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by **Gladiator X** » Thu May 03, 2012 8:44 am

So, I haven't read the Titans at all in the new 52 so this was my first exposure to them, Superboy, and their sublots. I am buying the X-over only for the Legion.

That being said..WTF was this? This comic actually made my head hurt reading it. The story was complete shit and didn't really explain anything. I've been reading comics for decades and it took a good ten pages for me to figure out who and what the Hel was going on and even after that, I still couldn't tell you much about this other than it feels like DC's answer to the Hunger Games or some bullshit.

Not too much of a problem with the art but GODZ! The coloring and the costumes kept making me think I had 3D glasses on or something.

I barely read the rest of the book it was such an unpleasant experience. If Wildfire and Dawnstar weren't just about my fave DC characters, I wouldn't touch this on a bet.

by **Grayson** » Thu May 03, 2012 9:36 am

Yeah, I have to agree with you. This issue was garbage but I shouldn't really be surprised because most of the current run of Teen Titans has been the same. For anybody who has not already purchased this book, don't. It is not worth the $4.99 cover price.

Anyways, at the beginning of this issue we are introduced to the DCnU version of Artemis who has apparently teamed up with the DCnU versions of Thunder and Lightning. Artemis appears to have Red Robin subdued at spearpoint buts only a ruse so that he can gain information. After a brief struggle we learn that Harvest has tossed hundreds, if not thousands of teenage superheroes (the number is absolutely ridiculous when you consider that superheroes have only been around for 5 years in the DCnU) into his creepy helllike facility called "the crucible." There through mind control and the Hypertaxis virus from Legion Lost he forces the teenagers to fight to the death "Hunger Games" style, until only a handful remain that he forms into his own team called "the Ravagers." Afterwards, Red Robin is reunited with the Teen Titans who have convinced Superboy to join.

Meanwhile, the Legion Lost are also trapped within the Crucible. They attempt to find a way out while discussing the technology used within the facility. They briefly ponder the idea that they have been sent back to their own time before realizing that the Ravagers they encountered had similar technology. Harvest and his minions are monitoring all of this and it is revealed that Harvest himself is the reason that the Legion are stranded in our time period. We also get some hints that he was once human and we get our first (laughable) look at the DCnU version of Warblade.

Harvest has his minion Leash round up the Teen Titans plus Lightning and minus Skitter to take them to the same place where they are holding the Legion. Of course, they fight each other instead of trying to figure out what the hell is going on...and when they actually stop to take the time to begin talking, Omen realizes that they aren't trying to kill each other. She talks with Harvest's other minions and this convinces Harvest to begin the next wave of cullings. Leash retrieves all of the remaining kids and uses his powers to put them all into a blindfury before dropping them all on top of the Titans and the Legion. The Titans and the Legion team up to fight off the other kids until one of the kids murders Artemis. Her death brings the remaining kids back to their senses and they all resolve to team up and take Harvest down for good.

Harvest, on the other hand, claims to has foreseen this turn of events and unleashes all of his Ravagers.

by **bkthomson** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:20 am

I was surprised that my local shop had at least 75 copies on the rack. I did not think it would sell that much.

by **Log-Man** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:23 am

I know I'm going to regret this, but... why is he creating this Ravagers team? Is that explained?

by **holtom2000** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:30 am

bkthomson wrote:I was surprised that my local shop had at least 75 copies on the rack. I did not think it would sell that much.

i'm surprised it sells as well as it does, but I think having Robin Kid Flash and Superboy in your book helps.
That said, I think this book is so far removed from what it was, that a lot of older readers are saying no thanks.

by **Grayson** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:32 am

Log-Man wrote:I know I'm going to regret this, but... why is he creating this Ravagers team? Is that explained?

Not really. In the back of the issue there are some sketches and a few passages about the ideas behind this "event." When it comes to the Ravagers it basically says that Harvest wants to control the next generation of metahumans. Other than that, all we know is that at one point in time Harvest may have been human, he may be from the future or at least has enough knowledge of it to know about the Legion of Superheroes, and that he has some type of nefarious plan. We really don't have any other knowledge about what the Ravagers purpose is...except to look like rejects from bad mid to late 90's comics.

by **Grayson** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:39 am

holtom2000 wrote:That said, I think this book is so far removed from what it was, that a lot of older readers are saying no thanks.

