Feetal's Giz... An Offer Ya Can't Refuse!
Writer: Adam Glass
Artist: Bernard Chang
Colorist: Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer: Rob Leigh
Release Date: July 17, 2019
Cover Price: $3.99
It's time for Round 2 of Crush vs. Lobo... and wouldja lookit that, it's a Year of the Villain tie-in to boot!
"Year of the Villain", eh? I'm trying to decide if that title is just a little more cringy or just a little less cringy than "Forever Evil" a half-decade ago. I think it might just be a tie. Then again, we live in a world where somebody green-lit the title "Justice League Dark", so nothing really ought to surprise me.
Anyhoo, let's see how this one plays out!
I wasn't sure quite what to expect with this Crush-centric story... especially since it feels like we just had one of these not too long ago. I'm all about giving members of an ensemble cast ample opportunity to shine, but I will admit... I wasn't so sure I was ready to have another go-round with the spawn of the Last Czarnian. Hey, waitasec... if Crush is his kid, can we really refer to him as the last of his kind?!
What I'm trying to say (while taking the scenic route to do so) is, this was rather a pleasant surprise. While, just like last month's issue, this was mostly a knock-down drag-out fight... it was very well done! Glass managed to not only make every punch count, but also, continued to build upon the characterization for each member of the team. Every Titan gets a moment amid the chaos... and manages to make the most of it.
Let's talk Lobo for a bit. I feel like it takes a special kind of writer, with a special kind of "voice" to properly make the Main Man work. The Lobo we get here is an impressive blend of snark, bad-ass, and ass-kicker. This isn't a morality play... Lobo is only here to do a job, and I feel as though this is how he's best depicted. He may not be the first guy to take a contract on the Teen Titans... but, before succumbing to Djinn's powers, he comes as close to succeeding as any. We wrap up with his being drafted into the big Summer/Fall event... so, (thankfully) this isn't the last we're going to see of him.
The Titans realize (between punches and slamming of spikes and chains) that they are more than just a "team". They care for one another deeply... even if some are more hesitant to show it than others. Since the days of Haney and Wolfman, the Titans had been depicted as a family... and they're finally beginning to show signs of that again!
Bits and Pieces:
More Lobo! More Fighting (but not at the expense of characterization)! Sometimes, that's all we bastiches really need.
8.5/10
