"The Brave and the Bold"
Writers: Marv Wolfman; Geoff Johns
Artists: Todd Nauck (p); Sean Parsons, Norm Rapmond, Marlo Alquiza (i)
Publisher: DC Comics
Plot: As the Crisis rages full on, Nightwing and Superboy prepare to lead a mission against Alexander Luthor's tower in the Arctic. Along the way they have to save people, avoid the unnatural weather, and deal with each other. Meanwhile, in Smallville, Wondergirl gets an interesting offer from a family relation...
Commentary: First off, lets just give a big round of applause; Marv Wolfman is back on Teen Titans! Having missed his era of Titans, I was glad to see what people were talking about. The work for once lives up to the hype.
This story takes place in the midst of Infinite Crisis, and in truth, it is rather hard to figure out a timeline. For those curious as to where the story fits in, check out this handy guide:
-Infinite Crisis #4
-Teen Titans #32
-Robin #146 and 147
-Teen Titans Annual #1
-Infinite Crisis #5
-Teen Titans #33
Now, obviously there have been scheduling problems. The Titans Annual did not come out until a week after this issue, so there was a bit of a spoiler in this issue. That aside, the story is tight and a great character spotlight. Johns and Wolfman emulate the dueling thoughts found in Superman/Batman with Nightwing and Superboy and manage to present two sides to the same story that gives us double the entertainment. The subplot with Wondergirl is rather interesting. I have always wondered when the family connection between these two characters would be explored, and it certainly sets up some interesting character development. In fact, the only downside of the entire story is that only three Titans appear, and one of them isn't on the current team. Yet the story works. We get the great characterization and witty dialogue the series is known for, and a tale that, while smack dab in the middle of Infinite Crisis, is a great standalone character piece.
When it comes to the art, Todd Nauck is new to me. While the art was excellent in the previous issues, in this one Nauck's style seems a bit more cartoony than usual. Nightwing's body seems a bit out of proportion, and at times Superboy looks much older than Nightwing. However, the large double page spread of the multiple Earths over Titans Tower and the various flashbacks of Titans history are excellent, and should hopefully be made into a poster.
Final Thoughts: "Then we hook up with everyone else and go Deathstroke on the bad guys." If nothing else, this issue is memorable for Marv Wolfman's return to Titans comics. The characterization is spot on and the lush backgrounds in the art while surely please your eyes. Fans of the title will not be disappointed.
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