Each Friday, we'll be letting a different DC.com writer share what they'll be reading over the weekend and why you might want to check it out. Here's this week's suggestion for a perfect Weekend Escape!
The Teen Titans have long provided us with the next generation of heroes in the DC Universe. We’ve seen Dick Grayson go on to become Batman, Wally West take over duties as the Flash and Roy Harper become Red Arrow, but not every former Teen Titan needed a name change before jumping over to the big leagues. Take Cyborg for instance. When he joined the Justice League during the New 52, he kept his name. It’s a testament to the instantly iconic elements of Victor Stone’s character, forged by his creators, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. For this week’s Weekend Escape, let’s celebrate Black History Month by taking a closer look at a Cyborg story you won’t want to miss—Cyborg: Homecoming.
The Premise:
In case you need a refresher, Vic Stone’s teenage years haven’t exactly been smooth sailing. He was once a star football player to the chagrin of his scientist father, Silas Stone. And when Vic’s body was horrifically maimed in an accident, Silas saved his son’s life by fitting him with cybernetic limbs. However, it’s a change Vic himself never agreed to, and after the unexpected death of his mother, Elinore, the relationship between Silas and Vic got even icier.
Cyborg: Homecoming begins with Vic at another crossroads. Now back in his home city of Detroit, Vic is trying to make sense of his life after his father suddenly dies of a heart attack. At the same time, a tech mogul who Vic grew up with named Markus Wilcox is on the rise in Detroit. When a robot built by Wilcox approaches Vic and reveals that he’s been programmed with his father’s memories and thought patterns, Vic must contend with the man his father once was, and troubling technology Wilcox has brought to Detroit.
Let’s Talk Talent:
Homecoming is written by Morgan Hampton, one of the brightest young creators working today. If you’re a Green Lantern fan, you likely know Hampton as the cowriter of the just-launched Green Lantern Corps series with Jeremy Adams. Hampton was a graduate of the Milestone Initiative, a program designed to incubate the next wave of Black and diverse creators in the comic book industry. If there is anyone working today who is passionate about Cyborg, it is Hampton, and the character couldn’t have been in better hands for this story.
Joining Hampton on this book is Tom Raney, whose art you may have seen in the pages of Outsiders, Stormwatch and Green Lantern. If you’re a big WildStorm fan, you have Raney to thank for co-creating some of your favorite characters like Jack Hawksmoor and Jenny Sparks. Raney’s art bounces deftly between illustrating the digital and intangible perspective of Silas’s robot, bringing to mind scenes from cyberpunk films like Johnny Mnemonic.
A Few Reasons to Read:
- If you, like me, were first introduced to Cyborg in the 2003 Teen Titans show, then you’ve got to read this book. If you’ve ever wondered where he got his “booyah!” catchphrase from, this book has all the answers. It just may break your heart a little bit in the process. But that’s what we’re here for as comic book readers!
- Cyborg in this book comes across as incredibly lifelike, like he’s a guy you know personally. As much as I have enjoyed seeing Vic on the Justice League over the years, I have always wanted to see him get the chance to be a young man in his own story. That is, a young man who doesn’t have it all figured out and who’s asking himself questions about what his life’s purpose is. Hampton captures him perfectly at this specific stage of life. If you loved Tom Taylor and Bruno Redondo’s take on Dick Grayson during their Nightwing run, then you’ll be glad to see Vic get a similar treatment in Cyborg: Homecoming. It’s about time he got the chance to be a work-in-progress like the rest of us.
- While Vic has a lot of personal stuff he’s trying to work out in this book, there are some great moments of humor and levity. For instance, the comment section of a news livestream is full of comedic gold. Be sure to pay close attention to it as you’re reading.
- Homecoming also asks big questions. What’s the nature of the soul? Can we truly live forever if our consciousnesses can be broken down into code and programmed into a synthetic body? What happens to our loved ones when we transcend our humanity that way? These are all questions that I love seeing science fiction stories explore, and if you are also a bird of this feather, then this is the book for you.
Why It’s Worth Your Time:
Cyborg was my favorite Teen Titan as a kid, and it’s stories like Cyborg: Homecoming that remind me that he’s still my favorite Titan as an adult. Homecoming spotlights the importance that Vic has as a character, as someone who experienced a devastating accident that forever changed his view of his own body, health and potential. Cyborg meant a lot to me because I was a kid with disabilities and seeing him continually work through what it means to live a life in his own body has a therapeutic effect for me. He also just looks freaking cool! I mean, who else can summon a Boom Tube with their own arm? Cyborg: Homecoming captures how Vic Stone embodies the very best of human potential, and it remains one of the character’s best stories today.
Cyborg: Homecoming by Morgan Hampton, Tom Raney, Travis Mercer, Valentine De Landro and Michael Atiyeh is available in bookstores, comic shops, libraries and digital retailers. It can also be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.
Jules Chin Greene writes about comics, TV, games and film for DC.com, and his work can also be found at Nerdist, Popverse and Multiverse of Color. You can follow him on Bluesky at @JulesChinGreene and on Instagram at @infinitevibes.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Jules Chin Greene and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.
