Titans #38

The Methuselah Imperative: Part 3 of 3

Eric Wallace Writer
Travis Moore Penciller
Walden Wong • Inker
Hi-Fi • Colorist
Travis Lanham • Letterer
Rickey Purdin • Asst. Editor
Rachel Gluckstern • Editor

Our cover shows Arsenal battling Deathstroke, with a bunch of random villains standing around. Deathstroke's son, Jericho, is in the bottom right corner, with glowing hands for some reason. I can't keep track of all his changing powers. Anyway, this is a rather ho-hum cover, indicative of the rather ho-hum story we have inside. I don't know if things were rushed to get this out before the New 52 started or if there was a general lack of care and effort put into this, the final issue of a dying series. It could be both.

Anyway, we're not here for the big Arsenal/Deathstroke fight. We only care about the funeral for Ryan Choi, an apprentice of Ray Palmer, the Atom. Basically everyone who's anyone showed up at the funeral in Ivy Town to support Ray, including the JLA, JSA and Teen Titans. Ray offers a eulogy in Patriot Park Cemetery, but it's surprisingly brief, essentially just thanking Ryan for choosing to protect people with his life.

Beast Boy stood next to Starfire, Dick Grayson and Donna Troy; while Bart kind of got stuck in the crowd, only roughly in the vicinity of Superboy and Wonder Girl, who are curiously holding hands. If this were an issue of Teen Titans, I would take this as an indication that those two have gotten back together, but since it's not, I'll just say that Travis Moore didn't realize they had broken up.

Our issue ends with Deathstroke sadly coming to terms with Jericho's latest rejection of him, including Ravager's. He vows to strike back with his biggest, craziest scheme yet, but it never comes to fruition, because after this, the entire DC Universe will be rebooted and this version of Slade Wilson will cease to exist. A really anticlimactic finale for one of DC's premiere villains.

Next time, we'll officially wrap up this continuity with Teen Titans #100.