By Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Romeo Tanghal
Jan 1982
The Teen Titans plus Robotman have been captured, with the exception of Changeling. The captured heroes are in a vat of chemicals that causes them to devolve into primitive versions of themselves, except for Robotman who is protected from the chemicals by his metal body.
Changeling has allied himself, temporarily, with Monsieur Mallah, the Brain, and the rest of the New Brotherhood of Evil: Plasmus, Phobia, Houngan, and Warp. Before Changeling teamed up with the villains he tried attacking them. He got a taste of their powers and quickly changed his mind. The Brain explains how Madame Rouge tried to kill him and Monsieur Mallah and how they survived. By the time Changeling and the villains attack the forces of Madame Rouge the other Titans have devolved and begun to attack Robotman.
Changeling and his new allies are more than a match for Rouge's troops but what the troops lack in skill they make up for in numbers. Robotman saves himself and the devolved Titans (who no longer recognize him) using Cyborg's White Sound Blaster. The Titans quickly change back to their normal forms and join the battle. Robotman chases down General Zahl. The General tries shooting him. The bullets ricochet off his metal body, one of them right into the General, killing him.
Changeling chases Madame Rouge. He goes a bit around the bend once again. He transforms into a giant sea serpent looking creature which might be a creature of his imagination. Madame Rouge seeks to blow them all up. She sets the auto destruct but in a rage, still in sea serpent form Gar hits her. The blow is deadly. Before she dies she encourages Gar to get out and once again professes her love for the Chief, Niles Caulder, the deceased leader of the original Doom Patrol.
The New Teen Titans and the New Brotherhood of Evil escape the doomed floating headquarters thanks to Warp's teleportation ability.
So much to chew on here. There is still no explanation of Gar's moments of insanity. He has gone into a rage a few times now. I hope this eventually gets resolved.
I still have a problem with the way Gar teamed up with villains. It made sense on one level but there was something about it that rubs me the wrong way. It may be connected somehow to his moments of insanity.
I appreciated the shades or levels of villainy in this chapter. Zahl (a Nazi) is by far the worst of the lot. Even Madame Rouge, his ally, can barely contain her disgust and seriously contemplates killing him. She was a little girl during WWII. Her parents were killed by German troops.
Mallah and Raven share a moment. She heals him after Zahl shoots him in the chest. Mallah thanks her and then goes right back to his murderous ways. He protects Raven but she is disgusted by his disregard for human life. Also in this moment is further evidence that Raven is headed for a meltdown.
This isn't Madame Rouge's final final appearance but this is more or less it for her. She's dead. I think most if not all of her subsequent appearances are in flashbacks.
Zandia, the island nation where most of the story takes place is described in this chapter as a refuge for criminals. Madame Rouge wants to take this country but her plan is never explained.
The deaths of both Rouge and Zahl are treated seriously. Neither Robotman nor Changeling gloat about the villains demises. They know that they can never get back their fallen comrades: Negative Man, Elasti-Girl, the Chief. Their villainous allies are much more satisfied with the deaths of Zahl and Rouge that the two former Doom Patrolers are.
I enjoyed this arc but I think the opening story arc of the series is still my favorite for now.
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