Gen¹³ (vol.2) #14 (1996)

Gen¹³ (vol.2) #14 (November, 1996)
"Higher Learning"
Story - Brandon Choi, J. Scott Campbell & Jim Lee
Penciller - Luke Ross
Inker - Sandra Hope
Colors - Joe Chiodo & Martin Jimenez
Computer Colors - WildStorm FX
Assistant Editor - Gigi Barbes
Editor - Sarah Becker
Cover Price: #$2.50

Another pick informed by a twitter exchange with Andrew.  Been a minute since we looked at Gen¹³... so why not?

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Wake up in the morning, feeling shy and lonely, gee they gotta go to school.  It's a new day in La Jolla, California... and it just so happens to be the first day... of school?!  C'mon, teams of superhero kids don't go to school, do they?  Aren't they all just taught at whatever institute they're based out of?  Well, I guess that's not exactly the way it works for our Gen-Actives.  And so, while Caitlin's father Alex Fairchild does his... tai chi, or whatever... the kids all get ready for their big day.

Elsewhere, Burnout has done a rather poor job of shaving himself... having nicked himself several times over.  Unfortunately, Rainmaker saunters by in her unmentionables... which causes our man to, uh... flare up... thereby cauterizing his wounds?  Man, hope that doesn't scar.

Elsewhere again, Roxy does one of those in-room fashion shows, like we see on television.  I've never been a teen-aged girl, so for all I know, these might happen in real life?

We then shift to Lynch's underground bunker... office... monitoring room... place.  He's got a smattering of screens up, including a shot of Bobby's blistery face.  Gotta wonder where else this creep's got cameras posted?!  Also worth noting, that one newscaster from Spawn is on one of the screens.  As he hears of a string of student abductions he checks in with Anna, the robo-maid about breakfast.

Turns out these finicky teen-agers don't really appreciate all the hard work the bot puts into making breakfast... you know how deez kids be.  Grunge would rather have some cold pizza (brah!) and a Diet (?) Coke... Roxy's into fad dieting... Bobby's got his Powerbars... and Sarah's, well, Sarah's just annoying.  Caitlin, however, does eat up... and even goes so far as to thank Anna!

Then... finally, it's off to school.  No sooner do they step out of Anna's van than the cliche "As Seen on TV" school experience begins!

Roxy bumps into a dude and drops her books all over the place.  Then... an artsy gentleman stops to help her pick them up.  Wouldn'tcha know it... he's headed to the same Film Appreciation Class that she is!

Caitlin is targeted by a pair of... uh, is "mean girls" still a saying?  Whatever we're calling them, they are a pair of Sorority girls, who are looking for a new pledge.  Who betta than this six-foot redhead?  Perhaps worth noting, they're from the Kappa Lambda Tau sorority... and I hope those letters don't mean anything.  Considering another "creatively" named house we're going to meet, I can't help but imagine that they do.

Speaking of that other house... Grunge decides to pledge for Delta Iota Kappa.  Yeah, DIK, see what I mean?  He and another dude head inside... where they're threatened with... um, some bad touching?

We slide over to the Campus Kafeehaus (are there even classes today?) where Bobby is called over by a rocker chick.  She calls him "Mr. Weiland"... which, yeah... I guess I can totally see that.  They chat, flirt, the whole shebang.

We head over to the Quad where there's already a demonstration going on.  The kids have organized to put a stop to inhumane treatment of animals by the Biology department.  Of course, Rainmaker is right in the middle of all of this.  Grunge strolls by to lend some "moral support"... which is to say, he stops long enough to razz her a bit.

Finally... a class!  It's Neurology 301... which, I mean for Freshmen, that might be a bit advanced.  Gotta wonder what the pre-reqs were if Grunge is here.  Anyhoo... it's Grunge and Fairchild... and it's here that we learn that ol' Percival has himself some'a that photographic memory.

For something completely different, we pop over to the Isle of Gamorra... where some nogoodniks are trying to track down Alex Fairchild.  They beat up some Rodney Dangerfield looking fool... and leave.

Back at school, the day is winding to a close.  The gang all heads back to where they were set to be picked up in the Anna-Van, and they have a few new additions.  It's also here that the art starts to go a bit "ca-ca"... or is that "cock-eyed".

Some friendly razzing between partners changes into heated debate... which, I'd imagine makes their new pals wonder just what the hell they've gotten themselves into.  Before push turns to shove, however, the Anna-Van arrives to take the Gen-Actives home.

