New Titans #74 (March, 1991)
"When Pantha Strikes"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Pencils - Tom Grummett
Inks - Al Vey
Letters - John Costanza
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Jonathan Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75
Holy smokes... two installments of Titans Hunt in as many days?! We might just get through this one yet! Not bad for a long-form discussion I wanted to have done almost three years ago!
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We pick up with Slade, Arella and Steve Dayton atop Titans Tower. They catch us up with everything that's gone down... at least insofar as everything they've lost. The women of Jackson Hole, Danny Chase, Golden Eagle... maybe Aqualad... not to mention all of the missing Titans. This conversation is being watched from afar by... Phantasm. He just floats there looking mysterious... because, that's kinda what he does at this point.
We shift scenes over to the... oh boy... Wildebeest Headquarters. I warn you, this is about to become pretty difficult to follow. We arrive just as Eight and Fourteen stomp on into the conference room. The 'beest holding council starts lambasting them for their methods... they were only to capture the Titans... and instead left a whole lotta dead bodies in their wake.
Eight turns on Fourteen, claiming it's all his fault. Fourteen responds by accusing Eight of having lost his fool mind. The Council-head-beest then blasts Eight with a shot of pink energy that causes him to run away. So... the Beests are now going to hunt down Number Eight. Still with me?
The rest of the Beests (Number Fourteen included) decide to track Number Fourteen down within the compound. Oh, also... the girl we'll soon know as Pantha is skulking around. Hey, if they can spoil it on the cover, I can spoil it here!
During the Wildebeest hunt, Number Fourteen catches upto and knocks down Number Eight. Other Beests are watching this go down on a monitor... one is pleasantly surprised at how well Fourteen handled himself. The other, is more concerned... and suggests they "keep an eye on" him.
The other Beests give the command for Fourteen to kill Eight... but he hesitates, giving Eight enough time to blast him with a bolt, and flee once again down yet another corridor. He runs into Number Nine... and kills him! He then takes Nine's uniform... so he can hide in plain sight. Oh, by the way... Pantha (being referred to here as X-24... must be another Wolverine clone) has been spotted by the Beests.
The rest of the Beests arrive, and ask "Nine" for a status report. He claims he was forced to kill Fourteen... and apologizes, as he knows the others really wanted the pleasure. Elsewhere, Pantha is inside... and fighting. She doesn't stick around all that long... fleeing into the night before being overwhelmed.
Back inside, word of Number Fourteen's death is passed along to the Leader of the Beests. "Nine" tattles to the boss that Eight refused to kill Fourteen... and he had to do it himself. These numbers gettin' to ya yet? Feels like we need a flow-chart! Anyhoo... "Nine" finds this whole thing suspicious... because Eight (that is, he) was supposed to check out Dick Grayson's apartment... and Fourteen showed up there as well. Any guesses as to where we're headed?
Meanwhile, Fourteen wanders into a mad scientist's laboratory... where a human/Wildebeest hybrid is being experimented on. This doesn't go so well. It looks like the Society is looking for a way to save on costume expenses by actually making folks into horrible Wildebeests!
We rejoin Pantha as she runs across some rooftops. During her trip she happens across a woman being mugged. At first she ignores it... ain't her prob. Then, the woman says something familiar that causes her to change her mind. It's made pretty clear here that Pantha was one of that Mad Scientist's experiments. Though, with a descriptor like "X-24", we shouldn't really be surprised.
Pantha whoops the hell out of the muggers... but as she finishes up, she's confronted by... the Middle-Aged Titans, Slade and Arella! They want answers... and sorta get 'em. Pantha wants to kill the Wildebeests... which, ya know, kinda puts them on the same side. Unfortunately, she's not all that much of a team player. They do-si-do for a bit, before she flees to yet another rooftop.
Slade and Arella hop into a Dayton helicopter to pursue the feral woman. As they track her into the night, they talk about how odd it is to have run into two strangers... Pantha, and that cloaked one that showed up juuuuust as Danny Chase died!
