BONUS BOOK - Teen Titans (Pre-October, 1996)
"Titans Children"
Story & Pencils - Dan Jurgens
Finished Art - George Perez
Colors - Gregory Wright
Enhancement - Digital Chameleon
Letters - Richard Starkings & Comicraft
Edits - Eddie Berganza
Waitaminute, waitaminute... You might be thinking "I know the Titans Insert Prevue, (in fact we've looked at it twice)... and this, is not that book!" Well, you'd be right... because this one, my friends, is not that book. This is actually a Prevue that I'd forgotten all about! It wasn't until I had my memory jogged by pal, Grant Kitchen, that this little ditty was included betwixt the pages of Superman (vol.2) #116!
This is a sneak-peek at the second volume of Teen Titans... ya know, that attempt to give the newly teen-aged Atom a place to hang out? That Titans book where Dan Jurgens allegedly wasn't allowed to use any Titans characters? Yeah, that one! We've already looked at a few issues of that run here... including the first issue.
You might notice the... very odd cover date here. Not sure what in the world "Pre-Oct, 1996" means. Does that mean it could've been published anytime between January and September, 1996? Does it just mean that Superman (vol.2) was twice-monthly at this point, and for whatever reason they used "Pre" instead of "Early"? I'm sure whatever the explanation is, it's very boring.
Before we hop in, just wanna let everybody know that this is the final post of the Fourth Year of Chris is on Infinite Earths! Tomorrow kicks off the fifth! Tomorrow's anniversary piece is going to be a lot of fun... and maybe just a little bit weird!
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We open, two days ago, on Titan... the largest of Saturn's 22 known Moons. Nowadays, Saturn's known to have at least 62... though, Titan is still regarded as the biggest. Heck, it's larger than Mercury. Anyhoo, these Titans of the Teen variety, who we have yet to be introduced to, are... maybe being abducted and held hostage there? A hooded figure (that is, Omen) laments their failure in stopping this from occurring.
We join them in space, where the fellas have all become just a bit more buff. They fight a pair of Psion aliens, the blonde kid refers to as "Pinky and the Brain", just in case we'd forgotten when this book came out. In the skirmish, they discover the bagged body of... oh my, is that Doomsday?! That sure looks like Doomsday's Goggle-Sack outfit!
Well, no... for better or worse, it's not Doomsday. It's actually Prism, who will be another member of our team. She blames the Psions for taking her world... and postures threateningly.
We jump ahead, and the day is saved... apparently. I gotta say, this is a really strange way to give an "Insert Prevue". This is really just bits and pieces from issues of the series that are yet to come out... so, we're bouncing around a good bit. So yeah, everything's cool... and the kids have even convinced the Psion, Dorek to give them a ride home.
We wrap up back on Earth... and the Titans try on their new "Calvin Klein" duds, and pick their code names. The recently teen-aged Atom, who was a part of this whole mess decides to stick around and help out. It's not like he has an ongoing series or anything... so, what the heck, right?
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So... heckuva way to introduce a new team, huh?
I am, of course, being facetious... this wasn't really all that great. An assortment of scenes from the first few issues of the soon-to-release ongoing series... with much/all of the context removed... just doesn't seem like anything to get all "rah-rah" about. I know, had I been reading DC Comics back in 1996... I most certainly would not have been enticed to pick up the first issue of Teen Titans (vol.2) based solely off of this Prevue.
It just doesn't do anything to introduce the characters... which, ya gotta figure, is sort of the selling point to a team book... no? You want to follow a team book because you care about the characters... you have some sort of interest or investment in them. This fails to provide any of that. Even the "mysteries" here feel half-baked. Who's the hooded figure? Who cares? What's the deal with the girl in the Doomsday gimp-suit? Again, who cares? Now that I think of it, if anything... this Prevue might've actually hindered me from picking up that first issue! Couldn't imagine how actual Titans fans felt seeing this back in the day!
