Teen Titans - #AwYeah?

I just read Teen Titans #1 (2014).  What volume are we up to?  Who can keep track anymore?  Anyway, it's the second Teen Titans #1 comic already in the New 52 which began in 2011.  

First, the cover.  For a first issue, it's pretty average.  It doesn't say much.  It doesn't give me much insight into the interior, what the story's about, or make me think, "Oh, that looks great.  I wanna buy that."  

On the other hand, I really like Kenneth Rocafort's art and the vibrate colors that leap off the page.  I appreciate that DC tried to appeal to a younger crowd by incorporating social media into the cover, like Twitter ("Chirper" here with #hashtags and @mentions) and Facebook (with the facial tags in the image), but it still doesn't give me any insight into the comic's contents.    

It's also interesting to note that even though they're starting another Teen Titans series (after only a month hiatus), they chose not to create a new logo to distinguish the new series with a "new direction" with a new logo.  They didn't even bother to include "NEW" in the title like the New Suicide Squad series which underwent a similar cancellation/month hiatus/revamp to help boost sales, too.  I have to say that the New 52 logo is my least favorite (and the least creative) of all the TT logos from series' past, so I'm disappointed that they didn't even try something new and different.  My favorite logos, of course, being from the 1980 and 2003 series.  

In this latest first issue, the team, fortunately, is already established.  We don't have to go through another origin story.  I will say that I already like the characters in this new series much better than the previous attempt.  Are they the same characters?  Yes.  But apparently DC listened to its readers and decided to make the comic more "fun" than dark and dreary.  Cassie/Wonder Girl is much more pleasant and easier to deal with.  She's not the friendly Cassie of pre-Flashpoint, but she's better than the first New 52 grumpy version.  And so far, she hasn't said, "Don't call me Wonder Girl" (even though she IS Wonder Girl).  Let's keep it that way.  

Also, Gar is green.  Again.  Beast Boy started out in the New 52 as red.  Now, mysteriously, he's back to being his original green from Pre-Flashpoint, and so far, nobody's questioning it, and we're not given an explanation why.  Will this be addressed?  I'm not complaining, because I do like a green Gar better, so thanks also for that character change. 

That's SO NOT Raven.

Red Robin and Bunker are pretty much the same, so that leaves Raven.  Sigh...  Shrouded in darkness and mystery, she was one of my favorite characters before.  Now she's only shrouded in feathers.  Gone, too, are the squiggly lines around her word balloons that let us know that her voice was oddly inhuman.  I guess she doesn't sound that different from the rest of the teens now, so that's good if she wants to get a job as a phone sex operator.

The award for "Least Missed" in this new series goes to N.O.W.H.E.R.E. and Harvest, both of whom (thank Trigon) didn't make an appearance in the first issue. 
There is, however, a S.T.A.R. Labs, though, like in the 1980s series. 

The best thing about this new series is that the five teenage superheroes are all working together as a team.  Let's hope we can continue to see the team evolve with additional character development and interaction between our five heroes and any new ones that may be added in the future. 

Bitter Teens

Teen Titans #4 (2011)

In the latest incarnation of Teen Titans #4, the team hasn't fully formed yet and everyone is still getting acquainted...violently.   Superboy and Wonder Girl (Yikes! Can I call her that without getting beat up?) do battle in Times Square on New Year's Eve 2011.  What a difference from the romance and losing their virginity to each other in the previous volume of Teen Titans.  At least this Superboy looks bigger and more toned than the scrawny one in the Superboy solo series.  

Meanwhile, new characters Bunker and Skitter quarrel, too, as do Kid Flash and Red Robin...over clothing.  Sigh...

Unfortunately, the dialogue is reminiscent of Felicia Henderson.  Is "Scott Lobdell" her pseudonym?  Or vice versa?  Both writers seem insistent on giving the teens lame dialogue (even for teenagers) and making them angry...all. the. time.

Old Solstice

And what's with Solstice now being puffs of black clouds with intermittent lightning flashes throughout?   It was so nice adding some diversity to the team last year, and now the beautiful Indian girl is just a puff of smoke?

New Solstice

As for the rest of the characters and storylines -- eh, who cares?  Bring back the old series, please.   

Angry Teens

This ain't your dad's Teen Titans.  Heck, it isn't even mine.  

The latest reincarnation of DC Comics' Teen Titans was nowhere as good as Geoff John's 2003 version or Marv Wolfman/George Perez' 1980 version.  It wasn't totally awful, though, either.  

These new teens are full of anger.  I guess that's closer to how real teens are/stereotyped to be?   In this first issue, we meet Red Robin, off his stint as Robin.  He's got some issues with the whole former Batman team-up thing.  He's also monitoring the recent sudden appearance of teens with superpowers around the world.  

