Not Quite the "End of An Era"
Longtime Titans and Teen Titans editor, Eddie Berganza, writes such a compelling story of the founding five Titans that, quite possibly, if this were the last Titans tale ever told, I would be satisfied. That is except the premise is a sort of deathwatch at the bedside of damaged Titan and Justice Leaguer, Red Arrow, former Speedy. No, veteran hero Roy Harper isn't dying per say, but with the loss of his arm, infected by a deadly nanite virus, and the death of his young daughter, we may be witnessing the death of his career as superhero and adventurer.
Another Justice League: Cry For Justice tie-in, as well as a Rise and Fall related issue, the few remaining Teen Titan founders, Dick Grayson (Batman), Donna Troy, and Wally West (Flash) review their past with Harper, and believe or not, it wasn't always pleasant. Through some exciting flashbacks it's revealed that other than Donna (as Wonder Girl), none of the Teen Titans were really close to Speedy, mainly because of his streetwise attitude, and relationship with mentor and rogue hero, Green Arrow (who wasn't chummy with Robin or Kid Flash's mentors). Donna drops a bomb revealing that she rejected a proposal from Roy when fellow Titan, Lilith, revealed a premonition that the Amazon would marry a redheaded man destined to die. Donna explains that after she says, "No," to Roy, she "forgets" about Lilith's warning and later marries Terry Long, who we all know was famously killed by her evil doppelganger, Dark Angel. Donna's rejection quite possibly set Speedy on the path that lead to his infamous addiction to drugs, something the other Titans discovered, and surprisingly didn't really help Roy through. The Titans really, really didn't like Speedy! Some of it is tough to swallow since they were all teammates for such a long time, but I can understand why Robin, Kid Flash, and even Aqualad, didn't see eye to eye like many would suspect. The whole issue of Donna forgetting that a redheaded man would die if she were to marry him seems absurd, even given her convoluted past, and a future writer needs to delve into this issue a little further to make more sense of it. This being said, the characterization is brought back to a level that readers had grown to respect with the Titans, but until recently had been all but forgotten in ways. And there is a minor happy ending when the final flashback and present bedside watch show that the Titans, as adults, finally accept Roy despite his faults and respect him as the man he is ... or was. This story continues in Justice League: The Rise of Arsenal #1.
Both artists, Scott Clark and Ardian Syaf, do a phenomenal job moving from past to present, easily controlling this balanced story of action and heavy internal drama. With the change of a new creative team imminent on this book, it's a good feeling knowing that these well-respected characters received a story so deserving their fan status. It's too bad Batman, Donna, and Flash are moving on from Titans Compound and onto other things. This issue only furthers my belief that these characters belong united together as a team and family.
~ Hype
