Titans East Special # 1 - The Fickle Hand, Part One: Go East, Young Man.
is a comic book published by DC Comics & released on 1 / / 2008Plot Summary
Overview
Titans Tower is back up and running on the East Coast as Judd Winick, Ian Churchill and Norm Rapmund assemble an explosive new team of Titans under the leadership of Cyborg! But their first mission may be their last as powerful forces gather to destroy all Titans past and future!
Back during the Teen Titans' original line-up, they faced off against the Joker. He had one of his crazy plans that involved teaming up with Bizarro and kidnapping a female pop singer. Things aren't looking too good but Kid Flash manages to snag the giant gun pointed held at the singer's head away from the Joker. To Wally's surprise, it isn't a normal gun. Inside there is a bomb set to go off. As he runs to move the bomb away from civilians, it goes off 3 seconds early.
Thinking that Kid Flash is gone, Raven engulfs the Joker inside of her to force him to face his worst fears. It turns out that the Joker's fears don't scare him but rather make him laugh hysterically.
Meanwhile, Donna and Starfire continue to try to break free of Bizarro's deadly grasp. After Donna gives him a hard kick to the face, Bizarro responds by throwing her far away. Left alone, Starfire thinks about the fact that Bizarro is the opposite of Superman. Knowing that Superman derives his strength from the yellow sun, she surmises that it would have the opposite affect on Bizarro. She creates a sun blast and Bizarro is left withered. He still contains the strength to injure Kory.
All this has given Kid Flash the time he needed to find some blue Kryptonite from one of the locations that Robin suggested. With Bizarro finally defeated, Robin finishes things by taking Joker out with a haymaker blow. "Titans Together! Together Forever!"
Today. Cyborg is trying to start a new team of Titans. He calls his former teammates but they all have reasons and excuses not to join him. It's Nightwing that finally asks Victor if any of the old team has said yes to him. He also asks who are the new team members.
The new team consists of Hawk and Dove, Power Boy, Anima, Little Barda, Lagoon Boy, and Son of Vulcan. They are the new Titans East.
Cyborg has them all assembled together and tells them that they will be judged on how they perform together. Power Boy is a little put off by the fact that they are basically trying out for the team. For their first mission, Cyborg wants them to "nail [Power Boy's] butt to a wall."
Power Boy sets off. Anima is the first to attempt to grab him. He easily throws her off his back. Next Lagoon Boy grabs hold of Power Boy. Power Boy makes fun of him and holds him in a headlock. Lagoon Boy responds by expanding like a puffer fish, sticking Power Boy in places that shouldn't be mentioned. Little Barda takes her shot by delivering a sharp blow to his head. Slamming down into a tree, Power Boy barely manages to avoid a deadly blow by Vulcan's sword. Power Boy claps his hands together and the shockwave sends Vulcan and Little Barda flying back.
Hawk and Dove decide to take their turn. As Power Boy swings at Hawk and as she manages to stop his punch, she reveals that she's the one he was with the night before (and had her role play as Supergirl). Hawk's punch sends Power Boy flying into the woods. The team runs towards the trees but it's Dove that makes them stop momentarily. She mentions that they haven't been performing as a team and that is why Power Boy has been avoiding their attacks. Shouting out orders, they coordinate a move to surround Power Boy in the woods.
To their shock, they find Power Boy, impaled on a tree branch. The tree is smoking with some bits of flame and Power Boy's body is half burnt also. As the rest come to realize that someone else is there, blasts start coming at them. Dove and Little Barda are hit. Vulcan puts up a shield but is still shot through it, at the same time that Lagoon Boy is. Cyborg runs towards them yelling for someone to report what is going on.
Victor is dismayed to find the entire group lying in smoking heaps on the ground. Knowing that he's got to get medical attention there right way, he looks up to see an enormous fireball coming straight down on top of him.
All that is left is Cyborg's upper torso in a giant burnt crater. This appears to be the end of the Titans East.
*To be continued in Titans #1*
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Just a launching point for new title
Reviewed by Amber on Nov. 27, 2007. Amber has written 123 reviews. His/her last review was for . 5 out of 6 users recommend his reviews. |
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Basically, it's a mediocre story without much depth but keep in mind, this book's only purpose is act as a launching point to tease readers for the upcoming Titans #1. I don't think it's meant to do much on its own.
This Judd Winick story about the Teen Titans opens up with the classic team consisting of Robin, Cyborg, Raven, Starfire, Donna Troy, Beast Boy and Kid Flash. Their motto, Titans Together! Together Forever! comes crashing to a halt at the end of a flashback where the team has just trounced the Joker and Bizarro. Cyborg is the only one left with that original team spirit and he makes the rounds to call upon his former mates in a desperate plea to help train the new members. Each one of them rejects Cyborg’s invitation leaving him to train a brand new squad dubbed Titans East.
