Pilot Wings: Titans (2018)

After *that* divisive Trailer and weird roll-out on a new Streaming Platform (something we're going to see a lot in the next few Years), my expectations were low.

As a DC and Marvel fanboy equally, you must have been wondering how I felt. Well, October is over, so let's find out...

A mysterious girl- Raven- sees 'dreams of things like the death of the Flying Graysons.  She doesn't know why.

To be fair, this is a creative way to show the 'here's the flashback you need' bit here.  It's mostly just a pretense, but I appreciate it.

In Detroit (why?!?!?), Dick Grayson is a Cop who just wants to help people...

...but he can't help but put on the suit one more time to beat up some bad guys.

While I still don't like it, the infamous 'F--k Batman' bit does at least feel better in context.  Better- not good.

Over in Austria (Hi, wherever you are these days, Maynard!), a woman- Starfire- seems to lose her memory after a car crash.  Battles with Austrian Mobsters ensues.

While interesting, these really feel like the folks over at DC were inspired by Atomic Blonde way too much.

After some trauma (no SPOILERS), Raven goes to see Dick and says that she needs help.

Given her strange powers and people constantly trying to capture her, she may be right.

Oh and Beast Boy exists somewhere.  You tease.

To find out how (if at all), this ties together, watch the Show.

A decent, if muddled first Episode.  It's important to look at this two ways.  First- how does this work if you don't know the Comics?  In that regard, it is fairly inoffensive, but definitely vague.  They don't give you too many clues about the Characters just yet, which is odd.  You have to 'tease' the right amount in a Pilot, but not too much.  There's some definite intrigue as to what is going on, which a Pilot should definitely generate.  I just think that it leaves you perhaps a bit too 'in the dark' in this case.  Secondly, how does this work if you know the Characters?  Well, there's some obvious shock from stuff like 'F--k Batman' and Raven being emotionally-unstable.  There's also the debatable issue of how they cast Starfire and, more importantly, how they are using her so far.  In this Episode, she's in her own private Spy Show Pilot that only connects at the end.  The look for Raven and Robin is one I like here and the CG for Beast Boy is good so far.  I also enjoyed the effect for Starfire's powers, even if they do seem to change them a bit.  If you're a neophyte, this is a good, but confusing Pilot.  If you're a fan, you will have to get past any 'culture shock' to enjoy this.  Throw in the fact that it is by the Writer of Batman & Robin, of course...

Next time, I take on the actual Series going forward.  Will it wow me or disappoint me?  See you then...