Titans #11 Review – Oh. My. GOD!
I am so happy I picked up Deathstroke the other week. I’m even happier that it’s really good and I’ve subscribed to it. Without all of those things, I would have had ZERO idea what was going on in the beginning of Titans #11. I do wish, however, that Deathstroke #19 was already out. Titans #11 begins with Deathstroke in a hospital after a corneal transplant. Wintergreen reports that both of his kids are fine. The last I saw everyone, Jericho had beaten both Deathstroke and Rose to unconsciousness. Both had a bit of blood pool around them too from the blows. Thanks to this issue of Titans, I now know that everyone survives and Deathstroke gets his sight back.
THANKS FOR THE SPOILERS, DC.
Worse than spoilers, though, is the great disconnect between what is taking place in Deathstroke and in this issue. Most of Deathstroke since the start of DC Universe Rebirth has involved what Slade’s done and not done as a father to his children. He mentioned a few times that he wasn’t the father he should have been, and he’s tried to make that up to Rose and Joey. His eldest son, Grant, joined the HIVE as Ravager and was later killed by the Teen Titans. Deathstroke mentioned Grant’s death once in his series. But now, he’s suddenly hell-bent upon saving Grant. I know there has got to be something in upcoming issues of Deathstroke to make more sense of this sudden desire.
In the world of DC, there are two ways (for certain) for dead characters to be brought back to life, and one of them is not rebooting the series. There is the Lazarus Pit and the Speed Force. Since this arc is called “The Lazarus Contract” and involves two speedsters, I’m going to guess both will be involved.
Deathstroke kidnaps Titans Wally and tries to talk him into agreeing to go back in time and save Grant. Well, talk him into is grossly understating what happened. He filled him with a serum that loosens his tongue. It’s not entirely a truth serum, but more he can’t stop answering a question. He can catch himself in the middle and stop but not the impulse to instantly yammer. Slade learns of Wally’s time in the time stream, the other universe he’s seen, and how he came back. He learns a bit about how Wally is able to slip into the time stream. I should mention he does all this with Wally chained to a treadmill.
After the interrogation, Slade asks nicely (no, he really does) if Wally will take a trip through time and help him. Wally refuses even though he wants to help Slade. The last thing any of us need is yet another Flashpoint scenario or Wally getting trapped in the time stream again. Slade knew Wally would say no. Slade can always see ten steps ahead, and he always has contingency plans for his contingency plans. This particular one is in the form of Teen Titans Wally, who is quite surprised to hear there’s another speedster with the same name.
I nearly dropped my tablet. I remembered when Flash met Kid Flash, but I couldn’t remember if he gave up his secret identity or not. Kid Flash was frustrated that the Flash wouldn’t share with him his identity at that time. It would have made sense for Flash to open up to Kid Flash then, but then again, it would be weird hearing someone else has your name.
I didn’t think that an overarching arc between Titans, Teen Titans, and Deathstroke would work, but it really does. It also makes a huge difference that the writers from each comic are contributing to every issue in the arc. More comic book series need to do the same when they crossover. I’m not as eager for the second installment as I am the fourth for The Button arc, but I’m pretty darn close. Very thankful I don’t have to wait a month to see what happens between the Wallies.
Our Rating: Yep
Authors: Dan Abnett, Benjamin Percy, and Christopher Priest
Artists: Brett Booth, Norm Rapmund, and Andrew Dalhouse
Publisher: DC Comics
Publish Date: 05/10/2017
Acquired via Purchase
