DC Universe the new online streaming platform for DC comics media took over the Hammerstein Ballroom last night with the premiere of one of it’s original content flag ship shows, Titans. Not only where fans treated to not just one but the first two episodes of the series. The cast and executive team took the stage afterwards for a Q&A and revealed, to the surprise of the cast, that season two was green-lit to go into development.
The other main surprises of the evening was were an introduction of the Doom Patrol by Brendan Fraser who will be voicing Robotman, as well as a video from Matt Bomer who will be taking on the role of Negative man. Kelly Couco also spoke about her upcoming role voicing Harley Quinn in the animated series. As a clip for the show a dig was thrown at the stalled Deadpool animated series.
Mild Spoilers abound. Tread carefully dear reader.
As for the episodes, well they still feel very Synder-esque in that the feel and look of the episodes were very dark. The now infamous line from the first trailer, “fuck Batman”, sits in the first episode and try’s to set the tone of the series as a Brenton Thwaites’ Dick/Robin breaks away from his mentor and Gotham city out in Detroit as he works as detective. He’s trying to do things differently from Bruce/Batman but throughout the two episodes there doesn’t seem to be much of a difference between Robin’s tactics from Synder’s Batman V Superman version of the character, if you want a comparison. If this show’s Robin is this violent what must Batman be like.
In fact all but one of the “Titans” is seen in these episodes brutalizing folks. Necks are snapped, faces ran across broken car windows and walls, bodies liquefied or turned to ash. They all have their own level of violence with Robin being the worst. He has anger, maybe at Batman cause well “fuck Batman”, but that doesn’t mean go out and fuck up folks with your monogram. Letting go of your inhibitions seem to play heavy in the show. Robin is unbound, Raven’s alternate side slips out and causes her and those around her trouble, Starfire enjoy’s her strength and power. The villains are also up to the task of taking their “sack” of flesh.
With all that was presented, violently in the dark – almost every scene is grey, or has super saturated blacks or tonally devoid of joy there were highlights. Anna Diop’s Koriand’r/Starfire has a dreamy and innocent smile even if she really just committed murder. Rachel/Raven played by Teagan Croft lightened the mood of a few scenes as she watches Game of Thrones and calls Dawn/Dove played by Minka Kelly and called her “Kelisi”. Hank/Hawk played by Alan Ritchson constant cursing even while in trouble is kind of endearing. He’s just a lovable angry jerk.
I love the scope of the show. Besides mentions of Gotham everywhere else is a real world location that grounds the show. The world is bigger than Batman cause, “fuck Batman”, these heroes are only a part of the world doing what they can where they can however they can. Maybe those methods don’t line up with the comic book moral codes for heroes and maybe there is more than hero worship because in such a vast world there is only so much a Robin can do before he says, “fuck Batman”. This show is a sobering reality of what vigilantes could and would do much in the same way Marvel’s Netflix Daredevil series is, although as a character Daredevil lends himself more closely to the brutal bloody mash em up style of production.
This show will be interesting to see play out as they said season two will pull characters and stories from Marv Wolfman’s run on the New Teen Titans. I’m hoping for Donna Troy or DeathStroke even if I think the “Terminator” moniker will be heavily put in use on the show.
Episode 1 of the series launches on DC Universe next Friday and each Friday afterward.
Kaos Blac
Kaosblac@comicattack.com
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