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Rating: - Teen titans volume 6: Titans Around the World
Title: Teen Titans Vol. 6: Titans Around the World
Publisher: DC
Writer: Geoff Johns
Artists: Tony Daniel, Carlos Ferreira, Paco Diaz, Ryan Benjamin (pencils), Kevin Conrad, Art Thibert, Drew Geraci, Silvio Spotti, Jonathan Glapion, Michael Lopez, Edwin Rosell, Saleem Crawford (inks), Tanya and Richard Horie (colors)
Collects: Teen Titans 34-41
Price: $14.99

I have to admit right from the start that I went into this book with a negative bias. Having purchased and read the first five volumes and only having enjoyed the fourth one (Teen Titans Vol. 4: The Future is Now), I really didn't expect much from this book. Looking at the line-up of characters and seeing more of DC's ever-present carbon-copied "new" characters lowered my expectations even more. I have probably never started a book with a more low expectation and had such a change of heart. This book, despite all my biases and negative expectations and personal feelings towards DC's editorial preferences, was a pretty good read. That doesn't mean I have changed my mind about disliking carbon-copy characters or bringing dead characters back to life, but Johns spins a good yarn, here, and makes me like the team despite myself. I just really can't figure out Geoff Johns. Many times I pick up his high-profile stuff and expect to like it and find it quite dull (or in the case of Infinite Crisis - infinitely stupid). Other times I pick up stuff from him and don't expect to like it and find myself enjoying that stuff most of all. The guy is really a hit-or-miss writer for me. There seems to be no middle ground, in my opinion.

This collection of stories takes place during the "1-Year Later" run of books that started up after Infinite Crisis ended and ran the same year as the popular "52" weekly serial comic. The line-up for the Teen Titans now includes Robin, Kid Devil (former sidekick of Blue Devil - a character with undefined powers and origins - at least to me, at this point), Ravager (daughter of Deathstroke), Cyborg, Wonder Girl, and Marvin and Wendy (housekeepers and tech coordinators for Titans Tower - and more unknowns to me). The storylines of the two tales largely revolve around this team trying to make contact with former members Beast boy and Raven (with the purpose of trying to get them to re-join the team) and trying to discover the identity of a traitor that raven had found on the team. The team travels around the world (hence, the title) talking to other characters who were part-time members of the team during the past year. These characters include Miss Martian (carbon-copy of Martian Manhunter), Bombshell (carbon-copy of Captain Atom), Red Star, Zatara (carbon-copy of Zatana), and Beast Boy - now a part of Doom Patrol.

Throughout the book, there is constant angst and tension among the team members - particularly Wonder Girl and Ravager. This provides for some fun and some serious situations. Also, Robin and Wonder Girl grow closer together in the wake of Conner Kent's death, as they learn that each of them has been trying to bring him back to life, but through different methods. Cyborg receives a power upgrade, too, which is nice to see.

Here's a spoiler in case you need a warning in advance to stop reading. A long-dead character and former team member is brought back to life in this book. This is my biggest problem with the book. Why on Earth did Geoff Johns think bringing Jericho back to life was a good thing to do? He was always a stupid character to begin with. Get out of the past, Geoff! You can't make every single DC book the way they were when you were a kid! Do you really think that's what most DC readers want? Ugh! And now, since it seems to be so easy to say a few incantations and bring a dead Titan back to life (it already happened with Raven and Jericho in this series), Robin and Wonder Girl are talking about using Raven to bring Conner Kent back from the dead. Sweet Christmas! When will the insanity end? I'm convinced Geoff Johns needs a smack with a Wiffle ball bat across the head a few times. Stop it with bringing every deceased DC character back to life! In the past two years, alone, the guy has brought back a dozen characters back to life. It's this kind of nonsense that drives readers away and cheapens every death in every DC comic book. Death is no big deal because it is constantly being undone! OK. The ranting is done. I really liked this book up until the last few pages and then I was just sneering in disgust.

Art on the book is all done pretty well. Tony Daniel pencils six of the eight issues collected in the TPB. Though I liked all of the art and inks well enough, it really makes me wonder what is going on at DC, editorially, when it takes a team of eight inkers to do the chores on just eight issues of comics? A single DC storyline completed by a single art team is about as rare as a forest fire in the Sahara. Does this bother anyone else or is it just me? Is it too much to ask to get a single art team to complete one story arc together? I have never been a comic book editor, but if I were, it seems like this would be something I'd be trying to get accomplished, but from all apparent observations, this doesn't seem to be a priority with DC editors.

Some aspects of this book definitely honked me off, but there was enough here that I liked, that I'm still going to give it a positive review. The storyline is pretty good and included more humor than the book has had in years, and the artwork is above-average. I also have to mention that, at just $15.00 for eight issues, the book is a very good value in this day and age. (Not as great as the unbelievably-priced fourth trade, but still a bargain.) Give this book a try and see the Titan having some fun and get to know some "newer" characters that are sure to be around for a long time. (I've picked up the next trade from the library, so I'll review that book in the future and we'll see if Johns does another nose dive or if he can pull off another upset.)


Writing: 7/10
Artwork: 7/10
Cool Factor: 7/10
Overall: 7/10

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