Titans #15

This is a "Prelude to Blackest Night" comic. Methinks DC is hoping the Blackest Night banner will boost sales for this comic. If DC wants to get people reading the Titans series, here's a free piece of advice... Write better stories!!! The past several issues of this series have been nearly unreadable, with last issue being especially terrible. This issue can't possibly be any worse than the atrocity that was last issue... Can it??? The writer is JT Krul(who?)and is a spotlight on Tempest.

-Tempest recounts the destruction of Atlantis during Infinite Crisis, the death of Aquaman and the subsequent rebuilding of the city under the sea. Tempest reveals to some of the citizens of Atlantis that he has finally found the bodies of his wife Dolphin and their son Cerdian.

-Tempest buries his family and has a flashback detailing his entire life. His uncle, Slizzath(who has an AWESOME look!), arrives at the grave sight and taunts Tempest, stating he can hear both Dolphin and Cerdian crying out for him. Tempest attacks Slizzath, and Slizzath begins to force Tempest to pour a deadly amount of energy into him. Slizzath reveals that thanks to his link with the dead, he can sense the coming Blackest Night, and he wants to be a part of it. Slizzath eventually absorbs too much energy from Tempest, and dies, just as he wanted.

-Some Atlantians find the remains of Slizzath and an unconscious Tempest, and return Tempest to the royal throne room. Tempest awakens and the Atlantians practically beg him to become their king(without actually asking him). Tempest decides to pay a visit to longtime friend, Dick Grayson, to hear what he thinks about the situation. The two talk about life and their dead mentors, and when they are finished talking, Tempest has made up his mind. He returns to the undersea kingdom and takes his place on the throne as the new king of Atlantis.

I liked this comic. I've always liked Tempest, so it was nice to see him around. I actually wish he was a regular in this comic... But alas, he's not. The interaction between Dick and Tempest was extremely well done, I got a kick out of Tempest asking Dick to take the cowl off when they were speaking because it was too weird talking to Dick while he was in Batman mode. For people who have known both Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson for a long time, Dick as the Batman must be incredibly strange/unnerving!

This comic also set the stage for the Titans Blackest Night mini-series. With Terra already being a definite, this issue revealed that Slizzath should be a Black Lantern, with Dolphin(and Cerdian?)being a possibility as well(now that they have been confirmed dead). Jeez, the Atlantis contingent of Black Lanterns sure could be large with Aquaman, Slizzath, Dolphin and Tula all being prime candidates. For a score, I'll give this comic a 7 1/2 out of 10. This issue was astronomically better than the horrendous spotlight on Cyborg last issue. I'd recommend this comic with no qualms.