New Titans #40: Call of the Mild

The Yaguara’s wrath continues to cut a destructive path through the Amazon, and the Titans are scrambling to stop it. As the end of her home feels imminent, a voice from Yara’s nightmares just might help turn the tide.

The summary is a bit light, but that’s by design. That’s not to say that nothing happens in this issue, but the overall package feels a bit dull. Seeds are planted for plots further down the line and there are definitely more than a few character moments here, but they can’t really help prop up the admittedly basic main plot. It’s a shame because there are some decent pieces here on paper. Eva’s identity issue and how they connect to Commodore Murphy, Static’s “performance anxiety,” Batgirl’s growing maturity as a leader, Cyborg’s experiments, whatever is happening with Terra, and the underlying commentary on colonization and how (white) man’s greed is destroying nature are all solid plots, they just aren’t doing much here and feel a bit on top of each other.

Tate Brombal’s scripting is solid, but the aforementioned plots make it a bit of a slog to read at times. The main plot is mostly centered around Yara, and while that is good for her character, it’s not the most exciting to read at times. The Esquecida (despite being more visually appealing) are not as interesting as their Themysciran cousins. As a result their drama with Yara is a bit undercooked. Eva’s plot is the most interesting, with Static’s not far behind (though its reaching diminishing returns), but beyond that it feels like extra noise.

Sami Basri’s art is fairly tame this issue, but there are a couple of good pages in here to break up the monotony. The softer lines in Basri’s illustrations allow for a bit more character expression, and Adriano Lucas’ bright colors help keep the tone somewhat upbeat even in the more dire moments and help things feel a bit more dynamic.