Were Titan books always so sappy???

That's not a knock on the book or the team, just an inquiry. While it seemed overly sappy, I will say that it is somewhat necessary considering the laundry list of Titans that have died, and the history that was compiled in the days of Wolfman/Perez.

That being said, it managed to re-open some gaping wounds. Gar still holding a flame for the dead Terra, Donna losing her husband and son, while celebrating the return of Bart and Connor. The bits with the new Hawk and Dove remembering acknowledging their predecessors were also interesting, as it lays some developement of these characters (especially if you're like me, and are unfamiliar with them).

The issue, however, is marred with necrotic blemishes. Gar being reunited with what is thought to be normal Terra seemed so unimpactful. I kept being reminded of the scene in X3 when Scott finds Jean Grey. I'm usually of the school of, if your long thought to be dead love is standing before you in all his or her beauty, you say more than just her name and stand there like a bump on a log. This could be the over-statuesque-ness of Benes work, or the general pacing/layout.

While I dug the introduction of the original Hawk and watching him mix it up with the new Hawk and Dove, nothing drove me off this more than the overuse of dialog mid-combat. That could just be me, but I hate it when word balloons are as prevalent in a combat scenes (especially when its paced so that there's no stops or pauses). While it did help to develop the new Hawk as being very much in the line of the original Hawk, it falls flat when they just end up killing her off in the end. What's the point of all that development if you're just gonna kill her and make her a new Black Lantern?

Finally the art... I'm a fan of Benes' rendering, and it likens to the kind of stuff I'd do. Though the overuse in line work rendering, especially on female lips, needs to lighten up. I swear there's a panel with Wonder Girl that looks like she has a stye on her lip.

I'll still pick up the next issue, mostly because I expect to see other Titan alums show up... but that second issue better deliver the goods.