And then there's Cassie Sandsmark (Whatever you do, don't call her Wonder Girl!).  She's definitely got some anger issues, and a bit of mystery surrounding her existence as well.  Gone is the sweet Cassie from series' past.  She's also wearing a costume that's a combination of her former costume and Donna Troy's black starry one.  

As for the rest of the team, we did see some confusing segment about Kid Flash, but the rest (pictured on the cover) are still yet to come.   And, also, where is the new Aqualad? 

After reading the first month of #1 issues of the New 52, I've discovered a recurring theme throughout the new DCU:  the heroes aren't really "heroes," per se.  They're operating covertly, outside the law, as vigilantes and don't really have the support of the public.  All of 'em.  I'm not sure this is a wise decision on DC's part.  Having some vigilantes and covert operations is good.  But all of them?  It doesn't make any of the teams/individuals unique.  Now they're all Suicide Squad, Secret Six, or X-Men-ish.  And how are they all funded?   How do they survive without jobs?  I'd really like to see more of their personal lives, their "secret identities."  That's how we really get to know them as characters, not just by watching them battle one foe after another. 

Teen Titans was better than I expected (I had low expectations), so I hope it develops into another TT series that I really love.  But let's lose the anger...

Lastly, I'm not crazy about the logo.  However, I wasn't crazy about the former logo either.  Can we take this back to the marketing department?

The New New Teen Titans

Teen Titans #100

As you can tell from my previous posting, I'm thrilled by the new direction and writing and art chores on the Teen Titans comic.  After the disaster that was Felicia Henderson, I have nothing but high praise for J.T. Krul and Nicola Scott, especially the introduction of their newest diverse member, Solstice.  

On June 1, DC Comics announced:  "DC Comics will be making history this September. We’ll be renumbering the entire DC Universe line of comic books with 52 first issues. We’re publishing innovative storylines featuring our most iconic characters helmed by some of the most creative minds within the industry."

My first thought was, Damn!  And the Teen Titans are so close to reaching their 100th issue!  Luckily, though, it looks like they still will.  The Teen Titans comic is shipping twice monthly this summer, so it will reach issue #100.  That looks to be like the last issue, though, as DC Comics' series will begin with #1 in September, thereby eliminating the long-running Batman, Superman, Action Comics, Detective Comics, and recently renumbered Wonder Woman comics as well.  So much for reaching issue #1000 for those series one day!

Teen Titans #1 (2011)

DC recently posted on their DCU Source blog some samplings of the future comics/series that will begin anew.   One of those was for the Teen Titans.  In the new series, "Tim Drake is forced to step out from behind his keyboard when an international organization seeks to capture or kill super-powered teenagers. As Red Robin, he must team up with the mysterious and belligerent powerhouse thief known as Wonder Girl and a hyperactive speedster calling himself Kid Flash."  And then there's the image of the new Teen Titans team and their new costumes.  I really like Red Robin's new costume; it's very "Black Condor."  It's also much more visually appealing than his current costume and really sets himself apart from any Batman, Robin, Nightwing, or Red Hood costumes, giving Red Robin his own identity.  The rest of the team's costumes, though, I can do without.  They look like a throwback to the early 1990s when storylines and character development were "out," and stylized art, accentuated body parts (hello, big female boobies and tiny, tiny waists), and hologram covers were "in."  Who's that crawling on the ground with their hair sticking straight up?   Legion from The New Mutants?  And is that a new Solstice or Terra in the background?  She looks awfully dirty, whoever she is.  I guess the color scheme for the new group is black, red, and gold?   

I'll definitely give the new series a try, since the Teen Titans are my favorite group of all time.  Sadly, though, just when the Teen Titans were getting back on track with Krul and Scott, in comes writing chores by Scott Lobdell with art by Brett Booth and Norm Rapmund.  I hope they do the Teen Titans proud, but I hope this isn't the rebirth of the quality-lacking 1990s that drove me away from comics oh-so-many years ago.

