Teen Titans #61 Review

Creative Team
Writer: Sean McKeever
Artist: Carlos Rodriguez
Inker: Mark McKenna
Colorist: Rob Reis

Issue Rating
Story: 5/10
Art: 7/10
Overall: 6/10

Issue Developments
In the aftermath of "The Terror Titans" battle Kid Devil starts to search for Shockwave for some payback. With some advice from Robin Kid Devil is able to locate Shockwave at Albuquerque, New Mexico. Once Kid Devil gets to Albuquerque Kid Devil finds Blue Beetle already fighting Shockwave. After allowing Shockwave to escape and arguing with one another Blue Beetle and Kid Devil figure out (well Blue Beetle does anyways) that Shockwave is attacking companies formally owned by Kord Industries. They decide to split up and go to the next closest companies formally owned by KI. Blue Beetle is able to find him in Denver and Kid Devil is able to teleport using a portal created by his tail from Salt Lake City to Denver. Once Kid Devil gets there both Blue Beetle and him team up and take down Shockwave. The issue ends at Titans Tower Robin introduces two "new" members to the team, Blue Beetle and Red Devil.

Review
This issue was really underwhelming especially coming off of how great The Terror Titans arc was. This issue was purelly a filler issue that the only major development was that Blue Beetle officially became a Teen Titan and Kid Devil switches his name to Red Devil. Both developments were not very interesting.

Before I go into a rant about what was bad about this issue let me mention some of the good developments about this issue. McKeever writting for each character wasn't to bad and he with each of them having there own external voices. Also I continue to be interested about what McKeever is going to do with Miss Martian/Whit Martian development. It is obvious that when Miss Martian situation gets out of control it will lead to some bad stuff for the Titans.

The art for this issue wasn't bad. Rodriguez art got the job done and drew a nice Blue Beetle and Shockwave.

Now to the meat(bad) of the issue.

First of all I already thought Blue Beetle was a member of the team since he has been working with the team since McKeever has been writting this title. Overall I am indifferent about this new Blue Beetle since I do think Jamie has some good lines but also feel his character is a little to forced upon the reader. For me I much rather have Ted Kord back as Blue Beetle and hearing about Kord Industries only makes me wish that Kord would come back. Also I know that I am not the only one, especially as a hispanic myself, that feel Jamie Reyes is Blue Beetle so that DC could have one hispanic hero. It is really cheap and uncreative to get a minority character in comics by killing an already established and well liked hero and having the new minority character take over that name.

In the other development of the issue I could really care less about Kid Devil's name change since I find him uninteresting and annoying. I know Kid Devil, or Red Devil know, was crushed about Ravager leaving but he should just man up and actually tell someone what is bothering him at least. Throughout this issue Red Devil acted really childish and just was not the type of spotlight issue that gives me a reason to actually like Red Devil.

Speaking about Ravager having already left the team took some of the punch to this title. During her time in the Titans she actually was my favorite character in this title. Her leaving changes the team dynamic since I thought that the last issue she shined by saving all of the Titans lives. Hopefully she'll come back after the Terror Titans mini-series that is supposed to start soon.

Also with Ravager having already left it just adds to what was a shirking line-up of the Teen Titans. I kind of wonder were McKeever is taking this since the Titans need some more members to seem like a more team to be mest with. Right now as the team is now they are not very intimadating and could be taken out really easily. The Teen Titans need a real heavy hitter because Wonder Girl doesn't cut it as a power hitter especially since she is having problems with her powers.