Creepiest Character Ever

Teamwork

So we all know that Static is joining the Teen Titans. That's been confirmed. And it looks like Kid Eternity will be joining the team as well. And if there really is a God then Miss Martian will be back as well. But who else is going to be on the team?

It looks like Bombshell may actually be joining. But other than that, well... I'm having a hard time thinking of many other teen heroes. Sure, there's Zatara. But beyond him, didn't all those interim Titans during the OYL gap get killed and blowed up and stuff?

Maybe Aquagirl will come back...

Ignore This Rant

So information about Titans East was released at Baltimore Comic-Con. Apparently the team is going to consist of Nightwing, Cyborg, Donna Troy, Starfire, Raven and Beast Boy. In other words, the non-teens that I thought I'd finally gotten rid of.

I didn't read the Wolfman/Perez Titans. I have no interest in reading it. I don't find most of those characters particularly interesting on their own. Why would I want to see them all together?

To tell you the truth, I'd considered Titans East. Especially after seeing the cover to the one shot. Some people were turned off by the appearance of Power Boy, but I was turned on by the appearance of Vulcan. And to a lesser extent, Lagoon Boy.

I'm a rarity in this stretch of the universe: I tend to like the stuff that Judd Winick does. And to me, a team of misfits and weirdos like that seems like a perfect fit for him. He could do some interesting things with it. Plus, Vulcan.

But instead we get another attempt at bringing those same old tired Titans back into a team book together. What exactly are they going to do? Fight Deathstroke again? Fight Brother Blood again? Fight Trigon again and again and again?

I like to see new characters mixing with old characters. Sometimes I like just new characters. And yes, I do sometimes enjoy just old characters. But the funny thing about the line-up for this team is that even though there are characters decades older, they all seem awfully dated to me.

I'm just not sure they've got what it takes.

Who is That Girl?

Those who've read this blog a bit know that I wuv Miss Martian. The only problem is that as far as we can tell she was found under a cabbage. We haven't gotten any explanation as to where she came from or how she joined the Titans.

Unless I've missed something, all we really know is that she's a White Martian. Now, White Martian's usually try to kill lots and lots of people. So right there we know she's not your typical White Martian (Drizzt's Law applies).

But who exactly is she? How did she end up on Earth? Why isn't she a scary toothy-mawed maniac? Is she really a teenager? I want to know the answers to these questions, and I want to know what (if any) connection she has to J'onn J'onzz. As far as I know, the two have never been seen together. Is she connected to him at all?

You'd think he'd take an interest in her, what with her being Miss Martian. He obviously has to know that she's not really a Green Martian (because if he doesn't, he's slacking off on the manhunting). Is he okay with that? Is he somehow responsible for her current sunny disposition and rosy outlook on life?

I demand answers to the Miss Martian conundrum. I can only hope that Sean McKeever will supply those. Because Geoff Johns -- despite creating the character -- most certainly has not.

I Wuv Miss Martian

Oh yes oh yes oh yes I do.

The news that Sean McKeever (a writer whose work I do not know) is going to be taking over Teen Titans filled me with giddy joy.

Not because that means Adam Beechen won't be writing. I've long since forgiven him for what happened to Cassandra Cain. It wasn't really his fault, anyway. No, the reason why I'm giddy is because the cover of Mr. McKeever's first issue confirms that my favorite thing about Teen Titans isn't going anywhere:

Miss Martian is sunshine in a bottle. She's happiness and rainbows　-- all wrapped up in cute red hair and a blue miniskirt. As far as I'm concerned, she's The Sensational Character Find of 2006.

And I am deliriously happy that she's going to be sticking around in Teen Titans. With so many recent creative changes, I was worried that we were going to lose some of the newer Titans before they really had a chance to shine.

But instead, it looks like Miss Martian and the others are going to get a turn in the spotlight. And to top it all off, they've dumped all those Titans that aren't even teens anymore.

Is it August yet?

(Image snagged from kumahachi.org. Check out all his awesome work!)

Teen Titans #43

Ask and ye shall receive. Inquiring minds want to know what I -- Title Undetermined's resident expert on Cassandra Cain -- thinks of the latest issue of Teen Titans. So here we go. Of spoilers, beware!

Let's skip all the drivel about what happened to the Titans or why and cut straight the core: what has Geoff Johns done with Cassandra Cain? Well, he's come up with an explanation for why Cassandra's gone crazy and joined up with the guy who nuked her city. She's hopped up on goofballs.

I'll admit that it's not a very satisfying explanation. Unfortunately, it's probably as good as we're going to get. The drugs explain away some of her actions (though not all) and leave the door open for a return to grace at some point down the road.

I'm still not completely happy, of course. (what comic fan ever is?) I think back to how easy it was for Rose Wilson to break free of the same drug's influence (Nightwing: "Your daddy doesn't really love you!" Rose: "Waaah! Daddy doesn't love me!") and wonder why a person with Cass's strength of character was susceptible.

But the thing that bothered me the most was the moment where we see Batgirl slitting Bombshell's throat. I winced at that; it was physically painful. Up to this point all of Cass's OYL "kills" (Lynx, Nyssa, Annalea) have all been off panel. That left open the possiblity that she didn't really do it.

But now we've seen Cassandra murder. And it wasn't pretty, and it probably won't be the last. I'm not going to say that it "spoils" the character, because it doesn't. But it will change her. And I'm not sure if the change will be good or bad.

Probably the best thing to come out of all of this will be Robin feeling like a jerk. After all the horrible things he said about her in his solo book, I hope he feels like a complete and total heel for writing her off like he did. Because he should, and he deserves to.

Of course, I can cut Robin some slack; he's a kid. Batman gets no such slack. That, to me, has been one of the most appaling aspects of the entire Cassandra Cain fiasco. Batman (who in Batgirl's solo title seemed to care about her like she were his daughter) has continued to ignore and berate her from afar.

Batman up and left her alone during his trip around the world, didn't bother to take her with him or check on her, and generally hasn't seemed to care. Of course, the negligence on his part is an extension of the negligence on the part of the writers and editors. I hope they both make amends.