REVIEW: ‘Titans: Beast World’ Issue #1

Titans: Beast World #1 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, pencils by Ivan Reis, inks by Danny Miki, colors by Brad Anderson, and letters by Wes Abbott. With a huge alien threat heading towards Earth, Beast Boy is forced to shift into something he has never before become. 

The start of an event, which is part of an ongoing saga, with Waller working behind the scenes of the last set of blockbuster crossovers. What this first issue shows is a reluctance to ease the audience in, unleashing the planetary threat quickly and exhibiting the enormous scale of what’s coming. Then, there comes a period of exposition and preparation for the threat, building among the heroes who have gathered. Such an enormous event requires the world’s greatest heroes to be brought together. There is a sense of excitement around the spectacle and the size of the alien about to reach Earth. Much of the energy is the heroes buying time for a trump card to be played. And it is through that trump card that the real story of the comic begins, which is ominous and serves as a great surprise. 

What is fascinating about this massive event is the emphasis placed on the Titans. That is primarily due to the fact that the Justice League has disbanded, so the Titans are now the most senior superhero team on the planet. Also, Titans: Beast World #1 relies heavily on the history and powers of its members to drive the story. It is Starfire that creates the history of the creature coming for them and Beast Boy prepping the silver bullet. Their ability to stand alongside Batman and the other authority figures within the Justice League demonstrates how they have elevated in both power and status.

While Beast Boy has often been somewhat timid around the older heroes, the belief of his friends and his beloved grants him the maturity to make them fall in line. This is Garfield’s comic, granting him real moments of heroism. Everyone else, and there is an army of superheroes involved, is there to back him up. There are two villains in the book, each with hugely different intentions and origins. And what Taylor perfectly enacts is the transition between the two threats. The second is a massive surprise, hidden behind the scale of the first, but is perhaps more dangerous.

The art is provided by those who should be considered as all-time greats at this stage in their career. No stranger to events of this size, Reis is the perfect choice, and Miki is just as experienced. There are countless heroes, all of whom are phenomenally designed. The finishing of Miki provides all of them with individual details. These characters have a brilliant relationship with each other within the space of the panel. There are no awkward positions, and the movements are all phenomenal.

The understanding of scale and how to adapt to each of those is also incredible. The creatures in this opening issue can fluctuate from the size of a planet to no bigger than a hummingbird, requiring a different perspective for each situation. A personal favourite, Beast Boy’s ability is tested to its limits, with a variety of animal forms taken, which Reis and Miki beautifully experiment with.

The colors are gorgeous. The primary color of this event will be green, with Beast Boy at the center of the whole story. But there is a great depth to the green, helping to indicate shape and texture. The colors are outstanding elsewhere, too. The lighting that is generated when a character uses their powers is stunning, and there is a constant vibrancy in the book. The lettering is permanently clear and easy to read.

Titans: Beast World #1 opens the new event with as huge a gambit as possible. The book features a cataclysmic battle that is a worthy climax, but it is merely a prelude. And yet, amid the traveling across a solar system and the extensive cast, Taylor finds the time to make the first issue a tribute and a celebration of Beast Boy, giving him the largest platform that he has ever had in decades of existence. The creative team is a magnificent collection of superstars, more than capable of shouldering the responsibility of the event.

Titans: Beast World #1 is available where comics are sold.