Pitch a Direction: Titans

[LordUltimus]

With their upcoming cancellation, I think this is a good time to post this. How would you restart the Titans? Who would be on it, what would they be doing, and would they have a mission statement (or do they even need one)? What would their first issue/story arc be? How would you build interest?

[Jackalope89]

Go off the pre-Flashpoint purpose of the Titans as a group dedicated to helping young heroes. Or similar to Young Justice, where they do more recon/undercover style missions that the big heroes can't really do because of how recognizable they are.

[Robotman]

Go off the pre-Flashpoint purpose of the Titans as a group dedicated to helping young heroes. Or similar to Young Justice, where they do more recon/undercover style missions that the big heroes can't really do because of how recognizable they are.

Totally agree. The Teen Titans/Titans should be about helping young metas learn how to use their powers and become tomorrow’s heroes. The Young Justice show has done a fantastic job of giving DC’s younger heroes a purpose. The Titans could be trying to stop the world from become like Kingdom Come.

[Factor]

The proactive counterpoint to the League's reactive stance on crime fighting.
The Titans have been around for a long time and they know better than anyone all the patterns that keep leading to world-ending events.
They have knowledge of myths, history, magic, alternate realities, underground organizations and have all the experience and youth necessary to come up with fresh and effective solutions to old problems.
Most of all, they have an actual clairvoyant in their ranks to guide them to threats before they get big enough for the League to take notice.

As far as roster goes, I'd keep the concept of former sidekicks, but I would highlight how they all evolved to something different from their mentor figures. I'd acknowledge the history of the NTT team, but my focus would be on the originals, because I think Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and BB would be better used elsewhere (JLO, JLO, JLD and a new "JLI", respectively).

The team would be:

Donna (Legend) - expert on history and mythology
Nightwing - intel + Bat and Spyral connections
Tempest - Atlantean connection and magician
Arsenal - connection to DC's underworld
Flash (Wally) - expert on time, space and alternate realities
Natasha Irons (Sentinel) - the tech genius
Omen - team's window to the future

Other characters from previous incarnations would pop from time to time, but these would be the core.
You'll notice the roster is very similar to Abnett's. It's weird, because I absolutely hated his runs, but I still see tons of unrealized potential in the cast. I think better writing and direction would do them justice.

Oh, and no Teen Titans for a while. I'd use the better characters in YJ or other books across the line, so Titans and Young Justice could remain distinct without stepping in each other's toes.

[Sam]

I'd go with a Titans Unlimited (similiar to the JLU cartoon) type series. Have Dick Grayson really fulfill the idea of creating a place where young heroes can learn and grow together, and have the line-up consist of over 40 members drawn from the Titans 50 year history, with all eras represented. Older titans like Donna, Wally, and Roy would act as mentors and team leaders for characters like Jon Kent, Damian Wayne, and Emiko Queen. You could do things like have an arc featuring Gar, Connor, Cody, Lorena, and Natasha, allowing characters who have history to play of each other, while also allowing new relationships that have never been seen before. It would be a celebration of the entire history of Titans while still pushing everyone forward.

[Badou]

Focus on actual teen characters and let all the adult Titans move on with their lives. The core of the Titans as a brand is about young heroes learning and growing together. That is what it was in the Fab 5 era, same in the NTT 80s, in Johns TTs in the 00s, and what it should be now. You look at the youngest generation of heroes and you build the Titans franchise around them. Quit splitting it into the younger Titans and the adult Titans and let the adult heroes move on into other avenues in the DCU, especially as the adult Titans series is always a mess anyway. Let them join existing teams or create new teams that are separate from the Titans brand which should remain squarely on the young heroes. It doesn't mean you do away with the things built up when the adult Titans were teens together, but you built on it and bring it over to existing series or new series.