Back at the Beests, "Nine" is kvetching about Fourteen to anyone who will listen. He recounts what a lousy "partner" Fourteen has been... and how it seems as though he's been more busy getting in his way than actually taking care of business. This is either really subtle storytelling... or I'm just too dense to take note of certain things.
We shift over to Fourteen as he enters the Data Retrieval Office. He relieves the folks on-duty and gets to work snoopin'. He is stopped by his fellow Beests before he can get all that deep.
A fight is on... also a chase. Number Fourteen does his damnedest not to hurt anybody as he attempts to flee the scene. He's finally surrounded... and unmasked, revealing... well, you know.
One panel later, Nightwing is out of his Beest gear completely. Worth noting, the Wildebeest Society knows that Nightwing and Dick Grayson are one in the same. They ask what he did with the real Number Fourteen... but aren't all that worried, because Dick's too much of a wimp to actually kill anybody.
Upon hearing that several of his teammates are dead, Dick loses his cool and lashes out. He is soundly beaten with the quickness. At that very moment, Pantha returns to the scene... and happens across a shred of Nightwing's costume... which she picks up. This leads to a misunderstanding when Deathstroke follows and sees her holding it... and so, we get another do-si-do.
Finally, Arella grabs Pantha from behind and reads her mind. She asks Pantha to help them save the Titans her daughter. Pantha does the whole "I work alone" thing, and bolts... again.
She doesn't get far though... because atop this latest building, she runs smack dab into... Phantasm!
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Okay, you know me... anytime I come across an issue that doesn't seem all that "clear", I usually blame it on my own density rather than even suggesting that the writer put together a difficult-to-follow story. Here though? I'm not so sure. I mean, referring to identical characters just by their numbers? Having full-blown "dogpile" fights... with those same identical characters? Having one of those identical characters trade costumes with another (though, in fairness... that other mask had a scar... and thank goodness it did!). This was a toughie.
Not only was it difficult to follow... the Wildebeest scenes really kind of overstayed their welcome. I don't think we needed that many pages to tell this one.
Also, the Dick Grayson is Number Fourteen reveal... I don't wanna say it came out of nowhere, because it didn't... but, since the build-up was so subtle (too subtle), there was very little "oomph" (for me) when he was unmasked. I mean, I knew it was coming... and was still trying to connect-the-dots in my head. I'm not reading this with a forensic comb or anything... though, again... maybe I'm just too dense.
I'd forgotten that Pantha was referred to by the descriptor "X-24". This is funny considering Wolverine's clone, Laura Kinney would be referred to as X-23 in her earlier appearances. Gotta assume that's just a coincidence. I doubt the writers of the X-Men Evolution cartoon were trying to pay homage to Pantha. Though, I've been wrong once or twice before.
Overall... a pretty down (though I suppose, necessary) chapter. Art was still quite solid... though, I find Grummett does draw an especially "jowly" Dick Grayson here... which is a bit off-putting. If you're following Titans Hunt, you're going to want to check this one out... just make sure to have a pad and pencil at the ready to track these Beests!
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New Titans #73 (February, 1991)
"Paradise Lost"
Writer - Marv Wolfman
Pencils - Tom Grummett
Inks - Al Vey
Letters - John Costanza
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Jonathan Peterson
Cover Price: $1.75
Ya know, Titans Hunt was originally going to be my first long-form discussion on this blog. Indeed, we discussed the first part back on February 10, 2016. That's nearly three years ago! Hell, we didn't even get to the second chapter until June of this year!
At this rate, we'll still be discussing this arc in 2027!
Or not... let's take another bite outta the Titans Hunt.
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We open on the blood-soaked scene of a ranch in Jackson Hole, Wyoming (which I'm surprised to learn is an actual place you can visit... in fact, they're kinda counting on it! If you're a fan of large animals and snow, book your flight today). Anyhoo, yeah... it's an absolute massacre... and there looks to be only one survivor, Raven's mother Arella. The words "Paradise Lost" (heyyy, that's the name of the issue!) are scrawled on the wall... probably in blood.
