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psychicsaphie ([info]psychicsaphie) wrote in [info]scans_daily,
@ 2009-09-03 20:22:00

Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Entry tags:char: blue beetle/jaime reyes, char: miss martian/m'gann m'orzz, char: red devil/eddie bloomberg, char: wonder girl/cassie sandsmark, group: teen titans, publisher: dc comics, title: teen titans

Teen Titans 74
MASSIVE SPOILERS

Do not click unless you want to be spoiled.



So when we were last left with the Titans, blah blah prison break, blah blah distractions, blah blah, the Calculator has a huge plan going to mess with the Titans. Lots of foreshadowing about a Titan dying, and it was pretty clear from Origins and Omens who.

The problem is the Titans left the situation at the prison without realizing there was a severely injured metahuman with nuclear powers slowly going critical, so that it wasn't even noticeable until after they left and got into the fighting elsewhere. Eddie was informed of this fact via a "government agent" that turns out to be the Calculator having rerouted all communications from the Tower.

Trap or not, calculated or not, this guy is going critical. The others are fighting for their lives, so Eddie does what a Titan does and powers or not, pulls his own weight.









Wonder girl goes to beat the snot out of the bad guys, Amazon style, but stops raeging and doesn't do anything she'd regret.

And ultimately... they learn from it. Rather than it destroying them like the Calculator intends, they deal with it.

And I have to say, I've severely disliked this trend as Titans being expendable canon fodder, I'm sick of characters dying in general, but... I was very happy with how this turned out. Eddie went from being a kid sidekick to a kind of useless lump that couldn't hold down a job, to someone so desperate for a family and to be a hero that he sold his soul for superpowers to be able to be a Titan--and then who refused to be useless when he lost those powers. He had a hell of an arc, and came a long way from being something of a dorky foob wannabe.

Recently, the Titans have gotten chumped. Random, pointless deaths all over. In making a comparison to the Legion of Superheroes, recently, to a friend, I pointed out that when Legionnaires die it is typically in a blaze of fucking glory, and how it's much more satisfying. Yes, people just die sometimes, and no, not everyone can have a heroic death, but you still expect one every once in while, and after a string of pointless ones, it gets tiring and seems like all they want is a gore-splosion. These are heroes, dammit. Even if death is swift and surprising, they still would likely give the finger to evil as they go down.

And here, Eddie just carries a walking nuke away, gets himself bombarded by a ton of radiation, carries the dude even as it burns him horribly, and kind of flies right into his death with a smile on his face, and a loyal "They'd do it for me"--with all the faith in the world that they would, and without a flinch. And even if he'd known it was a trap, since it was the only way to save them, and communication was cut off, you know he would've done it anyway.

I would've liked more time with the Red and the Blue, but I was happy with this. It wasn't a chump death--it was a send off, with the characters dealing afterward by not dwelling in angst, but deciding to fight harder, learn from their mistakes, stick together, and make sure his sacrifice to save them all wasn't in vain.

He believed in the Titans, and it ends on the note of them trying to believe in themselves. THAT is how you do a death if you're gonna do one.

So, RIP Eddie. Thanks for dying in an attempt to make the Titans suck less. It probably won't work because the new writer sounds utterly vapid ("Static is special because he’s the male version of me – Pasadena, California as my Dakota. I was this kid growing up, except for the whole big bang explosion-turns-you-into-a-super-hero-ability-to-harness-electromagnetism part"--oh God, make it stop), but thanks for trying, kid.



(Post a new comment)


[info]toasty_fresh
2009-09-04 12:59 am UTC (link)
Already posted.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]bluejaybirdie
2009-09-04 01:00 am UTC (link)
Not the whole scene, though.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]toasty_fresh, 2009-09-04 01:01 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:07 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]toasty_fresh, 2009-09-04 01:09 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:21 am UTC

[info]bluejaybirdie
2009-09-04 12:59 am UTC (link)
Well, that was one hell of a send-off. Seriously, that was the best and most respectful death I've seen from a comic in years. I still liked Eddie and wish he didn't have to go, but at least this way he doesn't die as cannor fodder with some writer who doesn't care.

(Reply to this)


[info]superfan1
2009-09-04 01:07 am UTC (link)
You will be miss eddie. :( I wonder how rose going to take his death though?

