Titans Together: 24 George Perez Splash Pages

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Curt Swan, DC Archive Edition New Teen Titans, DC Comics, George Perez, Marv Wolfman, New Teen Titans, New Teen Titans Omnibus, Romeo Tanghal, Teen Titans, Teen Titans reprints

Though thirty-four years have passed since Marv Wolfman and George Perez began their run on the Teen Titans for DC Comics, time has done nothing to diminish our affection for their work. Our gallery below presents a collection of splash pages and two-page spreads from the first twenty issues of The New Teen Titans, showcasing Perez’s knack for detail, action, and creative layouts. Romeo Tanghal’s ink work made him an integral part of the team. Nothing displays this better than the two pages (included in our gallery) penciled by legendary Superman artist Curt Swan in issue #5. Under Tanghal’s pen they seamlessly maintain the look and feel Perez established for the title.

The New Teen Titans embraced the absurdities of superhero comics while taking them to a higher level with rich characterizations and finely-crafted emotional lives for its adolescent stars. It managed to be a grown-up book without being an “adult” title, and it handled many serious stories without veering off into the “grim and gritty” deconstructionism of more famous works from the 1980s. The New Teen Titans deserved better than the cheap paper and printing processes of the average comic book of its time. It thus became one of the first mainstream superhero books to change to a higher-quality printing process, though unfortunately this came near the end of Perez’s stint on the title.

Readers would have to wait many years to see Perez’s outstanding art printed in a high-quality format it deserved. This began with The New Teen Titans DC Archive Edition in 1999, a four-volume hardcover reprinting #1-27, the first Annual, the first appearance in DC Comics Presents #26, and the Tales of the New Teen Titans limited series. Sadly, that printing only covered less than half of the incredible Wolfman/Perez run. Readers would have to wait even longer for a complete reprint of the masterpiece.

More recently, from 2011 to 2013, DC Comics unleashed The New Teen Titans Omnibus. This three-volume hardcover series spans 1,720 pages, at last giving this outstanding series the treatment it deserved.

As a result, the demand for original printings of all but the earliest issues has significantly declined. So, if you enjoy collecting classics on a budget, you will find the original issues of New Teen Titans incredibly affordable. The upside of having the original issues is that you can truly enjoy the two-page spreads in a format where they open up completely and don’t lose any artwork in the “gutter” between pages. We love omnibus formats, but sometimes a floppy old comic book that opens flat allows you to really take in the artwork as originally intended. The choice is yours!

The Secret Origin of Titans Tower!

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blueprints, Cyborg, Cyborg's Dad, DC Comics, first appearance, George Perez, Marv Wolfman, New Teen Titans, origin, Teen Titans, Teen Titans Tower, Titans Tower

New Teen Titans #7 gave us the origin of Titans Tower: the T-shaped building serving as their headquarters, home away from home, and high-tech clubhouse. We see that Cyborg’s father built the Tower, a fact hidden from the reader for the first six issues.

Cyborg blames his father for the research accident at S.T.A.R. Labs that killed his mother and disfigured Cyborg. This issue gives us more insight into those events, and takes an unexpected turn for Victor and his father.

Keep in mind that in New Teen Titans #6, the Teen Titans just got done preventing satan from taking over the universe — satan being Trigon, Raven’s demonic dad from an alien hell. They arrive home at Titans Tower to find something amiss. If only they could find what every superhero lair requires: a cool schematic!

About half of this issue concerns the battle with the team of supervillains that infiltrated Titans Tower. Although beautifully drawn by George Perez, it has little to do with our focus here: Titans Tower. Soon the bad guys get the upper hand and produce Cyborg’s dad. His unexpected appearance carries a big reveal: He built the Tower! Insert more epic super battles here.

After the Titans defeat the enemy team, Cyborg’s dad needs to get something off his chest. Victor reluctantly listens, but soon his resentment gives way to compassion. Although he blames his father for both his own fate and his mother’s, Victor learns the same mishap began slowly killing his dad, too.

The final two pages of this story could not be farther in tone from the somewhat typical good guy/bad guy showdown that led up to them. Wolfman and Perez condense the final days of a father and son into a montage, a cinematic effect enhanced by Wolfman’s narrative “voice over” in the captions.

