Writer: Mark Waid
Artist: Emanuela Lupacchino
Colors: Jordie Bellaire
Letters: Steve Wands
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: September 12th, 2023
It’s convention season! And in World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3, the Teen Titans (minus Robin, where is he?) are the Guests of Honor for Titanscon. Superheroes showing up a convention where there are hundreds of ravenous fans? What could possibly go wrong? A lot, especially when a new villain shows up to kidnap Bumblebee and wipe out the rest of the Titans.
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The Story
World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3 is a fun “day in the life” type story where nothing world-shattering happens, but we get a wacko villain, some angst between Batman and Robin and the set-up for a major conflict to come. The issue starts with the Teen Titans arriving at the convention, totally stunned by it. Apparently, they don’t get out much, because there are hundreds of fans there who suddenly swamp them and the Titans are totally shocked by the outpouring of affection.
Each Titan reacts in a different way. Most pointedly, Kid Flash and Bumblebee (especially Bumblebee) freak out when the crowd grabs at their masks, trying to take them off for souvenirs. Bumblebee is especially unnerved by it, giving away that she has something from her past that makes it terrifying to her to have her mask removed.
To complicate matters, an incel-type kid who’s obsessed with her shows up, wielding the ability to animate toys, as well as make them tiny or giant-sized. He’s very much like a teen version of Toyman, except with powers. He’s also as sleazy as it gets, pretty much the same as every troll that haunts the internet, spreading misogyny and hate. It’s a blast watching Kid Flash, Speedy, Bumblebee, Wonder Girl and Aqualad battle the kid with his unique power set. He ends up being far more formidable than they initially thought.
The book only leaves the convention for a scene at Wayne Manor, where Batman has forbidden Robin to go to the convention with the others. Robin’s mad about it but understands Bruce’s logic. Still, it’s an interesting scene between the two, because it’s that period of Dick Grayson’s life where he started to seek independence from Bruce and forge his own unique identity.
The Art
Emanuela Lupacchino’s art on World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3 has a Silver Age feel to it that makes all the characters look like their classic versions from the 70’s. At times the art resembled Mike Allred’s work combined with old episodes of “The Super Friends” and I enjoyed the artwork from beginning to end.
Final Thoughts
World’s Finest: Teen Titans #3 is another enjoyable issue with some great action scenes and more insight into each of the Titans’ personalities. There’s a great scene between Robin and Batman and a foreboding appearance by a shadow villain who will be menacing them in the future.