Teen Titans #41: The Power Within (Is as Cheesy as it Sounds)

Teen Titans #41 lands with more of a thud than a bang, bringing about an extremely convenient – not to mention ultra-cheesy – conclusion to “Djinn Wars” and the ongoing subplot of Djinn’s fear of her former slave master Elias. The entire plot hinges on the idea that all Djinn has to do is believe she has the power to break free of his hold on her, and she’ll magically do so.

And so, of course, that’s exactly what happens. Cue ’80s glam metal power ballad.

Ugh.

Elias is then dispatched with the utmost ease, taking a big bad that’s been built up for quite some time now and defeating him with The Power Within, which more or less sounds like it escaped from an ’80s after-school special about standing up to bullies or something. The sheer ease with which the tables are turned and the villain is defeated is resoundingly dull and defies all storytelling convention regarding crafting an epic, pulse-pounding finish, and brings this story to a close with a sense that authors Adam Glass and Robbie Thompson are running on fumes at this point in Glass’s tenure on the book. This is especially disappointing given just how long the Djinn/Elias subplot has been running.

To make matters worse [SPOILER WARNING], the issue ends with the team disbanding. Again. This has happened once before less than ten issues ago, and the reasons for it remain exactly the same as they were then: Robin refuses to learn his lessons, and the team can’t trust him. Never mind that just a few issues back, Kid Flash, Crush, Red Arrow, and Roundhouse all affirmed their comradeship and trust for one another, seeming to put an end to that particular soap opera. With that moment utterly swept aside, we’re right back to where we started in the aftermath of Red Arrow “killing” Deathstroke and the revelation of Robin’s villain prison. With all this wheel-spinning, it’s become increasingly obvious that Adam Glass has run out of things to say about these characters, because he keeps dipping back into the same well for storytelling tropes with alarmingly increasing frequency.

The art, at least, is pretty awesome. Eduardo Pansica works wonders with each page, and although he brings a different, more Wildstorm-y vibe to the book than did previous series artist Bernard Chang, each image pops with power and confidence. Providing artistic continuity is long-running series colorist Marcelo Maiolo, who gets to shine in a different way with a less-minimalist art style to work with than was Chang’s. The colors are vibrant and distinctive without clashing in any way, making this one of the best-looking books in DC’s stable right now. If only the story could match the art. Where this book goes from here is anyone’s guess, as it just seems to keep circling back to the same points – and, sadly, it’s unlikely that Adam Glass or Robbie Thompson knows the answer, either.