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]pmagod
2009-09-04 01:55 am UTC (link)
We will find out when he comes back as a black lantern

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]mugiwara
2009-09-04 01:12 am UTC (link)
I hate those "save everyone by going away with the bomb" death. I prefer when the death are a bit less heroic and spectacular, like Cypher's or Cap America's.

Anyway, good ridance. As much as I'm sick of the Titans killing (and more general, the young heroes killing in both Marvel and DC), I was even more sick of Kid Debil.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]psychicsaphie
2009-09-04 01:20 am UTC (link)

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 01:22 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:24 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 01:27 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:31 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bj_l, 2009-09-04 04:06 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]mugiwara, 2009-09-04 06:56 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 07:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 01:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 01:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:46 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 07:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 07:53 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 11:37 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2009-09-04 01:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]khamelea, 2009-09-04 02:47 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 02:59 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:03 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]khamelea, 2009-09-04 03:04 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:07 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]khamelea, 2009-09-04 03:08 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:15 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]khamelea, 2009-09-04 03:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:48 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]freddylloyd, 2009-09-04 01:51 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:52 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2009-09-04 03:19 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:20 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]lady_mondegreen, 2009-09-04 06:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]snosten, 2009-09-04 07:11 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]kagome654, 2009-09-04 02:06 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]toasty_fresh, 2009-09-04 02:57 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 03:15 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]freddylloyd, 2009-09-04 09:56 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]v_various, 2009-09-04 04:14 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]parsimonia, 2009-09-04 10:57 pm UTC

[info]batcookies
2009-09-04 01:32 am UTC (link)
I couldn't disagree more. I'm sick and tired of "not everyone goes out like a hero!" deaths. They outnumber the well written heroic sacrifices at this point.

I'm reading a book about superheroes.

If they're going to die, they'd damn well BETTER go out like a hero.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]neuhallidae, 2009-09-04 01:42 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]bluefall, 2009-09-04 02:21 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]aegof.livejournal.com, 2009-09-04 07:25 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 08:07 am UTC

[info]enerprime
2009-09-04 01:28 am UTC (link)
Saving San Francisco from a nuclear explosion? That may just be the best Titan death ever. Definitly the only good one in the last decade or so.

(Reply to this)


[info]warpedhand
2009-09-04 01:35 am UTC (link)
Is it a bad time to point out that Alcatraz could've probably mitigated most of the explosion (With most of the residue being cleaned up by local tech, Blue Beetle, and Traci in an afternoon), and if Eddie hadn't left atmosphere before Nuke person blew, it would made the effects of the explosion exponentially worse.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]psychicsaphie
2009-09-04 01:37 am UTC (link)
Depends on the size of the nuke, bub. There's some that if they blew up at Alcatraz, there wouldn't be a western seaboard to speak of. Remember, this is superhero-dom. Exploding people can explode real big.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 01:39 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 01:48 am UTC

[info]shanejayell
2009-09-04 01:53 am UTC (link)
Being a geek I hope Eddie comes back as a nuclear powered hero. Not LIKELY I know, but I can dream, rigt?

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]pmagod
2009-09-04 01:59 am UTC (link)
previews early on in the series showed his burn body, his death doesnt really come as a surprise, it was just a matter of when it was gonna happen. That alone made me a little angry cause of the relationship between him and jaime, we all knew it was gonna happen soon.
Black lanterns are nuclear powered in a way no?

(Reply to this) (Parent)


[info]ccsharumun
2009-09-04 02:23 am UTC (link)
It's probably one of the most honorable and well-executed deaths I've seen in comics in a while, and it conclude Eddie's personal journey amazingly.

Still I'm bummed that he of all characters had to die. :( I like his dynamic and contribution within the team.

(Reply to this)


[info]darkblade
2009-09-04 02:47 am UTC (link)
The over the top amounts of death in comics as of late has gotten pretty bad but I don't really see that much of a reason to go up in arms against it.

If you take away the possibility of character death you lose a large amount of tension since well you know everyone is going to survive.

Yes the writers are abusing this privilage but it's better than not be allowed to use it at all.

(Reply to this) (Thread)


[info]bluefall
2009-09-04 03:21 am UTC (link)
If you take away the possibility of character death you lose a large amount of tension since well you know everyone is going to survive.