The closing scene begins a new era of peace for Cyborg. Changed forever by making peace with his father, he becomes less prone to lash out angrily at an unjust world. Soon, he will begin working with children who also have prosthetic limbs, playing baseball with them, and inspiring them to be strong. He will even learn to love again.

Collector’s Guide:
– From New Teen Titans #7; DC, 1981
– Reprinted in New Teen Titans Omnibus #1, hardcover; DC, 2011.
– Reprinted in DC Archive Edition New Teen Titans, hardcover; DC, 1999

Leaping Mantas! It’s the First Teen Titans!

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Aqualad, Bob Haney, Brave and the Bold, Bruno Premanini, first appearance of Teen Titans, Kid Flash, Robin, Teen Titans

This week, we have a quartet of zany superhero tales from vintage issues of The Brave and the Bold to share with you. We found these scans while looking for something else entirely, but a few stories caught our eyes.

Today, you will witness the first appearance and origin of the now world-famous Teen Titans in “The Thousand-and-One Dooms of Mr. Twister” and “The Town that Would Not Die!”

Collector’s Guide: From The Brave and the Bold #54; DC, 1964. Script by Bob Haney, art by Bruno Premanini.

1969 Origin of Wonder Girl by Marv Wolfman!

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Donna Troy, Gil Kane, Marv Wolfman, Nick Cardy, origin, origin of wonder girl, Teen Titans, Wonder Girl

The Teen Titans series from the late 1960s is a trip. Robin saying, “Peace, baby!” to a bunch of aliens? Aqualad and his girlfriend going to a rock concert? Whoa!

The series isn’t even close to the brilliance Marv Wolfman and George Perez would bring to the Teen Titans in the 1980s. However, we’d like to share with you this origin of Wonder Girl because it has none other than Marv Wolfman scripting it. Marv Wolfman describes the impetus for the origin of Wonder Girl on his site.

Some of these same scenes would be masterfully recreated and expanded by George Perez in one of our favorite super-hero comics of all time: New Teen Titans #38, Who is Donna Troy? In that story, Dick ‘Robin’ Grayson uncovers the mystery behind this strange scene where Donna is a helpless infant in a burning building.

Collector’s Guide: From Teen Titans #22; DC Comics, 1969. Script by Marv Wolfman; art by Gil Kane and Nick Cardy.

Origin of Starfire!

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first issue, George Perez, Koriand'r, Marv Wolfman, New Teen Titans, origin, Starfire, Starfire tortured, Tales of the New Teen Titans, Teen Titans

Marv Wolfman and George Perez took a lackluster DC property called Teen Titans and gave it a shot in the arm back in 1980. The Titans have done well since then, although never attaining the cult status of their contemporaries, the X-Men.

Wolfman and Perez created some new characters to spice up the dull routine Titans had become: Raven, Cyborg, and Starfire. The series kicked into high gear from the first panel, never slowing down for the usual hum-drum origin stories. Fans waited two whole years before Wolfman and Perez fully revealed the pasts of their new creations — and it was worth the wait!

Here is the complete origin of Koriand’r for you, the star-powered alien Princess who was sold into slavery, tortured, and ultimately empowered. It has been one of our favorite single issues ever since we first read it. If you like, check out our scans from New Teen Titans #1 later. The Titans’ first adventure centered around rescuing Koriand’r during her escape from the evil Gordanian Slavers. It’s a lot of fun!

Collector’s Guide:
– From Tales of the New Teen Titans (1982 Mini-Series) #1.
– Reprinted in DC Archive Edition New Teen Titans hardcover #3; 2006.
– Reprinted in the New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 1, 2011.

What Have You Done to Yourself?!

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Changeling, dinosaur, Teen Titans, tyrannosaurus rex

Did you ever have one of those days where someone stole your mutated blood to transform themselves into a hideous prehistoric carnivore? Happens to us all the time! Dig this dueling dinosaur scene between Changeling and a jerk who wishes he was Changeling.

Collector’s Guide: From Teen Titans #14-15. DC Comics. Reprinted in Teen Titans TPB, 2005.

You might also enjoy seeing more of the Teen Titans or Tyrannosaurus Rex in our galleries.

Alive and Ready to KILL!

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brachiosaurus, Changeling, dinosaur, George Perez, Marv Wolfman, New Teen Titans, Teen Titans

Sometimes you just have to transform into a massive dinosaur and tangle with Amazon babes! Changeling shows us how it’s done in this wild dino scene! Brachiosaurus drawn by George Perez, script by Marv Wolfman.

