Written by: Marv Wolfman
Art by: Tom Derenick
Published by: DC Comics
Yes you read that right: Marv Wolfman is back to write an issue of Teen Titans!
There are big expectations when a creator returns to do comic years later. Marv Woflman has delved into Raven’s retelling a bit with his six-issue mini series and now a sequel 12 issue mini series, but he has not written a genuine Teen Titans story in a while. So gladly I can tell Wolfman still has it when it comes to telling these characters.
Issue #16 not overly epic–it doesn’t even have the entire Titans team in there–but the essence of the team and what makes them tick is very much intact. It gives almost a solo Starfire story guest starring Beast Boy and Raven. Their dynamic is almost intact from the New Teen Titans run from Wolfman/Perez era, and it gives one hope we might get to see that in the near future. The best part of Wolfman’s style here is even though we have quite a bit of action throughout the issue, it never takes away from the essence of what book should be about which is the team.
This is a story about the relationship of these three characters first and foremost.
Tom Derenick comes in and brings Wolfman’s script to life with great detail. Be it the action scenes or the intimate character moments which there are plenty here, everything is done with style. From Starfire’s star bolts to her little grin at the end of the book it is all there and it allows the book to elevate past the mediocrity of just another mashup issue.
Teen Titans 16 is a somewhat of a throwback issue. Wolfman only writes the original New Teen Titans here. There are no Aqualad or Kid Flash or Damian. He is solely concentrating on three characters from his 1980’s run and as such brings the sense of nostalgia and fan service to the book. It would have been interesting to see Wolfman’s take on the rest of the team, but none of this takes away from the fact that book is an enjoyable look at the original cast.
