sappier than I'm interpreting), but the friendship between Bunker and Superboy feels more natural and organic than almost any interactions in the first nine issues of Superboy.


Superboy's relative age becomes more and more apparent when new villain Detritus starts attacking the city. Kon feels like he's being taken advantage of - as the team's powerhouse player - whenever a "big bad" attacks. All he wants is a more normal life, something Bunker explains is "boring!" While this sentiment of normality might work for Peter Parker or Jaime Reyes, nothing up to this point has given readers the impression that Superboy wants to live a normal life. Why would he? He's a super-powerful telekinetic clone of Superman. Why be normal?

GRADE

B-

(COMIC) TEEN TITANS #10

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund

And just like that, Scott Lobdell is getting it right! This month's Superboy acted as part one of "The Mysterious Mystery of Mystery Island", and Teen Titans #10 brings us the other half of the post-"Culling" aftermath with Red Robin, Kid Flash, Solstice, and Bunker.

Since Lobdell used the first nine months of the 'New 52' to tell his sprawling, epically nonsensical arc about N.O.W.H.E.R.E., it makes sense to break this "cool down" into two parts, allowing for each character to get a bit more panel time as a result. While the writing isn't as personal as the scenes between Superboy and Wonder Girl, Lobdell still manages to give each character a lot more depth. For one, Kid Flash and Solstice have a thing. I'm sure Lobdell would argue that he planted the seeds for this relationship throughout the N.O.W.H.E.R.E. N.O.N.S.E.N.S.E., but he really didn't. Either way, the scene doesn't come off as forced or pandering - these kids actually seem like they enjoy each other's company.

About seven pages in, we meet up with Superboy and Wonder Girl at the point where Superboy #10 ended, bringing them to the 'other side' of the island, which meant it literally flipped over. With the team reassembled, Kon-El and Cassie discuss telling the others about the crazy flipped island thingy they discovered, but ultimately decide to not say anything based on the fact that no one knows what it means, so why cause more anxiety. After that, the island's nature isn't touched on again. This would be one of my only criticisms of this issue - Lobdell totally drops the island story in favor of one-on-one character dialogues. Honestly, the character development is much better anyway (and very much needed), so it's not even that big of a deal. It's mostly annoying on principle.


Tim Drake has a major crisis of conscience this month as he fails to see his succes beyond the failures that that came with it. Artemis was murdered (still confused as to why such a minor character made such a big impact), Danny the Street was destroyed, and Skitter is still missing. Tim feels like he didn't do enough, and decides to disband the Titans while chatting with Bunker. It's a childish decision - one based on fear - and Bunker stops Tim to knock some sense into him. Like many other heroes before him, Tim gets the 'responsibility' from Bunker about being a leader, taking initiative, making the tough decisions, and pressing on even when the going gets tough.


This, of course, leads us into the most awkward one-on-one of the issue between Superboy and Red Robin where Kon-El asks Tim exactly why he came to rescue him in the first place. Like a pretentious middle-aged accountant talking to a child, Tim tells Superboy to wait six months and learn before asking that question again. I'm sure Lobdell didn't intend for Tim to come worse than Bono, but it feels that way. Poor Kon-El - clones are sooooooo dumb, right?


I began reading this issue groaning each time N.O.W.H.E.R.E. or the Culling was mentioned. I wasn't a fan of that storyline, and at first, it felt like Lobdell basically doesn't have any other ideas, so he's forced to keep reminding us about this big thing that happened in order to fill speech bubble space. After a while, though, I realized that this is Lobdell's transition period - soon, new enemies will show up (like Amanda Waller - all around bad-ass) and the convoluted tale of N.O.W.H.E.R.E. can be relegated to the "early mistakes" pile.

