Titans No. 36 review: The team is together for the last time

The Titans must face off against Mother Blood in the final issue of the series, but is Raven strong enough to save the day?

Titans No. 36

Writer: Dan Abnett

Artist: Bruno Redondo

Titans No. 36 cover (Credit: DC Comics)

Raven’s soul-selves have been returned to her, and now she’s mad! With the majority of the team either injured, exhausted or captured, it’s up to her to get the job done. Raven needs to get her hands on Mother Blood and end the war on Unearth once and for all. But is she strong enough to battle this villain in the final installment of Titans?

A Final Tribute to Nightwing

Nightwing has been out of the Titans team ever since he was shot in Batman #55. After much emotional turmoil, the team moved forward with its mission to battle Source Wall Energy crises, the Blood Cult and the hordes of Unearth, all with a little help from Kyle Rayner. However, it would have been remiss to ignore Nightwing’s long history with Titans, which makes his appearance in Titans No. 36 a fitting homage to his legacy as team leader.

Dan Abnett proves how well he knows the character by showing readers why Nightwing was so beloved as a friend and leader. The relationship between him and Raven has been different since the “Rebirth” arc, given they were on different teams up until last year, but that doesn’t negate Nightwing’s innate kindness or empathy for other people, including Raven.

That being said, the scenes of Nightwing winning over his new teammates should have been part of the Titans Special that introduced the new team, and this issue should probably have showcased some moments between Nightwing and the entire Titans team, rather than just him and Raven.

Nightwing in Titans No. 36 (Credit: DC Comics)

Raven’s Long Overdue Return

Raven has been hard done by this entire series. Her soul-self was ripped from her two issues after she joined the Titans. Ever since then, Raven has been sidelined, often more of a liability than a help in the field. She’s been given no arc, and often times, her story has lacked cohesion.

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Squeezing in ten issues’ worth of characterization for Raven in Titans No. 36 is a valiant effort, but it’s a long overdue return to form for the character. The emphasis on Raven also means that none of the other characters get much time on page. Most of them have nary a few lines of dialogue between them. It’s not a trade-off that makes for a fitting send-off for the team, especially not for a long-standing Titan like Donna Troy. It’s wonderful to see Raven back in action and almost single-handedly attempting to save the day, but that results in the rest of the Titans being underserved in this final issue, unfortunately.

Raven in Titans No. 36 (Credit: DC Comics)

Since this is the series finale, it was expected that the plot would be neatly wrapped up. The denouement feels rushed, but pleasantly cheerful. That is a refreshing change from the gloominess that has become part and parcel of many DC properties. We certainly could have done with a few more pages like the penultimate one in Titans No. 36.

Bidding this series farewell is bittersweet. The series has had several highlights, especially the initial arc which celebrated the earliest form of the team. What Titans has been unsuccessful at is giving the new team time to grow and work together. Ever since the team shake-up, the dynamics between the characters have felt out of sync, and those undercurrents weren’t allowed the space to iron themselves out organically. Miss Martian and Nightwing were just getting used to being co-leaders when Nightwing was put out of commission in a different series. Garfield’s struggles with his powers and Raven’s lack of powers were used as plot devices rather than character moments. Donna at least saw some growth, especially after Nightwing’s injury, which is more than we can say about Steel, who lacked characterization throughout.

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Despite the many failings of this title, some of the issues have been genuinely entertaining. But without cohesion, it is no wonder Titans has been prematurely cancelled. One can assume that DC will resurrect these characters in other titles. The Titans certainly deserve to have their stories told. And maybe in the near future, the team will be back together once again.

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