Review: Teen Titans – Cold Case #1 By Mark Sable

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Teen Titans – Cold Case #1

Written by Mark Sable

Art by Sean Murphy

I have never heard of this book, nor do I know how it fell into my hands, but the cover just screamed at me to give it a read. Maybe it was the fact that Tim Drake is in his pre-Red Robin black and yellow Robin gear while Cassie is in her current look (which came about after Tim left the team) on the cover and my continuity sense is tingling. Maybe it’s that Captain Cold is on the cover, and I love me some Captain Cold. Or maybe it’s the writer/art team that I have NEVER heard of. This book entered my hands as a mystery wrapped in an enygma, and that’s such a rarity to me that I was just instantly intrigued. To the point where I’m writing this first paragraph before even cracking the cover. I’m ridiculously out of my element here, people, I’m normally the one dishing out suprises to the unsuspecting, and dropping knowledge they never though to consider onto their brains. I am he who reads all sorts of random crap, and remembers most of it, but this snuck up on me. It’s like someone sneaking up on Batman, comics don’t do that to me. So let’s see how this baby is.

First up, this book’s place in continuity is definitely One Year Later, despite that the narration definitely throws you at first. It fits in during Tim and Cassie’s awkward ‘What the hell are we?’ stage of co-grieving for Superboy, sometime after they made out, but before she went all ‘Amazon’s Attack’….so in other words, she’s still bearable. The book also picks up on a plot thread that Johns introduced in the first issue of Teen Titans during One Year Later and then subsequently dropped. That Ravager wants to seduce Robin. That it’s not an odd occurrence for him to wake up and she’s in bed and he has to toss her out. The fact that nobody ever went anywhere with that is one of my biggest issues with that era of Titans, because it could have made for some fun and interesting story and characterization, especially since Tim was actually single at the time (Steph was dead). Of course, this leads to an awkward moment with Wonder Girl that I don’t enjoy, as it paints her as much closer to being his girlfriend (and this continues throughout the issue) then she ever actually was. Tim is painted as pushing everyone away, which fits more and more as I read this. This was when Tim had heavy issues with the death of his father, and the book even opens up with him remembering the night in a nightmare. Tim’s narration drives the book, though it takes place at an undetermined point in the future (Superboy is noted as returned).

I have a definite weakness for parts of this issue, namely Kid-Devil. I’ve never fully understood why, but I absolutely love the character and even during some of the rough patches I would rationalize reading the book as following along with the character. So of course he got depowered, died, and didn’t even come back as a Black Lantern. Eddie is only important because his own early feelings for Rose in those days of Teen Titans set him up perfectly to be the guy who goes along to help out the girl. He’s all about trying to protect Rose when he gets the chance, demon aside, he wants to be her shining knight. He’s also a total fanboy and it’s amusing to watch him smack talk the villains by just acknowledging that he knows them.

This story is as much Rose’s as it is Tim’s, however, as while he’s the moody narrator that was leading the team, she’s the center of the action and plot. A message from Deathstroke sends her on a quest to find a briefcase that will supposedly get her on Tim’s good side, and despite her hatred of her father, Rose still goes for it. The girl has always had a desire to be accepted that her pride works double time to mask. If she softens up and allows herself to relax around her teammates, then she no longer has the edge that a need for has been beat into her. She’s a broken toy who wants desperately to be accepted, to be with someone, but all she knows how to do is bury her feelings behind an attitude and a sword. She’ll jump into an ambush on her own because she doesn’t want anyone to think that she doesn’t think she can handle it. It’s a fatal flaw that is just so fitting for the character, it’s not quite a death wish, but she is left obviously compensating for something. Maybe I’m just a fan of the character.

Ravager and Kid-Devil vs the Rogues is fun, original, and paints a nice picture of just how big the experience difference is between the groups. I mean, if the Rogues lost this fight then I would have to be slagging the writer right now, as there’s no way that a group that tangles with the Flash jobs easy to two teenagers. Or at all. I give Sable props for this, he gives the Rogues their due instead of just using them as name-brand fodder like some writers have in the past. Not only do they provide some name-brand villainy though, but they even have their own motivation. That’s something I really like about this book, nobody is just there, everyone has some sort of purpose. Everyone wants something. It’s not exactly rocket science, but for a one shot it’s nice to see the guy going ahead and characterizing everyone he’s using as opposed to using the aforementioned fodder technique that we’ve all seen so very many times. Then, of course, we’re led to the full team of Teen Titans against….all of the Rogues. Well, nine of them at least (Captain Cold, Mirror Master, Trickster, Weather Wizard, Heat Wave, Dr. Alchemy, Girder, Tarpit, and Magenta), and they aren’t just (again) name-brand fodder. Sure, quite a few of them job quick (and given that Girder and Tarpit are on the list, deservedly so), but the battle even ends in the right manner.

The weakest point of this entire issue, to be completely honest, is Tim’s narration where we find him in the depths of depression in the year after his dad’s death. Tim’s hatred of guns, his wondering if his father could truly die a hero if he killed someone, even his own fear of his Titans Tomorrow self who carried a gun and gunned down Duela Dent. If anything, it just comes across a little bit forced. It’s not a bad time in Tim’s life to revisit, and it goes along perfectly with the story being told, but the narrative is just so….dry. Tim has emotion when he speaks, but the retrospect narrative just feels jarring. The entire issue boils down to a briefcase meant for him, and while I won’t spoil just what it is or why he gets it, his narration almost ruins the moment.

The art is by no means perfect, but it works. I mean, I’ve definitely seen better artists do Teen Titans work, but there are panels where he shines. His Rogues have a familiar Scott Kolins feeling, his Titans most definitely come across as teens. I don’t have many complaints, though Wonder Girl’s hair would be chief amongst them as I can’t see Cassie really having bedhead for an entire supervillain fight.

I’m glad I read this issue. It’s not perfect, nor is it the best thing I’ve read all week, but it was fun. It’s over and done in one issue, you’ve got nice characterization, some characters that I miss (Kid-Devil), and even a few sweet fights. The issue is well paced, and it comes across somewhat naturally. Of course, my biggest issue is just that it takes places so long ago that there’s no followup to come, and I would have really liked to see a Tim/Rose relationship explored back then. This book isn’t must read, but if you’ve got a few bucks and want to be entertained, give it a shot.

Overall?

7/10

A lifelong reader and self proclaimed continuity guru, Grey is the Editor in Chief of Comics Nexus. Known for his love of Booster Gold, Spider-Girl (the real one), Stephanie Brown, and The Boys. Don't miss The Gold Standard.