Titans #1

The highly anticipated -- on my part -- series finally debuted and I came out liking the first issue more than I expected to.  This was basically a typical bringing the team together plot that isn't terribly exciting but exactly what this series needed to start with, given how the team has gone its separate ways over the years since they were teens.  The part 2 to the start of the issue threw me for a second since I didn't read the Titan's East special that came out a few months ago but it certainly didn't affect my enjoyment of the story one bit.  I think the fact that they showed the slightly gruesome results from that group's battle certainly put a grimness to the level of danger facing the Titans.

The issue probably would've been better if the traps that were used to attack the members were not so strange in origin but with who was revealed to be the mastermind perhaps they were reasonable ideas after all.  I never had a chance to read the original group in their Teen Titans days but I certainly have grown to like all of the characters that were a part of that and now a part of this.  There is a certain dynamic that exists between them that I hope Winick can use to the book's advantage.

Winick has shown me that he can write great superhero stuff with his current run on Green Arrow/Black Canary so he was not what I expected the problem with the issue to be.  I was worried about how the art would come out but much to my surprise it wasn't that horrible and keeps growing on me the more times I read the book.  The character designs were alright and I actually don't mind the costume redesign on Donna -- I just hope the rest of the DC takes notice and changes it after Countdown to match.  Hopefully Benitez attempts to keep a similar look to the book when he takes the reigns.  Shoddy artwork could really keep the title down unless Winick really brings his A-game to the book.