We shift scenes to the Ocean Hospital out in Port Jeff. Slade and Dayton are rushing Aqualad in for some treatment (after the events of last issue). Golden Eagle is confirmed dead. The doctor's aren't quite sure how to deal with Garth... but in fairness, Slade nor Dayton thought it might be wise to lead with "oh yeah, he's an Atlantean."
The fellas leave Garth in the hands of the Docs (and some incoming S.T.A.R. Labs technicians) and head back to the Tower to follow up on their research from last chapter... remember, Arella was on the top of their list of folks to meet with and warn. Before heading to Jackson Hole, Dayton calls all of Vic's friends and loved ones, and warns them to stay outta sight for a bit.
Deathstroke decides to take the T-Jet out to Wyoming himself... and, naturally, he finds himself arriving in a scene out of a horror movie. He searches the area, until finally coming across Arella.
Meanwhile in Chinatown, a pair of Wildebeests (#'s 8 and 14) are getting ready to return to headquarters. Just before they can, however, they receive their next mission orders... they're to visit with... er, eliminate a young man named Danny Chase down in the Washington, D.C. area. The goons hop a bike and heads south. Little do they know that they're being watched by... maybe Catwoman? No, it's absolutely not her... I'm sorry for saying anything, please don't get your hopes up.
Back in Jackson Hole, Arella tells Slade a boring story about Azarath (aren't they all?). After that she talks about how her place in Wyoming was meant to be a sanctuary of sorts for troubled people... and blames herself for luring them to a place where Trigon the Terrible might lash out. Slade assures her that this has nothing to do with Trigon... and none of what happened is her fault. They leave the scene together.
Next stop a Washington D.C. area mall where Cousin Oliver... er, Bobby Budnick... uh, Danny Chase, who is using his TK powers to neutralize a trio of goofy would be jewelry thieves. He even forces them to fight one another and bow to the "audience".
Just then, he's attacked by... Zeke the Plumber those Wildebeests! With a snap of his fingers, Danny has them floating through the air. It looks like he has everything under control... so much so, that our feline follower decides not to intervene.
Just then, one of the 'Beests breaks into a sporting goods store and uses an automatic pitching machine to pelt Danny with baseballs (I, uh, don't think they keep them loaded in the store... but we'll allow it, because... I guess I really like seeing Danny Chase getting pelted with baseballs).
The other 'Beest lets it slip that the Society has killed the rest of the Titans... which really sets our boy off! It's awful-waffle time! He glows a brilliant white... and just goes ape!
Well, until the Wildebeests return fire... sending Danny crashing through a window. They follow this up with a grenade... which sends our poor boy a long way from Camp Anawanna.
At that moment, Slade and Arella arrive on the scene. Worth noting that the latter has changed into a more "comics appropriate" and gaudy get-up. They beat on the 'Beests until the shocking arrival (if you didn't look at the cover) of... Phantasm! This scares the bejeezus out of the 'beests and they hot-foot it back to HQ. Phantasm vanishes just as quickly as it arrives.
Later, we rejoin Arella, Slade and Dayton back at Titans Tower. They discuss the events of the day... and what a day it was! Deathstroke isn't sure what Phantasm is... or even if it's on their side (though, c'mon... it sure looked like it was). Also, that not-Catwoman is still lurking... oh, and #'s 8 and 14 are heading back to Wildebeest World Headquarters.
We wrap up... kinda anticlimactically. The Wildebeests return to HQ, and say they're going to tell Council what just happened. Alrighty then.
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Another strong chapter of Titans Hunt.
It's funny, every time I reread this arc, I'm kind of surprised at how it sort of defies "normal" comic story pacing. It doesn't really read like a self-contained work, does it? Coming out of the early 1990's, this almost feels like a story that should be stretched across a family of titles... think any number of X-Family crossovers.
I say this because... while this was a strong installment, it still kind of feels like we're not quite getting anywhere. You follow? This is the third chapter (and fourth month) of Titans Hunt, and we're still "assembling the forces", and it looks like we're not even done yet. I mean, it works... and reads well today... but, since I was on the X-Men side of the racks back in ye old 1991, I gotta wonder how this slower (to me) pace was received by folks grabbing this off the racks as it came out. Hopefully someone out there can drop some knowledge.
