Writer: Dan Abnett
Penciller: Brett Booth
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Reviewed By: Derek McNeil
Summary
Picking up from the previous issue, the Titans are battling with Abra Kadabra, who has created doppelgangers of the Titans’ younger selves. Wally is surprised to find that Kadabra remembers him, as most people have no memory of his existence. Kadabra further claims that it was he who had removed Wally from the time stream.
Following this, Kadabra disappears, leaving the Titans to lick their wounds. Wally allows Lilith to tend to his lost love Linda, despite wanting to go to her himself.
Meanwhile, Donna Troy confronts Arsenal (Roy Harper) about how he confessed his love for her while under the influence of the fake Wonder Girl’s magic lasso. Roy denies being in love with Donna, claiming he was lying, and that he only loves Donna as a friend. Donna is satisfied with this, but Roy admits to himself that his denial is the actual lie.
Elsewhere, Mal and Karen Duncan are watching the Titans’ fight on the news. Mal seems happy not being a superhero anymore, but Karen has developed powers since the events of the Titans Hunt series and feels that she has gotten them for a reason.
Next we see the Titans enjoying some pizza while discussing Kadabra. Wally is confused as to why he is the only one who remembers the Titans’ previous encounters with Kadabra. Also, Nightwing is skeptical that Kadabra is the mastermind behind the Titans’ altered history.
Meanwhile, Kadabra questions his doppelgangers about what they have learned about the Titans. The ersatz Kid Flash tells Kadabra that Wally’s connection has changed. “It is as if he has tapped into an even deeper level of the infinite Speed Force.”
Kadabra tells them that erasing Wally from history cost much of his power and blanked his memory as well. Also, the fake Lilith indicates that Linda seems to be the key to dealing with Wally. Kadabra agrees and believes that Wally’s obsession with Linda before he is even supposed to have met her indicates that “time has gone askew. History is muddled.” He adds, “this must be… his handiwork.”
Kadabra concludes that he will need to strike at Wally through his concern for his friends.
Omen returns to the rest of the Titans and informs them that Linda is fine, but shaken up. Concerned, Wally goes directly to find Linda. When he does, he apologizes for scaring her and offers to leave her alone if she wishes. Instead, Linda asks for an interview. After Wally agrees, Linda starts asking questions that Wally has difficulty answering, but before he can try, Kadabra appears, abducts Linda, and then disappears again.
Positives
Hints and questions abound in this issue. First, there Kadabra’s claim that he erased Wally from history, just as Mr. Twister caused the rest of the Titans (and the world) to forget their time together on the team. However, it seems clear that neither Kadabra nor Twister is the mastermind that has been messing with the history of the DC Universe – especially considering that Kadabra credits an unnamed person with having upset the time stream. Who is this person? And how does Kadabra know it’s him?
Then there’s the mystery of how Wally’s speed powers have changed. If he’s now in touch with a deeper level of the Speed Force, how does his power now compare to Barry Allen? Is he faster than Barry, or does he now have new untapped abilities that Barry doesn’t?
Negatives
Honestly, I can’t find much to fault with this issue. The story’s exciting, it’s dropped some hints about the overarching Rebirth storyline, the writing and art are fantastic. I earlier expressed some uncertainty about Wally’s new costume, but it’s growing on me. The only drawback is that this isn’t one of the biweekly Rebirth titles, so I have to wait a full month for the next installment.
Verdict
Titans is shaping up to be one of the tent-pole titles of the Rebirth storyline. The Titans seem to be at the centre of events with their forgotten history holding tantalizing hints of the true DC Universe timeline.
