REVIEW: Titans United: Bloodpact #3

Titans United: Bloodpact #3 “Unholy Terror” is out and effortlessly picks up from the cliffhanger of issue #2. Still trying to revive the memories of their Titan teammates, a newly awakened Batman and Robin face off against Starfire.

Eddy Barrows and Marcelo Maiolo’s standard cover delivers on the promise of the showdown between Starfire and the Dynamic Duo. The bust of Starfire takes up the entirety of the cover with Batman and Robin cleverly reflecting in her armband. This cover really pops and captures the power of Starfire’s star bolts in a fascinating way.

Derrick Chew’s variant this month is an uncanny realistic rendition of Nightwing. The rain cleverly frames the photo quality drawing of Nightwing atop a gargoyle adorned roof. I know I continually say it, but Chew’s cover art is amongst the best in the business right now and I look forward to seeing which Titan he showcases each month.

Fico Ossio does a great variant of the Titans racing towards some action. The group shot shows all the members of the Titans United lineup as they move along the skyline. The sense of motion and urgency conveys well on the cover as well as the smirk Nightwing gives letting us know how much fun it must be to be him.

Artist Lucas Meyer and Colorist Tony Avina really show off their talents this issue. There’s action, a bit of romance, a show of power, and even another death scene within the book’s pages. Their sequential layouts really set a nice pacing to the story as it unfolds allowing us to soak in everything that’s happening. Their designs and color choices also set the appropriate tone to the story as characters are “off” just enough to feel unique to the setting yet completely recognizable. 

Cavan Scott, lettered by Carlos M. Mangual, continues to set the stakes fairly high as another member of Batman’s resistance is killed in the first few pages of this issue. Starfire proves to be the same formidable warrior in this reality. Not until Dick Grayson calls out her true name does she hesitate long enough to question reality, luckily his gambit played out and Kory reverts to her normal self. The intrigue then shifts gears a bit as we see Raven for the first time. At first it appears she’s the one running this new reality but it quickly becomes apparent she’s Brother Blood’s unwitting pawn. This all leads to the reveal of Conner’s role in the story and the possibility of him being focused on next issue. 

We’re half way through the miniseries with Titans United: Bloodpact #3 and the pacing and intrigue feels spot on as we head into the last half of the story. Amongst some of the current story arcs taking place throughout DC Comics, this series continues to be highly entertaining without the weight of continuity correctness.