Worth noting (maybe just to ninnies like myself), if you scan any of the DC Wikis and whatnot looking for first appearances, these new Teen Titans we're introduced to are listed as first appearing in Teen Titans (vol.2) #1... and not here. According to Mike's Amazing World, this issue of Superman (vol.2) hit shelves on July 31, 1996... whereas, Teen Titans (vol.2) #1 came out almost a full-month later on August 28. So, these Titans don't quite get the New Teen Titans treatment of having their first appearance listed as the "Insert Prevue". Probably a weird sticking point for me... but, these are the sort of things that keep me up at night!
Overall... nah, didn't dig this. Felt too disjointed, and didn't build much of a defined mystery to derive curiosity from someone who was just reading Superman... but, that's just one dude's opinion. Maybe you feel differently... and this Prevue got you hyped to jump into TTv2 with both feet?
Anyhoo, that'll do it for today... please come back tomorrow for my FOUR-YEAR ANNIVERSARY of putting out DAILY Discussions and Reviews of DC-and-DC-Adjacent-Comics! It'll be a good time... I promise!
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Superboy and the Ravers #1 (September, 1996)
"House Rules, Part 1: The Never-Ending Party"
Writers - Karl Kesel & Steve Mattsson
Pencils - Paul Pelletier
Inks - Dan Davis
Colors - John Kalisz
Letters - Kevin Cunningham
Associate Editor - Chris Duffy
Editor - Frank Pittarese
Cover Price: $1.95
You ever take a look at the comics solicits, and say to youself, "What are they thinking?!". Of course ya have... we all have.
I recall looking at much of the offerings of the short-lived DCYOU "era" wondering that. Heck, I can think of about 20 titles from the initial New-52! launch I felt similarly about (Voodoo... really?).
Then there's books where the title of the thing is just so out there that it's hard to believe a) it was suggested, b) it got green-lit, and c) it made it to print!
In that spirit, today I give to you... Superboy and the Ravers!
Well, actually... this is just another entry in our "Hey, Paul Pelletier is awesome!" series... but, we can still mention how silly the title is, right?
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We open with Superboy heading over to Pali Lookout, Hawaii in order to meet with lady-friend and Bloodlines buddy, Sparx! After a moment of feeling as though he was stood up, she ZAPS into sight and gives him a "why so serious?" kind of look. After clearing the air, she takes him to their destination... there just so happens to be an intergalactic "Event Horizon" Rave going on just ova there!
Superboy isn't all that impressed, and suggests a better use of his time would be heading home to feed Krypto, but Sparx really wants him to stay. She doesn't know much about the situation... only that the last time she popped in on one'a these, she didn't stay long enough to get her hand stamped. As she rambles, Superboy becomes instantly smitten with a girl wearing a mask and a bellybutton ring.
Worth noting, all of these intergalactic ravers speak their own language... one Kon doesn't understand. As you might imagine, this leads to some misunderstandings. Speaking of misunderstandings, some big dude thinks Sparx is the right girl for him, and so he grabs her.
She ZAPS him off... which really seems to annoy him. Turns out this fella is a Khund... and we all know they're jerks. Superboy hops in to take control of the situation, only to be nyoinked out of the fray by a dollar-store Street Shark... who he socks in the nose (or at least where his nose would be)!
Superboy gets walloped... which makes that bellybutton ring girl laugh. Oh, she speaks Earthen English, by the way. This riles the kid up, and so he lunges in for more... only, he winds up smacking right into the forcefield of our latest arrival(s).
By this point, Superboy has ruined everybody's good time, or maybe their MDMA has worn off... whatever the case, they're ticked at the kid! A dude who looks like Frankenstein's slacker brother lifts him up by the collar, and slams him into a tree.
Superboy is saved from the potentially-hairy misunderstanding by that new arrival he bumped into moments earlier... a fella named Hero. Hero's got a dog called "Rex"... which, I suppose is a pretty common name (in dog circles), though I'm hoping he's a dog of the "Wonder" variety. It's here that we learn the Street Shark Kon punched is actually the Bouncer of this here Rave... and it probably wasn't the wisest idea to lash out.
