Is the most dangerous threat to the Titans their own newest member? I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time. Your Major Spoilers review of Titans #23 from DC Comics awaits!
TITANS #23
Writer: John Layman
Artist: Pete Woods
Colorist: Pete Woods
Letterer: Wes Abbott
Editor: Marquis Draper
Publisher: DC Comics
Cover Price: $3.99
Release Date: May 21, 2025
Previously in Titans: Nobody’s quite sure what to make of the latest addition to the Titans’ roster, but it’s got Cyborg feeling increasingly like Dr. Frankenstein. But this is no collection of rusty bolts and moldy body parts he’s brought to life. It’s the most sophisticated artificial intelligence the world has ever known, capable of controlling every computer on the planet… or destroying them!
AT ODDS WITH THE LEAGUE
Having rebuilt and reconfigured the android Vanadia (a once-human Titans superfan who was manipulated by T.O. Morrow during the events of Absolute Power), Cyborg and the team have cautiously begun involving her in their day-to-day missions. She starts the issue a little bit bothered by how little punching and how much kitten-saving the job entails. At the same time, both the Justice League, who now include the Titans as one of their official League teams under their aegis, and the terrible duo of Clock King and Deathstroke are watching closely. Team leader Troy makes her case to her big sister and Batman, with Nightwing on hand to deflect his Dark Knight Dad, while Arsenal and The Flash stand by and make small talk. (It’s kinda hilarious.) As for the superhuman in question, Vanadia has been in the field with Cyborg and Starfire AND doing research at Titans Tower in multiple bodies, which concerns Troy greatly.
Of course, the biggest problem is in the reveal of Deathstroke’s newest team member…
THE TROUBLE WITH VANADIA
One of the recurring problems with the Titans is making sure that they’re distinct entities from their “parents,” which is actually a big part of the conflict on the Watchtower in this issue. Troy and Nightwing standing their ground against Wonder Woman and Batman is nicely handled from a story viewpoint, but even better is the fact that the side conversation between Wally and Roy ends up taking center stage. The art throughout this issue is really well-done, making Vanadia look as dynamic as Cyborg and Starfire, and even making Beast Boy’s ridiculous sideburns work. Almost… I’m not really a fan of the coloring, which leans heavily on blue and features low-contrast blacks that give everything a pastel effect. When two members of the team are orange, one is green, and the villain-of-the-week is a human/killer whale hybrid, that’s a problem that recurs. By the end of the issue, though, it’s clear that Deathstroke’s unnamed society is on a collision course with the Titans, and it’s not entirely clear what side of the line Vanadia is going to land on.
BOTTOM LINE: THAT LAST PAGE, THOUGH
Even though the final page isn’t really a surprise after last issue’s events, Titans #23 ends with a real gut-punch, continuing to slowly build the tension to the battle with Deathstroke, Clock King, Killer Frost, Mammoth, and [REDACTED], and doing so with nice art and not-my-favorite coloring, earning 3.5 out of 5 stars overall. Even 45 years after their big debut, it’s nice to see that the (no-longer) New (no-longer) Teen (but still) Titans are worth checking out.
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TITANS #23
The behind-the-scenes shenanigans are more engaging than the heroic action sequences, but the problems with the newest Titan are a lot less ambiguous in the immediate wake of 'Absolute Power.'
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Writing7
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Art9
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Coloring6
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