BATMAN #349

"TITLE"
Writer Gerry Conway | Artists: Gene Colan & Alfredo Alcala
Letterer: Janice Chiang | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Dick Giordano

The Plot: In Hollywood, awaiting his appointment with the Headmaster, Batman returns from patrol and calls Wayne Manor -- but no one answers. And on the outskirts of Gotham, Robin is tied to a chair, gagged, as Dala speaks to him, then leaves the room. Robin knocks over a candle lamp to start a fire, and uses the flame to burn free of his bonds. But before he can escape, two monstrous beings -- Dala and a man called the Monk -- burst into the room. Robin flings the Monk out the window and smacks Dala aside, then retreats downstairs, where he finds a man and a woman bound, with fang-marks in their throats.

The Monk returns and attacks again, but Robin escapes when the monster catches fire. Robin flees out into the rainy night and is nearly hit by a car driven by a priest named Father Green. Green loads Robin into his car as Dala and Monk observe from their home. Later, at the hospital, Green asks the doctors to keep Robin's presence secret as he observes fang marks on the Teen Wonder's neck.

Continuity Notes: First off, I must discuss the weird placement DC gave this issue in TALES OF THE BATMAN: GERRY CONWAY vol. 3. In that book, this chapter comes after both installments of the "Academy of Crime" story -- something which, on a very cursory glance, might seem correct. "Academy of Crime" is a 2-parter, so one might think the two parts should run together, followed by this issue, which was published in between but probably didn't actually occur in between the two parts.

The only thing is, that's a totally wrong assumption! Part one of "Academy of Crime" doesn't end on a cliffhanger, per se -- it concludes mid-scene as Matches Malone meeting the Headmaster for the first time -- but the second part picks up a day or three later, with Matches reporting for his first class at the Academy. And, per this issue as described above, in between those chapters, Batman was cooling his heels, waiting to hear from the Headmaster, killing time by patrolling the Los Angeles area. Further, there's a sub-plot scene in this issue involving ex-Commissioner Gordon, and another scene with Gordon in part two of "Academy" which must occur after the one here.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #21 & 22

"BEWARE THE WRATH OF... BROTHER BLOOD!" | "ASHES TO ASHES!"
Co-Creators: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Letterers: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: (issue 21) Raven and Starfire defuse a terror attack on Yankee Stadium. Meanwhile, Cyborg has made amends with Sarah Simms, but his peace is short lived as his ex-girlfriend, Marcy, calls him. She has joined a cult called the Church of Brother Blood, and is executed for attempting to escape while on the phone with Cyborg.

The Titans learn of Blood's church from Marcy's parents, and Robin, Wonder Girl, Raven, and Kid Flash go undercover to join up. But when Blood senses their presence while addressing his congregation, they are forced to fight. Blood defeats them all, but Raven's soul self escapes.

(issue 22) Blood takes Robin for interrogation and throws the remaining Titans into a dungeon. Meanwhile, raven's soul self recruits Cyborg, Changeling, and Starfire to come to the church and rescue their teammates. But Blood has called a local news station to the church for an interview, which catches the Titans' assault on camera. Robin and the others are saved, but Brother Blood is believed killed by Cyborg, in full view of the public eye.

Meanwhile, in outer space, a slave ship captained by Starfire's sister, Blackfire, heads for Earth.

TALES OF THE THE NEW TEEN TITANS #1 & #2

"CYBORG" | "RAVEN"
Writer-Co-Plotters-Penciler: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Inkers: Brett Breeding (#1) & Pablo Marcos (#2)
Letterers: John Costanza (#1) & Ben Oda (#2) | Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: The Titans head to the Grand Canyon for a week's vacation. Over dinner, Cyborg describes his life's history to the rest of the team.

My Thoughts: A camping trip, with the new Titans explaining their origins to the others, is a great idea for a limited series. And Cyborg's history is a pretty good one. Wolfman takes an all-too-common trope in superhero comic origins -- the angry black youth -- and flips it sideways. Cyborg didn't start out angry. He had an unusual childhood, monitored constantly by his scientist parents, but he was also a genius and a gifted athlete with a scholarship education.

The problem came when he fell in with the wrong crowd and, despite his better judgment, got involved in more than one street fight in his young life, until his father finally disowned him. Then, as described in previous installments, his mother died and Cyborg himself was crippled and rebuilt by his father.

As I said, it's a twist on the most commonly seen black character origin. Unfortunately, we knew a lot of Cyborg's background already, as he is the most angst-ridden Titan. But Wolfman ties everything together well enough, and it's admittedly nice to have all the pieces we've seen so far gathered in one story.