Emotional Trauma in Teen Titans: Year One

When you were a kid, were you ever struck by the idea that in this chaotic, unknowable universe, it was within the realm of possibility that you might wake up one day to find your parents no longer liked you, as in this horrifying Ducktales episode? In Teen Titans: Year One, the Justice League is being turned evil by an unknown foe, but the teens only figure that out after some supremely pathetic moments of emotional trauma. Just look at poor Wally in the above panel, as drawn by the supremely talented Karl Kerschl. The weight of his wet hair and mask make this panel exceptionally dreary. I will leave the significance of the Easter Island heads up to your discretion.

Robin and Aqualad look into the abyss, after the jump...

I just noticed that their speech bubbles are all wobbly since they're underwater. Awesome. But what I wanted to point out is that as Aqualad is left to ponder his own mortality, his emo-cloud of sadness is actually ink created by Aquaman's octopus pal. Insult to injury.

These panels are preceded by a splash page of Batman knocking Robin down with a backhand to the face, which is already enough to make me want to call 911. But what really puts it over top is this last panel with an anime-style Your-Parents-Are-Dead spotlight.

Here's a slapstick chaser after that depressorama...


I love how Robin uses a Batman-style cape maneuver to avoid the spray which is not even close to hitting him. Kerschl is truly a master of comic book character moments.