While Scott Lobdell may be hit or miss with some, his run on Teen Titans has been exceptional. Taking the New 52 idea to the next level, Lobdell has decided to rewrite the history of Kid Flash. Bart Allen is no longer just the hyper-kinetic plucky comic relief – now he has a dark past, one that actually makes the character more interesting.
First, a recap. After the Crime Syndicate took over the world, Johnny Quick launched the Teen Titans into the time stream, which has jerked the team back and forth between dimensions. During one of their stops, the unhinged Superboy cyborg beat the clone Superboy near to death and then took his place. Now, with a fake Superboy in tow, the Titans have landed in the world that Bart Allen actually came from, and his backstory is not what they expected. Captured and imprisoned, Bart Allen is forced to confront his past.
Years ago, Bart’s world was controlled by a dominating government called The Functionary. As with all dictatorships, there is a rebellion, one that Bart Allen, then known as Bar Torr, is an unwitting part of. Bart’s parents are knee-deep in this rebellion, and when the Functionary catches up them, Bart watches his parents slaughtered, barely managing to escape with his baby sister. From there, Bart involves himself in the underbelly of his world in order to survive.
During a particularly harrowing job, Bart has a wreck that should have killed him. Instead, it taps him into the Speed Force, giving him unlimited powers. Realizing his criminal life is no place for his sister, Bart drops her off at an orphanage and then proceeds to unleash all holy hell on the Functionary. After a long, hard-fought battle, Bart’s rebellion is close to taking down their enemy. War has casualties, and Bart’s was no different.
During the penultimate fight, Bart kills a Functionary trooper who turns out to be his sister. The effect is devastating and Bart turns himself in. Banished to Earth, Bart awakens in our world with all new memories and zero recollection of his past. With that past finally revealed, Bart is now facing his Titan teammates and hoping they will forgive him. Lobdell’s writing is smart, and packs a solid emotional punch. Having only been on board for a few issues, Teen Titans continually hooks me into their story arcs.
Tyler Kirkham’s pencils lift Lobdell’s script up a level. The pencils are strong, with line work that is light on the touch but still gives each panel weight. Everything having to do with Kid Flash is about movement and speed, something not all artists can capture. Kirkham doesn’t have that issue – he creates a visceral sense of movement, especially when Bart is using his powers. Not to rely too much on action, Kirkham brings his A game with faces, allowing real emotion to come through. Rounding out the art are nicely detailed inks from Art Thibert and Dan Green, as well as strong color work from Arif Prianto and Stellar Labs.
Teen Titans continues to impress. A well-written, well-penciled slice of superhero adventure, mixed with a small dose of science fiction. Excellent work.
(4 Story, 4 Art)