As opposed to knowing they'll come back in a couple of months.

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]darkblade, 2009-09-04 03:27 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]xdoop, 2009-09-04 04:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]darkblade, 2009-09-04 04:49 pm UTC

[info]zippthorn
2009-09-04 04:19 am UTC (link)
If you take away the possibility of character death you lose a large amount of tension since well you know everyone is going to survive.

. . .

Then how the hell was there any tension before generation Killhappy?

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]darkblade, 2009-09-04 09:19 am UTC

[info]janegray
2009-09-05 03:38 pm UTC (link)
Yes the writers are abusing this privilage but it's better than not be allowed to use it at all.

I disagree.

While tension may suffer if you know that the characters aren't going to die, I think it suffers just as much when you know that most of them are going to die. In both cases, you already know. The only real difference is that the first lacks tension and is depressing to the point that I just don't care anymore, whereas the latter lacks tension but can make up for it by being fun and entertaining.

"Death as source of tension" only works when it's used sparingly. If it is abused, I really do think that it becomes much worse than "no deaths at all" .

(Reply to this) (Parent) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]busterella, 2009-09-05 05:57 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-05 07:13 pm UTC

[info]ex_menagerie993
2009-09-04 03:16 am UTC (link)
I think Eddie has every chance of coming back given his history and all.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]bariman1987, 2009-09-04 05:29 am UTC

[info]zordboy
2009-09-04 05:59 am UTC (link)
Yeah, it was heroic and all that jazz.

Anyone else really troubled that the critiques of this issue are pretty much all coming down to "which gory pointless Titan death we liked better"? I know I am.

(Reply to this)


[info]comicoz
2009-09-04 02:39 pm UTC (link)
That was a really solid classic death scene...reminded me of Iron Giant actually.

Could have done without the "FWISH" across the explosion though. "Fwish"? Really? I would have gone with "Boom" myself.

(Reply to this)


[info]thanekos
2009-09-04 04:10 pm UTC (link)
well, looks like Neron managed to collect on a soul at last.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-04 04:18 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]icon_uk, 2009-09-04 09:27 pm UTC

[info]ashez2ashes
2009-09-04 10:34 pm UTC (link)
Holy crap, that upcoming writer does sound really vapid. But eh, she did work on Gossip Girl, that sort of show probably permanently taints your soul.


This most of all >>>I have a soft spot for Blue Beetle because he comes from a background that made him have to be tough to survive way before he had to be tough to fight crime. I’m really looking forward to re-examining who he is and the challenges and pain, literally, of living in his skin. >>>>>

........ WTF? Jaime has two loving LIVING parents, a decent neighborhood to grow up in (not perfect, but not ghetto LA or anything), loyal best friends, and.... WTF? Just because he has a hispanic background doesn't mean he's been living thug life on the streets.

(Reply to this)


[info]psychop_rex
2009-09-05 09:10 am UTC (link)
"If you've gotta go, go with a smile." Of course, the Joker meant it in an entirely different way, but it still applies here. There are too many miserable, wretched deaths in comics these days - deaths where someone dies in agony, beating themselves up about how they weren't good enough or they'd failed or whatever. Eddie went out with a literal bang (OK, a 'Fwish'; whatever) - he died happy in the knowledge that he was doing the right thing, and doing his friends proud. He died quickly and heroically - I can think of worse ways of dying.
Anyway, this is COMICS. If someone thinks they could write a good story with the character, he'll be resurrected in a flash. I can think of a half-dozen ways it could be done off the top of my head - you can't keep a good hero down.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]psychop_rex, 2009-09-05 09:11 am UTC

[info]iesika
2009-09-05 05:42 pm UTC (link)
This was really an amazing and epic death, and I love what it says about Eddie, and about the Titans. I don't think a comic book death has made me cry since Superboy.

Considering Eddie's previous powers and role, though, do we really think he's down for the count? Dying in a trial by fire might be a hell of a way to bring back the Devil. Or something else entirely, maybe.

If we don't at least find out he's in a Better Place, I think I'm going to continue being anxious for his immortal soul, though.

(Reply to this) (Thread)

(no subject) - [info]psychicsaphie, 2009-09-05 05:50 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]iesika, 2009-09-05 06:07 pm UTC


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