Okay, I’m back for another All In review! Now, this one will be interesting because, admittedly, I have not read a single drop of any Titans books since my last Titans review, which was Titans: Beast World – and we all remember that nightmare fuel. Don’t get me wrong, I like the Titans characters, I really do, and I never had any particular disdain towards the comics. My brain just never fixated on them as much as other characters, so what you’re getting here is a fresh-eyed opinion on Titans #16, since this will all be completely new to me as it would be to any new reader!
Again, the entire point of All In is to latch onto the ride and wiggle yourself into the madness so here goes nothing!
The Justice League is working with the Titans, well, more so they’re their new boss. Which means a fancy upgrade and a wider character cast. You would think having several characters to balance the limelight in a short issue would be messy, but I genuinely didn’t feel that at all. They all fit in harmony with one another, and I didn’t feel anyone got outshined. John Layman does a brilliant job providing decent flow with swift pacing.
There’s humour straight off the bat, that shocked me to be totally honest. I was expecting a completely more serious tone but it’s nothing too cheesy and gave me a good chuckle.
Pete Woods does a fantastic job juggling so much going on in both the foreground and background. It’s expected since this is such an expansive cast. I wouldn’t assume the other characters are standing fixed to a spot while others are talking. Nothing becomes too cluttered or confusing, and it really draws you into the story, giving everyone a personality.
The story is great in my opinion. It’s imaginative and suspenseful, two key factors to pull someone in. How have I not read more Titans books? I’m lowkey kicking myself right now. I’m invested and definitely want to know more than I already do about each character and their past. For such little time, I found depth was bestowed on each character.
So, do I think Titans #16 is a good jumping-on point? Hell Yeah! Take it from someone who hasn’t been following the book at all – Color me impressed. Bravo to the team, you’ve successfully gained a new reader. Also, I really want a Tamaranean Carcaline alien, those lethal suckers are so stinking cute and would make one hell of a guard dog.