Review: Teen Titans #28

This issue kicks off the big Teen Titans/Deathstroke crossover, “The Terminus Agenda” Deathstroke has played a huge part in the Teen Titans narrative since first appearing in New Teen Titans #2 way back in 1980. Deathstroke aka Slade Wilson has left a trail of bodies running the length of the entire DCU and created more than his fair share of drama for just about every hero along the way. Now his deadly attention is focused once more on the Teen Titans.
With Robin still reeling and healing from his battle with Red Hood back in Teen Titans Annual #1 he calls the current team together to tell them their next target is the lethal assassin, Deathstroke. Frustrated due to Wilson’s aptitude for escaping encounters with the best heroes in the DCU only to continue his murderous machinations, Robin rallies the troops around his plan to bring down the elusive mercenary once and for all.

Adam Glass and Christopher Priest share the writing credits on this issue, however I believe Glass will be handling the scripts in the Teen Titans issues of the crossover while Priest will do the same for the Deathstroke issues. That being the case, the overall plot is the result of a collaboration between the two very talented writers. Adam Glass does a fantastic job on the dialog here, as usual, he nails the voices of these younger characters, particularly bringing an authenticity to Damian Wayne that often eludes other writers. The opening scene between Damian and Djinn is especially poignant, the subject of their conversation, mainly Damian’s recovery from a beating he received at the hands of former friend and fellow Robin, Red Hood began last issue, however Damian remains reluctant to allow Djinn to heal him completely. Glass paces this issue extremely well, working the introductory story beats into an entertaining narrative equal parts action and set up. There really isn’t a single moment that allows the progression to lag, in fact the confrontation with Deathstroke seems to come from out of nowhere. The main action sequence takes place in an old school barber shop in Georgia. Particularly well crafted, the scene unfolds with precise timing and attention to detail. Slade Wilson greets two old friends, Marv and George (a nod to Deathstroke creators, Marv Wolfman and George Perez) shortly there after the Teen Titans’ covers are blown and all hell breaks loose.

There is a rather heavy subtext involving Damian and Kid Flash that brings with it an undercurrent of drama, hence creating a degree of tension that threatens the entire team. This tension is heightened further when Roundhouse suffers a serious injury due to an Ikon Shield malfunction during the confrontation with Deathstroke. Adam Glass and Christopher Priest work extremely well together, complimenting one another’s strengths and crafting an exciting and engrossing story that delivers on an emotional level as well as with big action.

Visually Bernard Chang absolutely crushes this issue. His ability to translate high stakes action into sequential art is without peer. Although Chang sticks to an essentially traditional use of panels, the action rendered within the panels threatens to explode from the page. His expressive facial features and meticulously detailed and positioned body language conveys a full spectrum of emotions from each of the characters he draws in this issue. Chang masterfully allows the story to unfold from panel to panel through his images alone. This issue could easily work as a “silent” story. Marcelo Maiolo’s colors run the gamut from the more muted tones in Damian’s dreamscape sequence that opens the issue to the intensely vibrant hues of the waking world, working in perfect unison with Bernard Chang’s kinetic imagery.

This issue sets the stage for the events to come in the following chapters of The Terminus Agenda. It hits all the marks for a big crossover without all the superfluous tie-ins and needless one shots. This is the way to tell a story that spans titles and keeps the narrative sharply focused. I’ve been reading both titles since their respective debuts and while Teen Titans has had its ups and downs, Deathstroke has been arguably the best book DC has been publishing, yes including Batman. The Terminus Agenda is shaping up to be one heck of a good read. 4/5!

[yasr_overall_rating size=”large”]

Writers- Adam Glass, Christopher Priest
Artist- Bernard Chang
Colors- Marcelo Maiolo
Letterer- Rob Leigh