REVIEW: ‘Titans’ Issue #11

Titans #11 is published by DC Comics, written by Tom Taylor, art by Lucas Meyer, art by Adriano Lucas and letters by Wes Abbott. A new villain is tricked into launching themselves at Titans Tower, sparking a brutal battle.

The issue has a long build-up that perfectly captures its emotional turmoil. Raven’s storyline has already seen discontent bubbling under the surface of the series. Then Vanadia is created, a character that quite literally shakes things up. The story’s start is emotive and inspirational before Taylor brutally flips it on its head. It rips the emotion out of the book, filling it with anger and lies, matching the tone of the rest of the run.

The ensuing fight is unbelievably fast-paced and explosive. Everything the Titans throw at Vanadia gets matched with something even crazier. The readers know the manipulation that has happened to cause the confrontation, making the severity harder to read. Then comes Raven with a ruthless retaliation. The injuries are startling, the powers unexpected, and the final part of the comic elevates the danger even further.

The first half of Titans #11 splits between two characters. We learn Vanadia’s backstory and it’s heartbreaking to see the beginning. Whilst it is based within a world of superheroes, exploring her character is relatively grounded. Through hard work she turns herself into something worthy of joining the Titans, her heroes, but what happens next is taken out of her hands.

Eleswhere, Nightwing is starting to formulate plans against Raven, but her unfathomable power forces him to resort to extreme tactics. From there, the intensity of the battle stops much of the character development. Raven rises above that, rapidly loosing her composure and displaying how dangerous she is. The outsider forces that are controlling the direction the Titans are moving in are straining the team beyond repair.

The art is sensational. The new character looks fantastic as we embark on her journey within a few pages, going from a child to an athlete to something far beyond that. The details are phenomenal, crafting a brand-new villain who looks ready to take on the Titans. The battle is magnificent, capturing the chaos and the surprise. The Tower is not spacious enough for an expansive fight, bunching up the fighters and putting them all at risk.

The powers swirl around them and engulf the whole building in carnage. Vanadia is big, taller than all of the Titans, and Meyer’s use of size in the choreography is terrific. It is also interesting that the heroes are almost all dressed casually, having been ambushed at home. It adds some diversity to the panels.

The colors are tremendous. The Titans are naturally vibrant, with some variation in the tons due to the change in clothing. Starfire still wears purple, but Cyborg has a bright orange sweater, and Donna is in a regular shirt and jeans. Vanadia’s clad in a hot pink outfit, and her skin has been turned orange, like Starfire.

The intensity of the colors is surprising but distinct. All of the characters’ superpowers fill the pages with powerful colors, ramping up the chaos. As the issue progresses, the color techniques change, visually evolving throughout the book. The lettering is flawless, and creative word balloons are used throughout the issue.

Titans #11 is spectacular. The comic is a brilliant representative of what Taylor has been attempting over the latest arc. The bright colours and cheerful team is being dragged into darkness, and those around them are following suit. What starts as an inspirational tale turns tragic through manipulation and supervillains. The fight is incredible, with ruthless execution and several startling moments. The chemistry within the team, usually tight-knit and unbreakable, has been turned uneasy and fragile. The whole issue demonstrates the transition and maturity of the team from a family to a force to be reckoned with.

Titans #11 is available where comics are sold.