comics recommended

Teen Titans

The original idea behind the Titans is to band together all the superhero sidekicks. Thus you have Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and Speedy (not shown).

As the storylines progressed, other young heroes where added in. The Wolfman/Perez Titans shown above added Raven, Changeling, Starfire and Cyborg.

There have been many versions of the Titans, with the Bronze Age Wolfman/Perez Titans being the most popular.

Robin has been around since 1940 and was first introduced in Detective Comics no. 28 (Batman was introduced in Detective Comics No. 27) and contributed greatly to the success of the early Batman books. Dick Grayson was adopted and trained by Bruce Wayne and would in time be worthy of wearing the cowl of the Batman.

At the time of these Titans, Donna Troy's past was a mystery, even for herself. Raised by the legendary Amazons Donna is the teams resident powerhouse combining the classic powers of superhuman strength, speed, flight and invulnerability.

Princess Koriand'r is Starfire. Her physiology allows her to survive the rigors of space and her training separates her as a warrior-born but it is her devastating starbolts that make her this team's long-range heavy hitter - an equivalent to the early X-Men's Cyclops.

Vic Stone was made into a cyborg by his father to save his life. Now half man and half machine, Stone has to live with the compromises of his new self. As Cyborg, he possesses enough strength to jump around the city Hulk-Style and the ability to hit foes with 'white sound'.

The Changeling was also part of the second group to call themselves Titans (this is the third incarnation of the team). Gar possesses the power to change into any beast he wants in any color provided that it's green.

Wally West would, in time, inherit the mantle of Barry Allen as the Flash. But here he is still Kid Flash with priorities other than being the Fastest Man Alive.

Raven is the most troubled of all the Titans. The daughter of a demon she can manifest a dark energy aspect of herself known as the 'soul self'. Through this entity Raven can either attack or heal.

The future Arsenal is currently called Speedy and is an on-again off-again Titan at this point. Like his mentor, the Green Arrow, Speedy brings to play an array of 'trick' arrows.

Also an intermittent member, Aqualad is possessed of the natural abilities of the undersea Atlantean - comparatively greater strength, stamina, and toughness.

Wolfman/Perez books are good reads because of the character driven nature of Wolfman's writing. The more books you read the more you get to know the Teen Titans. This increasing intimacy pulls you in to the storyline making for some very satisfying reads. The addition of George Perez art just shows you that life can, indeed, be very good.