By J.T. Krul (writer), Ed Benes (artist), Scott Williams and Ed Benes (inkers)
The Story: Donna Troy’s dead husband and baby come after her as Black Lanterns. Black Lantern Terra and a few other old friends from the post-living move to smash Gar, Kid Flash, Cyborg and Starfire. Hawk and Dove fight Black Lantern Hawk before Terra plays with the foundations of the Titans Tower. Then things get really messy, zombie-apocalypse style…
What’s Good: The art is fantastic. I’ve always liked Benes, even though I know his art doesn’t fit everyone’s taste. I think a case can and should be made for him, on the basis of well-rendered figures, muscles, emotions and action that carry right through the book.
On the writing side, Krul delivered a solid Act Two. In a three-act series, the situation for the heroes gets worse and worse throughout Act Two, until the last straw is thrown on. The menace is there and it is scary (zombie baby – just picture it). Our heroes get in some great shots, though. Gar gets a wrestling smash in on Black Lantern Terra, Cyborg’s white sound seems to hurt them while Starfire leaves a smoking black lantern ring on a crispy, re-dead finger. Any bets on how long that finger stays crispy? Finally, in terms on villainous power, now I have slightly more respect for Terra.
What’s Not So Good: Not much to complain about. I’m not completely up on all my Titans mythos, so the identities of some of the villains were question marks for me without much more than clues to go on. The colors didn’t blow me away: competent, but not stellar. The grays and blacks and browns eventually became a bit overpowering. Even the spectrum of emotion colors didn’t look like more that a blurry patchwork. But these are smallish point in an otherwise pretty solid book. And if Krul left me with one dominant emotion, it was relief…that I don’t live in the DC universe.
Conclusion: If you’re following Blackest Night, even if you’re not a huge Titans fan, I recommend picking up this book (the first issue is probably still on some stands too). It’s a great story of fear and the undead hitting the DC universe, with fantastic art and an overwhelming menace.
Grade: B
-DS Arsenault
Filed under: DC Comics Tagged: | Black Lantern, Blackest Night, Blackest Night: Titans #2, Blackest Night: Titans #2 review, Comic Book Reviews, comic reviews, Cyborg, DC Comics, Donna Troy, Dove, DS Arsenault, Ed Benes, Geoff Johns, Green Lantern, Green Lantern, Hawk, J.T. Krul, Kid Flash, Scott Williams, Starfire, Terra, Weekly Comic Book Review
