Monday, March 18, 2013

Pre-Crisis Primer: Superheroes Don't Always Win

The New Teen Titans 1-5
“Terror of Trigon”

This is Trigon, he hates you.
Raven's constantly struggled against the power of her demon father Trigon. This sub-plot has pointed out what I thought was obvious but have now proven: having an all-powerful demon father is kind of a pain in the ass. Missing for a while, Raven is about to return to the Titans and they are going to not be happy about this reunion.

Five issues makes for a giant story, especially considering how long this particular sub-plot has been brewing, so it's slightly surprising that not much happens in terms of actual plot points, although the story is a strong one. Much of the current sub-plots in Titans, Deathstroke hunting the Titans, Donna's impending marriage, and Cyborg's longing to be human have been wrapped up in satisfying bows. It's apt then that the start of a brand new series (reboots of existing titles are not a new comics fad!) should begin by wrapping up the lone hanging sub-plot before spinning off into all new adventures for the DC Universe's premier teen heroes. Because this review will be fairly positive, I'll throw a pinch of negativity in right here: the series is never as good after this story. Yeah, I said it. But that's for reviews and articles that will be written in the years to come. For now, we bask in the Titans greatest victory.

Raven is unhappy.
Raven, missing for months, now wanders the lost dimension of Azar, which now lies in ruins (this sentence is interminably dorky). Her powers going haywire and her increasingly incessant lust for blood all pointing to one end: her father Trigon had escaped whatever prison had been built for him. Luckily for Raven, she finds he mother, Arella, imprisoned at the heart of the ruined dimension, but unluckily, Trigon finally appears, in all his bad-ass multi-eyed, red-skinned, devil-looking glory, and manages to possess his daughter. In case you haven't figure it out by now, this is extremely bad news for the poor slobs who call Earth home. Raven puts on her Trigon Jr. costume and sets out to raise some hell. Classic hero-gone-bad trope, something that superhero comics are no stranger to exploiting. 

Raven is unhappy and evil now.
Newly evil and suddenly-the-greatest-daughter-on-the-planet, Raven accompanies her father to Earth where they flat-out conquer New York City. Yup, they win: New York City becomes a demon's playground, twisted to fit Trigon's idea of paradise. The citizens are left to relive their fears over and over again as demons run a muck raising all general kinds of hell. Streets, buildings, everything is transformed to broken stone resembling Trigon's home dimension. No different from the citizens, the Titans are easily beaten and left to force their own worst desires in the form of doppelgangers. Nightwing's fear of forever being in the shadow of Batman manifests itself as does Wonder Girl's fear of accidentally killing her new husband or outliving him due to her immortality and Cyborg's fear of being trapped forever in his metal chassis. The Titans are easily trounced by their own fears leaving no one to stand in the way of Trigon's domination of the planet. Sure there's always Superman or the Justice League, but apparently There's a magical dome enacasing the city both maintaining the demons' presence on our plane as well as keeping the rest of the world out. The dome is expanding to cover the planet. 

The gentrification of Brooklyn continues.
As the Titans fall, it's Lilith and Arella who save the day. Lilith, being a psychic sensitive is able to channel the spirit of Azar, the creator of the dimension that birthed Raven and which Trigon destroyed. Now, before the Earth is consumed is when Azar's gambit plays off and Raven is her weapon. Channeled by Lilith as her entry into our dimension, Azar is able to cleanse Raven's soul of Trigon's influence and in a bout of deus-ex-machina, end the evil of Trigon forever by destroying his very essence. The only price in this transaction: Raven's soul. When all is said and done, New York City and its citizens are returned to normal, the Titans released from their self-made prison and Trigon is destroyed forever. Raven is also missing though; the victory of The Devil is not a clean one. 

Titans in Hell.
This is the end of the golden age of the Teen Titans and they don't really go out with a bang. I like this story, it's suitably epic and large-scale, but the Titans play a small part in the events that comprise the tale. On the good side, I do enjoy how the Titans are so out of their goddamn element, messing around on this metaphysical plane of gods and demons and then completely failing to save the day. Their fat is pulled out of a fire by a god who literally comes out of nowhere. The Titans don't really belong in the world of gods and this story is hammers that point home.

In fact, the team also fails to save their friend. Raven dies. She spent most of her time with the team tortured by her role as Trigon's daughter, constantly fighting his influence only to succumb in the end and pay with her life. Superheroics aren't always fun and games and there are real consequences to dressing up in a costume and trying to right the wrongs of the world. With the death of Terra recently, this is a lesson the Titans are learning far too often.

Bye, Trigon.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

An Oracle

While the Post-Crisis PostScript is on a bit of a hiatus here (blame work and my need to not be in front of the computer at home as much), we will be returning soon. Titans fighting the Devil, Batman fighting a calendar and the long-awaited Crisis. Finally. Promise. But in the time being, I figured I can throw up an image heavy gallery. People like this, right?

Anyway, we're a couple years off from these stories, but enjoy this glimpse into the future. One of the aspects of the Post-Crisis DCU I enjoy so much is the heroic legacy, that there is change and forward-momentum and the superhero name may outlive the superhero. SO here's a tease with some new versions of favorite heroes.

ENJOY!







You can see into the future, delight your friends! I'm looking forward to both reading and sharing these stories.