The Good
It's hard to believe it's been a couple years since we've had a EARTH ONE book. So far we've had two with Superman and one with Batman. In a great change of pace, DC has released a new version of the Teen Titans by Jeff Lemire and Terry Dodson.
With the previous stories we had, while I did enjoy them, part of me questioned if they were really necessary. We have seen so many retellings of Superman and Batman's origin that seeing it once again didn't seem like something we needed. With characters like the Teen Titans, it's a different story. People might be familiar with their animated counterparts but this is a great place to take the idea of reinventing characters for new and old readers.
As you would imagine, you don't need to know anything about the characters or this world. They are different enough that even though you know who they're supposed to be, there is plenty of room for surprises. Lemire takes these characters and keeps them true to who they're supposed to be at their core. At first you might think it's a little too convenient to have these different kids all pretty much in the same area but as the story unfolds, you see there is more going on.
This is also where the hardcover collected format really works. This is an origin story but because of the length, there's plenty of time to get to know who they all are. We also get to see them in action. There's plenty of it.
The pencils by Terry Dodson and inks by Rachel Dodson are great. Again, the characters have a different feel to them to distinguish them from past versions we've seen but do still retain the essence of who they're supposed to be.
The Bad
There are some elements of the story that might feel a tad predictable. Not so much in the sense that we already know who the Titans are. There's enough difference with their stories to be fresh. The focus of what brings them together feels a little like something we've seen before.
This is a self-contained story but there is definitely a bit of a cliffhanger ending. It sets things up for the next book. The big question is, when will that next book be released? Despite being a full length story with a strong ending, we don't really get to see the entire team together at the same time. There is a feeling of wanting more, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. Not knowing when or if we'll see more is concerning.
The Verdict
Here's your chance to dive into a continuity-free Teen Titans story. You don't need to know anything about the characters as Jeff Lemire gets the opportunity to give them all a fresh spin while they still retain some elements of who we know their supposed to be. Terry and Rachel Dodson's pencils and inks look great here, giving the characters new looks that don't completely reinvent them but firmly separates them from any past versions we may have seen. The great thing about this format is getting a complete story. Although there is a slight cliffhanger but that just makes you hungry for more. If you're looking for a new version of the Teen Titans, this is a book new and old Titans fans can enjoy.