Comic Info
Comic Name: The New Teen Titans (Volume 1)
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist: George Perez/Romeo Tanghal/Pablo Marcos
# of Issues: 8
Release Date: 2016
The New Teen Titans (1) #30
Reprints The New Teen Titans (1) #28-34 and Annual #2 (February 1983-August 1983). The Brotherhood of Evil is in a battle with Baron Blood…and the Teen Titans are caught in the middle! As the Brotherhood tries to force Raven to join their band, the Teen Titans must go on a rescue mission. Starfire finds Robin is pushing himself too hard while Wonder Girl reveals some big news to the team. The New Teen Titans are facing challenges at every corner, but their newest member Terra could end up being the biggest challenge yet!
Written by Marv Wolfman, The New Teen Titans—Volume 5 is a DC Comics superhero comic book collection. Following The New Teen Titans—Volume 4, the series features art by George Perez, Romeo Tanghal, and Pablo Marcos. Issues in this collection were also included in The New Teen Titans: Terra Incognito.
I was late to The New Teen Titans since I was more of a Marvel reader…but The New Teen Titans was one of the series that always tempted me to DC. With new members joining, the appearance of characters like Vigilante and Cheshire, and the angst of the “teen” characters, The New Teen Titans is a classic soapy comic.
This is the volume of The New Teen Titans where everything completely gelled. The introduction of Terra really lit a light under the team. Created as a sleeper agent among the Titans by Deathstroke (who had a really skeevy relationship with the young girl), she was prickly even though she was pretending to be on their side. I loved Terra was kind of a jerk even before she was revealed to be a traitor…and she never really changed. It was something new and different and feels like a model for later comics like Thunderbolts…they gave Terra’s betrayal time to breathe.
The New Teen Titans (1) Annual #2
The second big part of this collection was the introduction of Adrian Chase as the Vigilante. Vigilante eventually spun off into his own series, but his first appearance in The New Teen Titans Annual #2 launched his career. I don’t particularly like Vigilante (he seemed like a low rent Punisher), but DC needed a character with a bit of edge. Chase’s appearance also features the first appearance of Cheshire (who becomes an important foil for the New Teen Titans).
What sells The New Teen Titans is the melodrama. The New Teen Titans are just goofy and have so full of personal betrayal. The characters are always hiding feelings, revealing feelings, or suspicious of their fellow teammates. In a way they are the best of friends but also the worst of friends…they argue and fight like a family, but it almost always turns out ok (except for the Wonder Girl/Terry relationship…I am highly anti-Terry).
The New Teen Titans—Volume 5 can be tough for some readers because the comic isn’t a very modern comic. It is wordy and exhausting to read at points, but I prefer it to some of the paper-thin writings of modern day. This volume will keep you reading and the Terra storyline keeps growing…stick with it! The New Teen Titans—Volume 5 is followed by The New Teen Titans—Volume 6.
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