Cyborg has managed to form an eclectic group of heroes beginning with the sexy sisters Hawk (Holly Granger) and Dove (Dawn Granger), identities formerly used by male heroes. The most likely to be chosen as a leader for the newbies is Power Boy. Also among the new ranks are: Anima, Little Barda, Lagoon Boy and Son of Vulcan.
Their first training session consists of a simple War Games exercise where the rest of the team is assigned to take out Power Boy. It takes a while for the simple lesson to be learned that they need to act as a single cohesive team rather than individual units. However, tragedy strikes in shocking DC fashion when one of the new Titans suffers a devastatingly gruesome fate! As the rest appear on the scene, they are also attacked by an unseen foe and their medical status at the final page of the book leaves the imagination wondering if DC just wiped out another group of superheroes in a single act.
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My take on Titans East Special
Reviewed by riv1 on Feb. 8, 2008. riv1 has written 4 reviews. His/her last review was for Hunter/Hunted, Part 3. 1 out of 1 users recommend his reviews. |
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Ok, let's start at the beginning. Looking at the cover, seeing Power Boy, i groaned. BUT, i dove into the issue regardless.
Writing-wise, The first half of the story, featuring the classic team, was great. The characterization was spot on, and the action moved well. Judd Winnick excels at small moments, so the former was no surprise, but the latter came as a nice surprise. If he can keep this up in the regular series it's going to be awesome.
The segue from past to present was poignant in showing how nothing lasts forever, and yet, how when we're young, we can't ever see things NOT lasting forever. What a rude awakening when we find this isn't the case. It came across VERY well.
The second half of the story introduced me to several characters i'd never read, and some i've read before. Bottom line, Winnick made me like Power Boy. POWER BOY.
The rest of the characters, those who got the most "screen time", like Power Boy, Hawk & Dove, and Vic Stone, became human and accessible very quickly, falling into tride and true roles that seem shallow at first (the stuck up one, the hot chick, the voice of reason, the Drill Sergeant, respectively), but that promise room for growth.
The rest, seen mostly in battle, weren't as well defined, but used Winnick used their banter with/about Power Boy as a means of giving us quick "snap shots" of them. All in all they came across as a likeable bunch, which made the issue's cover blurb, "Who Will DIE?", hang over my enjoyment like that "DAM" Sword in the Westall painting.
Without giving away the ending, lets just say it was well done. It was swift, brutal, and even knowing it was coming, still managed to surprise me. I'm hooked and can't wait for Titans #1. I want some answers, dammit!
No comic story is complete without art to complement the story, and Ian Churchhill's art definately did that. It was crisp and never boring, even in the quieter parts of the story. His women are absolutely Gorgeous, and he does a fine job on facial expressions (both male and female) and body language. His characters aren't cookie cutter types, they all sport differing builds and heights, and he's crisp, easy on the eyes, not so complex as to be distracting, not so simple as to bore you.
His group/crowd shots are not George Perez level of course, but that's no big, considering pretty much no artist can do what George does, and on a Titans book there will be comparisons. He wisely, instead of trying to imitate, does his own thing.
One thing i totally laughed at and liked was Robin's body hair in the first half of the story. not sure who's call that was, but it was inspired! This issue is well worth picking up. That's my take.
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Predicament
Reviewed by Mask of Tengu on Nov. 17, 2007. Mask of Tengu has written 245 reviews. His/her last review was for Want You To Want Me, Part 2: No Man Is an Island. 4 out of 4 users recommend his reviews. |
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How can you write a review about this issue without giving spoilers? I guess very carefully as I am about to do.
This issue takes a look back at the good old days of the Titans...the old team with Raven, Robin, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire, Donna Troy, and Flash. They have a super battle against Bizarro and Joker. It then shows Cyborg trying to recreate that old team...since the new Titans don't really need Cyborg. EVERYONE turns him down...so you have to feel bad for the guy.
So what do you do...you make a new Titans...here are the flaws with his choices or whatnot... Power Boy is a psychopath...I have hated him since his stalkerish ways to Supergirl...which are STILL present.
Anima is a great choice...I have not seen her in a long time and I always thought that her and Hitman were the only cool ones from Bloodlines.
Hawk and Dove...boring. Lagoon Boy...Who the f? Son of Vulcan and Big Barda...:-p...cheese.
I have been waiting for Power Boy and Big Barda to die as the death of the New Gods is going on...so I was disappointed here...let me just say to end this...WHAT A WASTE...there I said it...WTF DC