Just then, the "Bouncer" returns... now flanked by a blonde fellow and a third-string Youngblood member. The toe-head introduces himself as Kindred Marx, and it looks like he's in charge of this here Rave.
Superboy goes to shake his hand, and gets (what he assumes to be) the ol' joy-buzzer gag! Turns out, the shock was really Marx implanting a "hand-stamp" on the kid. It's his ticket to and from the Event Horizon Rave, no matter where it's happening! Also, he can now understand all of the disparate languages of the Ravers... and thankfully, so can we!
After the dust settles, Sparx goes off to dance with some goons, and Superboy asks Hero for some "411" on the girl with the bellybutton ring. Turns out, her name is Aura... and she hangs out with a too-cool for school outfit called "The Fashion Police". I wonder if they'll give Superboy a ticket for his awful haircut. Anyhoo, Superboy decides maybe he'll chat her up. Only, he's cut off by... a Weaponer of Qward?!
The Weaponer is introduced as Kaliber... and he has taken exception to Superboy wearing the colors of the actual Man of Steel. Superboy suggests ol' winghead "chill", which really gets his dander up. Ya don't go around telling him how to regulate his internal temperature! Naturally, they begin to brawl... only to be separated by the Street Shark.
Kindred Marx suggests that Kal and Kon "take it outside"... and so, they do. Only, in stepping "outside" they find themselves on an arena planetoid!
They fight for a minute, with Kon saving Kal's bacon a time or two until Marx sends the rest of the party back to Hawaii (and removes Superboy and Kaliber's "hand-stamps". Turns out their little Arena-Planet has been discovered by... InterC.E.P.T.?!
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Ya know, I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this one to begin with... and I was still surprised! What a weird little book, and to think... it's an ongoing series! Gotta wonder just how this was ever an idea in the first place!
Now, that's not to say it was bad (because it wasn't)... just that it's weird (because it is)! This book has been sitting in my longbox library for a long while, and I was never compelled enough to actually pull the trigger and read it. Might sound silly, but hunkering down with a comic has become kind of a "time investment" for me over the past little while.
I assumed this was going to be the story of Superboy leading a team called "The Ravers", with a bunch of "grown adult approximating teen" speak... what I wasn't expecting was an actual (intergalactic) rave!
Worth saying that I don't have all that much familiarity with "rave culture" (shocker, I know!). I do remember some kids in my high school wearing pacifiers around their necks for reasons I didn't understand at the time. I was so "in my own world" I must have just assumed it was a very weird fashion statement... or they were just high. Wasn't until I took a few addiction courses in college that I (sorta) understood it.
That being said, it's kind of interesting to me that DC would publish a book about (literal) Ravers. Part of me was expecting that there'd be a few of these geeks off in the corner passing out Mollies... though, in fairness... this was just the first issue. That might still be on the horizon.
Preconceptions aside, I thought this was a pretty fun issue... and a neat introduction to a very strange concept. Gotta mention the reason we're checking it out in the first place... Pencillin' Paul. Some really solid stuff from him, excellent facial expressions and action... though, I'm not sure Dan Davis is his best inker. Some of the panels looks kind of Stuart Immonen-esque, which isn't a bad thing... but just a bit looser than what I've come to expect.
Overall, I'd say this one's worth a peek, if only for the novelty/oddity and, of course, the art. This one doesn't appear to have been made available digitally just yet (for some reason #10 is the only one up there), but shouldn't break the bank in the wild.
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Takion #1 (June, 1996)
"Birth Pains"
Writer - Paul Kupperberg
Artist - Aaron Lopresti
Inker - Gary Martin
Letterer - Willie Schubert
Colorist - Lee Loughridge
Assistant Editor - Alisande Morales
Editor - Dan Thorsland
Cover Price: $1.75
Today we're going to meet Takion! You remember him, right? We last bumped into him when we discussed the Genesis debacle at some point last year. I wondered just who in the hell he was then... and so, when I happened across nearly a full run of his title in the cheap-o bins (just missing #7), I excitedly snapped it up. What can I say, I'm a stupid, stupid man.
