Has anyone else read the CBR article, Why Can't the Teen Titans Just Be Fun?

[Jay11]

My response to that article.

Brandon, oh Brandon.
Have you ever actually read Teen Titans or have you only ever watched Teen Titans Go and are basing absolutely everything in this article off of that?
You clearly have a very limited notion of what a 'teen' is supposed to be and how they are supposed to act. Or what younger people even like to read.
People of all ages love stories with gravitas, character development, strong character relationships and high stakes. All these are present in Perez/Wolfman Teen Titans, along with plenty of moments of fun (which you would know if you actually read any comics, which judging from this article, you haven't).
The comparison of Young Justice to Teen Titans makes no sense, seeing as one is actually just a reflection of the other is and is made is far more light hearted because none of the characters involved have the dark past of the New Teen Titans characters.
Tim's Robin had several mentors, came from a wealthy family and was not yet an orphan.
Conner wasn't burdened with the knowledge that he was part Luthor and Bart was a goof who had yet to grow-up.

Very different circumstances from an escaped slave, a girl who was born to be a vessel for an inter-dimensional demon, a boy whose life threatening disease turned him green, and a young athlete whose tragic accident turned him into half-man, half machine. And, let's not forget, Dick Grayson watched his parents die before his eyes and was then raised by Batman (which would give any one all of the issues).
Moreover, the tone is different because the ages are different! 14 year olds have different problems, attitudes and outlooks than 18-19 year olds.
So condemning a book because it's tone and plot and character arcs don't give you the giggles that you believe any story starring characters 18 and under should is the very definition of biased, subjective, and one note journalism.
I can only hope and pray you are never place in any type of creative control of anything.
All you would produce is one-note 'light-hearted comedy' works that pay no heed to characters, plot advancement or even the situations that actually occur in teen and young adult lives.

[DevilBat66]

I read it and agree completely.

I've been reading The Titans since the early 70's and I can't ever recall it being goofy like the cartoon.

Even before the Wolfman/Perez era the book dealt with mature themes.

[Nite-Wing]

There are two schools of thought about the franchise now
With the comics you have a mature and sometimes very dark book that dealt with things like abuse, rape, and murder. It was also about young heroes growing up

Then you have the cartoons Teen Titans, Teen Titans Go, Young Justice, etc They are fairly quippy and not as dark as the comics. They don't really deal with anything serious as the shows are fairly episodic with no real plot progression over the course of a season with the exception of YJ.

These two different mediums have effectively split the fanbase because now you have people who prefer the starfire from the cartoons(ie the starfire they grew up with) to the starfire from the comics(whom they don't like and note the stereotypical male gaze aspect of her character and little good character development)

Beast Boy is either an immature man child or a really young kid who is not allowed to grow up

Raven is quickly becoming flanderized by her takes from the cartoons and her costumes are getting worse somehow

On the whole I think the wolfman perez era is over its a dated run that has kinda been rejected now by a new generation that like a different take
DC needs to be all in and commit one way though
You can't have TTg and then do a show like Titans but then have the comics try and be the middle ground
Its a mess

[TimberWolf]

My response to that article.

Brandon, oh Brandon.
Have you ever actually read Teen Titans or have you only ever watched Teen Titans Go and are basing absolutely everything in this article off of that?
You clearly have a very limited notion of what a 'teen' is supposed to be and how they are supposed to act. Or what younger people even like to read.
People of all ages love stories with gravitas, character development, strong character relationships and high stakes. All these are present in Perez/Wolfman Teen Titans, along with plenty of moments of fun (which you would know if you actually read any comics, which judging from this article, you haven't).
The comparison of Young Justice to Teen Titans makes no sense, seeing as one is actually just a reflection of the other is and is made is far more light hearted because none of the characters involved have the dark past of the New Teen Titans characters.
Tim's Robin had several mentors, came from a wealthy family and was not yet an orphan.
Conner wasn't burdened with the knowledge that he was part Luthor and Bart was a goof who had yet to grow-up.

