Titans Tomorrow 
 

Writer: Geoff Johns

Penciller: Mike McKone

Inker: Marlo Alquiza

Colorist: Jeromy Cox 
 
 

Reviewed for Raging Bullets: BulletPoints by Omri Spirman 
 

This 3 issue arc, originally published in Teen Titans v3 issues 17-19, is collected as part of the trade Teen Titans: The Future Is Now, which is the 4th trade of the current Teen Titans series.  
 
 

**Warning: This review contains heavy spoilers.** 
 

In an important chapter of the ‘buildup to Infinite Crisis,’ the Teen Titans meet themselves 10 years in the future. 
 
 

      This story picks up right after the Titans’ previous arc, in which they went to the Legion’s time in what would become the latest Legion reboot leading into Grant Morrison’s current run.  The issue itself opens 10 years from our future with the Joker’s daughter fighting Batman – and calling him Tim, ending with Batman cold-heartedly shooting Duela Dent point blank, with the blood ominously splattering on a portrait of Bruce Wayne.  Conner (ergo – Superman) contacts Tim (Batman) that someone has infiltrated Titans Tower, and that they should go investigate.  These starting pages have such a dark tone, contrasting the Titans’ usual stories, that something is obviously wrong.  The next scene has our Titans emerging from the time stream from their previous adventure, realizing that they are not “home,” even if they are standing in front of their Titans Tower.  Some differences include the statue of founding members now has them engraved instead, Raven can feel no emotion or hope from the city across the bay, and there is a new “Hall of Mentors” in the tower. Weirder still are the statues inside this hall, showcasing Ares, the god of War and a statue of Superman and Luthor standing back to back. (Note – at this time in the series, the Titans still do not know about Conner’s true DNA donor).  Their exploration is interrupted by an attack from Superman, Batman, and some alternate versions of Flash, Raven, Wonder Woman, Aquawoman (for a lack of better description) and BeastMan (again, no name given at this point yet).  Superman effortlessly expels them from the Tower using a telekinesis blast, and in the battle that follows, the Titans find themselves quickly bested by the attackers, who call themselves the Titans too.  Flash and Aquawoman (again, excuse the cheesy name I gave her), soon realize they are fighting younger versions of themselves, and the fight calms down.  Back in the tower, both teams agree the decision should be done next morning, and split to their quarters.  Superboy and Robin then discuss the day, when Superboy says in his typical exaggerated teenager lingo: “you have to admit that batman, well, you… you are totally hardcore,” to which Robin simply replies: “I’ll never be Batman.”  Conner then goes exploring, and overhears the adult Titans planning to do something bad to them, mentioning a rogue Vic and threatening to burn off an imprisoned Deathstroke’s right hand, with the left one already clearly gone. 
 

      The second part of this story begins with Flash talking and eventually kissing Ravager, Deathstroke’s daughter, mentioning Vic and Terra in a tone that sounds very guilty.  The scene shifts to Deathstroke’s interrogation room, where Superman mentions border patrol (in Kansas??) and Deathstroke blowing up a hidden device beneath his eye patch, courtesy of Cyborg.  During the commotion, the young Titans try to escape the tower after hearing Connors experience from the last issue.  Our Titans in this scene are very true to their character, perhaps even overdone, in order to provide a strong contrast to their adult versions.  Deathstroke soon shows up with a funny rant: “these Titans… you all grow up to be real pains, you know that? As bad as Green Arrow ever got… hope you are rotting in hell, Harper.”  (Roy Harper???  Seems like the new JLA’er has had its conception somewhere else.)  It soon becomes a three-way battle between Deathstroke, and both groups of Titans, until Conner yells at his adult self that “Superman doesn’t kill,” to which adult Cassie responds “You don’t know what war is yet, do you boy?”  Deathstroke uses the distraction to jump out the window, and is picked up by a blue flash of light, which he calls “Junior.”  The titans soon manage to escape using Raven’s souls-self, but Robin is left behind after Superman knocks him out.  When he finally wakes up, he is in the batcave, where instead of a Jason Todd uniform, now there are 5 display cases with a Robin costume, a bikini-clad female Robin, a tux (probably Alfred’s), and 2 different bat-suits.  Tim and Tim argue naivety, the betrayal of a Flash and end up in the cemetery, where tombstones mark the graves of Bette Kane, Cassandra, Alfred, Tommy Elliot (Hush), Scarecrow,  the Riddler and the Penguin, among others.  Batman reveals that it took him years to do, which distraughts Tim, until he sees Bruce’s grave.  “During the Crisis, things got so dark. The world got so dark.  We had to also, we just followed the trend.  It was our responsibility to rebuild this world.  To give it a future.”  Tim then fights Batman who defeats him as “I’m you. You with more experience. More wisdom. More sense,” and soon pulls a gun on Tim, who understands that he doesn’t turn into Bruce, but into something else entirely…  Meanwhile, the escaped Titans go to the Flash museum looking for the cosmic treadmill that isn’t there, and soon meet Titans East, composed of Cyborg, Captain Marvel Jr, Ravager, Bumblebee, Batwoman (???) and Terra (shouldn’t she be dead??? And even if she isn’t, she’s a bad guy, she should be with the other Titans…) 
 

      Part 3 opens with a scene in New York, where the populace is happy, enjoying life, and are glad they do not live in the barbaric “West,” with radio reporting of conflict among the border (Now it all makes sense, doesn’t it…)  This third group of Titans (wow, two too many if you ask me) reveals that they have been waiting for our Titan’s arrival for the past 3 years, ever since the country split in half due to the other Titans making a military state, albeit free of crime, poverty and disease.  Vic (2.0) explains that in their timeline, the Titans were thrown ten years into the future, faced themselves, and split up on their return.  “The titans weren’t there to help save the heroes during the Crisis,” (and we all know how much that mattered in Infinite Crisis.)  So in order to save the future, the Titans must stay together when they return.  Bart (Flash) shows up, interrupting the history lesson, in a scene that would be repeated in IC: “they’re coming…”  Battle ensues with a clash of Titans (sorry, really wanted to say that…), and the scene changes to Tim seated in a chair, with Batman ready to wipe his memories of the future (side note – Identity Crisis was published right at this time).  He is stopped by Superboy and Captain Marvel who crash the batcave.  While the other Titans look for the cosmic treadmill hidden in the cave, Robin frees himself and in his rage, actually defeats his older self.  Conner can’t help rectify his statement from the first issue, and says: “Dude. Batman sucks. You rock.”  Typical Superboy.  The flashes finally find the treadmill, and together, fire it up to 10 years earlier.  In the nick of time, the Titans escape, returning home.  Two epilogues follow: the first has the Titans enjoying the next weekend, exclaiming they’ll stick together, no matter what.  The second epilogue has Superman in Smallville, back in the future, talking to Pa, and wondering why their timeline hasn’t been erased yet.  Pa – Luthor (!!!) consoles him, tells him not to fear the future, but to embrace it instead.  “I won’t let you down, Pa,” to which Luthor replies: “You never did, son.  You never did,” thus setting the scene for the Insiders story to follow soon after.