Teen Titans (Comic Book): Difference between revisions

This version was not only popular, but often considered DC's number one title at the time, a rival to the [[X-Men (Comic Book)|X-Men]] (which they eventually [[Intercontinuity Crossover|crossed over with]]), and a major definer of the tropes that came to be recognized as comics' Bronze Age. However, writer fatigue and removal of the book from newsstands to prop up DC Comics' direct market line of books led to it collapsing into boredom and fan apathy. The arrival of a new editor inspired Wolfman to shake up the book, using a subplot involving the mysterious "Wildebeest Society" that went on [[Arc Fatigue|way too long]] and didn't have a very good ending. Fan favorite villain Deathstroke became a good guy, half the roster was slaughtered/turned evil/depowered, popular villain Terra was brought back (as a genetically altered underground dweller who was oblivious to her counterpart's evil history); none of which really helped the book and ultimately led to the Batman editors having their big chance to take back Nightwing from the Titans (Wolfman had the sole rights to him since 1980), to the horror of fans of the book.

 

 

At this point, the idea of the Teen Titans split two ways. A late 90s series just called ''Titans'' lasted quite a while (and featured most of the original team ''and'' the 1980s successful team, plus a few new characters), but was never a big seller, and eventually delved into some truly horrific storytelling by Jay Faerber (the "Jesse Quick sleeps with her mother's fiancee" storyline). The other idea took the original idea of a band of teenage heroes and [[Sidekick|sidekicks]], and became ''[[Young Justice (Comic Book)|Young Justice]]''. The former tended even more toward the soul-searching of ''New Teen Titans'', while the latter went through mostly lighthearted adventures and character-based comedy.

* [[Fan Service]]: To an insane degree. Though notably, both Wolfman and Perez gave a bit of equal ground -- Dick Grayson was [[Mr. Fanservice]] personified, and Deathstroke was set up as a "sexy older gentleman" type, and the female fans of the book reciprocated alongside the males drooling over Starfire and Wonder Girl.

** The [[Animesque]] cartoon series made Raven into the resident fanservice girl, complete with [[Most Common Superpower|big breasts]], a skimpy costume and getting her clothes ripped off. Which is a complete 180 from her original interpretation as a ''small-chested'', demure girl who didn't really get normal people. To make your head spin even more, they made '''Starfire''' small-chested. Yes, [[Gag Boobs|"Miss Balloon Bod"]] Starfire.

* [[Fleeting Demographic Rule]]: Raven goes evil because of her demonic heritage, the team fights a group of evil Titans...

* [[Frankenstein's Monster]]: Young Frankenstein

'''Tim:''' I wasn't looking at, um... ''them'', Cassie. I was trying to figure out how those war bracelets you're wearing are invisible. }}

* [[Never Recycle a Building]]: Figures in Marv Wolfman's story "Who Is Donna Troy?" Apparently a burnt-out building sat in that condition for about 16 years, and Donna's childhood doll was ''still'' in a room of said burnt-out building and not carried off for nesting material. This is a key clue used by Robin to track down Donna's origins.

* [[The Notable Numeral]]: The Fearsome Five.

* [[Not What It Looks Like]]: At the beginning of the new series after the "OYL" gap, Robin (Tim Drake) returns to his room at night and sits on his bed, only to have a naked and ''extremely'' drunk Ravager (Rose Wilson) wrap her arms around him and try to seduce him. Robin's completely not interested but, knowing Ravager can be a bit hard to dissuade, pins her down on the bed and starts to handcuff her hands behind her. Then Kid Devil walks in.

* [[Sidekick Graduations Stick]]: Nightwing, Arsenal, Troia, Tempest, The Flash. Possibly Red Robin and Red Devil.

* [[Shonen Upgrade]]: Beast Boy awakened the ability to shape shift into Mythological and Magical animals when protecting Raven from the Wyld. His evil future self who had the same ability implied that he could do it all along but was afraid to do so.

* [[Take That]]: After leaving DC and going to work for Marvel Comics, Sean [[Mc Keever]] publicly talked about the copious amounts of executive meddling he faced while writing the Teen Titans. In response to the attention the quotes drew and the negative reputation Teen Titans has garnered in recent years, Marvel editor Tom Breevort publicly referred to [[Mc Keever]]'s new title, Young Allies (which like Teen Titans is a book about teen superheroes) as "...What you wanted Sean's TEEN TITANS run to be!"[http://twitter.com/TomBrevoort/status/15753299069\]

* [[Team Mom]]: Troia became this during the Team Titans era.