The New Titans #123

Salvation

Marv Wolfman Plot
Michael Jan Friedman Dialogue
J.B. Jones Pencils
Rich Rankin Inks
John Costanza Letterer
Chris Matthys & Ed Lazellari Colors
Keri Kowalski, Assistant Editor
Pat Garrahy, Editor
The New Titans created by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

As we can see by the cover, this is a Minion story. It's a good enough image, and I am excited to learn more about Jarras Minion, but I am worried about the instability of the creative team on this title. It's usually a bad sign when one person does the plot and someone else does the dialogue. Although Friedman, the writer of Darkstars, is a good choice for a space story. And Jones is the penciller again for the first time since issue #117. But that means Finn Harris only did one issue, and before him was William Rosado. I hate having three pencillers for three issues.

After the Crimelord-Syndicate War, the Titans decide to visit their satellite base for some reason. Also, for some reason, Jarras feels compelled to share his personal feelings with the team. And Damage, ever the idiot, is surprised that he can understand Jarras, so Supergirl reminds him that Darkstar gave him a universal translator like forever ago.

Jarras is feeling particularly lonely, and although Darkstar reminds him that his father is still alive, Jarras feels he has little in common with him. He tells the Titans that after he attacked the Darkstar prison ship in an attempt to kill Psimon, he decided to return to the ruins of his home world, Talyn. There, he found a group of aliens taking precious Talyn relics. Believing them to be thieves, Minion attacks them, only to learn that they were actually trying to preserve Talyn's memory.

We also get some nice background of Jarras' life, his family and how his entire race was genetically modified to lack all aggression. It's all very interesting stuff, but Impulse only stands around and listens to Jarras' story with everybody else. At the end, Jarras says he has finally realized that revenge is not the answer, and Arsenal tells him he can stay on the team as a full-time member — as if he already wasn't.

Altogether, this wasn't a bad issue, although I am sad we've had a run of issues with very limited Impulse action. I'm really missing a big Titans adventure that gives everybody something to do.

Once again, for some reason, there are no letters to the editor. So here are the new ads:

Dredd. June 30.

Icon #27. You can't go home again! By Milestone.

Gotham City made him the men he is today. Now he'd like t o express his gratitude. Batman: Two-Face. Crime and Punishment. By J.M. DeMatteis and Scott McDaniel.

Year One. They were legends from the beginning. Superman Annual #7 by Stern, Gossett & Pascoe.

Batman Forever. Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carrey, Nicole Kidman and Chris O'Donnell. This movie was a big part of my childhood, but I have mixed feelings on it now. I actually wrote a review on it sometime ago here.

Next time, we get plenty more Impulse action in Impulse #4.