Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 2

Comic Info

Teen Titans (3) #14

Reprints Beast Boy #1-4, Teen Titans (3) #13-19, and Teen Titans/Legion of Super-Heroes Special #1 (January 2000-February 2005).  Beast Boy is going through some changes, and when he’s wanted for murder, he’s going to have to change his priorities.  Superboy finds himself trapped in the future and teamed with the Legion of Super-Heroes in an epic battle against the Fatal Five Hundred.  When the Teen Titans end up ten years in the future, they find the paths they are travelling might not be what they hoped.

Written by Geoff Johns, Ben Raab, and Mark Waid, Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 2 is a DC Comic Book superhero collection.  Following Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 1, the collection features art by Mike McKone, Tom Grummett, Justiniano, Joe Prado, and Ivan Reis.  Issues in this collection were also collected in Teen Titans:  Beast Boys and Girls and Teen Titans:  The Future is Now.

The Marv Wolfman and George Perez New Titans were my DC gateway since they were much closer to Marvel in writing and style.  The Teen Titans hit some really bad slumps along the way.  Geoff Johns provided a spark to bring them back and start out a great run.  This sophomore collection has some slumps, but overall the soapy fun that Johns brought back is still here.

What has always worked about the Titans is the in-team dialogues.  The characters all have relationships with each other and sometimes those relationships lead to sticking points.  Robin goes through some things this volume and Connor Kent tries to figure out his new life with the Kents.  Some of the events are happening in other titles, but Johns does a nice job keeping it in control.

Teen Titans (3) #17

If you like Beast Boy, this is your entry in the series since it is very Beast Boy heavy.  The comic includes the Beast Boy limited series (which has some fun bringing back Bette aka Flamebird), but it also leads into a storyline among the Titans dealing with Beast Boy’s past.  Beast Boy was never my favorite Titans so it makes the start of this book a bit tough, but it does help improve the character.

The last part of the book feels like set-up for most of Johns’ bigger plans.  The trip to the future smartly gives highlights over events coming up for the Titans, and it does it without giving away too much.  The “future Titans” storyline does have some payoff, but with all the multiple event series, much of the Titans of the future’s storylines are rather moot today.

Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 2 is a fun read.  You get a good balance of classic and modern comics, and you have some decent storytelling.  It is an easy book to pick-up and put down (something that isn’t always the case today).  If you are fans of any of the characters in this collection, it is worth checking it out because it is some of their best characterizations.  Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 2 is followed by Teen Titans by Geoff Johns—Book 3.