Review: Tiny Titans #39

Well, every so often I need to be reminded that comics are supposed to be a fun part of my life. I need to put the Superman citizenship and convention commission debate behind me. What better way to inject some happiness into my comic soul than by reviewing Tiny Titans #39, which came out 2 weeks ago.

I have praised Tiny Titans in the past and the work that Franco and Art Baltazar do here, freely mixing in DC continuity (even at its most convoluted) into this Johnny DC book and whipping up something fresh and satisfying to both kids and grown-ups alike. The Supergirls at home love this book and so do I. And when Supergirl is in the middle of the action, we love it even more.

I thought this issue was particularly timely for me given my rant against the pink S-shield on the cover of Supergirl #60. In this issue, everyone is forced to wear pink and the results are pure silliness.

On laundry day, Alfred gathers up the costumes of the Titans. Supergirl hands over the capes of the whole super-family: Superman, Supergirl, Comet, Krypto, Streaky, and Beppo. That's a lot of red fabric.

Somehow, the normally fastidious Alfred puts the capes in with the rest of the wash and the result is a pink washout.

The response of the bat-family is mixed. It's hard to be a creature of the night in day-glo pink. While Barbara and Tim and Jason think it's fun, Dick and Cassandra aren't so sure.

I have to say, the Cassandra Cain Tiny Titan is really growing on me as she tries to be all dark and scary but ends up being more cute.

And Supergirl seems to really like the pink costume change.

It looks like even the adults gave Alfred their costumes for laundering because Superman ends up dressed in pink. At first he is worried that he will look ridiculous but Supergirl tells him he looks good in pink.

I like that Superman says that if Brainiac can wear pink so can he. This is one of those DC Continuity moments as we get a shot of the Silver Age pink-wearing Brainiac sitting around with the 80s Robot Brainiac and Psimon (who still thinks he is always getting called Brainiac).

Superman ends up rescuing Lois in his new togs and ends up being mistaken for Supergirl because all the citizens of Metropolis saw was a pink blur.

This is another of those Easter Eggs for an older crowd reading the book, a nod to Smallville and how Superman is currently being called The Blur there. In fact, Superman is so upset about being called the Blur that he puts on 'man clothes', a flannel shirt and jeans, something that looks straight from Tom Welling's wardrobe from the show.

Meanwhile, Batgirl takes Robin to the one place where his new pink suit will be stealthy ... the 'pink aisle' of the toy store, a Barbie saturated background.

I love Dick's response ... he absolutely loses it, screaming his head off and running around insanely. It gets to the point that Cassandra has to hog tie him with her batarang. I thought that was just hysterical.

Finally, Lois needs to find out more about this pink blur by heading to the Fortress for an interview. At first Supergirl is reluctant to talk to Lois. But when she hears her picture might end up in the paper, she is much more forthcoming.

And, quoting the famous line from the Donner Superman movie, Supergirl ends up saying 'I like pink very much, Lois'. Again, just a nice little nugget for the older crew reading this book with their kids.

Oh, there is more in the book ... much more that brought a smile to my face. And that, sometimes, is really what I need from comics in my life.

Overall grade: A