I have no interest in seeing the adult Titans act as baby sitters or being put in a position under the League without being full League members themselves like we have now. It undermines their role as heroes and puts them in a position to be marginalized. They get forced into the position of being too old to be proper Titans anymore but not old enough to be full on adult heroes like the League members. So it leads to DC not knowing what to do with them, which further leads to poor stories and character abuse. I just want them to looked at and treated as full adult heroes and I don't think that can be done if they are still part of the Titans franchise because of what the Titans franchise at its core represents.

[married guy]

I'd go with a Titans Unlimited (similiar to the JLU cartoon) type series. Have Dick Grayson really fulfill the idea of creating a place where young heroes can learn and grow together, and have the line-up consist of over 40 members drawn from the Titans 50 year history, with all eras represented. Older titans like Donna, Wally, and Roy would act as mentors and team leaders for characters like Jon Kent, Damian Wayne, and Emiko Queen. You could do things like have an arc featuring Gar, Connor, Cody, Lorena, and Natasha, allowing characters who have history to play of each other, while also allowing new relationships that have never been seen before. It would be a celebration of the entire history of Titans while still pushing everyone forward.

I'd buy this every month!

[Godlike13]

I'd pitch the Titans as a younger contemporary alternative to the JL. Where creatively the goal would not be for the Titans to be better, or even equal, but cooler. They'd be that professional team filled with young players that are fun to watch, and want to prove that they not only belong but that they can contend. My first issue would open with the JL responding to a world crisis only to find the Titans already there handling it. Differently from how the JL would do it but effectively nonetheless. They would use social media as a resource, and other modern aspects of today.

Cast would looks something like this,
Nightwing - Leader
Donna Troy - PR head
Wally West
Batgirl - Social Media head
Starfire
Powergirl
Raven
Natasha Irons
Damian Wayne

And the theme with the character is that they are all looking to prove something at the highest level. It wouldn't necessarily be the same thing for each character, but whatever it is would be their driving force here.

[Agent Z]

I'd pitch the Titans as a younger contemporary alternative to the JL. Where creatively the goal would not be for the Titans to be better, or even equal, but cooler. They's be that professional team, filled with young player that are fun to watch, and want to prove that they not only belong but that the can contend. My first issue would open with the JL responding to a world crisis only to find the Titans already there handling it. Differently from how the JL would do it but effectively nonetheless. They would use social media as a resource, and other modern aspects of today.

Cast would looks something like this,
Nightwing - Leader
Donna Troy - PR head
Wally West
Batgirl - Social Media head
Starfire
Powergirl
Raven
Natasha Irons
Damian Wayne

And the theme with the character is that they are all looking to prove something at the highest level. It wouldn't necessarily be the same thing for each character, but whatever it is would be their driving force here.

Which Power Girl? Karen or Tanya?

[Ropeburn]

The proactive counterpoint to the League's reactive stance on crime fighting.
The Titans have been around for a long time and they know better than anyone all the patterns that keep leading to world-ending events.
They have knowledge of myths, history, magic, alternate realities, underground organizations and have all the experience and youth necessary to come up with fresh and effective solutions to old problems.
Most of all, they have an actual clairvoyant in their ranks to guide them to threats before they get big enough for the League to take notice.

As far as roster goes, I'd keep the concept of former sidekicks, but I would highlight how they all evolved to something different from their mentor figures. I'd acknowledge the history of the NTT team, but my focus would be on the originals, because I think Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and BB would be better used elsewhere (JLO, JLO, JLD and a new "JLI", respectively).

The team would be:

Donna (Legend) - expert on history and mythology
Nightwing - intel + Bat and Spyral connections
Tempest - Atlantean connection and magician
Arsenal - connection to DC's underworld
Flash (Wally) - expert on time, space and alternate realities
Natasha Irons (Sentinel) - the tech genius
Omen - team's window to the future

Other characters from previous incarnations would pop from time to time, but these would be the core.
You'll notice the roster is very similar to Abnett's. It's weird, because I absolutely hated his runs, but I still see tons of unrealized potential in the cast. I think better writing and direction would do them justice.