We rejoin the gang at the dinner table... where Anna has decided she's had enough of their crap.  She forces them to eat the meal she's prepared... and since she's a robot, I'm sure she actually could just jam it down their throats.  The "animals are people too" debate heats up again... with all sides actually making cogent points.  Lynch basically tells them that this level of discourse is what becoming educated is all about... they don't have to agree... but all opinions ought to be heard and respected.  Grunge punctuates the sentiment with a belch.

That night, the kids unwind in front of the television set... and it's not long before the razzing begins again.  At least it's friendly this time around.  Lynch tries to break it up by suggesting they all do their homework... to which, Grunge informs the gang that his is done, thanks in no small part to his photographic memory.  Wonk wonk.

We close out with... another student being abducted from the college.  Thought for a moment, it was the Anna-bot... but it turns out they just have the same hairstylist.  She wakes up to find herself strapped to a table... and being approached by some odd Kokopelli looking individual.

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Well... as silly and cliche as this was, I can't say I didn't have fun reading it.

This is like... every TV show "first day of school".  Being a dude whose had a bunch'a "first days of school" himself... I gotta just assume I was missing out, because I never had one like I saw on television.

This issue served as a pretty neat diversion from the usual fighty-fight superhero fare... and allowed us to explore these characters outside of the Gen-Active dynamic.  Of course, it's still kiiinda cliche... Roxy and the Artsy dude... Bobby and the slacker/rocker chick.  Grunge, despite being a goofball actually being a super-secret genius... all sorta contrived deals.  Fun, but contrived.

The art here is... uneven?  There are panels that look as though they could've been J. Scott Campbell... and then others that look like they're straight outta OEL manga.  Who knows, maybe there was a time-crunch toward the end... it wouldn't be out of character for a book of this vintage.  The cover is quite striking, and would likely jump off the shelf atcha... which kinda does leave the inside a bit more disappointing.

Overall... I think there's a lot of fun to have here.  It might be worth your time to check it out.

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Letters Page... kinda?

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Robin #87 (2001)

Robin #87 (April, 2001)
"Secrets Revealed"
Writer - Chuck Dixon
Penciller - Pete Woods
Inker - Andrew Pepoy
Colorist - Noelle Giddings
Separations - Jamison
Letterer - Willie Schubert
Assistant Editor - Frank Berrios
Editor - Matt Idelson
Special Thanks - Esther Newlin
Cover Price: $2.25

Just as I was falling into a Titan-ic rut... my buddy Andrew tweeted out some great Chuck Dixon-era Robin comics he happened across.  So, I sez to myself, "self... you haven't covered any Robin in far too long."

And so, here we be!  Thanks for the inspiration, Andrew!

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Tim Drake hasn't made it home for the night... and Batman is a bit worried.  And so, we open with him visiting with Robin's gal-pal, Stephanie Brown.  She's kinda fangirling out... and it's really rather endearing.  This is the kind of scene they try and do these days, and it just falls flat.  Here, I dig it.  Anyhoo, Steph... she thinks this is cool and all, but isn't entirely clear on why Batman is gracing her with his presence.  Well, ya see... he needs her help.

Now just where could Tim be?  Well, he's sleeping off a night of patrolling atop a building near his Brentwood Boarding School.  Ya see, things have been in a bit of upheaval in Gotham of late... in the recent "Officer Down" arc, Commissioner Gordon was shot... and ultimately retired.  Tim sits down to think on it... but falls asleep before long.

Back in the Batmobile, Batman and Steph head toward the Batcave.  In a cool bit, the windows go black... so Stephanie can't tell where they're headed.  Seems he's not sure she's ready to know everything just yet.

Back at Brentwood, Ben Stein calls roll.  Tim's still sleeping, so he ain't there.  A kid named Danny raises his hand to cover/inform the Teach that he "thinks" Tim might've had a family emergency.

Back at the Cave, Batman gives Spoiler the tiniest of tours around the facilities.  He tells her that he's checked all of Robin's regular "haunts", save one.  One that he cannot go... and that's where Stephanie comes in.

That night, after sleeping the entire day away, Robin wakes up... still atop that building.  From this vantage point he sees one of his Brentwood classmates running around the streets like he's Superman.  Tim narrowly saves him from becoming street pizza.  Because, c'mon... it doesn't look like that bus driver had any interest in pumping the brakes, does it?

Getting a closer look, Tim recognizes "Supermeth" as his classmate Tommy.  The kid begins to seize before passing out.  Tim does what he can before Emergency Services arrive.

Then... he goes back to his dorm, where he faces off with his nosy roommate Wesley the Weasel.  After telling ol' Wes off, Tim calls into the hospital to check on Tommy.  Turns out, he didn't make it.  Dead on arrival... brain hemorrhage.

