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    Review: Teen Titans #58

    Matthew PetersonBy Matthew PetersonMay 8, 2008Updated:May 10, 20089 Comments6 Mins Read

    Or – “It’s Always The Cute Ones…”

    TT2.jpg

    Megan Morse, also known as Miss Martian, has been something of an enigma among the Junior Justice League. Introduced during the “One Year Later” gap caused by 52, she has been pleasant, funny, bright and generally nice to be around. So, naturally, she’s a stone killer in disguise. Ever since it was revealed that she’s NOT one of J’onn J’onnz’ peaceful green Martians, but comes from the vicious line of white Martians, I’ve waited for her to grow fangs and try to eat people. After interacting with her own future self, and getting telepathically attitude adjusted, that day… has come!

    TT1.jpgPreviously, on Teen Titans: The Titans have had a hard road to travel the last couple of years, including infighting, roster changes, failed relationships and old villains returning from the dead. After battling Deathstroke’s Titans East (a collection of foes and hangers-on, including several ex-Titans) and facing down Lex Luthor’s futuristic time-traveling Titans army, the kids have been beaten up pretty good over the last few months. Add to that Superboy and Kid Flash dying, Supergirl leaving the team, (she gets around, that girl) Robin and Wonder Girl having high school angst about kissing, Kid Devil’s realization that his soul is forfeit on his 20th birthday, and the all-out raging barrel of high-test crazy that is Ravager and you can figure out why the Titans haven’t been writing their thank-you notes of late. Last issue, the Clock King (?) returned, with his Terror Titans (???) in two, giving the team yet ANOTHER evil analogue of themselves to fight. But right now, we’re going to backburner that for a look at the mind of Miss Martian.

    We start our festivities in the scenic desert outside Sedona, Arizona, a beautiful landscape of red rocks against endless acres of sand, the kind of place a Martian would find very homely… er, home-like. Megan floats in her ever-so-cute uniform (a cross between J’onn J’onnz harness and pirate boots gear and a schoolgirl outfit) thinking to herself. Of course, most of the time when a character does that, they don’t find themselves thinking back. The “voice” of her older self, riding piggyback in her mind, reminds Miss Martian that she still has to choose: Earth or Mars. The older Megan voice makes is clear that she intends to win, but Miss Martian screams “Just because you come from some possible future doesn’t mean that I’m not in control!!!” As she thinks those words, her world goes dark, and she hears “herself” asking, “Are you sure about that, M’Gann?”

    When she opens her eyes, she’s in a filthy bathroom, with a strange man undoing his pants in preparation for… Well, let’s just say they ain’t playing Boggle. Megan freaks, as the man tells her it was HER idea, and that she even promised his friend a turn, but she just swats him away. We cut to the Clock King, in bed with Disruptor (and find that this issue takes place simultaenously with the last two, showing Kid Devil’s party at Titans Tower) as he reminds her that without his powersuit, she’s just another runaway. Disruptor will do anything to earn his adoration, and he assigns her to watch over Miss Martian. Another cut, as we see Megan starting her first day of high school (that was quick!) and arguing with herself over whether or not they’re the same person. Her older self talks about gaining her revenge, but Megan thinks of a field full of yippy puppy dogs, causing them to knock her evil counterpart down and lick her face into submission.

    Megan’s high school infiltration is undone by her lack of I.D., papers, or even a school schedule, so that night she flies to Gotham City to ask for help from her team leader. Robin is (strangely) unwilling to help her fake documentation of her identity, and she gets angry, allowing her vicious inner voice to come forward, nearly morphing to her regular White Martian form in so doing. She blacks out again, and awakens hours later to find a manila envelope full of documents, including a passport, driver’s license, birth certificate and Social Security card, courtesy of her evil self. “I’m going to let your little fantasy roleplay accomplish that which I have not,” says evil Megan. “Which is to prove to you that humanity deserves nothing other than to exist beneath our HEEL.” In what is probably the first step down the road to hell, Megan sets off with good intentions, excited about the “fun” of high school. Her first class is interrupted by Disruptor, in full villain garb, killing her homeroom teacher. Megan leaps into battle, and they exchange blows, until Disruptor’s strange powers hit her full on, disrupting her shape changing abilities, and causing her evil self to split away, nearly growing it’s own body! She is forced to reabsorb herself (a pretty neat scene, actually) before being overwhelmed and waking in a dark room. She calls out into the dark, indicating that she can hear the thoughts of whatever is in the room with her, and out of the darkness comes the shambling, bloody form of… Kid Devil.