Anyhoo... if you've been Takion-curious... read on, I promise you won't be for long!
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We open with a blind man seemingly being struck dead on the sidewalk. He claims that since he's a psychologist, he should be able to "detach himself from pain and fear"... I've been taking psychology for six years now, and I gotta say... that class hasn't yet popped up on my schedule. He collapses, and begins to smolder with energy as a crowd forms around him... and then...
Next thing we know, our blind shrink (Joshua Sanders) is ripped from his body and sent soaring through the cosmos, before winding up stood before... the Highfather! This is notable because... having been blind since birth, this is the first time Joshua has ever been able to see anything... and now, he can see everything, not just what is front of him.
Highfather explains that he has chosen Sanders to be the "Takion of the Source", a Source Elemental... with the ability to manipulate the, wait for it, Source. Sanders is the perfect pick because, according to Highfather, he's a "man without destiny", and therefore wouldn't be sorely missed. There's a "compliment sandwich" if I ever heard one. Anyhoo... as if I haven't typed "Source" enough yet... Takion's gig will be cleaning the taint of the Source... which, ya know... kinda sounds gross. Profane, even!
We hop into a flashback, where we're seeing through Josh's eyes... kinda, because, ya know... blind. He's behind his desk and chatting up a lady friend named Nancy. It looks like they might have a romantic relationship.
The flashback is interrupted by Takion's own Cosmic Awareness kicking in. He finds himself overcome by... everything. Past, present, future... sights, sounds, smells... all'a dat stuff... including seeing a battle, seemingly with himself, perhaps a physical representation/manifestation of his Joshua Sanders self being at odds with his new Takion of the New Gods self? Or, maybe just a sign of things to come... yeah, that's probably more like it.
After this, he returns to the scene of his own apparent demise... the crowd is still there. He knows everyone's names... and introduces himself as "Takion"... which, gets a confused narration caption. Overhead, Kyle Rayner soars by... however, upon passing over Takion, his ring briefly powers down. He'll be back later.
Takion then flashes back to a time where he, in his blind fella form, almost wandered into the path of a truck. Dude must've been deaf too... that was a big damn truck! He then heads over to the hospital to chat up his lady friend, Nancy. It doesn't take him as long as you might imagine to convince her that the flaming golden god standing in front of her is actually the blind psychologist from down the hall.
Since Josh isn't in control of his new cosmic awareness, his thoughts bleed into her brain. She can hear so much of what he's worried about... for example, a solar flare erupting on the Sun at that very moment. Their reunion and chat is cut short by the arrival of the Highfather... which Takion ain't at all happy about.
Takion takes off, and finds himself facing off with... Kyle Rayner! Toldja he'd be back. They spend the next several pages doin' that thing where superheroes fight one another. It looks like Takion's got Kyle's number... and is even able to shut down his ring a time or two. The fight continues until Takion is able to break through one of Kyle's constructs.
Takion and Kyle slam down onto the rooftop where Nancy is (still) standing. Suddenly, the Highfather's voice comes from her body... telling Takion to accept his powers.
Highfather keeps riding Takion to "open himself up" to these powers... because the Source needs a scrubbin'. To his credit, he also apologizes for the position he put Josh in. Highfather then senses that his presence is known... and so, he bugs out back to New Genesis. By this point, however, Takion's powers are sorta-kinda going out of control... and he's actually lifted an entire aircraft carrier out of the nearby drink!
We wrap up this opening chapter with that Takion's power seemingly shutting down, and that aircraft carrier slamming down onto a row of New York City high-rises!
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Well, this wasn't all that great, was it?
Let's start with some praise... this book moves along at a decent clip. Had this book come out in "current year", it'd take about six issues to get where we are. Hell, today we'd probably get an eight-page scene of blind Joshua feeding his cat in his darkened apartment or something.