Very different circumstances from an escaped slave, a girl who was born to be a vessel for an inter-dimensional demon, a boy whose life threatening disease turned him green, and a young athlete whose tragic accident turned him into half-man, half machine. And, let's not forget, Dick Grayson watched his parents die before his eyes and was then raised by Batman (which would give any one all of the issues).
Moreover, the tone is different because the ages are different! 14 year olds have different problems, attitudes and outlooks than 18-19 year olds.
So condemning a book because it's tone and plot and character arcs don't give you the giggles that you believe any story starring characters 18 and under should is the very definition of biased, subjective, and one note journalism.
I can only hope and pray you are never place in any type of creative control of anything.
All you would produce is one-note 'light-hearted comedy' works that pay no heed to characters, plot advancement or even the situations that actually occur in teen and young adult lives.

I completely agree and would have told the author in the comments but alas, CBR forces users to have a Facebook account in order to comment and I refuse to use FB.

[Trey Strain]

I completely agree and would have told the author in the comments but alas, CBR forces users to have a Facebook account in order to comment and I refuse to use FB.

It's amazing how often people get forced into doing things through Facebook. If Facebook was ever "cool," it certainly isn't any longer.

The same goes for Google. I was glad when I no longer needed Bill Gates or Steve Jobs to go online, but Google has become even worse than they were.

[king81992]

The problem with Titans franchise is that there is no middle ground. Either the writers go full silly like in TTGo or the writers go full darkness and edge, like that time period in the early-mid 2000s where TT members were getting killed off right and left.

People criticized the 2003 cartoon because it wasn't exactly faithful to Wolfman's run but it had a sense of balance. There were times when the show was very silly and times when it got serious.

[caj]

I remember the first time I read Cyborg calling Changeling 'salad head'. I think I spit my drink out of my mouth. Or Terra referring to Starfire as 'balloon bod'. And there was the time Gar offered to rub in the liniment on Wonder Girl's sore buttocks region.

There were humorous undertones. But the stories were always serious and the humor was always a cover for the angst that the teens were going through in their lives.

I don't want a Teen Titans comedy. I want a serious book or tv show (that isn't downright vulgar) that deals with their problems while they pick at each other and try to relieve their problems with mild humor.

[byrd156]

There's a difference between fun and "fun". Something can be dark and still be fun and exciting.

I'm personally worried about the upcoming Titans show, I'm going in with an open mind and hoping for the best. That trailer was terribly put together and the weird dark realistic tone that was portrayed in the trailer feels ill-fitting for a Titans show.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

There's a difference between fun and "fun". Something can be dark and still be fun and exciting.

I'm personally worried about the upcoming Titans show, I'm going in with an open mind and hoping for the best. That trailer was terribly put together and the weird dark realistic tone that was portrayed in the trailer feels ill-fitting for a Titans show.

But let’s keep in hindsight the most popular run in Titans history featured these as lynchpin storylines

-an assasin being compelled to take out a contract on a group of teenagers to avenge the death of his son
- that same middle aged assasin carrying on an affair with a teenager to manipulate her into infiltrating the Titans and then after being betrayed effectively killed herself.
- taking down an insane cult leader who was terrorizing the world and demanding human sacrifices in his crazed and manic pursuit of power
- a team member dealing with the internal conflict of her demon father who subjugated the planet at one point, and she turned evil and then sacrificed herself to stop him.

Those stories made the Titans

[The Darknight Detective]

But let’s keep in hindsight the most popular run in Titans history featured these as lynchpin storylines

-an assasin being compelled to take out a contract on a group of teenagers to avenge the death of his son
- that same middle aged assasin carrying on an affair with a teenager to manipulate her into infiltrating the Titans and then after being betrayed effectively killed herself.
- taking down an insane cult leader who was terrorizing the world and demanding human sacrifices in his crazed and manic pursuit of power
- a team member dealing with the internal conflict of her demon father who subjugated the planet at one point, and she turned evil and then sacrificed herself to stop him.