Since Tim slept the entire day away, it looks like he's gonna be up all night.  While he vegges out, he is visited by big-guy Buzz... who is happy to announce that not only did he receive a full-ride football scholarship... but that his father is once again talking to him.  Then... Alfred shows up!  Yep, after a sizable "falling out" with Master Bruce, Alfred is staying at Brentwood.  Tim shares his troubles with him.

Tim retires to his bedroom... and sees a bat-themed sticky-note on his window, and so... he suits up and heads to the roof.  He's shocked that his "midnight caller" isn't Batman... but Spoiler!  What's more... she knows... everything.  Well, almost everything.

Tim freaks the eff out, and swings away.  Spoiler chases him through a park... and for whatever reason, past a pug?  Well, that's random enough to capture for posterity, ain't it?

Robin winds up running smack dab into Batman... who tells him that this was all his idea.  This doesn't settle Tim's teakettle, it just shows him where to focus all of his anger.  He lays into Batman for betraying his trust... for spilling the beans on his (Tim's) secret identity... while continuing to play his own close to the vest.  He also calls him out on being too much of a coward to visit him in person... just because Alfred is there.

As Tim stomps away, Spoiler's all "whoa...".  Batman kinda shrugs it off... this kinda thing happens with every Robin.  Well, he isn't wrong.  He even goes on to explain that "sometimes it ends well".  Yeah, and other times... they get their skull caved in by the Joker.  Anyhoo, we wrap up with Batman telling Stephanie that she's got a lotta work ahead of her.

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Man, I miss this era of the Bat Books.  Not only is this a great "weird day in the life" story for Tim, it's got some of that Bat-Family drama that you know I'm a sucker for.

This comes off the heels of "New Gotham"... at least that was what the trade paperback collections were branded as.  Not so long before this, Gotham was still in the midst of No-Man's-Land... and stories like Officer Down really helped move things forward and build a new status-quo... at least for the interim.

Feels like Batman was being written in "chunks" back then... and, I really dug it.  We had this "chunk" coming out of No-Man's-Land which would take us to the Bruce Wayne: Fugitive/Murderer "chunk" then to the War Games "chunk".  A really inventive (though, perhaps not intentional) way to give many of these ongoing arcs a more-definitive "ending".  Kind of like a "seasonal" approach without chucking the entire volume, continuity, numbering and all into the toilet any time it's deemed convenient to do so.

Now, for this issue... Spoiler learns about Tim's secret identity.  Kind of a jerk-move on Batman's part, right?  Even Stephanie sorta calls him out on it... of course, he brushes it off with a "Pshh, that's just the latest of my many betrayals", but still... I think this was a big deal.

So much of the Steph/Tim dynamic was the fact that she didn't know who he really was... and he wasn't about to tell her.  It kinda kept her at "arm's length", and added an extra layer to their odd romance.  That all ends here... and, like I said... I feel like it's a pretty big deal.

We have the "Brentwood Mysteries"... of sorts.  Tim recounts all of the weirdness... which, if I'm honest... doesn't seem all that weird, but the fact that he recounts it the way he did, makes me feel like maybe I should think it is weird?  Who knows?  I can't remember how this rolls out... but I'm always up for a mystery.  And a Boarding School is as good a setting for one as any!

Overall... this was a lot of fun.  Unfortunately it just makes me yearn for a time long gone.  The art here was fantastic... Woods and Pepoy were the perfect team for this book.  Definitely worth a read.  This one is available digitally.

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New Titans #72 (1991)

New Titans #72 (January, 1991)
"Death of a Hero!"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Penciller - Tom Grummett
Inker - Al Vey
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Tom McCraw
Editor - Jonathan Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75

Sticking with the Titans a bit longer... and following up on an issue I discussed... like 844 days ago!  Yep, we're going wayyy back and taking a look at a "Titans Hunt" era issue from Marv and Tom.  At this rate we'll be able to add this to the "Collected Editions" page by 2025!

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We open with Golden Eagle swooping in somewhere over Long Island's northern shore... he's been called there by Deathstroke the Terminator, however has arrived early in order to rendezvous with Deathstroke's other invitee, Aqualad.  Ya see, they're not sure that Slade's on the level... and, I gotta say, they might just have a reason not to trust him.  As they chat... we can see that the Wildebeest has got his eye on them.

The Beest then attacks, blasting Golden Eagle in the back with his pulse-laser thing.  As he flails, Aqualad unsuccessfully tries to get in a few shots of his own.  The Wildebeest then gets him with the ol'... er, joy-buzzer play... okay, not really... but it really looks like it here!  Anyhoo, Garth plummets into the drink... but not before smashing into the rocky shore.

