DC’s unexpected ambitions – Titans review

On the new platform, which is DC Universe, has been promised the resurrection of one of the best animated series about young leotards – Young Justice. On a global scale, however, the Teen Titans have always enjoyed greater recognition than the youth of the Justice League. Therefore, the first acting series with their participation was produced.

Youthful individualism

It is widely known that Marvel is doing better in cinema than DC. With series, things are quite different. Expanded since 2012, Arrowverse enjoys great popularity, which Marvel series from ABC and Netflix could not beat. Nevertheless, netflix productions have proved how to make high-quality series about heroes. Their titles were more real, more brutal, and in places even darker, although it was DC that had been labeled “the more serious” for many years.

With the advent of the DC Universe platform, separate productions began to appear, not part of the universe built by The CW station. The Titans had their first and so far only premiere . It is a story based on comic series about young superheroes who decided to fight evil on their own in order to find their calling away from the greatest icons such as Batman, Superman, Flash or Aquaman. Their missions were sometimes lighter and sometimes more difficult than that of adults, but the authors nevertheless presented them through the prism of a young man entering adulthood. The darkness itself was an occasional addition that intensified the clashes with some opponents, such as in the Judas Contract or the Lazarus Contract.The creators of the new series probably decided to believe in DC’s historical mission and make a bigger turn towards something that will be completely devoid of a “candy shell”.

Good, good, very good …

Let me recall two more animated productions broadcast on Cartoon Network. The first is TeenTitans z2003, which is a light comic parody in which humor played second fiddle, and the second – Teen Titans Go! from 2013, which is a surreal parody of a parody from ten years ago. If you know both, try not to remember about them while watching the new series from DC Universe (which is made available in Poland by Netflix).

The producers exaggerated everything that could be done, inviting us to a hopeless world that can overwhelm many jokes with its stuffy atmosphere. Dark colors dominate around the presented characters, heralding the approaching evil, consuming bitter and despairing people from the inside. Added to this is music, as always sensual, moving with almost every tone. The very first episode shows us that we are dealing with something so difficult that crime in Gotham seems to be a trivial matter. Momentary flares of the sun seem to herald a better tomorrow, hidden behind a thick wall of fog. There are also moments of action that arise from this tense situation and the brutality that comes with it. Batman fans will not be disappointed with his protégés, who can really “kick” criminals. This is more or less the general backgroundTitans. Nevertheless, the main characters are the most important ingredient that makes this series unique.

Duet Dick i Rachel

As far as the Guardians of the GalaxyMarvel made a positively crazy “twist” in relation to the original, so here were introduced dark and brutal changes. There are four main characters, the story of which is only pushed forward by Rachel and Dick. Rachel – played by Teagan Croft – is a lonely teenager, gifted with malevolent powers that she cannot control. The troubles surrounding her on all sides overwhelm the problems of a typical young girl. Fortunately, on his way he meets good people, including Robin himself – Batman’s former helper, who not only has to deal with the problems of his younger friend, but also with his own trauma, which he acquired while serving with the Dark Knights. It may not be sticking to the original, nevertheless Dick Grayson’s mental tear adds to the production’s unique flavor. We see Dick for the first time so far portrayed as a relaxed guy, when he fights not only with thugs, but also attacks of aggression that characterize psychopaths. His brutal treatment of criminals is unforgettable. I must admit that I did not think that Brenton Thwaites could play someone with such a complicated psyche.

The other actors come out fairly well, but it’s a pity that they have so little time to develop their characters. I mean the main antagonist, played by Seamus Dever, as well as Beast, whose transformations were properly made computer animation, or the charming Conor Leslie in the role of Wonder Girl. I was also enchanted by Minka Kelly with her game, which not only allowed me to demonstrate the female point of view on superhero matters, but also as an American she played British with great commitment. The Starfire creation was the worst. Anna Diop, despite her considerable desire to present the lost Tamaranka, could not hide the peculiar appearance of the character she played. Strongly curly hair, fur and an extremely latex and skimpy outfit gave the impression that I had not seen the classic representation of the comic book heroine, and only a lady of easy morals. Clearly, in this case, the fault lies with the make-up artists and costume designers.

I am waiting for more

In my opinion, Titans is one of the best-done superhero series. In addition to the gradually built up tension, an outstanding story and only one unnecessary episode, we got a really good product. This is confirmed by the last episode, which not only left a big cliffhanger, but also made me cheer with its revealing post-credits release of an important character from the world of Superman.

The secondary problems of the heroes, which are not too emphasized, made this production even more captivating for me. However, the problems of Dick’s twenty-year-old remain close to me, such as the constant search for my own identity, coping with stress, support, and even fathering younger friends, and finally difficulties in building closer relationships with women. As you can see, it’s worth looking at this new title from DC Universe from a different angle.

All in all, I’m looking forward to the next season. I look forward to further exploring the DC on-screen world (a small crossover with Doom Patrol took place this season ) and the appearance of the long-announced Slade Wilson, as well as the development of Jason Todd’s plot. Do I have any expectations regarding the composition of the Titans? I would love to see Kid Flash, who would perhaps ease the tense atmosphere.