Those stories made the Titans

Good point. There's no denying the fact that the most popular version of the Titans was quite dark and much closer to the new trailer than anything seen on The Cartoon Network.

[JasonTodd428]

Good point. There's no denying the fact that the most popular version of the Titans was quite dark and much closer to the new trailer than anything seen on The Cartoon Network.

I agree. Not everything has to be nonstop goofy fun, which is what the cartoons versions of TT has always been although at least the Teen Titans cartoon was a little more serious now and then. I actually like that the live action show is moving in the other direction instead. We've had plenty of goofy Teen Titans shows so now its time for something different as well as being something a bit closer to the tone of the actual source material. Wolfman's Teen Titans certainly was not all sunshine and daisies. You had Raven and her father, Brother Blood, Slade and his obsession with the team, Slade and his relations with Terra etc.

[Gaastra]

Strange how people are talking about the new titans but don't forget they are not even the original team. Don't forget the 60s comic.


Here the titans fight a caveman! (why not)

[IMG][/IMG]

Here they fight a robot called "honey bun!" With a name like honey bun you know it's scary!

[IMG][/IMG]

Look out it's a musketeer in rat finks car! Scary! (also watch out for those beach bomb surf boards!)

[IMG][/IMG]

The 60s titans did have some goofy stuff. With that said they had some darker stories later when joker's daughter joined but titans has had silly things. Heck the first early stories started out more lighthearted and silly then turned darker later. Even the filmation cartoon was more lighthearted. They even had mad mod in the 60s comic!

[Agent Z]

But let’s keep in hindsight the most popular run in Titans history featured these as lynchpin storylines

-an assasin being compelled to take out a contract on a group of teenagers to avenge the death of his son
- that same middle aged assasin carrying on an affair with a teenager to manipulate her into infiltrating the Titans and then after being betrayed effectively killed herself.
- taking down an insane cult leader who was terrorizing the world and demanding human sacrifices in his crazed and manic pursuit of power
- a team member dealing with the internal conflict of her demon father who subjugated the planet at one point, and she turned evil and then sacrificed herself to stop him.

Those stories made the Titans

Hell even with the 2003 cartoon, what were the most memorable story arcs? Terra's betrayal and subsequent redemption, Robin's obsession with Slade driving a wedge between him and his friends and Trigon's rising.

[JasonTodd428]

Strange how people are talking about the new titans but don't forget they are not even the original team. Don't forget the 60s comic.


Here the titans fight a caveman! (why not)

[IMG][/IMG]

Here they fight a robot called "honey bun!" With a name like honey bun you know it's scary!

[IMG][/IMG]

Look out it's a musketeer in rat finks car! Scary! (also watch out for those beach bomb surf boards!)

[IMG][/IMG]

The 60s titans did have some goofy stuff. With that said they had some darker stories later when joker's daughter joined but titans has had silly things. Heck the first early stories started out more lighthearted and silly then turned darker later. Even the filmation cartoon was more lighthearted. They even had mad mod in the 60s comic!

They did indeed but when people these days think of the Teen Titans they are most likely thinking of the Wolfman/Perez NTT than the 60s Teen Titans book. Its more recent and more people have read it so that is always the book they are looking for a show to be the most like. That being said I'm more likely to think of the '60s book instead because that was the one I started reading first.

[king81992]

But let’s keep in hindsight the most popular run in Titans history featured these as lynchpin storylines

-an assasin being compelled to take out a contract on a group of teenagers to avenge the death of his son
- that same middle aged assasin carrying on an affair with a teenager to manipulate her into infiltrating the Titans and then after being betrayed effectively killed herself.
- taking down an insane cult leader who was terrorizing the world and demanding human sacrifices in his crazed and manic pursuit of power
- a team member dealing with the internal conflict of her demon father who subjugated the planet at one point, and she turned evil and then sacrificed herself to stop him.

Those stories made the Titans

The problem is that writers keep rehashing these storylines in an attempt to recapture the old magic and fail to do so. At this point 'who is the traitor' storylines should be banned from the Titans franchise.