Then... things get really hardcore.  The Wildebeest pins Golden Eagle down... and garrotes him to death!  Oddly, when the deed is done, the 'beest looks... repentant???

We shift scenes and join Deathstroke... who is checking in at Dick Grayson's apartment to see if he can find out anything about the Titan-ic abductions.  As he approaches, he hears a creaking.  Kicking in the door reveals... Wildebeest!  Boy, but he's fast!  Even fixed his mask.  Well, no... it's soon revealed that there is, in fact, more than one Wildebeest.  They're actually an entire society!  Been so long since I read this era of Titans, I'm not sure if this was a reveal to the reader as well as to Deathstroke.  I think we already knew that it was a "Society", but wouldn't swear to it.

Anyhoo, the 'Beests beat the holy hell out of Deathstroke for a little while... however, they do not kill him.  He is not their "assignment"... but, when he refuses to walk away, they do boot him from the fire escape.  He survives because, that's sorta what Deathstroke does.

Then, the Wildebeests... leave.  It's kinda charming... and kinda hilarious to watch these hulking 'beests just walk out of an apartment building and hop into a van.  Anyhoo... as they leave, Slade overhears them discussing "two deaths" that have occurred.  He decides to call this in to Steve "Mento" Dayton, especially since they have some common interest in this case.  Slade's son Joey and Dayton's sorta-son Gar are among the Titans missing... and perhaps, dead.

Dayton suggests that they check in on Golden Eagle and Aqualad first... and so, they do.  What they find is... well, GE's dead body, and some bloody water (I guess the tide hasn't come in yet?).  Also, they find a chunk of Wildebeest mask that the Eagle managed to tear from his murderer's face.

Slade 'n Steve then head over to the Titans Party Place to get a little more information.  When that doesn't work, they decide to just head over to Titans Tower... which would've been the smart play all along.  They boot up the computer and start scanning the files when... a distress call comes in from Donna Troy's Photo Studio.  It's great how nonchalantly Deathstroke just answers the Titans' phone here.

The pair head off... and we can see that they were being watched by a Beest the whole time.  The baddie takes note of one of the names listed on the monitor... Arella, better known to us as Raven's mother Angela.  So things might just be about to get real...ly boring!

We then rejoin Slade 'n Steve at the Troy Photo Studio where... hey, a Wildebeest is terrorizing the staff!  Deathstroke swoops in and starts beatin' that baddie... until it decides to self-destruct?!

Luckily, the Terminator was able to get himself and Donna's staff into a... uh, bomb-proof dark room... and survive the blast.  Unfortunately, the 'Beest was vaporized... leaving him quite unable to answer any of Slade's questions.  A question we do get an answer to is... just where did Donna Troy get off to?  Turns out, she and the Red-Menace are off on a second Honeymoon.  Likely story... 

After hopping back into the Dayton-copter, Deathstroke is told that something had been found off the north shore of Long Island... and a short flight later reveals that something as... Aqualad.  A dead Aqualad!

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A fun... and pretty intense issue!

Let's get the "big" stuff outta the way... the deaths.  We have Golden Eagle and Aqualad... dead.  Or course, neither of these will wind up sticking, but we can play along for now.  I'm never keen on killing off characters from the Silver Age (in Garth's case), however... if you wanna make a splash (ha!) and kill off one of the Titans founders... then, now, or whenever... it's almost always gonna be Aqualad, right?

This all comes before the "big" changes in the DC Universe... Death of Superman, Knightfall, Emerald Twilight... stuff like that, so this isn't really the Titans "answer" to that.  This is just a story... which somehow makes it feel more as though these changes will be permanent.  Of course, hindsight reveals something different... but, still.  I gotta imagine, if I were reading this back in the day... I'd for sure figure at least one of the dead guys would stay dead.

Onto the Wildebeests.  I suppose I could dig through my longboxes and confirm whether or not we (the readers) knew that they were "a Society"... but the boxes are allllll the way over there, and I'm really rather comfortable where I'm sitting.  I suppose it really doesn't matter... it's just that in this issue Deathstroke figures it out.  That's probably all we really need to know.

The Deathstroke scenes were all really cool.  This was very much his story... even down to many of the narrative captions being in his "voice".  His sense of honor is really played up here... and his need to save his son is noble.  Many of you know where this "Titans Hunt" is headed... but I won't completely spoil it here.  Just saying that much of what Slade says here is kinda telegraphing what's to come.

Overall... had a good time with this.  Is there a Titans Hunt trade paperback?  There really should be.  I'd say this is certainly worth a read.

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