Titans #4 is written by Tom Taylor and published by DC Comics. Artwork is by Nicola Scott and colours by Annette Kwok. Letters are by Wes Abbott. Main cover art (left) is by both Scott and Kwok.
Titans #4 is available now, in print and on digital platforms where all good comic books are sold.
Synopsis
There’s a storm coming for the Titans! Brother Eternity continues to gain power as he toes the line between super-villain and well-meaning philanthropist. Can the team discover his dark secrets before the world falls under his spell? Plus, Beast Boy’s mission to Borneo gains the unwanted attention of one of the most dangerous players in the DCU…Amanda Waller!
Review
What a world we live in where the Titans are the premiere DC team. When it was first announced that the Justice League book would be rested to allow for the return of Titans I was skeptical. Obviously Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott (interviewed here) blew the doors off with an incredible debut ahead of the Knight Terrors event. But now, four issues in to the series, we’re seeing the incredible versatility which is the reason Taylor is one of comics greatest and why the Titans deserved to be in pole position.
After some harsh words from Tempest in the previous issue the Titans are smarting. Having one of their own call out their abilities was a bitter pill to swallow. But from a storytelling point of view it’s also an incredible moment to stop and take stock. Tempest’s words are weighing heavily on Beast Boy. Gar has always been the heart of the team and Taylor perfectly exploits that in this issue’s opening scene with Raven. The two represent the light and dark within the core cast of Titans and their dialogue in that moment really speaks to where these characters are in their lives now.
Before they get to the heart of the story there’s a nearby street crime which needs their attention. Taking the moment at face value it’s a simple attempted mugging. But this is Tom Taylor we’re talking about. The moment encapsulates the humanity which exists within these characters. We would never see members of the Justice League attending a crime this simple and that’s why the Titans are where they are. Their connection to the people is much stronger and therefore the breadth of storytelling has a much wider range. Perhaps it’s the fact these characters haven’t reached god-like status. But it would be difficult to imagine Superman and Wonder Woman performing a similar act in the midst of a Justice League story. There’s that versatility I was talking about.
All of this wonderful humanity leads us to the crux of issue #4. Gar wants the team to spend more time on after care. An impassioned speech, exquisitely written and beautifully rendered by Nicola Scott, has Gar asking the team to return to Borneo to lead the reforestation efforts. Of course the team is behind him 100% because they understand the consequences of their actions. It’s another wonderful moment that injects the book with humanity. It also happens to lead them in to a great action set piece as they go up against The Demolition Team.
Of course there’s much more going on behind the scenes. Tempest makes another appearance and compromises another of the Titans loved ones. Amanda Waller, teased on the cover, also happens to stick her nose in to Titans business as the Dawn of DC influence continues to spread. But what anyone reading Titans #4 will walk away with is the sense that these characters and this creative team understands their place in the world and in DC history.
Verdict
A brilliant issue which shows the versatility not only Tom King but also the Titans themselves. A very human story set in a very metahuman world.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