Teen Talk

In the 1980s, I was a HUGE New Teen Titans fan.  In fact, it was my picking up an early issue of New Teen Titans in a 7-11 convenience store that totally got me hooked on the gang, as well as on comics in general.  Marv Wolfman's writing/storylines drew me into the world of DC Comics' teenaged superheroes.  George Perez's drawings made me really appreciate comics as an art form.  When Terra was introduced in 1982 as the latest New Teen Titan, I was fascinated by this new character.  She was sweet, innocent, and served as a great potential girlfriend for the otherwise silly and awkward Changeling/Beast Boy.  By the time "The Judas Contract" storyline came around in 1984 and Terra was exposed as a traitor, I was shocked...but thrilled.  Not only was her betrayal startling, but it was also risque that a 15-year-old girl was in a romance with Slade Wilson (Deathstroke the Terminator), probably at least 25 years her senior! [Gasp!]  It was then that I realized that comic books were not just for kids...and I had to have more of this amazing world.  Every Friday, I would get my new batch of comics for the week and read them all over the weekend.  Weeks that included the latest issue of The New Teen Titans were my favorite.

In 2007, I won an auction on eBay featuring the first 30 or so issues of the latest Teen Titans series (which began in 2003).  Wow.  The characters and storylines hearkened back to the day of Marv Wolfman and George Perez' original "new" team.   "Who was this Geoff Johns guy?  He's a great writer for the Teen Titans," I thought.  "He really knows the characters well and gets into their personal lives."  I was also pleasantly surprised by the new Superboy and Wonder Girl.  They really complemented the team and weren't just teenage offshoots of their adult namesakes.  Plus, Geoff added cool nostalgic touches like bringing onboard Wendy and Marvin from the old TV Super Friends days.   

I caught myself up to the series' current issue and still craved more.  I went out and started purchasing other comic book series to see what had happened to my favorite characters over the years.  I also started buying more comic book series sets on eBay.  Once again, twenty-five years after the first time, the Teen Titans led me into the world of comic books.   

While I'm still reading and collecting comics again, I have to admit that, unfortunately, since Geoff Johns left The Teen Titans, no writer has been able to share or equal the love and attention to detail he showed the teens.  Sean McKeever focused so much on Ravager (Deathstroke's daughter) and some new supervillain group called the Terror Titans that I forgot which comic book I was reading.  Where were the Teen Titans?  Why weren't they in their own comic book anymore?  And why did this book become so Ravager-centric?  The team was whittled down to nothing (goodbye Robin, Superboy, Red Devil, and Miss Martian!).  When new team members were finally added, we got Kid Eternity, the new clutzy Blue Beetle, and Static?  Thanks, but no. 

I was excited to hear that a new writer would be taking over the scripting reins with Teen Titans #75.  Also, many characters were being brought back and/or added to the mix.  Someone must have been equally unenthusiastic with the downward spiral the Teen Titans had taken.  To add to the intrigue and my enthusiasm, the new writer was female.  Felicia D. Henderson, a TV series writer, was given The Teen Titans as her first comic book series assignment ever.  I was excited about the possibilities and what she might do with the female characters in the group:  Wonder Girl, the reinstated Miss Martian, new Aquagirl, and Bombshell.  Sadly, I've just read issue #81 and, seven issues later, my question is still unanswered.  Instead of giving us the female perspective or delving into interpersonal relationships, the book has become Static-centric (yes, we get that you really, really want people to like this former Milestone character) and features a Ravager story as the "second feature" in every issue (still written by Sean McKeever).  Yawn to both. 

Writers mustn't forget that these characters are, above all else, TEENAGERS.  They have different emotions, feelings, worries, and interpersonal relationships than the adult superheroes.  Most of all, they like to have fun.  Geoff Johns was very cognizant of these traits when he brought the characters (and the series) back to life in 2003.  I wish someone else would remember that before we're all having to say goodbye again to the Teen Titans. 

The Rise of Arsenal

I've always liked Roy Harper (Speedy/Arsenal/Red Arrow), formerly of the original Teen Titans group. Why? I guess because he's always been "real." The stories involving him have always been real and hard-hitting. Nothing is ever sugar-coated with him.

As the teen superhero Speedy, sidekick to Green Arrow, he joined the Teen Titans and was drawn to the only female on the team, Wonder Girl. Roy was cocky -- a "total guy" and a womanizer -- and screwed up the relationship time and time again. Later, he became the poster boy for drug addiction, something unheard of for superheroes who were supposed to be role models for kids. Roy was addicted to heroin and unable to stop using. He eventually did stop, went through withdrawal, and came out clean. Thankfully, DC Comics still references this ugly part of his past instead of just sweeping it under the rug. It's a part of who he is, and it has made him stronger for it. It also establishes him as a superhero with flaws. It makes him...real, in a sense.

As an adult, Roy was known to bed many superwomen...and a villain or two. His charm, confidence, and good looks go a long way. He's had flings/relationships with Hawkgirl and Huntress, and fathered a child with the Titans villainess Cheshire. Unable to care for the child as an assassin, Cheshire gave Roy custody of their daughter. Having a daughter in his life has made Roy grow as a person. He's matured and become a great father to his daughter Lian and a big brother figure to Green Arrow's son Connor Hawke and new sidekick Mia Dearden, the new Speedy. (Who, by the way, has her own tragic beginnings coming from the world of teenage prostitution and now living with HIV.)