So, whatta we got here? Well, for starters... we've got Arella's ranch turned into an absolute bloodbath! These Wildebeests, despite looking goofier than hell and having an equally silly name, really mean business. They aren't out to just annoy the Titans... they really want to leave their mark on 'em. They want to make wiping them off the planet as painful an experience as possible. And folks, we're just getting started.
The Danny Chase scene was... tolerable! He's usually one of them knee-jerk characters (see also: Long, Terrence Arthur), where I just sorta groan when I see him. Here though? Not a bad little showing. What's more... he dies!
Speaking of Danny Chase dying... Phantasm shows up! Come to think of it, that did seem to happen at exactly the same time. Hmm... couldn't be a connection there... nahhh. I'm sure one has nothing to do with the other.
We also get the first (shadowy) appearance of... Pantha! Ooh boy. We'll officially meet her soon enough so don't worry none. Or, better yet, maybe worry a bit.
Overall, reading this nearing on thirty years later, it's really quite good! I can't help but wonder how readers of the day felt. This kind of pacing feels out of place in a monthly title... especially back in 1991, where across the street at Marvel it's likely that these three chapters would have been spread across three different titles and all would've come out during the same month.
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New Teen Titans #22 (August, 1982)
"Ashes to Ashes!"
Writer/Co-Creator - Marv Wolfman
Artist/Co-Creator - George Perez
Embellisher - Romeo Tanghal
Letters - Ben Oda
Colors - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Len Wein
Cover Price: $0.60
Today we're going to take a look at a concept that might not have aged all that well... along with one that might be more relevant now than ever before! Check it out...
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We open with Robin, Wonder Girl, Raven and Kid Flash all sprawled before Brother Blood. He turns to his followers and demands all but Robin be "taken away". Ya see, he believes Robin has some valuable information, and is instead delivered to "The Confessor" in order to get it out of him.
We stick with Brother Blood as he has a video-conference with a Senator Hardy. Brother Blood is trying to have the Religion of Blood recognized as a "true" organized religion. While he's at it, he wants to re-legitimize the home country of the his following, Zandia. There had recently been a change in President for Zandia... and Blood insists that any of the country's wrongdoings are now behind them... or at least that's what he wants Hardy to tell his fellow Senators when it comes time to vote. In order to tip the scales even further, Blood decides tonight might be a good time for a televised interview.
Elsewhere, Robin is plopped down before The Confessor... but the Boy Wonder ain't in a talkin' mood! Baron Blood isn't worried... knowing The Confessor's methods, he's sure it won't be long before Robin either talks... or dies.
Meanwhile, back at Titan's Tower... Cyborg, well... he lifts something heavy. That's usually what he does in his "off time", isn't it? Anyhoo, he's ticked that he, Gar, and Kori couldn't take part in the Church of Blood mission... because, ya know... they can't really pass as human. Vic's really fired up about this, as Brother Blood cost him his girl Marcy (just last issue). Starfire flies up, and suggests they go anyway. Just then, Raven's soulself arrives to warn of the danger the Titans are in... and so, it's time to go.
Back at Blood's, Robin is being tortured... but still won't crack. Finally, Brother Blood goes "screw it", and has Robin tossed into the same dungeon the other Titans are in. It's a pit, really... and when he hits bottom, he's shocked to see his teammates...
... and also some gigundus spider horror! Dick manages to dodge the critter long enough to gather his pals... but, that doesn't really mean much when there's no way for them to escape!
We rejoin the others on board a the T-Jet as they approach the Church. At the same time, reporter and all-around pain in the ass, Bethany Snow is preparing to interview the Baron. She starts by dropping some knowledge on her viewership... the Religion of Blood isn't a new religion, but actually a very old one.