I know that I have had just about all that I can stomach from this take on the Teen Titans. It is definitely significantly worse than what was being produced before the relaunch. Much like the Justice League, this just isn't a book with characters that I feel attached too anymore.

by **Log-Man** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:41 am

Sakie wrote:
Not really. In the back of the issue there are some sketches and a few passages about the ideas behind this "event." When it comes to the Ravagers it basically says that Harvest wants to control the next generation of metahumans. Other than that, all we know is that at one point in time Harvest may have been human, he may be from the future or at least has enough knowledge of it to know about the Legion of Superheroes, and that he has some type of nefarious plan. We really don't have any other knowledge about what the Ravagers purpose is...except to look like rejects from bad mid to late 90's comics.

Thanks. The more I hear about this title, the worse it gets.

by **Grayson** » Thu May 03, 2012 10:56 am

Log-Man wrote:Thanks. The more I hear about this title, the worse it gets.

No problem. I think that the next regular issues of Teen Titans and Superboy will probably be my last. Since I have been reading both books since the relaunch, I want to at least finish this "Culling" story line. I have absolutely no interest in the next Teen Titans arc...which seems to deal with Wonder Girl's new Witchblade powers.

Man...I really miss the pre-Flashpoint versions of the Teen Titans.

by **Gladiator X** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:03 am

Sakie wrote:
Not really. In the back of the issue there are some sketches and a few passages about the ideas behind this "event." When it comes to the Ravagers it basically says that Harvest wants to control the next generation of metahumans. Other than that, all we know is that at one point in time Harvest may have been human, he may be from the future or at least has enough knowledge of it to know about the Legion of Superheroes, and that he has some type of nefarious plan. We really don't have any other knowledge about what the Ravagers purpose is...except to look like rejects from bad mid to late 90's comics.

Thank the Godz for those pages! I would be even more clueless about what the Hel happened in this comic if not for them.

by **Grayson** » Thu May 03, 2012 11:36 am

Rikk Odinson wrote:Thank the Godz for those pages! I would be even more clueless about what the Hel happened in this comic if not for them.

What's crazy to me is that I have been reading both Superboy and Teen Titans and I felt lost at times during the issue. Granted, I haven't read Legion Lost but for the last 2 or 3 issues of both Teen Titans and Superboy it feels like there are gaps missing between stories.

by **GLX** » Thu May 03, 2012 1:12 pm

Rikk Odinson wrote:So, I haven't read the Titans at all in the new 52 so this was my first exposure to them, Superboy, and their sublots. I am buying the X-over only for the Legion.

That being said..WTF was this? This comic actually made my head hurt reading it. The story was complete shit and didn't really explain anything. I've been reading comics for decades and it took a good ten pages for me to figure out who and what the Hel was going on and even after that, I still couldn't tell you much about this other than it feels like DC's answer to the Hunger Games or some bullshit.

Not too much of a problem with the art but GODZ! The coloring and the costumes kept making me think I had 3D glasses on or something.

I barely read the rest of the book it was such an unpleasant experience. If Wildfire and Dawnstar weren't just about my fave DC characters, I wouldn't touch this on a bet.

Should've bought X-Force #24 instead, imo. :smt069

by **sdsichero** » Thu May 03, 2012 1:22 pm

bkthomson wrote:I was surprised that my local shop had at least 75 copies on the rack. I did not think it would sell that much.

Would you be surprised if you went back next week and there were 75 copies on the rack?

by **spidertour02** » Thu May 03, 2012 1:28 pm

Rikk Odinson wrote:So, I haven't read the Titans at all in the new 52 so this was my first exposure to them, Superboy, and their sublots. I am buying the X-over only for the Legion.

I haven't read it yet, but I also bought it because I'm reading Legion Lost. I skimmed through it on the subway and it made my head hurt just looking at it.

bkthomson wrote:I was surprised that my local shop had at least 75 copies on the rack. I did not think it would sell that much.

Mine did too, and I made a mental note of it. However, I ambled in after the noon rush, and the shelf was overstuffed with these. They weren't moving at all. Maybe there was an incentive deal from DC?

by **avengingtitan** » Thu May 03, 2012 3:27 pm

This is such an awful book. Horrible art terrible writing. You can actually tell the parts that aren't written by Lobell because they are almost readable.

I'm a huge titans fan and this run is making Team Titans look like The Judas Contract. Its so bad. Between 3 books Lobell has just absolutely ruined the Titans.

Lilith is now a sociopath that loves torturing people. WTF???
Beast Boy is Orange??
Thunder and Lightning are........ yea I got no idea whats going on there.
Rose is basically a corporate stooge.
Kid Flash isnt from the future......or is he. He's had his memory wiped or at least thats what they are implying.
Solstice is now an emo type chick created by Harvest.

The only thing I liked was the introduction of Artemis. I was interested and thought maybe it was gonna be good. Then well...................sigh.