somewhere?”
“Listen to me,” Jimmy insisted. “I’m not here for the Planet. I want to join the Teen Titans.”
He had given the matter plenty of thought. As promising as his solo career as a super hero looked to be, he could only imagine the awesomeness he’d bring to a group dynamic. The only question had been figuring out what team would be right for him. The Outsiders were too angsty, the Doom Patrol was too weird, and as for the Justice League... Well, Jimmy was humble enough to realize that he probably needed to start out in the minors before working his way up to the majors. The Teen Titans, which had started out as a team composed entirely of the Justice League’s youthful sidekicks, had struck him as the perfect place for Mr. Action.
Robin, on the other hand, seemed to have his doubts. “Jimmy, no offense, but—”
“I know,” Jimmy interrupted him. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t believe me either. But give me a chance and I’ll show you what I can do.” He put up his dukes. “I’m not just ‘Jimmy Olsen, cub reporter’ anymore. I’m Mr. Action.” “Mr. Action?” Robin echoed. “Wow. I guess all the good names really are taken.”
At least I’m not named after a bird, Jimmy thought. “Attack me,” he challenged Robin. “Don’t be afraid. I want you to attack me so I can show you my powers.”
Besides, that’s the only way they work.
But instead of testing him, Robin just sighed. “Okay, let’s talk about what’s going on here, Jimmy.”
“I need you to take me seriously,” Jimmy complained. What was Robin’s problem anyway? I bet he never treats Beast Boy like this!
“I know you’re tight with Superman,” Robin said patiently. “Sometimes, when we have a close relationship with, say, a father figure who also happens to be famous...” Jimmy saw where he was going with this. “This isn’t about Superman!” Or Batman, for that matter. “I have powers. I don’t know why or how, but I have them and I want to use them to help people!”
His sincerity seemed to convince Robin. “All right,” the costumed youth conceded reluctantly. “I’ll... attack you.”
“Great!” Jimmy enthused. He adopted a martial arts pose he’d seen in a movie once. “Let’s do thi—”
Robin’s heel shot past his defenses, nailing him in the chin. The powerful kick knocked Jimmy backward onto his butt. The hard tile floor made Jimmy wish that they had sparred on a mat instead. I didn’t even see that coming!
“I’m sorry!” Robin said, sounding even more mortified than Jimmy. “I thought you’d duck!”
Jimmy massaged his aching chin. “I don’t understand. I should’ve stretched or something....”
“I didn’t hit you that hard,” Robin said, not quite getting it. He reached down and helped Jimmy to his feet. “Are you okay? Do you need to visit the infirmary?”
Jimmy tried to make sense of what had just occurred. “Wait... this happened before in Metropolis. These guys in Suicide Slum attacked me, but it wasn’t until my life was in danger...” A sudden realization dawned in his eyes. “Wait a minute,” he accused Robin. “You held back.” “Of course I did,” Robin admitted. “You think I want Superman pissed off at me when I send his pal back to Metropolis in a neck brace?”
Jimmy realized that he was fighting a losing battle. “There’s no chance I can get you to attack me for real, is there?” "
Robin shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jimmy. If it makes you feel any better, we’re not really looking for any more Titans right now. We’re cramped enough as it is.”
Jimmy wondered if that was true, or if Robin was just being polite.
“Let’s not have an American Idol moment,” the Boy Wonder said sympathetically. “You’re a photographer, and a damn good one. Don’t discount the impact you make on people’s lives.” He shook Jimmy’s hand. “Stick with what you’re good at.”
Jimmy appreciated Robin’s attempts to
“Listen to me,” Jimmy insisted. “I’m not here for the Planet. I want to join the Teen Titans.”
He had given the matter plenty of thought. As promising as his solo career as a super hero looked to be, he could only imagine the awesomeness he’d bring to a group dynamic. The only question had been figuring out what team would be right for him. The Outsiders were too angsty, the Doom Patrol was too weird, and as for the Justice League... Well, Jimmy was humble enough to realize that he probably needed to start out in the minors before working his way up to the majors. The Teen Titans, which had started out as a team composed entirely of the Justice League’s youthful sidekicks, had struck him as the perfect place for Mr. Action.
Robin, on the other hand, seemed to have his doubts. “Jimmy, no offense, but—”
“I know,” Jimmy interrupted him. “I don’t blame you. I wouldn’t believe me either. But give me a chance and I’ll show you what I can do.” He put up his dukes. “I’m not just ‘Jimmy Olsen, cub reporter’ anymore. I’m Mr. Action.” “Mr. Action?” Robin echoed. “Wow. I guess all the good names really are taken.”
At least I’m not named after a bird, Jimmy thought. “Attack me,” he challenged Robin. “Don’t be afraid. I want you to attack me so I can show you my powers.”
Besides, that’s the only way they work.
But instead of testing him, Robin just sighed. “Okay, let’s talk about what’s going on here, Jimmy.”
“I need you to take me seriously,” Jimmy complained. What was Robin’s problem anyway? I bet he never treats Beast Boy like this!
“I know you’re tight with Superman,” Robin said patiently. “Sometimes, when we have a close relationship with, say, a father figure who also happens to be famous...” Jimmy saw where he was going with this. “This isn’t about Superman!” Or Batman, for that matter. “I have powers. I don’t know why or how, but I have them and I want to use them to help people!”
His sincerity seemed to convince Robin. “All right,” the costumed youth conceded reluctantly. “I’ll... attack you.”
“Great!” Jimmy enthused. He adopted a martial arts pose he’d seen in a movie once. “Let’s do thi—”
Robin’s heel shot past his defenses, nailing him in the chin. The powerful kick knocked Jimmy backward onto his butt. The hard tile floor made Jimmy wish that they had sparred on a mat instead. I didn’t even see that coming!
“I’m sorry!” Robin said, sounding even more mortified than Jimmy. “I thought you’d duck!”
Jimmy massaged his aching chin. “I don’t understand. I should’ve stretched or something....”
“I didn’t hit you that hard,” Robin said, not quite getting it. He reached down and helped Jimmy to his feet. “Are you okay? Do you need to visit the infirmary?”
Jimmy tried to make sense of what had just occurred. “Wait... this happened before in Metropolis. These guys in Suicide Slum attacked me, but it wasn’t until my life was in danger...” A sudden realization dawned in his eyes. “Wait a minute,” he accused Robin. “You held back.” “Of course I did,” Robin admitted. “You think I want Superman pissed off at me when I send his pal back to Metropolis in a neck brace?”
Jimmy realized that he was fighting a losing battle. “There’s no chance I can get you to attack me for real, is there?” "
Robin shook his head. “I’m sorry, Jimmy. If it makes you feel any better, we’re not really looking for any more Titans right now. We’re cramped enough as it is.”
Jimmy wondered if that was true, or if Robin was just being polite.
“Let’s not have an American Idol moment,” the Boy Wonder said sympathetically. “You’re a photographer, and a damn good one. Don’t discount the impact you make on people’s lives.” He shook Jimmy’s hand. “Stick with what you’re good at.”
Jimmy appreciated Robin’s attempts to
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