Teen Titles a Hit! Reviews of the first issues of Legion Lost, Legion of Super-Heroes, and Teen Titans

Title: Legion Lost #1; Author: Fabian Nicieza; Artist: Pete Woods; Publisher: DC Comics; Content: violence; Release date: September 14, 2011; Verdict: 8/10

Hot off of the events of Flashpoint, a group of heroes from the future find themselves trapped in the past. Despite issues with adapting to the polluted atmosphere of Earth’s past (our present) and a growing anxiety over affecting the timeline, the small band of Legionnaires race to stop Alastor from releasing the pathogen. They fail.

The twist adds urgency to their tale. The Legionnaires find themselves trapped in the past and possibly infected by the deadly pathogen. How they will cope with living in a past they are trying to save in order to have a future while attempting to not affect the timeline will prove immensely challenging and riveting to watch unfold.

Title: Legion of Super-Heroes #1; Author: Paul Levitz; Artist: Francis Portela; Publisher: DC Comics; Content: violence; Release date: September 21, 2011; Verdict: 8/10

Running almost parallel to Legion Lost is the new LOSH. They are reeling from the loss of their comrades, friends, even spouses that they think must have died. They have no way of knowing that their friends and loved ones have been trapped in the past. Still, the mission must continue. They infiltrate a military planet to do recon and find out about the influence and plans of the Dominators. However, some of the younger members take things perhaps too far and are too reckless, putting the team in danger.

The first issue of LOSH plays out very much like a serious Star Trek episode. It has that sense of boldly going where others have not gone before. The tech imagery and story are great science fiction adventure and I found myself enjoying the story as something very different from your average comic book with its strong science fiction slant.

Title: Teen Titans #1; Author: Scott Lobdell; Artist: Brett Booth; Publisher: DC Comics; Content: violence; Release date: September 28, 2011; Verdict: 8.5/10

My favourite out of the teen group of super heroes titles ends up however being Teen Titans. First and maybe foremost is that I loved the art in it. It has highly attractive character designs, action imagery, and scenic visualizations. The story proved to be just as enjoyable, it even had some sideways humour worked in to the otherwise serious plot.

Tim Drake aka Red Robin had been trying to work from the shadows to help meta-humans and unearth clandestine and evil organization N.O.W.H.E.R.E.’s true agenda. He finds out pretty quickly when they come to take him in. They have an ultimatum for the teen meta-humans: join or die. In retaliation and to survive, Tim escapes and races to stop N.O.W.H.E.R.E. from kidnapping or killing young super-heroes across the globe. His first save attempt is Cassie aka Wonder Girl (but don’t call her that). She was trying to have a normal life and she is not happy about being dragged into this.

Although the story has only gotten to its first two members, it was exciting, interesting, and ends on a tie-in with Superboy who has been dispatched to destroy them. The first issue has angst, intrigue, mystery, sympathy, excitement, and danger. It has all the things that a super-hero comic needs, and the pretty art only helps make it shine all the more.