GRADE

B

(COMIC) SUPERBOY #10

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Sebastian Fiumara

Either I'm just getting used to terrible writing, or Scott Lobdell is finally, finally, finally hitting the half-serious half-cheeky tone he's been searching for most of the last ten months. Or it could be that he's finished with that N.O.W.H.E.R.E. ridiculousness that literally went nowhere. Whatever the reason, Superboy #9 is my favorite issue of the series so far. I've also come to terms - at least a bit - with the fact that Lobdell is going to keep Superboy and Teen Titans interwoven for the foreseeable future. Wonder Girl 'guest stars' in this issue as she and Kon (thank Jeezus I don't keep having to call him Superboy every single time) search for the rest of the Titans on Mystery Island, which is shaped like question mark.

One of my biggest gripes with Lobdell's writing, thus far, is the shallow way he chooses to develop characterization. Inner monologue can be effective if done well, if it's believable and relatable to how normal people think and act thereon. Unfortunately, Lobdell's use of inner monologue is frighteningly hollow and redundant. Until now, it seems.

Granted, the first few pages are pretty cheesy (Kon refers to himself in the third person at some point), but otherwise, the minimal use ends up being effective. It seems that isolating Kon and Cassie has given Lobdell a bit more legroom to work with each character. Instead of juggling every Titan or the numerous N.O.W.H.E.R.E. cliche villains, playing these two juggernauts against each other actually works. I found myself, on multiple occasions, thinking, That ain't haflf-bad!

Even the part where Kon uses hi telekinetic powers to 'feel' the ground and see Cassie topless was kind of endearing in an awkward adolescence kind of way. Yeah, it's a pretty weird couple of panels, but they give both of these characters some much needed personality. Up to now, Cassie has been a total bitch and nothing else, while Superboy's entire existence has been focused on N.O.W.H.E.R.E. It's a whole lot easier to like these two when they have more layers like real people.

At the end of the issue, Superboy and Wonder Girl find a mysterious set of stairs leading into the earth, down below the surface. They end up coming out upside down? It's a pretty heady page and one that promises an awesome continuation in Teen Titans in a few weeks. Keep this up, Lobdell, for real. I was one more bad issue away from not reading Superboy anymore, but now I'm hooked. Kudos.

GRADE

B+

(COMIC) TEEN TITANS #9

STORY: Scott Lobdell and Tom DeFalco
ART: Ig Guara and JP Mayer

"The Culling" has been a mixed bag when it comes to crossover events. While the series connected to the event - Superboy, Teen Titans, and Legion: Lost - haven't really been the critical achievements DC probably hoped they would be (except Legion: Lost - who knows why this book is around), this crossover between the three has made for a compelling read. I mean, what better way to introduce a whole cadre of characters into the 'New 52'? But instead of bringing "The Culling" to a satisfying conclusion, Teen Titans #9 wades around in it's own ridiculous plot so long it becomes tedious.

Harvest has, so far, been an enigmatic villain. With no backstory and only minute references to his true agenda, it's hard to find any sense - and thus, meaning - in anything he does. Villains need just as much motive as heroes to affect their actions, and Harvest has no motive, so to speak. It's incredibly frustrating as a reader because Harvest simply flies away after the Titans and Legionnaires destroy his base (or whatever compound of weirdly-named locations he traipsed about.) There is literally no conclusion.

Basically, Caitlin Fairchild gets all the metahuman teenagers out of the Scarlett Letter the Crucible and the two teams go all-out on Old No-Eyes. The fighting isn't even satisfying because throughout the pages and pages of brawling, Harvest keeps blathering on about his new world order, or whatever it is he talks about. He's basically reduced to a super-annoying demi-god with no real purpose. Supposedly, he meant for the kids to escape so they can be dangerous in public so the government will need organizations like N.O.W.H.E.R.E., not only to curb the rise of teenage metahuman crime, but also to placate the job demand for silly name acronyms. Then he flies away. That's it. Oh, then the Titans wake up on some island?

If you look back at my review of Superboy #9 and even Teen Titans Annual #1, you'll see that I was actually enjoying this story more than I have for either series thus far. But this sloppy, uninteresting "conclusion" is so weak, it drags down the entire crossover.

