NEW TITANS #37 (DC Comics)
Hitting the rest button is proving much harder for the Titans.
After the events of DC K.O., the team has gone through a bit of a line-up change. Gone are Beast Boy, Raven and Starfire. Enter Red Devil, Batgirl and Jon Kent to name a few.
Settling into a new base has lead to the conflicting personalities trying to make the best of the situation. A “team building” trip into a small New England town as unlocked a devilish evil that Eddie Bloomburg knows too well.
Plus, what is Cyborg doing in the basement and what just escaped?!
NEW TITANS #37 by Tate Brombal, Marcus To, Sami Basri, Adriano Lucas & Wes Abbott continues its’ welcoming party with an all new chapter.
Let’s take a closer look into the latest.
NEW TITANS #37 by Tate Brombal, Marcus To, Sami Basri, Adriano Lucas & Wes Abbott (DC COMICS)
*** POSSIBLE SPOILER WARNING ***
Brombal lets Red Devil take the spotlight for the opening pages. Readers see a brief origin story play out as he confronts a demon from his past….literally. Nebiros manipulating the town provides enough of a challenge for the upstart squad. The writing shows them trying to assess the situation while one member plays the “fish out of water” comedic role. Eva’s portion of the issue breaks up much of the drama in key places.
Where the story finds its’ groove centers around its’ longtime leader. Nightwing’s voicemail to Barbara Gordon shows the wear on his soul from recent events (including both her and his solo series). Brombal taps into this sorrow to flip gears when a larger problem becomes apparent. Rising through this chaos is Batgirl. Stephanie Brown is allowed to flex some skills to see Grayson pass her the torch eventually. It leads to a steady finish building off of the combustible personalities.
What was more surprising was the little amount of time spent on Cyborg’s portion. Considering the elements of his and Terra’s new problem, it felt very glossed over to focus more on the team. One area that was handled very well was the Static teaser (with art by Basri). Readers get a solid recap of events and Virgil’s spark relighting. This leads to an excellent final page starting his latest chapter on a strong note.
READ LAST ISSUE’S REVIEW HERE!
To and Lucas open with a fast recap of Eddie’s story. This leads to a great stand-off page with conflicting panels. Events move fast to Cyborg’s lab drama. The half page image shows what has been unlocked. This leads to some fast action before the story moves again. Nightwing’s brief chat shows his heart wearing on his sleeve as he opens up. This is upended by what has left the mountain. So much for personal time.
A great two page spread shows the evolution of Batgirl as she attempts to steer the squad into action. This is complimented by another two-page spread showcasing the results. While brief, it assists in selling this team as a viable combination. The full page of the team fighting Nebiros caps off the major conflict of the issue. It leads to a softer close with Eddie bearing some heavier reactions.
Basri’s Static portion focuses in on his struggles in dealing with his superhero and romantic life. Panels show the pressure he has put on himself while the outside world crumbles. His sadness for not keeping both worlds is clearly evident. This leads into a fantastic final full page. An offer comes to his front door that he can’t refuse. Readers will be smiling along as this hero finally comes back into the greater DCU spotlight.
FINAL GRADE: 8.3
Nebiros provides this group their first real challenge in a very direct issue. Brombal lets key players take over reigns as the drama unfolds. The art team balances out the uneven pacing to keep things afloat. The issue closes on a much better note. A new member is poised to shock the system! Get ready!
Let me know your thoughts on New Titans #37 in the comments below. Thanks for reading!