Also, the Takion design is pretty cool. Getting big-time Silver Surfer vibes (in look, power set, and angst), but I suppose that isn't the worst thing in the world. Gotta wonder if this design was pitched as "Silver Surfer, but gold... with a sash", because that's kinda what it is.
Now, the story we get here... I'm sorry, just isn't terribly interesting. It's well-written, and has all of the "nuts and bolts" a first issue ought to have... it's just really dull. We have no reason to really care about Joshua Sanders... and no reason to empathize with the plight of Highfather, who comes across here as a selfish, callous jerk-ass.
Also, I didn't care for the way the fight with Kyle Rayner went down. This is a staple of comics-character-introductions... you create a new character, and s/he must immediately best another character in battle. My "go-to" example of this is usually new-monster-on-the-block Doomsday beating the hell out of Darkseid. It feels forced, and I feel it doesn't do any of the characters involved any favors.
Overall... ehh, if you're down for a short-lived 1990's oddity, I suppose you could do worse. I didn't find this interesting in the slightest... though, in fairness... I'm not the biggest New Gods guy to begin with. The art is solid, it looks as though Lopresti was having a lot of fun with the malleability of the Takion character. Might be worth a flip through, though I wouldn't recommend paying near cover price for it.
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(Not the) Letters Page:
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Firebrand #1 (February, 1996)
"Ashes to Ashes"
Writer - Brian Augustyn
Artist - Sal Velluto
Letterer - Ken Lopez
Colorist - Trish Mulvihill
Assistant Editor - Chris Eades
Editor - Rob Simpson
Cover Price: $1.75
Firebrand? Who's that? Last time we talked about a Firebrand here, I think we were discussing the All-Star Squadron! Well, this is a book that I'd dug out of the bins a few months ago, mistaking it as part of the Bloodlines "push".
The cover immediately jumped out at me, and the character on it looked really cool. What's more, I'd either forgotten that this book was a thing... or, never knew it was!
So... let's get to diggin'!
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We open with a pair of detectives sitting in a car discussing addictions and obsessions. Ya see, there's this one guy named Leo who is afraid to give up smoking, because he knows he'll just start stuffing his face if he were to stop. The other guy, Alex, has a hard time letting go of old (missing/abducted children) cases... possibly (definitely) stemming from his inability to save his sister some time back. This is really well presented, and the conversation feels natural.
Alex eventually hops out and heads into his apartment building. Once inside, he hits his answering machine... first message is from his brother Javier. It's clear that they're, at least somewhat, estranged. Actually Alex appears to be pretty distant from his entire family. Anyhoo, Javier implores Alex to give their dad a call.
Onto the next message... it's a man, mocking the detective, claiming to be the "link" connecting all of the missing children. Once the message ends, well...
We join Alex in the great hereafter... he's bathed in light, and bears a flaming scar on his chest. He is called to a closed door... by his sister's voice. There's another explosion... likely signifying what actually happened to his sister, then she emerges. She tells him that her death wasn't his fault... and also, that it's not his time to die.
Three months pass, and Alex finally comes out of his coma. He is welcomed back into the land of the living by his brother, Javier. Seventy percent of his bones were shattered... and yet, somehow... he survived.
Javier continues, explaining that Alex had basically been rebuilt from the ground up with experimental polymers, acrylics and techniques... likely costing upwards of $12-Million. Well, I don't think a detective is going to be able to come up with the scratch for that... and lucky for him, he doesn't have to! Ya see, he's got himself a benefactor.
Head of this experimental project, Doctor Newton P. Lovell enters the room to check on his patient. While chatting, Alex gets a bit antsy... he event tries to get out of bed... which leads to a fairly gruesome panel.
We jump ahead another two months... and Alex is walking with the aid of a pair of canes. Doc Lovell leads him to an R&D room so he can finally meet his secret benefactor... Noah Hightower, a "richer than God"... uh, I was gonna say "industrialist", but I'm really not sure what his background is. Could be "old money" for all I know. This was 1996, maybe he was the first guy to put ads on a Geocities site. Either way, we learn that Hightower had a child go missing some 25 years ago... so this favor might not be without its strings.
