Teen Titans Rebirth #1
Story by Ben Percy
Visuals by Johnboy Meyers
Colors by Jim Charalampidis
Letters by Corey Breen
**THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS**
Review by Matthew Iung
The Teen Titans are getting back together for new adventures with art that is boundto wow anyone and a story that leaves us with one big question. When does issue one get here?
Starting with what we can see Jonboy Meyers has a visually arresting art style. From the cover to the final splash page there is no lack of care and precision that goes into each and every panel. The characters and the world around them look like it should have full animation and be show every Saturday morning. The characters all have unique mannerisms, postures and facial expressions. Making group shots fun to look at and examine closer. Meyers draws four splash pages all featuring different characters, shot placement and a diverse range imagery. Each one also just has a little bit of a stylistic change. Something noticeable about each one is Jim Charalampidis color variation. We start the issue off with Beast Boy in Hollywood where he is throwing a party. Here the colors are deep blues and dark purples and everything is bathed in neon light. Immediately after we cut to the island of Tornado in the Caribbean. When we first see Starfire she is set against a clear blue sky and a blazing sun. The environments mirror the hero in them just enough to let you see but not so much as to beat you over the head. The art is without a doubt solid and will be a big hook for anyone picking up this book.
When Damian Wayne takes up the most real estate on the cover it’s not reaching to say that he will be showing up at some point during the issue. Benjamin Percy uses Daiman as a way to introduce the Titans and to set a tone for how this team is going to be getting along for a while. Percy also shows us the even though Damian is thirteen now that doesn’t mean he’s stopped harassing fellow heroes and holding them against their will. (Some things will never change.) All of the character have a voice that sounds like there own and the places we find each of our heros feels appropriate. More than one of our leads references the larger universe and recent events making the DCU feel connected without having to go into long form detail or spend time trying to make clunky dialog fit. While getting to know our characters and bring them together the book lacks that initial story progression. As a matter of fact the prospect of having a story is our cliff hanger so that we come back for issue one. This is a different style when compared to Percy’s opening on Green Arrow Rebirth. That being said this is a different story with a larger cast so it would stand to reason that Percy would take a different approach on this new project.
Verdict buy. This is a good book and is definitely worth a read even if you decided not to buy. The art is jaw dropping and the characters are written with unique voice that makes them fun to read. Even if its a set up issue what it sets up is bound to be one of the most interesting team dynamics of Rebirth. Issue one is scheduled for October 26th leaving all in anticipation until it arrives.