Now with the Justice League mini-series Cry for Justice, Roy has lost an arm AND the daughter he loved and cherished. The storyline itself wasn't that great, but its significance in Roy's life is major. (See my review here.)

DC Comics' new mini-series, The Rise of Arsenal, gives center stage to Roy and follows him through the "what's next?" stage of his life. I've only read the first issue so far...but I am already hooked. In it, Roy wakes up in recovery and tries to deal with the loss of one of his arms (that was severed by Prometheus). Next, he's given the blow that Prometheus also killed his daughter. Ouch. Roy is angry, hurt, and lashes out. His superhero friends try to calm him down, but it's to no avail. J.T. Krul writes the story with superb realism. He deals with the tragic emotion of loss and even...addiction. Yes, folks, Roy Harper is heading down that road again. Gone are the heydays of heroin. In today's modern world, it's prescription pain killers. And Roy has plenty of them, having just lost an arm and dealing with the pain.

Throughout the issue, I kept feeling so many emotions swirling around inside me. Sadness. Empathy. Anger. Frustration. I felt SO bad for Roy. The amputation I can deal with. The loss of Lian was devastating because you could tell how much Roy loved his little girl and wanted to provide a safe environment for her.

I can't wait to see where this mini-series is going, but I hope it's eventually to an ongoing solo series featuring my favorite red-headed, muscled womanizer.

Titans...Together?

The New Teen Titans was my favorite comic book in the '80s. I loved everything about it -- the stories by Marv Wolfman, the art by George Perez, the relatable characters, the character development, the relationships between the characters, the villains, and on and on. So when DC Comics decided to band the original team back together in 2008 into a new Titans comic, I was all for it. Many said that it was just DC trying to capitalize on nostalgia without providing any substance to the comic or giving it much marketing. And they were right.

The first year of issues rehashed several storylines that I felt I had read and re-read several times before like "Raven's Demonic Father Trigon Tries to Take Over the World" and "Jericho Gone Bad. Again. For, like, the 12th time. No, really. Those Titans are such SUCKERS." Sigh...I felt duped. And taken advantage of. And I felt that the Titans had been wronged. How could DC Comics treat their bread-and-butter from the '80s so horribly?

After these two failed storylines, Nightwing leaves the team as he becomes the new Batman. It's then that I felt that weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. It's not going to get any better, is it? Surprisingly, I was wrong. In an odd sort of way. With Nightwing out of the picture; Beast Boy (and possibly Raven, too) going to the Teen Titans; and Donna Troy, Cyborg, and Starfire moving to Justice League of America; the Titans comic is now focusing on the breakdown of the team. They're providing single issue stories, with each issue focusing on one character of the disassembling team. These are some of the best Titans stories I've read in years. Their disbanding is the best thing that ever happened to them. It's too bad DC couldn't have put this much energy and creativity into the comic when they weren't sending it into the crapper. I guess it's just as well. We all have to grow up sometime. Those who were your friends when you were young won't always be your friend as an adult. People grow apart. It's about time the Titans did, too.

You had me at "hello."

I don't know how to say this, so I'm just going to come right out and say it. {Deep breath} I got a little teary reading Adventure Comics #2. There, I said it. I cried. Maybe it's from the cold meds I'm on, but more than likely, it was from reading the sweet reunion between Conner Kent (aka Superboy) and Cassie Sandsmark (aka Wonder Girl) after, you know, Conner died for a couple of years and then came back to life. Geoff Johns did a beautiful job writing a fantastic, quiet story that was all about character development and not about good vs. evil.

When it was announced that DC Comics was revamping its old series, Adventure Comics, that ended in 1983 after 503 issues, I was excited to learn that Conner was coming back from the dead (yea!) and would be the star. However, I was SO worried that because Conner now had his own comic book series with Adventure Comics (and living in Smallville, KS) and so much time had elapsed that there wouldn't be room in his life for Cassie (who stars in the Teen Titans comic book and lives in San Francisco, CA). By the end of the story in Adventure Comics #2, though, all was right with the world. These two belong together. It's not too often that relationships are done very well in the comic book universe, but the chemistry between these two has always been very strong, and I'm very pleased to see that DC Comics is recognizing that.

So, thank you DC Comics and Geoff Johns. Not since the story "Chalk Drawings" about a young girl's suicide back in Wonder Woman #46 (1990) have my eyes welled up with tears.