REVIEW: ‘Teen Titans Academy,’ Issue #7

Gorilla Grodd is mounting an attack on New York with a legion of humans under his mind control! Summer Zahid (Black Ice) and the rest of the Teen Titans Academy need to stop him. But has one of their own, Gorilla Gregg, joined his infamous uncle and betrayed them? Teen Titans Academy #7 is written by Tim Sheridan, with art by Rafa Sandoval, colors by Alex Sinclair, inks by Jordi Tarragona, letters by Rob Leigh, and cover by Rafa Sandoval and Alejandro Sánchez.

I am so happy this fantastic series is finally back. Not going to lie; the two-month break felt excessive. But Sheridan and his team have returned with a thrilling conclusion to the summer vacation arc. All the Teen Titans Academy players are at the fore here, with Gorilla Gregg and Summer being the heart of the story. Sheridan has done a magnificent job of developing these characters, particularly Gregg, whom we learn much more about. He has a complicated relationship with his infamous Uncle Grodd, which clearly weighs heavily on him in the story as he aims to do the right thing. Summer also gets wonderful development as she’s there to support her friend and lead the charge to stop Grodd.

In the midst of rushing to stop him, Sheridan takes care to develop the dynamics of these characters and give readers everything they need to be invested in them, even as they deal with potentially apocalyptic circumstances. And ultimately, that’s why we love the Teen Titans. They’re normal teenagers dealing with their own issues in adolescence while saving the world. The emotional stakes Sheridan writes leap out at you from the page, and the results are wonderful to read.

The art by Sandoval, Sinclair, and Tarragona is a swirling mix of color and action, riveting from page to page. Sandoval does a fantastic job with intimate details on characters’ faces, pairing perfectly with Sheridan’s dialogue. There’s so much occurring on the page as we see these large crowds and the constant action, but Sandoval’s art makes it seem so seamless. The portrayal of the Titans’ and Grodd’s powers is particularly stunning. Sinclair makes amazing use of colors and shading throughout the issue, while Tarragona’s inks continue to give this series its trademark sheen.

Leigh’s lettering is excellent. He makes great use of different text bubbles and color-coding, distinguishing characters’ speech from each other easily and giving them each a distinct tone. Despite all the action going on, they barely impede on any of it.

Teen Titans Academy #7 is a fantastic issue in this fantastic series that makes its welcome return. Teen Titans Academy is one of the best comic series running today, as Sheridan and his team have created an exceptional set of stories. Sheridan continues to write the characters he and Sandoval have created with tremendous care and attention, while the artwork by Sandoval, Sinclair, and Tarragona is rivetingly beautiful to look at. Leigh’s lettering is the cherry on top of this spectacular comic. If you’re not reading Teen Titans Academy, you need to change that straight away.

Teen Titans Academy #7 is available now wherever comics are sold.