Short Review: Teen Titans #38

I know I already said that there wasn't enough build up for the Other story but I'm still kind of let down. The Heretic/Other knows how to get the ring to work and then "dies" without any satisfying answers. He just has new abilities that raises more questions, he's dying and wants Damian to take over. He also left the book he was tempting Damian with, the same book that Djinn wanted to be destroyed. Djinn joins Roundhouse in being one of the only characters to truly admit they messed up and is willing to accept the conquences. I'm not sure what she shows him that changed his mind.

After all the times Damian could have felt remorse for his actions it only truly dawns on him after he's given a vision of his future. If he becomes the Other he will get "everything" he ever wanted. So why is that a bad thing? We don't see what the vision is just that it makes him cry. Is it like a monkey's paw wish? For example: would he gain the love of his family--but only by controlling them via mind control?

What should be a huge moment is greatly diminished because I don't understand why he finally changed his mind.

Damian debated morals with his team, had Billy literally tell him that he was responsible for an innocents' death, was told off by Alfred and Jason for his behavior. But a vision the audience doesn't see is what finally gets through to him? Maybe this will be cleared up in the next arc but at present it feels very anticlimactic. We had all the build up with little to no emotional pay off. Roundhouse, who actually saves the whole team, had a better moment. He got more crap thrown at him, came to the realization that he screwed up on his own and did his best to make amends.

Roundhouse humbled himself to people that hated him. Last issue Wallace, Emiko and Crush kinda admit they screwed up but hey their not their parents so they have to be better. Djinn owns up to her mistakes, both past and present. She thinks she deserves to suffer for them and doesn't want Damian to make a deal for her freedom. Damian does admit he made mistakes but it's kind of swept to the side to work on saving Djinn.

The rest of the team weren't really likable as they want to condemn Billy but show little regard for their own actions. Crush attacks Billy again and Kid Flash calls out to her, not to stop her but to point out that the plan to rid Crush of Lobo's control worked. How the hell it worked I don't know. You'd think mind control or a type of genetic control would be a little tougher to break out of.

I don't know if I'll get the next arc but I will definitely be getting the annual to see how that turns out.






Questions Asked: "The monastery at the end of time" is that a reference to something Morrison did with Vanishing Point? Because that's the only place I know of in the DCU that's at the end of time.

So the Heretic knows magic and how to time travel? I'm confused.

The Heretic hired Lobo so he had to know something about him. Which makes me wonder why he was shocked that Crush could break out of the ice he created. He asked what she was. Is this a hint about her mother?