It’s been a crazy time to be a teenage DC hero. After a future version of Tim Drake, calling himself Savior, appears to kill Jon Kent, the Teen Titans end up being divided over the matter. The reason for Savior’s appearance is because, in the future, an older Jon will explode, killing millions. While Raven and Beast Boy want to help The Future ‘hero’ take down the boy of Steel, the rest of the Titans feel like Savior has to be sent away. While they come together with future heroes to save Superboy, the rift the situation created still lurks underneath the victory. What do these events mean for the Super Sons and the Teen Titans’ futures?
**Some Spoilers Below**
Story:
Minutes after the encounter with Savior, the heroes of today speak with the Titans of Tomorrow. The future heroes believe that Savior is still out there, lost in the time stream. They promise to find him and prevent him from returning to the present. As the Titans of Tomorrow leave, the heroes of today look at one another and begin to contemplate what they have to do next.
Despite my distaste for the crossover’s ending, there is something to be admired here. Both super sons, while a little shaken by what has happened to them, stand side-by-side with one another as friends. In the past, it felt more like Damian wanted his own super person so he latched onto Jon. In the face of the Man of Steel telling them they can’t work together, Damian stands by Jon as a friend and an equal. Along with that, Jon uses his own lessons from his father as points for the case to stay together. Both Super Sons are shown to have grown from these events. Not just as heroes, but as friends.
The Problem:
While I thought the Super Sons reconciling was nice, there was still one major facet that drags the issue down hard. The Titans have a vote to decide if Jon will be a Titan when he comes of age. They vote against it, for the reason that they want to settle their differences after two of them joined Savior. While that is commendable, there should be a more important vote instead. The vote on Damian Wayne’s position as a Titan.
In the second part of the crossover, the Titans saw that it was a future Damian that caused future Jon to explode. Add that to how he acted in this crossover and the Teen Titans series as a whole, why hasn’t the team kicked him? The kidnapping to create the team in the Rebirth issue, the attack on the young Wally West in The Lazarus Contract, the firing of the misguided Kid Flash, and now this. It’s clear at this point most of the team’s problems are derived from Damian and his attitude.
The logical story choice would be to remove Damian, albeit temporarily. Have Damian work with Jon and grow more while the Titans try and settle their differences under a less volatile leader. We would get interesting character development from both teams and a chance to see a Robinless Teen Titans. It would be an interesting opportunity to see, even if it’s a risk for Teen Titan series with one its staple characters.
Art:
This is the best the arc has looked since the first chapter. Jorge Jimenez and Tyler Kirkham team up in penciling a beautiful epilogue. It is able to collect the cartoonish lighthearted style from the Teen Titans and Super Sons and mix it with the more mature Superman title. Tomeu Morey and Alejandro Sanchez also work together masterfully coloring this issue. Both teams come together to create a beautiful looking epilogue to this story.
Conclusion:
While beautiful to look at, the epilogue of this story has a major break in logic in the aftermath. While it is nice to see Damian and Jon grow as characters, the lack of problem-solving from the Titans drag the issue down hard. If you stayed with this arc up to this point, I would say pick it up. If not, take a pass on it.
