The true magic at work!
Creative Staff:
Story: Dan Abnett
Art: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund
Colors: Andrew Dalhouse
Letterer: Carlos M. Mangual
What They Say:
“THE RETURN OF WALLY WEST” part six! After making the ultimate sacrifice for his friends, Wally West finds himself lost in the Speed Force with no hope of return! Has Wally’s run come to a sudden end? Don’t miss the conclusion to this stunning first arc!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
The opening arc of Titans has come to a close and it’s one that’s certainly frustrating in some ways, though not unexpected. One of the reasons I picked up this book initially was because of Wally, a character I’ve loved since the 90’s, and his importance in the Rebirth special that tied us to the Watchmen side of things with the how and why of what happened with the DC Universe as a whole. I’m certainly not expecting everything to be revealed quickly since that’s not how things are done but I had hoped for a bit more progress than this with some tantalizing moments. Titans has focused on reestablishing Wally within everything with his core group of friends and ties to Linda so that’s worked well. The last two pages tease us a bit more with Manhattan and it leaves me wanting more but I also know it’s still going to be a while.
Wally’s saving his friends was something that was well executed the last time around, though Abnett let the focus be more on the artwork than the story as it really was just him running all over. Booth and Rapmund executed that beautifully and I love the continued use of the layered and angled framing her to tell the story of the fallout from it as it gives it its own sense of motion and energy, which works since this opening arc is essentially a Wally story. Wally, for his part, is now a part of the Speed Force – at least for a bit – and struggles with being told by his memories that he has the will himself to return, that the anchor to life is within him. Yeah, it’s a little simple but it’s how his mind works to process it and for longtime fans it offers a kind of closure on the Linda Park we’ve known for many years and allows Wally to move forward again without regrets as he barrels back into the real world.
The real world itself is problematic as Kadabra is thrilled by his victory and certainly lords it over the Titans, though that’s just the usual villain making a mistake moment as he gets cocky. Omen’s ability to get into his head doesn’t reveal much (Manhattan!) but it does set him off into making mistakes and fending off the varied attacks on him, which the art team once again handles wonderfully with the layouts and the sheer amount of detail. There are times I wish this book was biweekly but I’d rather have Booth and Rapmund working as great as they are here more so. The reconnect in the real world here is definitely welcome with how the team comes together, reminding me of the team of years and years ago, while also putting in just enough nods toward what’s coming next. How can you not like a Deathstroke appearance at the end considering the history between them?
In Summary:
Titans definitely does a lot right here, though I’ll still contend that the opening arc could have been tightened up to four issues or so and been a bit more effective. I liked what Abnett has done here overall, being familiar with his style of storytelling, but it just has a sense of writing for trade length to it that’s frustrating. On the flip side, we got six issues of great artwork and kinetic energy out of Booth and Rapmund that was simple a delight to take in as it took me back to the 90’s while feeling fresh and new. The book is ready and primed to move forward in new and familiar ways at this stage and I’m hopeful for more reveals about the truth behind the DCU that have been teased since Rebirth sooner than later.
Grade: B
Age Rating: 12+
Released By: DC Comics via ComiXology
Release Date: December 28th, 2016
MSRP: $2.99