Oh, and no Teen Titans for a while. I'd use the better characters in YJ or other books across the line, so Titans and Young Justice could remain distinct without stepping in each other's toes.

Love this. If you had a Paul Pelletier artist or better, I'd buy three issues a month to help keep this going.

[wvchemteach]

The proactive counterpoint to the League's reactive stance on crime fighting.
The Titans have been around for a long time and they know better than anyone all the patterns that keep leading to world-ending events.
They have knowledge of myths, history, magic, alternate realities, underground organizations and have all the experience and youth necessary to come up with fresh and effective solutions to old problems.
Most of all, they have an actual clairvoyant in their ranks to guide them to threats before they get big enough for the League to take notice.

As far as roster goes, I'd keep the concept of former sidekicks, but I would highlight how they all evolved to something different from their mentor figures. I'd acknowledge the history of the NTT team, but my focus would be on the originals, because I think Cyborg, Starfire, Raven and BB would be better used elsewhere (JLO, JLO, JLD and a new "JLI", respectively).

The team would be:

Donna (Legend) - expert on history and mythology
Nightwing - intel + Bat and Spyral connections
Tempest - Atlantean connection and magician
Arsenal - connection to DC's underworld
Flash (Wally) - expert on time, space and alternate realities
Natasha Irons (Sentinel) - the tech genius
Omen - team's window to the future

Other characters from previous incarnations would pop from time to time, but these would be the core.
You'll notice the roster is very similar to Abnett's. It's weird, because I absolutely hated his runs, but I still see tons of unrealized potential in the cast. I think better writing and direction would do them justice.

Oh, and no Teen Titans for a while. I'd use the better characters in YJ or other books across the line, so Titans and Young Justice could remain distinct without stepping in each other's toes.

I could definitely see this working. One story arch they are tracking down either the League of Shadows or Leviathan, perhaps with an assist from Tiger or Huntress and using Dick's Spyral connections then the next story arc they trying to beat Vandall Savage to some ancient object of power, then the next arch they are battling some sort of OMAC/Braniac project concocted by Lex Luthor, then follow that up with them searching for a lost Atlantean artifact that can be used by Black Manta to or another enemy of Atlantis to destabilize things.

[OBrianTallent]

It wouldn't be too much different from their role now, only there would be far more trust between the JLA and the Titans. Where the JLA is off facing down space gods and such, the Titans would be the first line of defense. They wouldn't be subordinate to the League, but would be a smaller contingency that could also go in and do things with less fanfare than if part of the Justice League showed up. They are trusted by the League because they were trained by them, they are their original sidekicks, little brothers, little sisters, protege's.
For the most part, I would almost if not totally ignore this current run of the title. There should be NO reason the JL would act like that towards these guys. Instead of forcing Ms. Martian on the team, J'onn would have come to Dick and Donna and asked could she work with them, for them to train her. It would be in a lot of ways how the JL operates with Young Justice in the animated series. From there the Titans would be the ones to investigate new metas and gauge if they are a threat or not. A diplomat has vanished in a foreign country, the JL asks the Titans to work it.
However, to get to that point, my first story would be Who Really Is Donna Troy and would sort out her history. The second story would be a reintroduction of Jurgens' Titans team with Argent and Risk joining the team.
From there, the group would realize they are together because they are friends, but also because they work well together. The book would also act as the middle ground between Young Justice and the Teen Titans with occasional cross pollination (not necessarily cross-overs, but characters from each group crossing into the others book.) Dick and Donna especially having a presence in Justice League
My group would be pretty close to what it is now in the series with Dick, Donna (as co-leaders), Gar, Raven, Wally, Steel and Argent and Risk. Support staff for the group would include Mal, Karen and Lilith plus a rotating chair for Roy, Hawk, Dove and whoever else turns ups that should be there that I can't think of right now.