Writer: Tom Peyer
Artists: Barry Kitson (p), John Stokes (i)
Publisher: DC
Plot:
The book opens by showing us that Starfire's frantic warnings about an unseen invasion are true, as we see the Consensus are using television & radio signals to enslave the human race. We then look in on Starfire as she forces Jesse Quick & Donna Troy to wear the tinfoil headgear that she claims shields your mind from the Consensus' influence. While they initially balk at this claim we see Starfire makes a rather convincing case that has them putting on the rather silly headgear, and thus protected the three woman seek out the rest of the Titans. However, upon arriving Starfire is quick to recognize that the others have fallen under the control of the Consensus, and it's very likely herself, Donna & Jesse are the only ones left to fight this invasion. We the see that the mind control leaves people in a highly agitated state, as we see a fight breaks out, and if not for the intervention of Jesse Quick, a man would've gunned down another with next to no provocation. However, their help is not wanted, as the three find themselves set upon by the crowd. As they take flight to escape, they quickly notice the Consensus flagship has landed, and Starfire decides the only opinion left is a direct attack.
Comments:
The goofy tinfoil headgear, and the one-note Chicken Little performance by Starfire has done little to endear me to this current arc, but I must say that it is nice to see the Titans up against an alien invasion, and what's more it's always more interesting when the invaders manage to secure such an impressive toehold on the planet Earth. The last page also give me hope, as Starfire returns to her old self, when she switches from a defensive position, to an offensive one, which is a role that suits the character much better. The book also has itself some nice little moments, like the reunion between Nightwing & Starfire, which is brought to a crushing halt when Kory discovers Dick has already fallen under the influence of the Consensus. I'll also give the story credit for opening with such an effective display of how Kory's seeming mad ravings are actually completely valid, and when the art pulls back we get a very nice sense of the enormity of the task that the Titans are faced with. The Titans who have remained free to join Kory in her fight are also a nice mix of personalities, as Donna's understanding nature is nicely contrasted by Jesse Quick's highly temperamental, quick to dismiss approach to life.
As this series nears its 50th and final issue before its relaunch I have to say that looking back on the material the simple fact of the matter is that this new title never really captured the feel of the Wolfman/Pérez run, and I think this issue manages to deliver a scene that comes the closest in showing the reader what was missing. It's a small, almost throwaway scene, but when Starfire reminisces about good times she had in the Titans Tower it was like Tom Peyer managed to tap ever so briefly into what had made that book one of my all time favorite titles. This new book hasn't really captured the idea that these characters actually enjoy spending time with each other, as this friendship had been replaced with more a sense of obligation. I mean we had Dick basically acting like he had better things to be doing over in the pages of his monthly title, while Roy was busy being a father to his daughter, and Garth was in a duel role as husband & father, with his time in the Titans very nearly costing him his family. We then had the new additions to the group, and Jesse Quick almost seemed annoyed by the very concept of coming unless there was a mission to perform, while Argent transformed from a fairly likable rookie into a jaded malcontent.
Barry Kitson's work has a nice Silver Age quality to it both in terms of the way that it looks, and the way it uses its panels to tell the story. His work has a clean, almost simple look to it, but it's also quite effective at selling its ideas, as the look of sheer horror on Starfire's face when she realizes Dick is under the thrall of the Consensus is very effective, and the final pages also do a wonderful job of detailing the change of attitudes that Starfire undergoes, as one can't help but feel sorry for the Consensus after looking at that final page shot of Starfire. The art also captures the idea that the crowds have fallen under the spell of the Consensus, as their blissful smiles clearly tell us that these emotions are artificial. The art also manages to capture the skepticism that Jesse Quick feels as her expression when she spots the sign of the Consensus in the child's eyes does a wonderful job of conveying her surprise at the idea Starfire's ravings are actually true. The shot of the flagship is also quite impressive, as it does a wonderful job of conveying the sheer scope of this threat. I also have to make mention of the cover by Jose Luis Garcia-Lopez, as while the image jumps the gun a bit in terms of showing how the story will play out, this is a very striking, attention grabbing cover.
Final Word:
This story does seem to be taking quite a bit of time to get going, as a large part of this issue is devoted to establishing ideas that had pretty much been covered in the opening chapter. However, it is nice to see Starfire back playing an active role in these pages, and while I found myself getting a bit weary of her one-note performance, there are a couple moments that worked exceptionally well, as her reunion with Nightwing was pitch perfect, and it was also great to see the old Starfire personality return with a vengeance in the final pages of this issue. I also like the idea that Tom Peyer is thinking on a scale that we really haven't seen much in these pages, as while I'm a bit concerned he might not have the room to give this issue the ending it deserves, I do admire the sheer scope that this story is operating on, as it's basically three Titans versus the entire world. Here's hoping that the final issue is a double-sized affair, as the story seems a little too large for a regular-sized issue.
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