“Home Sweet Home”
Writer: Dan Abnett
Artist: Lee Weeks
Being the single issue between two bigger arcs can be a hard task, but for all future reference, Titans #7 is how it’s done. For the roller coaster of quality that was the first six issues, I didn’t know what to expect going into this one. The promise of a Superman/Wally race on the cover was certainly all the incentive I needed to pick this issue up, but it turned out to be so much more than that. The conversation between Wally and Clark post-race was beautifully written and stands out as one of the best Rebirth moments to date. I won’t say anymore than that – this is something everyone needs to read for themselves.
Another really nice moment was the development of Roy and Donna’s relationship. Up to this point, it hadn’t really been looked at in a serious light, but in this issue it got… real. Even though these two characters don’t exist and are just drawings on a page, I felt something there. I saw the connection happen and it was just so perfect. The interactions and banter were so realistic and honestly it felt like the conversations had been ripped from reality and placed on a page in front of me. I know that, despite the mystical elements and powers, a good comic should be grounded in reality, but this took it to a whole new level. Abnett’s writing reached its peak here in this issue, and if this is a sign of things moving forward I am very excited.
Moving on to the artwork, Weeks really delivers in this book. His drawings are incredible to look at and while I enjoyed the work of Brett Booth during the first arc, I would have no complaints if Weeks decided to stick around, even though that seems very unlikely. All in all, this book was a solid brick in the wall of the DC Universe. The way Abnett handled the characters was amazing and just topped off with the solid art from Weeks. Moving forward, I am very interested to see what happens with this series. The move to Manhattan is an interesting one and will no doubt bring a whole lot more trouble for the Titans as time goes on, and I will definitely be there to soak all of it in.
Images courtesy of DC Entertainment