GRADE:

C-

(COMIC) LAST WEEK'S 4-SENTENCE REVIEWS!

Hey there, everybody. This past weekend, I took a road trip to Washington D.C. with a friend of mine and didn't prepare for my absence at all. Honestly, I should have written these reviews earlier in the week and scheduled them throughout the weekend. But them's the breaks. To make up for that, I've written some '3-Sentence Reviews' for some of the issues that I missed while hanging out in the nation's capital.


Saga #3
STORY: Brian K. Vaughan
ART: Fiona Staples

Saga continues as Marko and Alana face the Horrors of the night, and it turns out, they're not so scary after all! With her husband unconscious, Alana must deal with the ghosts who are stuck on the planet Cleave and simply want to interact with the living. Forced to team up with a ghost named Izabel, Alana must get Marko to snow before he dies. Brian K. Vaughan and Fiona Staples continue to show the rest of the comic book industry exactly what good writing is.

GRADE: A

AvX: VS #2 (of 6)

STORY: Steve McNiven and Kieron Gillen

ART: Steve McNiven, John Dell, and Salvador Larroca

After a fist issue that couldn't really make up it's mind about whether there would be actual "winners" to these extended fights, AvX: VS #2 simply gets lazy. Captain America vs. Gambit is a ridiculous bout - that no on actually wanted - that goes in Cap's favor for the sake of narrative instead of their supposed power sets. Colossus vs. Spider-Man was totally, completely unnecessary...and then Spidey runs away making Colossus the default winner. I'm sure I'll continue checking out AvX: VS simply for the art, but beyond that, this mini-series has showed that there's little value to it's $3.99 price point.

GRADE: D

Red Hood and The Outlaws #9
STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Kenneth Rocafort

Probably one of the best "Night of the Owls" crossover issues, Red Hood and The Outlaws #9 introduces Mr. Freeze back into the 'New 52', as well as gives readers one of the most compelling Talons yet. The gang splits up with Starfire and Roy attempting to stop Mr. Freeze from controlling all of Chinatown, while Jason runs off after the Talon who was after Freeze in the first place. Scott Lobdell usually falls on his face, but in RHatO, his writing has been golden; the discussion between Jason and the Talon is touching, moving, and actually makes the reader empathize with the undead assassin. Mr. Freeze will be featured in this month's Batman Annual #1.

GRADE: B+

(COMIC) SUPERBOY #9

STORY: Scott Lobdell and Tom DeFalco
ART: R.B. Silva, Rob Lean, and Iban Coello

It came as no surprise to me when I found Superboy #9 to be one of the best issues of the series. While Scott Lobdell still finds ways to make really silly mistakes, those instances are minimal this issue. This month, Superboy, Teen Titans, and Legion: Lost are all part of "The Culling", a crossover event that pits the Titans and Legionnaires against Harvest and his team of Ravagers. Superboy #9 stands as Part 2 of the four-part epic, giving it a 'will-they-wont-they' approach to the fates of these kids against a psychopathic paranoid monster.

The Titans and Legionnaires - along with other, unaffiliated metahuman kids like Beast Boy and Terra - find it difficult to work together, let alone trust one another, a sentiment that can be easily felt by readers who pick up Teen Titans every month, but not Legion: Lost, or vice-versa; if you don't readily recognize these characters, you find yourself agreeing when Red Robin doesn't want to include the Legionnaires in his strategy, for example. The actual 'Culling' is basically your "Battle Royale" scenario - most famously grafted onto a post-apocalyptic world for this year's infamous The Hunger Games - where the children are forced to fight each other to the death in order to see who has what it takes to join the ranks of Harvest's Ravagers.

"The Culling" storyline began last week in Teen Titans Annual #1 and served mostly to introduce (and in some cases kill off) characters like Terra, Beast Boy, Artemis, Thunder, Lightning, and others - all of whom had some connection to the Titans before the Flashpoint event. Superboy #9 takes the next logical step and features the main battle between the teamed-up Titans and Legionnaires squaring off against Rose Wilson and the other Ravagers.

