Comic Review: Teen Titans Go! to Camp (DC Comics)

For those who kids don’t get to Summer Camp this year, hey, why not at least lay back and enjoy “Teen Titans GO! To Camp!” It’s Graphic Novel aimed at kids ages 8-12, Grades 4-6.

The Teen Titans are leaving Jump City for six weeks of summer camp. However, incredibly, (and dramatically), they are actually going to attend Camp Apokolips. Surprise!! You know, Apokolips, the Jack Kirby wonderland of Fourth World yore, where Granny Goodness, Mister Miracle, and Darkseid hang out, roasting weenies and telling ghost stories. The Titans are up for anything, however, especially Robin. Robin, who behaves like a brat, a super-competitive tiresome young fellow, who doesn’t recognize social distancing, manners, nor how to get along with others. Yippee.

The Titans are joined by Titans East and the H.I.V.E. Five, making the most of summer camp-o-rama drama!

It’s a zany book, frankly, with writer Sholly Fitch bringing a romping rhythm to the proceedings. There is constant bickering, friction, semi-beats of dialogue punctuation. We scarcely catch our collective breaths when Robin and the others are diving fully into the cantankerous summer spirit of Camp Apokolips. There are some good moments, and time when we can relax, unclench our teeth, and enjoy the ‘low-key obsessed’ plot before it thickens ‘smore. But essentially, this is a non-stop parade of moments connected by runalong strings of hysterics.

The chief cook of Art and Bottlewashing at this summer camp graphic novel is Marcelo DiChiara. The figures are animated, with outline black lines delineating them, and they have a TV-cartoon appearance. Franco Riesco provides brightly illuminated colour throughout, nicely shaping the many environments, from ‘hell’ to fireside chat. But here’s the thing that’s kinda cool, actually; in each chapter, there is a Letter to Home, where our heroes have a few quiet moments to themselves to compose a letter to home. These consist of just a few pages, but provide a break in the frantic action, and allow us to view the work of different guest artists and colourists. Pretty cool to view pages by Agnes Garbowska, Erich Owen, Jamal Igle, Emma Kubert, and more.

It’s rollicking, it’s Apoko-lip-sync, it’s silly and insistent. But it’s summer, it’s a weird summer to be sure, and why not curl up and get to virtual camp with the Titans!

DC, Teen Titans GO! To Camp! GN, $9.99 for 154 pages of content, Ages 8 and up.