Comics Reviews: New Titans 71, Legion 13, Suicide Squad 47

New Titans 71 coverNew Titans #71 – “Beginnings … Endings … and (We Promise) New Beginnings” – Marv Wolfman/Tom Grummett/Al Vey

This one starts with the Titans returning from a mission against someone named Flashfire. They discuss Troia’s recent nightmares and say farewell as she and Terry head off to Greece (which means this intro takes place before Wonder Woman 47). The Titans part ways, but plan to get together for a party at a restaurant later. Dick (Nightwing) Grayson and Starfire talk about how much things have changed in the last few years and Starfire flies off to take care of some personal stuff. Dick reflects on how much they’ve changed each other, butStarfire ambushed his reverie is interrupted by a kid who’s out on a building ledge. He manages to distract her with a story about Starfire and brings the kid in safely. While that’s going on, Starfire notices a mugger hassling an old lady and goes to help. But it’s a trap and the old woman drugs her, giving Wildebeest the chance to pound the shit out of her. Wildebeest thanks the old woman “victim” (and the fake mugger) by frying them. He goes after Cyborg next, luring into Sarah Simms’ school where he’s attacked by robots and caught in an explosion. Dick goes home and keeps reminiscing about his fellow Titans, including Cyborg, Raven, Jericho, and Changeling. Naturally, they all fall to Wildebeest’s schemes: Changeling changesRaven’s empathic powers are over whelmed by an insane murderer; Jericho gets gassed at a dance; and Changeling is hit with a device that makes him change forms uncontrollably. When Nightwing shows up for the big dinner and finds nobody else there, he starts calling around. Steve Dayton tells him what happened to Changeling, but Nightwing finds out firsthand when Wildebeest attacks and captures him. Dayton decides he needs help, so he hires Deathstroke to find and rescue the Titans.

Legion of Super-Heroes 13 coverLegion of Super-Heroes #13 – (State of the Universe) – Tom and Mary Bierbaum/Keith Giffen/Al Gordon

This one continues straight from last issue, with Kent Shakespeare about to get pounded by Persuader. Naturally, Kent avoids getting pulped and fights back, defeating Persuader with a little help from Gim (Colossal Boy) Allon, who seems to have rejoined the Science Police after the Legion was dissolved. Meanwhile, the Dominators are worried now that news of them running Earth’s government has gotten out, so they order Circe (former Science Police head and now Dominator agent) to fixStarfinger hears the news things, using her rapport with Dirk (Sun Boy) Morgna to make people believe EarthGov is free of outside influence. News of Persuader’s defeat gets out and Starfinger (a different guy from the last one we saw in Annual 4) isn’t happy that Persuader failed to get hold of Garridan Ranzz. Gim Allon invites Kent to rejoin the Legion now that it’s being re-formed and he accepts, but his patients on Quarantine (especially a kid named Ivy) aren’t happy to see him go. Ultra Boy realizes he’s somewhere in Khund space when he meets a couple of Khund Vi and Rokk talkfarmers, but he’s confused when some Dominators show up. On Winath, Rokk Krinn tries to come up with a good headquarters for the reconstituted Legion (since they aren’t as welcome as they used to be) and Garth Ranzz tells him he has an idea. Kono gives Furball shit for wandering off and Brainiac 5 keeps testing Celeste. Shrinking Violet finally talks to Rokk about what happened during the Imsk-Braal War, specifically the massacre at Venado Bay that she was involved in. To her surprise, Rokk doesn’t blame her and even sympathizes (since she was later thrown in prison for protesting the massacre). Rokk writes toGlorith wastes Time Trapper Night Girl to tell her about making peace with Vi and about the Legion being back. We get an epilogue that gives us a rundown on the way the galaxy is divided at the moment. We also get another epilogue, with Time Trapper begging Glorith to save him and his pocket universe, warning there will be dire consequences if she refuses. But Glorith has basically taken Time Trapper’s place in this post-Crisis universe, so she lets him perish and begins planning her own conquest of the universe.

Suicide Squad 47 coverSuicide Squad #47 – “Choice of Dooms” – John Ostrander, Kim Yale/Geof Isherwood

The Squad are in Israel to confront Kobra, who’s trying to usher in an age of destruction to make way for the new world (you know, as you do). Kobra was captured by Israel’s own super-team (the Horloth), but Amanda Waller figures being captured is part of Kobra’s plan. She’s right; Kobra has swayed Horloth’s sentient A.I. (Dybbuk) to his cause and it has commandeered some Israeli jets to blow up the Dome of the Rock, thus starting the biggest holy war of all time. Atom knows about the plan, but Kobra goes after him before he can spread the word. Atom is savedVertigo joins the fight by Ravan, whose personal mission is to delay Kobra’s new world order. While they fight (and Kobra poisons Ravan), Atom lets Waller know what’s going on. Meanwhile, another Horloth member (Judith) is stalking Bronze Tiger and Vixen (who’s half dead from Judith’s last attack) and won’t believe that they aren’t terrorists. Waller snaps Count Vertigo out of the hold Poison Ivy has on him (she basically turned him into her mindless sex-slave) and sends him to stop the jets. He’s doing a pretty good job, but is attacked by Golem, another Horloth member. Atom tells the Horloth leader (Ramban) about Dybbuk and he realizes it’s true. Vixen stops Bronze Tiger from killing Judith and she Atom spares Kobraagrees to get medical attention for Vixen. Ramban enters into a philosophical debate with Dybbuk, trying to use logic to convince him that his actions are wrong. Kobra and Ravan are still fighting and Atom shows up to lend a hand. He stops Kobra from killing Ravan, but refuses to kill Kobra. Ravan dies from the poison anyway, cursing Atom for not finishing Kobra off. Ramban gets through to Dybbuk and it calls off all the attacks. The Squad (minus Poison Ivy, who took off to avoid Vertigo’s wrath) is thanked for their help and told to leave the country immediately.