Best of #4, 2005 . . . Single Issue

I got all set to do this, and you know what I find? I just didn't buy that many comics this year that can stand alone. They were always part of some story arc or another. So, this category has one issue, just one. But that's fine, I knew when I started this "best of" series that I wanted to mention this issue.

Teen Titans #20. No that isn't the cover to the issue, because the cover quite honestly, is terrible. Still, this story occurs in the aftermath of "Identity Crisis", and deals with Robin's dad having been killed by Captain Boomerang in that story. Though I'm less than pleased Meltzer did that, it's done, and this issue handles it pretty well I thought.

It helps I was still relatively new to the title. This was maybe the fifth issue I'd read, so Johns' writing tics, like having one character give their opinion of their teammates, in place of character development through the characters interacting, hadn't worn on me as much as it has now. Tim is at the tower determined to still enjoy life after his father's death. He isn't going to become the grim, vengful person he saw in the Titans' trip to the future. To that end, he tries to bury all the anger, sadness, grief he feels, especially around Raven. At the same time, we get Tim observing his friends and teammates interacting. Bart getting Superboy to calm down by doing his trig homework for him (I wish I could have gotten my friend Jesse to do that for me). Wonder Girl helping Raven expand her wardrobe, because Raven is going to need some new clothes when she starts high school (Hey, that's right she was going to start school! Any plans on getting to that some time this century Johns? I know I keep harping on that, but it would be something new with the character). Beast Boy making an ass out of himself around the girls. And so on.

But hey, there's action too! The Titans against the Electrocutioner and some thug in Luthor's battlesuit. The 'cutioner says the wrong thing to Robin, and Robin proceeds to pummel him into submission, as it turns out he's not quite as good at repressing his emotions as his mentor. He confides in his friends and the Titans show why they're a bit more like a family than a team, as they do what families do, console.

I love Grummett's art. I think he was the original artist on the Robin ongoing and I was a big fan of his then as well. Nelson and Jeremy Cox as inker and colorist doing a nice job of aiding this. The comic seems bright, and colorful, even with the darker subject. I feel like that fits the book. It's supposed to be more upbeat, not dark. These are still kids, who enjoy being heroes. They aren't all angst-ridden, in part because they have each other to lean on. Really, this was the best story featuring Robin I read this year (which is sad, seeing as how I read Robin).

Well, I'm done. Tommorrow I'll get back to my more standard style of random subject posts. I've got a couple planned about Bill Willingham's run on Robin, matter of fact.