Writer: Scott Lobdell
Artist: Tyler Kirkham
Colorist: Arif Prianto
STATE’S EVIDENCE
The Titans anxiously await the outcome of Bart’s trial, and question their faith in him after he reveals who he really is.
The Ups: This issue gives Bart a good chance to explain his actions. After the reveal of his origin in the last issue he definitely needed to justify some things. Giving Bart such a radically different and controversial origin puts a wedge between him and certain characters on the team and each member responds differently to this information in a way that makes sense for that character. This makes the team dynamic more complex and it’ll make the aftermath of this story more interesting when they get to reflect on this information. Tyler Kirkham’s art works well for this kind of story. Since the narrative is carried through reaction more than action in this kind of story it’s important for each character to be able to emote a range of emotions that can be subtle or intense and Kirkham’s art does this well.
The Downs: Along with Bart’s trial there are still two or three other subplots that take time away from the real action. While these stories could be fairly compelling later on right now they’re just a distraction. The issue was also a little heavy on exposition and dialogue and there isn’t really any action to speak of until the very end.
Overall: This issue was a little slow but carried some important plot points. The twist at the end of the issue does point to something more action packed in the next issue though. The plot also seems to be heading towards something a bit more compelling and the Titans will have some hard choices ahead of them. This issue was clearly meant to set up the climax of the arc and is a little dry as a result but its definitely worth a read to keep up with the plot
Grade 3 of 5
ComicsRefueled 