Tales of the Titans #3 review

Posted on by martingray1

Donna Troy stars in the penultimate issue of the Titans mini-series and I can’t remember the last time she had a spotlight tale. The Girl Frenzy event, maybe? The DC Special mini-series. Either way, it’s a couple of decades. Now here she is and we get to see what she does in her downtime away from the Titans.

Fashion shows…

…and freedom fighting.

Goodness me, Donna makes it look easy, pummelling through squadrons of soldiers. Eventually, though, she meets a challenge.

A new Baron Bedlam. Just what comics needs, a clone kid of one of the Outsider’s lamest villains, empowered, of course, by the awful Dr Helga Jace. And while I called him a challenge, that’s relative to the guys with guns previously beaten up by Donna. He’s not actually a huge threat because writer Steve Orlando treats Donna the same way he handles Wanda in his Scarlet Witch book over at Marvel – super confident and even more competent.

And to be fair, with her Troia powers Donna is one of DC’s mightiest heroes – we just rarely see it on panel. Mind, the Olympian abilities she gained in the Eighties New Titans series aren’t obvious here, Orlando presents Donna as basic Wonder Girl – an amazing Amazon, but not a goddess. Given this, the new Baron Bedlam, who has the Earth-shifting powers of Terra and Geo-Force, should be a tougher prospect.

Then again, I like Donna at her original power level, she’s more impressive as an adopted Amazon who trained to fight beside immortal warrior women… well, with a bit of help from the old Purple Ray (Pur-ur-ple Ray-ay-ay).

It’s very odd that Donna doesn’t call in her Titans pals, or some iteration of professional Markovia meddlers the Outsiders, to help out. Orlando addresses this in an epilogue, but I’m not convinced.

Which isn’t to say I don’t love said epilogue – other than an All-Star Superman-style opening page confirming Donna has her pre-Crisis origin back, this is the best part of the book. Two pages of old pals Donna and Dick chatting. And then we get a wonderfully soapy cliffhanger and I dearly hope Orlando has booked space somewhere so he can show us what comes next… it’s a loose end going way back to probably the best-loved Donna story ever (so, nothing involving Terry Long).

Other treats this issue include a cameo by the Justice Foundation from Orlando’s terrific Justice League America run, a surprise appearance by a post-Crisis sticking plaster, a subtle nod to one of DC’s artistic legends and Donna’s greatest weapon, the Camera of Truth.

Drawing this issue – well, most of it – is Kath Lobo, whose style is, I dunno, Manga? Animated? Good action beats. I like the jolliness of Lobo’s style, even though we seem to be in a world that rains Botox. Colourist Adriano Lucas does pick up the slack and give us some facial shading, while toning for tension and interest, but boy, do I miss the days of every comic having an inker.

And I so want Baron Bedlam’s cheery scarlet tunic (minus any dubious regalia).

The final three pages are the work of illustrator Bob Quinn, and are just great, with well-observed body language and a fabulous final hero shot.

Letterer Rob Leigh does his usual great job, he really is an unsung hero at DC.

Nicola Scott and Annette Kwok, illustrator and colour artist on the recently launched Titans series, provide the cover. It is excellent.

While the idea of Donna Troy smashing her way into sovereign nations and liberating people from Nazi-level schemes is a headscratcher, this is the most personality she’s had in a story in years. A sequel in which we learn that every second Tuesday Donna conquers famine with Paradise Island Pie would be lovely.

13 thoughts on “Tales of the Titans #3 review”

  1. I quite enjoyed this.

    Although, I can’t help but think there would have been a more interesting, emotional story if they had opened with the last two pages and built from there. *That’s* the part of the story that really resonated with me.

    It’s such a mystery as to why they chose to end the book with this kind of cliffhanger without giving us any kind of indication where the story might be continued. Which makes me fear that we may never see where Orlando plans to take that.

    God help us all if it’s something that is picked up in Wonder Woman!

    I can’t really see it getting more panel time in Titans either, given that their storylines seem to be somewhat busy with. other things right now. I’m curious.

    And let me put it on record as being someone that really likes Terry Long. The poor guy got a raw deal way back when. Not that I’m clamouring for his return. But I liked reading about him when he was in the book. #justiceforterry

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    1. Terry always seemed kind slimy to me, with all the young girls hanging around and the way he looked at Starfire. Do not like. Still, Byrne killing him and the kids was a totally crappy thing to do.

      I have asked Steve Orlando on TwitterX tonight if there’s a plan to pick up the cliffhanger somewhere. You never know….

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  2. I don’t know. I loved Orlando’s Midnighter comics but everything since feels flat. There’s no depth and the heroes can do whatever is needed for the plot. It isn’t as egregious here as it is in the Scarlet Witch series but Donna liberates a whole freaking country in one night. WTF? Orlando books read like a more polished Journey Into Mystery with Thor. The art does match but that’s no compliment, It’s as depth free as the story.

    I do like that Donna’s followed Pantha in being freed of past story mistakes. And didn’t we workshop new code names for her? Wonder Laass is my current favorite.

    Oh and I’d rather Donna get her son back than a dad,

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    1. I mostly agree on Orlando. I loved Midnighter and he seems to love the same comics as me, but apart from his Justice League which I mostly enjoyed, everything since has felt a bit too fannish than exploring anything.

      Stu

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    2. Have I missed the return of Pantha. Oh, do tell?

      Wasn’t there a theory that as well as a version of Mr Terrific’s lost son in Flash #799 we also had Dolphin and Tempest’s kid Cerdian and Donna and Terry’s son Robert, recovered from Apokolips. The idea was that they’d only been presumed dead, but Granny had stolen them away. At the end if the story Wally didn’t know he had Cerdian and Robert. OK, Jeremy Adams’ plot point likely won’t be there any time soon, but if we want a Little Lord Chaos, there he is. Maybe.

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  3. I liked this issue. The story was a bit on the nose, but the art was energetic and attractive. And I’m definitely intrigued about the last pages; it’s my guess that it’ll be followed up in the Titans book itself.

    I loved the golden age Fury appearance, but I missed the allusion to a DC artist… who was it?

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      1. Oh, I see what you mean! I’d recognized that homage, but thought there was an easter egg somewhere else, like a character name or a street or business name, that I missed. Thanks!

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Published by martingray1

Journalist, comic reviewer, theatre critic, film lover, biscuit fan, cat indulger