I'm guessing that Marvel hopes the metallic ink cover gimmick will draw in new readers to the second story arcs debuting in the Tsunami titles this month. If it succeeds, writer Brian K. Vaughan is ready for them. This is a thoroughly accessible script, and while the exposition isn't woven seamlessly into the dialogue, there's strong character interaction at play here and plausible plotting. He quickly gets the story moving again, and the art is as strong as ever. I really care about these characters. As popular and entertaining as Teen Titans is right now, this is the teen team book that should be in the spotlight and selling out all over the place.
Some members of the Pride who were out of town when their kids went AWOL are irked to learn of their daughter's disappearance, but the others assure them they have the matter well in hand. Meanwhile, the six unusual teens are hiding out in the remains of an earthquake-damaged hotel. As Alex struggles to decipher the Pride's secrets, the others are getting a bit peckish, forcing some of them to venture out into the city... where they're sought after by every law enforcement agency there is. But it's not the police they need to worry about; it's the criminals.
Alphona's artwork puts one in mind of the striking style of Joshua (NYX) Middleton, and I also see a hint of Kevin (Formerly Known as the Justice League) Maguire influence at play here as well. There's a softness in his thin linework that's kind of soothing, but the muted colors bring a balancing tone of darkness and tension to the visuals as well. Reber's colors also bring out the wonder and energy of the character's powers quite well, notably Lucy in the Sky's dazzling abilities. All of the artists manage to maintain the inherent fun and drama in the premise, one never being sacrificed for the other.
What won me over this month is how these kids behave. Molly's perkiness and revelling in her newfound "freedom" is a lot of fun, and Arsenic's protective attitude toward her is making her one of my favorite characters. Alex and Nico's logical approach to their circumstances and the group's various powers rings true as well, as do Lucy's and Talkback's more casual attitudes.
This issue's a bit heavy on the exposition, and the coincidences of the climactic scene are almost too much to swallow. But overall, the premise is a compelling, and it speaks to the heart of adolscence. As teens, we've all felt as though the adult world conspired against us, and that's literally the case with these characters.
