Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Titans: Beast World #2 Review

   
   

Written by: Tom Taylor
Art by: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki
Colors by: Brad Anderson
Letters by: Wes Abbott
Cover art by: Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Brad Anderson
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: December 12, 2023


Titans: Beast World #2 witnesses the worldwide devastation caused by Garro's spores when millions of people mutate into mindless human/animal hybrids.
Is Titans: Beast World #2 Good?

But for a few inconsistencies, Titans: Beast World #2 is a pretty entertaining comic. Tom Taylor's energetic, fast-paced writing, combined with Ivan Reis's stellar art, appears to create a potent mix sorely lacking in DC's lineup.

When last we left the collective of Earth's heroes, Gar's plan to morph into a Starro to stop the NecroStar worked. He pushed the alien monster through a Boom Tube into a frigid sector of space. Unfortunately, Doctor Hate showed up to put the whammy on "Garro," sending scores of Garro spores to Earth and changing anyone infected into animalistic beasts. (The details of that last part weren't explained very well, so just go with it.)

Now, Earth's heroes desperately work to stop Garro, contain the spread, and stop innocent people from dying. Amanda Waller uses the situation (she helped create) to lobby for more unrestricted authority, Batman gets infected and turns into a Wolfman, and the heroes figure out the spores instinctively will target the most powerful beings to control, starting with Black Adam.

If you're wondering about the tie-ins, the verdict so far is you can skip them. This story picks up immediately after the ending of issue #1, and if you didn't read the tie-ins, you don't miss a thing, as nothing in this issue references them.

What's great about Titans: Beast World #2? Taylor's script is full of action, energy, purpose, and plot development, all delivered at a brisk pace. It's unclear why Taylor is unwilling or unable to deliver this kind of storytelling in his other ongoing titles, but he could do himself (and every DC fan) a favor by using this issue as a model for Nightwing and Titans.

What's not so great about Titans: Beast World #2? The little inconsistencies will give you pause as you read the story. In one panel, a woman reverts to a human when doused with sleeping gas, but in another panel, a man who gets knocked out doesn't revert. Waller appears to have set off this catastrophe as an excuse to grab power, but how did she plan on containing it if the Earth's mightiest heroes are struggling? The Justice League beat Starro before, so why aren't they using the same tactics now?

In aggregate, the inconsistencies don't ruin the comic, but they'll make you pause a few times, which speaks to a lack of planning on Taylor's part.

How's the art? Glorious. Ivan Reis recently announced he's leaving DC for good, and his artwork will be sorely missed. A large part of this issue's success is the action, energy, and wow moments Reis puts into the panels.

About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter

Bits and Pieces:

Titans: Beast World #2 is a surprisingly entertaining action-fest as the Earth's heroes rally to stop Garro's spore infection from taking over the world. Taylor is showing an uncharacteristic skill at superhero storytelling you don't see in his other titles, and Reis's art is next-level.

8/10

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