Favorite Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titan Storyline

[ed2962]

I see what you're getting at (and agree with you about cults). It would be like inserting an over-the-top mustache-twirler into "Runaways," and distracting from the real point of the story.

I suppose one of the reasons I liked BB was that he helped even out some dissonance I had about TNTT. They had pretty much become the hottest thing at DC by that point, and I was loving the comic.

Yet at the same time, something in my then-mid-teen skull was grumbling, "but these folks are three sidekicks, a dead-team mascot, and three newbies; how is it that they're a bigger a deal than The JL?" (yeah, I know it sounds stupid, but I was deeply indoctrinated into DC's traditional pecking order, and in some ways, probably still am) I was able to look on Brother Blood as a threat probably worthy of any member of the JL, and the Titans having such a long and difficult time dealing with him, constantly being outmaneuvered by him, sort of gave me a view of TNTT's that fit with my expectations of where they fit in the world, without making the TNTT members look incompetent.

I kinda think that's what happened in the second part with the mob boss/drug dealer. I thought the story was really powerful when I read it as a kid, re-reading it as an adult, I could see the flaws.

[DGraysonWorldsGreatestSpy]

The Starfire arc is perfect for a movie franchise to start with and the Vega System has the greatest untapped potential of the DC Universe that despite the Green Lantern ban has became dominated by Green Lanterns. Lilith and Donna should be children of Thia

. Azarath Dimension should have also been converted into a “Super” Borough Of New York with access through Titans Island. I always felt the NTT should focus more on pushing civilization as opposed to the Divine Protectors Of The Justice League. Because Robin/Nightwing is the lead character traveling around space is not sustainable but using New York and Azarath as a trading nexus to Skartaris, Gemworld, Myrra, and Pytharia would have been perfect because the Justice League are not suited for public relations but Super Crisis. They could have used Dayton Industries as a Group Fund for Superhero activities and Charity

[caj]

I really wish they'd kept Lilith a while longer.

Me too, but I don't think Wolfman cared that much for the character. He did seem to enjoy bringing back former Titans for small story arcs though.

Lilith was the perfect character to be involve in the second Trigon story and Wolfman used her well. Having her show up for Donna's wedding and stay on provided newer readers a chance to get to know her before the big story arc. I wish she had stayed around until Raven came back full time. Imagine Lilith joining the fight against Brother Blood.

I could've done without that Azrael storyline though.

[donnafan]

Fav: Judas Contract. Another that stand out: NTT #20 Dear Mom and Dad. Wally writing a letter to his parents about the Titan's experience with the short-lived career of villain Disruptor. The story was featured in a Year's Best compilation of stories. Highlights about this story: Wally's relationship to his parents after revealing to them that he is Kid Flash, Robin's relationship to Batman, Dick second-guessing himself and feelings of inadequacy and the contradiction between the relationship of Wally and his parents to Disruptor and his father. At the end, you felt sorry for the villain. Overall, just a solid, well-written story about family:your given family and the one you chose.

[Jim Kelly]

The key to the Titans for me was that the orignal seven members represented seven parts of the DCU. Robin was part of the Batman-verse, Kid Flash represented the Julie Schwartz sci-fi super-heroes, Wonder Girl was tied to the Amazons and the gods, Starfire was part of this new alien-verse that Wolfman had already been developing in GREEN LANTERN, Cyborg came from STAR Labs (a Len Wein creation) that was part of the Superman world, Raven brought in the supernatural element from DC's horror titles and Changeling was a survivor of the classic Doom Patrol and their freaky world.

This meant that Wolfman & Perez could place the characters in each of these parts of the DCU with great ease--and give their own take on those concepts. That's why it became the cornerstone of the DCU at the time, because it was doing a better job of exploring the entire universe than what the JLA was doing.

[nj06]

I liked when the team went to space and battled against Blackfire. She is among my favorite DC villains:

[BatmanJones]

The Judas Contract was probably the best, but it's a lot bigger than the collected trades. It runs from most of the issues from number1, where we meet the punk that set off the whole mess, to Changing (as he was called at the time)'s final talk-it-out with Deathstroke several issues after the nominal climax.

My single favorite was Donna's wedding.

This is probably my feeling too. Best arc: Judas Contract; Best single issue: Donna's wedding and "Who Is Donna Troy" (tie).

I wish comics didn't age so quickly. This series was like crack cocaine to me when it was hitting the shelves and I myself was a teenager but it's a tough read anymore because of how much more sophisticated comic book writing has become since the 80s. It's hard to read most things from then or before then. The rare classic transcends that problem but I'm sad to say that I can't get off on those old New Teen Titans comics anymore. Like with old Justice League I love to look at the pictures but can't abide the writing at all.

[BatmanJones]

I'd stopped reading before the original Titans Hunt arc but now I'm going back to read one issue at a time to see if I can make it through via comixology. I know the arc is generally maligned but it's a missing piece of DC history for me so I'm going to read as far as my tolerance for the old-fashioned writing will allow.

[DrNewGod]

The key to the Titans for me was that the orignal seven members represented seven parts of the DCU. Robin was part of the Batman-verse, Kid Flash represented the Julie Schwartz sci-fi super-heroes, Wonder Girl was tied to the Amazons and the gods, Starfire was part of this new alien-verse that Wolfman had already been developing in GREEN LANTERN, Cyborg came from STAR Labs (a Len Wein creation) that was part of the Superman world, Raven brought in the supernatural element from DC's horror titles and Changeling was a survivor of the classic Doom Patrol and their freaky world.

This meant that Wolfman & Perez could place the characters in each of these parts of the DCU with great ease--and give their own take on those concepts. That's why it became the cornerstone of the DCU at the time, because it was doing a better job of exploring the entire universe than what the JLA was doing.

A forward Wolfman wrote for one of the collected editions suggested he based the TNTT around two triangles. The first consisted of Robin, Changeling, and Cyborg, and was based on varying father relationship issues. The second consisted of Wonder Girl, Raven, and Starfire, and was based on attitudes about passion versus rationality. I forget where Kid Flash fit into all that.

[caj]

The Starfire arc is perfect for a movie franchise to start with and the Vega System has the greatest untapped potential of the DC Universe

Agree, this would be an amazing first film for a Teen Titans trilogy. The second arc could be Trigon and the third could be the Terminator/HIVE.