Titans Vol. 3: A Judas Among Us

The title of this Titans story arc refers to an insight that Omen gets while interrogating Psimon, who is being held in prison on Rikers Island. It seems one member of the Titans is going to betray the team. So who, we’re left to wonder when this information gets out, is the Judas?

Such a plot hook lets the series once again dwell on how important it is that the Titans are a team of superfriends, whose loyalty to each other is a special bond. Though some of the them are more than ready to take things from being friends to the next level. Garth/Tempest is in love with Lilith/Omen. Roy/Arsenal is in love with Donna Troy, but she may have a crush on Wally/Flash. Karen/Bumblebee needs to get her memory back (it’s been stolen by H.I.V.E. but luckily downloaded onto a flash drive) so that she can remember that she’s in love with Mal/Vox. “My, it’s like a soap opera,” Psimon says to Omen. “You’re not a hero, Lilith. You’re a counselor for a group of maladjusted young adults.” And he’s not wrong.

Anyway, they string things along for a few issues and several possible Judas scenarios, before (spoiler alert) it turns out Donna is the enemy within. But it’s not really Donna, but Donna-from-the-future, where she’s adopted the name Troia and has taken a heel turn. This Troia enters our world through a dimensional portal (yawn) and transforms Psimon, Vox, Gnarrk, the Key, and Mr. Twister into ramped-up villain avatars before taking on the Titans in a battle royale.

I didn’t get into any of this. Perhaps because there were so many different characters. Perhaps because the fighting was so generic, with no interesting strategies or twists. Wally West dies (because of the damage to his heart that he got in the fight against Deathstroke), but is then brought back to life because it turns out he was just frozen in the speed force. Happens to superheroes all the time. And Donna defeats Troia with a double-page punch that launches her right back to whatever dimension she broke out of. No messy clean up! We’re left with the certainty that everybody’s going to be enjoying pizza and pop back at Titans Tower, while holding hands with their new sweethearts and stealing kisses when they’re alone with their crushes.

A pull quote on the cover announces this is “Everything a Titans fan wants and more.” And that may be right. But for a non-fan like me it was less, and I don’t imagine I’ll be coming back this way again.

Graphicalex