REVIEW: ‘Titans’ Issue 30

Titans Issue 30 is published by DC Comics and written by John Layman, art and colors by Pete Woods, inks by Bruno Abdias, and letters by Wes Abbott.

This is part of DC. K.O. and Round 4 of All Fight Month. Cyborg goes to battle with Swamp Thing.

Titans Issue 30 pits the ultimate embodiment of nature against the master of cybernetics. There’s a similar structure in this battle that’s been present across all three rounds: best-of-two. There’s a classical contrast and natural enmity created by the competitors’ powers.

The fight needs to be slightly different because more complex powers are at play. The page can be slow to accommodate this, but it’s still an exciting match-up. Titans Issue 30 isn’t just preoccupied with the fight. The plot takes brief sojourns to show what’s happening on Earth, where the rest of the team is battling to evacuate.

These subplots are not as expansive as they could be, but there simply isn’t the space to do so. It provides context for how the evacuation is going and for the transformation of Earth into Apokolips. The battle itself has a controversial ending, but one that can be predicted from the start. And running through all the All Fight Month issues had been a battle between Darkseid (using the body of Booster Gold) and those still on the Watchtower. The jump between issues has been fascinating, maintaining momentum each time.

At the heart of Titans Issue 30 is Cyborg. He takes over the narration for this issue, and you get both the technological mind and an analytical athlete. The narration shows an obvious respect for Swamp Thing but an early underestimation of his abilities. To him, Swamp Thing is a being made out of wood and leaves. He ignores everything else at first, but Swamp Thing’s position as the Avatar of the Green becomes a bigger part of the battle. Swamp Thing, as a character, is always fascinating because he’s more than human. He’s ethereal and celestial.

Meanwhile, Cyborg has moments of being cocky and angry. He can be headstrong and processes many other emotions that show that, whilst he’s covered in metal, he is human. These two figures are embodiments of larger bodies, too. Swamp Thing is almost the Earth’s own representative in the tournament, fighting for the plants that call the planet home. In contrast, Cyborg carries the Titans, his family, who didn’t come with him. The last fight is a superb emphasis of that fact.

The art sees tech take on nature in various forms. Both heroes can transform in their own ways. Cyborg creates weapons out of his own limbs and body, with blasters and other tools at his disposal. Swamp Thing brings forth flowers and other fauna that are just as dangerous in their own right.

What is noticeable are the lines that are used. Cyborg has uniform, straight lines that show segments of technology, whilst his botanical opponent has lines that curve, forming his vines and veins. The form changes that have been prevalent in other figures aren’t as drastic in Titans Issue 30 because these two change so much anyway. They’re subtle right until the final round, where Cyborg becomes a bulkier version of himself.

The colors are perfect for capturing the worlds the duo represent. Cyborg is silver and blue, made from metal and electricity. Swamp Thing is green and brown, the natural materials making up his body. These are not evergreen, though, as Swamp Thing also turns red at one point to signal a shift in tactic and attack. The lettering is very well organized. Swamp Thing’s orange word balloon, paired with Cyborg’s normal white one, means confusion about who is talking can never happen.

Titans Issue 30 is a terrific depiction of opposites. The two fighters come from Earth, but could not represent further aspects of the planet. Cyborg is the height of engineering, whilst Swamp Thing encapsulates the Earth itself. The fight is brutal and thrilling. While all of this is going on, the rest of the Titans and their story continue to move forward, rather than being held in limbo. The only downside is the ending of the fight, which feels like a cop-out and less satisfying than it could be.

Titans Issue 30 is available where comics are sold.