    That last panel is really horrifying, with K.D. bleeding and wounded, obviously having been tortured within an inch of his life. This is a good issue, coming back up to speed after a run of not-so-great issues. The Teen Titans is one of the books most hurt by the One Year Later gap, but Sean McKeever seems to be returning the book to it’s roots: a story about a group of kids who just happen to be super-powered. The art this issue is quite good, with Carlos Rodriguez capturing both the sweet and evil sides of Miss Martian with equal aplomb. It’s not a perfect book, but it’s still a good ‘un, ranking an impressive 3 out of 5 stars. I’m glad to see Titans turning around, and I hope that Final Crisis doesn’t chuck another wrench in the works that will take another year to resolve.

    3stars.jpg


    20th Birthday Clock King Endless Acres Future Self Futuristic Time Girl Robin Infighting Junior Justice Kid Flash Killer In Disguise Lex Luthor Martians Onn Red Rocks Roster Changes Sedona Arizona Stone Killer Superboy Teen Titan Teen Titans Wonder Girl
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    Matthew Peterson
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    Once upon a time, there was a young nerd from the Midwest, who loved Matter-Eater Lad and the McKenzie Brothers... If pop culture were a maze, Matthew would be the Minotaur at its center. Were it a mall, he'd be the Food Court. Were it a parking lot, he’d be the distant Cart Corral where the weird kids gather to smoke, but that’s not important right now... Matthew enjoys body surfing (so long as the bodies are fresh), writing in the third person, and dark-eyed women. Amongst his weaponry are such diverse elements as: Fear! Surprise! Ruthless efficiency! An almost fanatical devotion to pop culture! And a nice red uniform.

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    9 Comments

    1. Jacin B. on May 8, 2008 1:32 pm

      Yeah, I was a little lost as to why Robin wouldn’t forge papers for her.

      How many fake identities does he (or Bruce, or Dick) have … ? Wouldn’t those identities have required the same sort of document forgery that he claims is just over that legal line that he refused to cross for Megan?

      Reply
    2. Stacy B. on May 8, 2008 1:43 pm

      I agree with Jacin B. On the same lines, think about Raven. Hasn’t she recently gone back to school? Where did she get her identity and why is it any different than Megan’s request?

      With the exception of members brought over prior to OYL, I could care less about this team. On the same note, I think that One Year Later shot this series in the foot, and it is still on crutches. I’m at the point now that I wish somebody would put this series out of it’s misery, and mine. Another example of what can happen when a good series is forced to change for a company crossover.

      Reply
    3. Tom Grice on May 8, 2008 3:41 pm

      Hello! That’s right, I am back and pretty as ever. Now, as for the Titans: I still think this is one of the better DC books right now. The Future Titans story wasn’t as good as the original from earlier in the series, but still pretty good. I like the Terror Titans! nothing I like better than a Heel stable with a wimpy manager to throw salt or hit you with a cane when you aren’t looking, and the Clock King seems to be just that sort of guy, a combination of Jim Cornette and Mr. Fuji with Bobby Hennan’s brains. Now that, my friends, is entertainment. The Teen Titans definetly suffered from the OYL jump, but it seems to be back to hitting its stride. And I don’t think there is a more interesting team dynamic right now (until Secret Six returns) than Ravager, Kid Devil, and Ms. Martian.

      Reply
    4. Adam on May 8, 2008 5:20 pm

      Thanks for reviewing Teen Titans Matthew. I’m a huge Titan’s fan, loved the new team before OYL, then they killed my favorite characters :( But the newer team is still decent.

      As much as I enjoy ‘dealing with your darker nature’ stories, how many times can they do it in a row? I liked watching these characters grow up, but, I think it’s time for a different angle.

      Please review more Titans!

      Reply
    5. Sanlear on May 9, 2008 8:44 am

      “Tom Grice Says:”

      Matthew’s taught us that everything you say is wrong, sir. Just wrong.

      Reply
    6. steviecool on May 9, 2008 9:12 am

      As long as it’s resolved. I really don’t need another Sentry. Crazy only takes the story so far.

      Reply
    7. Matthew Peterson on May 10, 2008 5:51 pm

      Just occurred to me that I forgot to mention Clock King sleeping with Disruptor as seeming inordinately referential to Deathstroke banging Terra back in the day…

      Reply
    8. ~wyntermute~ on May 22, 2008 1:11 am

      dammit. i wanted to be first “YOU ARE WRONG, sir, WRONG!!!” post.

      i’m a fan of that Big Green Martian, and i kinda like Li’l Greenie, but….. well…. evil white alien martian badness isn’t as much fun as i think DC hoped it would be. as much as i hate to say this, are they anything more than albino skrulls?

      OMG…. _THAT’s_ the secret invasion!!! Marvel slipped a skrull onto the Titans!!!

      Reply
    9. kittent on March 22, 2013 10:58 am

      Great Review! I’m going to share it with my comic book geek students. Almost makes me wish I kept up with DC (i don’t, except for watching Young Justice on the tube with the kid….*

      *please note, sir, that I didn’t try to ruin your rep by throwing in a multiverse reference. After all, I’ve known you longer than some of your readers have been alive! *smooch*

      Reply

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