Alex waits for the other shoe to drop... and it eventually does. Ya see, Hightower informs him that with all of the procedures they'd performed on him, he'll have about 85% of his mobility back... but there is a way to bring that up to 100%... and higher! It has to do with a costume... but, you probably guessed that by now.
To his credit, Hightower leaves the decision to Alex. He won't hold any ill will toward him if he decides to pass on the opportunity. Alex offers that he will think on it, and think on it hard.
A couple more months later, Alex is walking completely on his own... and is being visited by Leo... who, gave up smoking... and did gain a bunch of weight (nice touch!) reveals that he might have a lead on the mad answering machine bomber what bombed via answering machine those seven months ago.
Alex peeks out the window and notices that some dude is trying to break into Leo's car... and so, Leo rushes out to stop 'em. Alex notes that the hospital's crack security staff is "three retired guys who play cards all night" (I think we've all met those guys) and suggests calling in some actual back-up.
Once outside, Leo is jumped by a bunch of skinheads. Alex realizes there's only one way he can save his buddy, and so... heads over to the R&D room to "suit up". Moments later, he rushes outside to take the fight to the baddies.
He taps a button on his chest plate (which is exactly where that scar was after the blast) and finds himself struck by this flaming lightning bolt, bathed in green smoke.
Now, looking sorta like a member of Ghost Rider's cast, he is able to wipe the floor with the skinheads.
Since he's not yet a seasoned superhero, Alex/Firebrand lets most of the bad guys escape. He's left in the parking lot with his buddy, and some of the hospital staff rushing onto the scene.
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Lemme share something somewhat personal... if you'll indulge me, of course. Recently I've had to decide on my Masters Degree path. Those who know me, know that my higher education career started about a decade too late... and my Bachelor Degree took me an extra year or two to earn. When I started, I knew I wanted to pursue psychology... but wasn't prepared to commit to anything more specific.
In the six-years it took me to earn my degree, my focus shifted a few times... and I ended up with a choice between pursuing a Masters in Forensic Psychology... or School Psychology. I've written before about how a particular Forensics assignment actually led me to starting this blog... though, if I'm being honest... it wasn't so much the assignment, it was my obsession with it. My inability to "let it go".
Up until a few months ago, I've waffled... even put off my return to school, because I just couldn't commit to one path over the other. While School Psychology is the "smart" play, and is something I'm pretty passionate about, I just couldn't shake the feeling that my "calling" was in Forensics.
After much soul-searching, I ultimately came to the conclusion that I'd be far more effective as a School Psychologist... or maybe, just effective period in that role. I, like the star of this series (and the reason I've droned on for the past skatey-eight hundred words), Detective Alejandro Sanchez... have a problem letting things go. Though, I don't have any trauma to blame that on!
Now, with that out of the way... what'd I think of Firebrand? I really dug it! Alex is a complex (and, to me relatable) character, and I find myself wanting to learn more about him. We only get a little bit about him... actually, we only get a little bit about his benefactor, Hightower. Both fellas I'd like to learn more about!
The Firebrand design is pretty cool... though looks like it would be a pain to draw. I also wonder how he'd look in a hero-lineup... can't really picture him standing next to Superman or anything. Again, not sure if he has an "off" switch as of yet... dunno if he can go back to his flameless form, or even back to his Sanchez-civvies.
The art here was good, and fit the tone of the story. I mentioned it during the synopsis, but I loved that Leo was depicted as having gained weight after giving up smoking. Great attention to detail there!
Overall... I really enjoyed this. This is, unfortunately, the only issue of the run I have at the moment... and it's a book that I very rarely see "in the wild"... actually, I've only seen it the once! If you happen across it, I think you'll have a good time with it. This is, unsurprisingly, not yet available digitally... so, if you want it, you're gonna have to git to diving! I think you'll find that it's worth the trouble.
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