New Titans #35 Review

 

New Titans #35 Review

Writer: Tate Brombal

Pencilers & Inkers: Sami Basri, Jordi Tarragona & Vicente Cifuentes

Colorist: Adriano Lucas

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artists: Taurin Clarke; Ethan Young; Stephen Segovia & Arif Prianto

Editors: Marquis Draper & Brittany Holzherr

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: May 20, 2026

 

Dick Grayson had heard of "Don't drink the water." But "Don't drink the coffee" was new to him. At home in Titan's Tower, Dick didn't understand why the coffee machine should be speaking to him. Weirder yet, why wouldn't it want him to drink “the most wonderful of all the Earth bean waters"? Still, Dick sensed that he needed a change. So, he broke the coffee maker. Unlike his team, when Batgirl arrived with others, Dick differentiated them from the foes they battled every day. Unfortunately, Dick’s decision cost him Donna Troy, Arsenal, Raven, and Beast Boy.

 

While Dick Grayson failed to recognize his team's captivity, Victor has taken command. Moreover, Victor has invited Batgirl, Superman, Yara Flor, and Red Devil to join the Titans. After aligning with the simulated attackers, Terra contemplates rejoining the team. Everything is different now. Strangest of all, Alpha Energy has split Victor into two people: one fully human, and the other fully robotic. Can Dick and Victor help their new team defeat Robo-Cyborg? And will Terra embrace Raven’s challenge to dedicate herself to becoming a hero? Let’s leap into New Titans #35 and see!

 

Story

After battling Robo-Cyborg and its hard light simulations, Nightwing and Starfire collapse, leaving Victor Stone or Humo-Borg in command. Victor and his teammates may have voted to give Terra another chance at being a hero. Yet as a mysterious interloper joins them, Terra remains the sole conscious representative of the former team under Victor’s command.

 

Victor Stone doesn't know where Eva came from in New Titans #35. Nor does the android remember her past. Yet she rescued Victor from Robo-Cyborg, who saw his Human side as a threat to his friends. Recognizing that Terra’s struggle to commit to the Titans springs from her difficulty in trusting others, Victor takes time to explain why he selected each member of his new team.

 

Shedding his cyborg half may seem like a dream come true for Victor. Yet Tate Brombal’s story recognizes that growth comes through accepting who we’ve become. Victor has trodden a long path to become the hero Cyborg. As he looks back on his life, Victor recognizes that the events that defined him were not tragedies. Instead, his decisions and actions have shaped Victor Stone into a unique hero who bridges the Human and technological worlds.

 

Art

Eva finds Victor bound in a circle. The maze of pipes in the background of Robo-Cyborg’s domain evokes a circuit board in New Titans #35. Eva’s youth and her pink-striped cheeks recall that the Cheshire Cat recently helped Superman rescue Donna Troy and Arsenal from Grail and the Parademons. Terra glares as she leans into Eva’s personal space, then jabs a finger into Victor's chest. Recognizing the handover occurring, Batgirl meekly waves. Superman and Yara also seem hesitant to intrude. And despite his tough talk, Red Devil hefts unconscious Nightwing and Starfire over his shoulders without having been asked.

 

As Sami Basri, Jordi Tarragona, and Vicente Cifuentes fill New Titans with drama and action, white and/or black space separates rectangular panels. Light blue dominates Robo-Cyborg's outer reaches. Yet, the color of the energy coursing through Robo-Cyborg suggests why it protects its friends from chaos. As Adriano Lucas lavishes a loaded palette on New Titans #35, the greatest battle occurs in a white and blue world, where an action figure of Nightwing stands triumphant over Cyborg.

 

Tom Napolitano places uppercase black letters in white balloons, while Red Devil speaks into yellow balloons. White uppercase letters in blue boxes convey Victor Stone’s thoughts. The letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices as the teammates struggle to rally around their new leader. With the fate of the world at stake, sound effects enhance the heroes' fight to embrace chaos. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

After fighting in the Omega Tournament, Alpha Energy transforms Cyborg in unexpected ways. As he overcomes yet another metamorphosis, Cyborg rises to assume the leadership of his reorganized team. He believes in each member’s potential to become a great hero, even if the team may need time to gel. Yet just like Terra, Cyborg suffers from trust issues in New Titans #35.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside, see my preview of New Titans #35.

 

For what happened last time, see my preview of New Titans #34.

 

For how this story arc began, see my review of New Titans #33.