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Mild Mannered Reviews - Teen Titans Comics

Teen Titans #13 Teen Titans #13

Teen Titans #13

Scheduled to arrive in stores: October 24, 2012

Cover date: December 2012

"The Origin of Wonder"

Writer: Scott Lobdell & Fabian Nicieza
Penciller: Alé Garza
Inker: Alé Garza

Reviewed by: Shawn Morrissey

Click to enlarge


Cassie Sandsmark is a dig-brat - the froward little rapscallion of an archaeologist - riding the rails of the world via precious antiquities and lesser dusty trinkets. While thieving around Yan'an, China, Cassie meets Diesel, a hunky, mysterious fellow not quite "bring home to mom" material. The two hit it off, get funky, and sneak around the world following Cassie's none-the-wiser mother, Helena.

While in Cambodia, Helena discovers a dig site, abandons it for another, prompting Cassie to curiously return to the former site. Inexplicably, Cassie knows Diesel is at the first dig site. While there, she discovers a massive chamber just yards from where Helena had stopped the dig. Somehow, Diesel gets his face pasted with Silent Armor. Trying to help, Cassie snaps on a pair of gauntlets she finds nearby. Bada-bing Bada-boom... she's Wonder Girl.

The Silent Armor finds itself attracted to Cassie, so in an effort to relieve Diesel of the burden of the Armor, Cassie allows the devilish mail to attach itself to her. This doesn't sit well with Diesel, who threatens Cassie into giving the armor back. Just then, the chamber collapses, a boulder apparently squashes Diesel, while Cassie uses her lariat to swing out of danger.

Cassie, Red Robin, and Superboy return to the site of the chamber to investigate.

Meanwhile, deep beneath Belle Reve Prison, Amanda Waller is still turning the dials and charging up the electrodes on Kurt Lance. Hold on to your socks, Lance is on the job.

1Story - 1: I'm just going to list chronologically the top six problems with this issue:

  1. Dig-brat.
  2. Cassie's a thief, the purest kind who steals for the hell of it.
  3. Diesel, or as I like to call him, the Big Deez. Lobdell doesn't have a knack for naming characters. Fist Point, anyone? (Teen Titans Annual #1. Skip the issue, just read my review instead). Lobdell himself even makes fun of the name. ...the heck?
  4. Red Robin insisting the others trust and follow him, although he refuses to tell them his real name.
  5. Not necessarily a personal complaint, but I don't think Cassie getting busy with the Big Deez in snooty hotels all over the world would sit well with too many parents.
  6. Kurt Lance. I didn't care about him when he made his first appearance several issues back, and I still don't, especially since he hasn't done a damn thing in the title.

Teen Titans: The more you read, the less you'll care. Good tagline.

3Art - 3: I mostly enjoyed the art. There are some very nice splash pages, especially in the opening. Garza does have a tendency to draw faces in a style I tend not to like, but it isn't over the top. He's also hit or miss with his panels, but he does present pleasant full page shots and multiple image layovers. Ultimately, I prefer Booth.

Dalhouse stays on here with the colors and he continues to do a bang up job.

2Cover Art - 2: I'm torn... I think I like this cover, but then I look at it for a while and there's something about it that bugs me. I can't really pinpoint it. The art is decent, with Booth putting his pencils to work, though not at their best. I'm actually unsure what to say. Forgive me, dear reader.

Mild Mannered Reviews

2012

Note: Month dates are from the issue covers, not the actual date when the comic went on sale.

January 2012

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