REVIEW: ‘Titans’ Issue #10

Titans #10 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, art by Lucas Meyer, colors by Adriano Lucas and letters by Wes Abbott. Raven continues to stoke a war between Hell and the Titans.

This issue depicts manipulation on both sides, where only a few people know the real intentions. Triton and Raven are playing the chessboard, using their own family and the Titans as their pieces. Beast Boy has already been tampered with, removing his guilt over his involvement in Titans: Beast World. The more skeptical members of the Titans are also having their minds altered. As for Triton, the demon is influencing his own family to lure the Titans into going to war.

Taylor’s decision to make the readers aware of all this gives a unique perspective on the story. We can now see the pieces moving around on all sides. It generates a feeling of certainty as Raven’s power grows. The Titans are helpless to do anything but be part of the situation. The pace is rapid, throwing the team into another battle, this time with a distinct denizen of Hell. The ending is alarming, displaying a new power level for one of the main antagonists.

The characters are fascinating. The Titans look like bystanders, although their curious minds are constantly questioning Raven and starting to recognise that things aren’t right. Beast Boy is disturbingly serene and blase about it all due to the tampering by the woman he loves. Starfire and Nightwing are both uneasy about her actions but unwilling to step forward and say something. Partly because she is their friend and also because she controls their minds. The demons are a fantastic addition to the book. Triton’s power and influence emanate from him, and the evil also radiates from the rest of them. Raven losing her empathy and sensitivity has made her terrifying.

The art is magnificent, especially the demonic elements. The designs of the demons are terrific, with an awe-inspiring scale. When appearing on Earth, the damage they can do creates a remarkable spectacle and sense of danger. During the fight scenes, Meyer superbly corrals the amount of bodies. Their colossal enemy makes the battle even more difficult, yet it looks impressive with the Titans so much smaller. Then, Raven shows a brief moment of shocking brutality, swiftly taking a second for the event to be processed.

The colors are gorgeous and vibrant, with so many bright and powerful shades covering the page. Even with the enormous variety of colors available, Lucas still tries to ensure the tones are opposing and contrasting as much as possible. The portals and magic that appear have a stunning glow to them. The texture and technique used to create them are similar to the blocky colors on the characters themselves. The lettering is solid and easy to read.

Titans #10 continues the powerful series. The first arc out of the Beast World event is tearing the team apart through trickery and demons. Titans has become one of the DC Universe’s flagship titles, and its events are essential for the wider world. So everything that happens with Raven, Triton, and Amanda Waller will have ramifications. And yet Taylor keeps the book personal and solely focused on the Titans. The art is sensational, and the action is exhilarating, making the comic a blast to read.

Titans #10 is available where comics are sold.