The Baron begins by addressing the elephant(s) in the room. First, his too-spooky-by-half name "Baron Blood". I mean, would you visit a doctor with the last name "Doom"? Don't answer that. Anyhoo, he explains that blood (the actual fluid) provides life... fair enough. Second, he explains his equally spooky costume... or, actually, he just brushes that off. Whatever. Finally, he gets to his point... he wants Zandia to take its place among the "free nations" of the world, and by linked with Western Democracy.
Just as he's giving his speech about peace and freedom... the Teen Titans make their usual entrance... bursting through a wall. It's almost like he'd planned for this to happen. Hmm...
The Titans cause quite the ruckus... which is all being captured live on television! The Baron plays the "persecution" card, while Bethany Snow opines (on-air) that the Titans are provoking the Church of Blood. Gar, of all people, tries to explain that they're being set up... but, c'mon... who ever listens to him?
Back in the down-below, Robin is still playing tag with the giant spider-beast. Just when it looks like his luck is running out... Raven's soulself returns to lend a hand... or, more accurately, tell Robin to "arouse" Wally so he can whip up a tornado and get them out of the hole. Now, why didn't he think of that?
We stick with Raven's soulself as it confronts Brother Blood. She tries using her... empathic (?) powers to engulf him, only to discover that it's far too painful to do so! She gives up, but does manage to finagle the controls for the dungeon pit-door-thingie.
By this point, Wally has finally been "aroused", and the trapped-Titans are freed! And so, the combined Titans take their turns beating the hell out of Brother Blood. Gotta remember, this is all being televised... and it looks like an unprovoked attack... on a church... with a message of peace. No bueno.
Brother Blood finally breaks away, and flees down a hallway (triggering a big ol' door to drop along the way). Vic does what he always does... and bursts through the wall in order to pursue. Unfortunately, he's not quick enough... the Baron has boarded a jet!
No bother... Vic engages his hydraulic legs and launches himself at the jet... catching it by the tail...
... which snaps off, sending the jet plummeting into a nearby mountain. Boom. Now it would appear that Brother Blood has not only been attacked... but murdered by the Teen Titans! Remember, cameras are rollin'!
The followers of the Church of Blood immediately forgive the Titans for their trespass (again, cameras are rollin') and they claim that Brother Blood will rise again. They've certainly got Ms. Snow's vote!
Of course, we know better... and so does Raven. She informs the team that Baron Blood was never on that jet. And indeed he wasn't! He's actually safe and sound... elsewhere. He watches Snow's report, and knows that, after today's to-do, Zandia and the Church of Blood are a shoe-in for recognition.
We wrap up with... yawn... Blackfire trying to track down her sister. Yawn again.
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Now this was excellent.
It's got this weird tone to it... where, you could see at it as being both subtle... and terribly unsubtle, depending on how you look at it. For a story like this though, it works incredibly well.
I think the main theme here is "spin". Media manipulation to depict an issue from the most "favorable" side. That's what we get here with noted Titans-non-fan, Bethany Snow. I mean, she's taken a story about a guy who calls himself "Brother Blood"... who wears a tunic he likely purchased on clearance at Supervillains 'Я' Us... and made him look like the good guy! At the same time, the Titans... heroes, some of whom have been around forever, come off looking like instigators, bullies... and all-around bad folks.
This is a kinda story that is still pretty relevant today. It seems like if whatever group you subscribe to is currently out of power, the media is blamed for framing them in a poor light. It really is a powerful tool in guiding public opinion... which is something that Brother Blood was smart enough to both realize... and utilize. It really is a brilliant move... and one you might not expect to see in a superhero comic from 1982! Again, this was really well done!
The only bits of the issue that sorta dragged were Robin's do-si-do in the pit with the spider... that really felt like it was only there to eat up a few pages, and of course... the last couple of pages. You might know that I'm not a fan of heroes-in-space (be they X-Men or Titans), so Blackfire is a most unwelcome presence.
Overall though... this one is most definitely worth checking out. If you can put yourself back in ye old 1982, I think you could appreciate just how far ahead of its time this book really was. This bugger's been collected several times over and is available digitally.
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