Collector’s Guide: From The New Teen Titans. DC Comics. Reprinted in the DC Archive Edition New Teen Titans hardcover, 1999.

New Teen Titans Far-Out First Issue!

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DC Comics Presents, George Perez, Marv Wolfman, New Teen Titans, Teen Titans

We present to you the first adventure of the 1980s revamp of the silver age team, Teen Titans. Okay — technically, it’s their second adventure. Their very first appearance was DC Comics Presents #26. That book might put a little ding in your wallet, but you can easily pick up the reprint in Tales of the New Teen Titans #59 for $1.

Collector’s Guide: From New Teen Titans #1; DC Comics. Reprinted in DC’s New Teen Titans Archive Edition #. By Marv Wolfman & George Perez.

We also have a Teen Titans paperback book by Tor Press that reprints the first few issues in black and white. It’s how we discovered the Titans way back in 1982 or so. But enough nostalgia! Let’s rock the totally hot alien warrior princess escaping from her slave masters!

Cyborg Tries Pot Once or Twice!

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Cyborg, Drugs Are Bad, marijuana, New Teen Titans, New Teen Titans Drug Awareness, Teen Titans

Here’s the Drug Awareness scene where Cyborg tells the team he got into drinking some, and “tried pot once or twice.” Somehow we missed that bit in the Tales of the New Teen Titans Mini-Series. You learn all kinds of interesting things in the New Teen Titans Drug Awareness books!

Here’s an unintentionally ironic moment where Changeling takes out some drug distributors. No, not the Pfizer reps at your primary care physician’s office — bad guys! What do they have in store for them? Extra Strength Aspirin! Isn’t aspirin a drug?

No wonder kids are confused. We’ve got a presidential War on Drugs, but there’s a Walgreens Drug Store or CVS Pharmacy on every corner. And they don’t just sell the good drugs your doctor likes you to buy regularly, they also sell bad drugs like tobacco and booze. Confused yet, son? We also have a Drug-Free Workplace that makes big insurance companies happy. But, people can’t cope with their monotonous cubicle life without massive doses of prescription drugs for their “mental illness” of finding anonymous drudgery depressing and hard to focus on. Now children, don’t do drugs — they’re bad — but do take these pills for the ADHD you developed after we raised you from infancy in front of the television. With cultural schizophrenia like that on the rise every year, it’s no wonder guys like Speedy freak out!

Up next, Speedy tells about his days as a drug fiend. In case you think Marv Wolfman made this up just for this issue, Speedy’s actually talking about a story in Green Lantern #85-86 by Denny O’Neill.

We were wondering why Speedy didn’t get hooked on speed?

Now drugs are bad, and we definitely need the Keebler Elf, the White House, and the New Teen Titans to remind us that drugs are bad. But did you know boobies are bad for kids, too? Nevermind that without the female breast, the infants of our species would have all died off tens of thousands of years ago. For the three New Teen Titans Drug Awareness issues, Starfire’s costume is re-vamped to a one-piece swimsuit.

Kids, looking at naked women is bad! If you see too much boobie in a comic book, you are guaranteed to become a drug-crazed, mass-murdering sociopath — or even a blogger! Nooo!

Don’t do drugs!
Buy Keebler cookies instead!
Everyone knows sugary foods are a healthy choice for kids!

We’re Talking about a Possible Utopia!

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Marv Wolfman, Recombatants, Steve Rude, Teen Titans

Unless you’ve been stranded on the planet Bospor, you know Steve Rude is taking commissions for one-of-a-kind drawings of the character of your choice. You buy a raffle ticket for $5 at SteveRudeArt.com — or buy as many tickets as you want to increase your chance of winning. It’s a good deal for a black and white original by The Dude! We’re in! Are you? Head on over to SteveRudeArt.com and show your love.

In the meantime, here’s one from The Rude Dude archives: an issue he crafted for DC. What? The Dude on Teen Titans? Betcha forgot about that one!

Dig the street punks, which foreshadow the gutter punks of Ylum and the infamous Teen Angel from Nexus #9. Next, rock out to the climactic fight scene with Steve’s sense of body language and design that made Nexus so classic.

Collector’s Guide: From New Teen Titans #48, DC Comics.