My opinions concerning origin stories and Lobdell's handling of the Titans and Superboy thus far set aside, if you're going to pump your titles full of fights, you better make them awesome and in the case of Superboy #9, they are. Basically, it boils down to Superboy vs. Warblade and Red Robin vs. Rose Wilson with a few other heroes helping out here and there. By the end of the issue, all the other Ravagers have been taken out, and Harvest descends to take on all the teenaged superheroes by himself. It's a pretty awesome moment to end on and leads directly into Legion: Lost #9.

GRADE:

B+

PS - Seeing as Legion: Lost #9 is the third act of "The Culling", followed by part four in Teen Titans next week, I figured I could give you a little information about LL#9  if you don't regularly read it, just in case you want to know what's happening when you pick up TT#9 next week.

Basically, Legion: Lost #9 is an issue-long battle between the combined forces of the Teen Titans, the Legionnaires, and the other Culling participants against the awesome power of Harvest, who seems to be deflecting and countering any and all attacks made against him. Also, the issue is littered with instances of Harvest referencing the 31st century, knowledge of the Legion, and Bart Allen's true history. In fact, Harvest explains that the Legionnaires were never lost - he had called for them. In many respects, LL#9 makes it seem like "The Culling" is more or less the endgame to the origin story for the Titans, Superboy, and the lost Legionnaires, providing a platform with which to reveal secret information, make or break alliances, and finish up all this ongoing-epic stuff that has lasted a whole 9 issues for all three of these series.

(COMIC) TEEN TITANS #8

STORY: Scott Lobdell
ART: Ig Guara and JP Mayer

As the creative force behind Teen Titans, Superboy, and Red Hood and The Outlaws, Scott Lobdell has a lot of room to create fantastic stories that involve a great lineup of characters that could possibly evolve into a sort-of mini-universe within DC's larger mainframe. Unfortunately, Lobdell has completely squandered both Teen Titans and Superboy with trite dialogue, a ridiculously convoluted tale about the organization called N.O.W.H.E.R.E. (a pet peeve of mine is unexplained acronyms) that captures/recruits teenaged metahumans for some mysterious use. Also, some weirdo mutant thing called Harvest is the ringleader of the whole thing.

Apparently, Lobdell is building toward some 'official' crossover between Teen Titans and Superboy called "The Culling". By dictionary definition, a culling means a trimming down, a reduction. I can only assume this is the central idea behind Lobdell's crossover because there's been absolutely no indication of what this culling actually is. This month's Superboy carried the same "The Culling: Prelude" tag as this issue of Teen Titans, yet there's nothing to in either issue that points to this event - the exception being the cameos of Beast Boy and Terra at the end of Superboy #8.

This month in Teen Titans, the team is somehow already balls-deep in a fight with Omen, a metahuman teenager who can manipulate reality and...minds? Maybe? It's not really explained, like most things in Teen Titans, so I suppose I should stop complaining, huh? Mostly, Omen brings out the insecurities and fears of each team member, using these feelings to pit them against each other. But at the end, it turns out that the entire issue was a dream being collectively shared by the team. They've been strapped to steel lab beds the entire time, all of their struggles simply a made-up reality courtesy of Omen.

Honestly, it feels like a lot of wasted time. If all of it was a just a hallucination of-sorts, what was the point? What purpose did this entire issue serve? And with painful dialogue like, "Wha--? Last thing I remember was writhing in Omens grip...and now I'm dressed like Superboy's prom date. And bound to this table, to boot. Super strength would normally be enough to break free but..." This monologue by Wonder Girl made me literally cringe while reading it. Nobody talks like that ever. It's an affront to basic intelligence to make a character literally say what they are thinking. It's abhorrent and Lobdell better start taking a look at how he treats this title or he will lose all of his readers.

Also, Superboy is on the cover, yet not in the issue. This is sooooooo aggravating I cannot tell you.

GRADE:

D