THE NEW TEEN TITANS (VOLUME 2) #1 & #2

"SHADOWS IN THE DARK!" | "THE SEARCH FOR RAVEN!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Letterer: Todd Klein | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: The Titans conduct "war games" but are interrupted when a troubled Raven returns. Jericho briefly touches her mind and realizes she needs help. That night, as Raven sleeps, Jericho enters her body and finds himself in the nether-realm inhabited by Trigon and Raven's mother, Arella. Trigon briefly tortures Jericho before Raven awakens, forcing him from her body. She departs, leaving Jericho to tell the Titans that Raven needs their help.

My Thoughts: First and foremost -- and I know I said this before the last time Pérez inked himself, but -- this is, without a doubt, the best the Titans have ever looked. George Pérez has, for my money, at last completed his evolution into the George Pérez, legend among comic book artists. Working here on a series with higher production values, Pérez is free to experiment and really up the dynamism of his work. The issue is filled with breathtaking full-bleed art and exciting panel layouts, and, thanks to Pérez's own inks, it looks absolutely magnificent -- better than even the best of Pérez's previous collaborators could've made it.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #46 & #47

"SHOWDOWN!" | "FINAL CONFLICT!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Finisher: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Bob Lappan | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: (issue 46) The Titans, along with Aqualad and Aquagirl, attack the H.I.V.E.'s undersea base and break inside. Raven briefly succumbs to Trigon's influence during the fight, but regains her self-control.

Meanwhile, Cyborg returns to his apartment late at night following a fruitless search for Changeling, to find his grandparents waiting for him. He chastises them for missing his father's funeral, but ultimately the family makes peace. Elsewhere in the city, a woman reports to the authorities that a man who attempted to mug her was brutally assaulted by a green lion.

Back under the sea, the Titans infiltrate the H.I.V.E. base, but the organization's leader has them lured into a trap and jettisoned into the water aboard a pod which subsequently explodes.

(issue 47) Raven's soul self rescues the Titans and they re-enter the H.I.V.E.'s base. Too weak to continue the fight, Raven teleports away. Meanwhile, at Titans' Tower, Cyborg tries to level with Changeling when Changeling's ex-girlfriend, Jillian, shows up.

Underwater, the Titans split up. While Nightwing and Aqualad stop a torpedo from destroying Atlantis, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Jericho, and Aquagirl go for the H.I.V.E.'s leadership. But upon their arrival they find the full H.I.V.E. council dead, their leader having killed them and then herself to avoid capture.

The H.I.V.E. defeated, the Titans head home. In outer space, the mysterious Monitor updates his files to list the H.I.V.E. as inactive.