Titans: Burning Rage #6 – Dan Jurgens, Writer; Scot Eaton, Penciller; Wayne Faucher, Inker; Hi-Fi, Colorist
Ratings:
Ray – 7.5/10
Ray: Dan Jurgens has been writing DC characters, including the Titans, for the better part of three decades, and his runs are almost always entertaining and hit the major character beats.
That makes this formerly Walmart-exclusive run featuring the most iconic teen heroes of the DCU an enjoyable read, given how badly the characters have been treated in canon for so long. While the core four get a good story, it does feel like this arc has become much more of a Doom Patrol arc due to its focus on Beast Boy and his adoptive father Steve Dayton.
When we last left off, the mysterious Mento – who Dayton was denying being behind – had made Beast Boy think his friends were dead. Losing control in Titans: Burning Rage #6, the teen transformer turns into a dinosaur and begins rampaging against the minions he holds responsible – who are actually the Teen Titans themselves, psychically masked. Fighting a mind-controlled T-rex out for revenge is certainly a way to begin a comic book.
Things aren’t quite as compelling once the new Mento is unmasked – it’s the only real suspect besides Dayton, his long-suffering assistant Breuer. Essentially an Alfred with a worse boss or a Java who isn’t a caveman, Breuer has been harboring long-running resentments against Steve and Garfield for his treatment and wants to disgrace Dayton’s legacy and take over his business.
Titans: Burning Rage #6 seems to be building to some sort of commentary on class and the corruption of the rich, but Breuer’s revenge is so disproportionate for the crimes (his employer speaking rudely to him) that it’s hard to have any sympathy for him. Dayton’s ultimate decision on what to do with the villain is a twisted but rather kind resolution.
The main plot is stronger than the first arc, but the most interesting part of this series is still watching the team interact. It’s good to see a Titans team that feels like a family again.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
Disclaimer: GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
