DCU Comic Book Reviews

TITANS #12

Deathtrap, Part 1

June 2009

Written by Sean McKeever

Pencils by Anghel Unzueta

Inks by Wayne Faucher

Cover by Andrew Robinson

Synopsis

[continued from Teen Titans Annual] At Central Park West, Jericho, inhabiting the body of a police officer, kills a young woman that overlooks the restaurant D’Olivia.  At Titans Compound, Cyborg recovers after being controlled by Cyborg.  Elsewhere, the Teen Titans are en route to New York City after Jericho had attacked Titans Tower.  Meanwhile, the Titans debate on their next move to determine how they can locate Jericho, who could be anywhere.  Cyborg suggests they contact the Vigilante, who they know has been looking for Jericho.  Later, Cyborg, acting as if he is still controlled by Jericho, attacks the team, hoping the ruse will flesh out Vigilante.  It works.  Vigilante arrives, shooting Cyborg, literally blowing his head apart.  [continued in Vigilante, issue #5]

Review by Binkley (e-mail)

I mentioned in the review of the Annual that precedes this issue in the “Deathtrap” storyline, that the issue suffered from a lack of understanding why Jericho is doing what he is doing.  Like the Annual this issue also fails and for the same reason.  McKeever makes a slim attempt by showing his father, Deathstroke, trying to manipulate him, but it is too generic, lacking specific details.  We don’t know what Jericho is doing or why he is doing it or what he is trying to accomplish.  I suppose McKeever is going for a surprise down the road, leading up to a cliffhanger ending, but taking the route undermines the story.  We need more of Jericho’s plan other than simply thinking that Jericho is slightly crazy.  If Jericho’s plan was more solid and we knew what he wanted to accomplish (and when for that matter), then I think the Titans plans to find him and capture becomes more poignant because we know what it is at stake.  As it is, there is nothing at stake or then finding Jericho.  And given how often Jericho has gone evil and how often the Titans (teen or otherwise) have tried to save him, the story lacks originality to be more than just a knockoff of previous stories. 

I need to add, as well, that the plan to contact Vigilante is just plain stupid.  Are you telling me that they couldn’t come up with a better way to contact him?  What about the FBI?  Or sending the team out to the city and search for him.  There is a speedster on the team who could cover the entire city.  Wally could do a thorough search in seconds. 

I should also point out that the ending of issue #4 of Vigilante shows the Vigilante being held a gunpoint by the FBI.  I am curious to see if we see how he got free or if it will be ignored in order to pick up the “Deathtrap” story from this point.    

 

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