Trigon is invading New York, and only the Teen Titans, with the help of newly reformed Raven and Beast Boy, can save the world from the Demon’s plans for conquest. So far, the current Teen Titans run has been a rollercoaster when it comes to quality; every once in awhile readers get the characterizing “Wonder Girl Origins,” yet most of the time are left with the mess that was “The Culling.” However, the current arc has been interesting so far. Can writer Scott Lobdell and artist Eddy Barrows keep the quality up?
Positives
Lobdell does his best to get a small amount of characterization in a very action-focused issue, which shows that he is trying to bring the quality to a better level. While the characterization might be minimal, it is nice to see Bunker’s fearlessness or Kid Flash expressing his feelings for Solstice.
Barrows’ art is well done, and feels very much like classic comic book art. The art doesn’t reach greatness, with many panels feeling rushed or the faces of certain characters seeming foreign.
This issue is very action-packed. For those who like pages full of destruction and mayhem, Teen Titans #21 won’t disappoint. From front to back, fire and action fill the pages, along with a welcome team up with Beast Boy and Raven.
Negatives
The issue revolves around an entirely inconsequential fight with three sons of Trigon, who are both minor characters and are easily defeated. When it comes to story and development of the Trigon arc, I would say that issue #21 can be skipped. There isn’t any meaningful development or exposition, nothing happens to the team, and nobody learns anything–it is just an issue filled with punches and explosions.
The comic ends on a tease of mind control being involved in pitting the Titans against one another, which has happened way too much in comics to ever be interesting again. Trigon has been overdone in the past, and even when Raven is not a team member, there is still a Trigon arc that shows up. Nothing here is going off the beaten path – it all feels recycled.
VERDICTÂ 
  (2/5)
Lobdell and Barrows bring the action this issue. But with boring villains, little to no story or character development, and no discernible desire for change in the way the Teen Titans will handle a Trigon arc, it’s hard to recommend issue #21.
