Make way for the Teen Titans.
This is a new version of the classic line-up from a different world by superstars Jeff Lemire (Green Arrow, Justice League United, Futures End) and Terry and Rachel Dodson.
Teen Titans: Earth One an original graphic novel arrives this week.
“Victor Stone, Tara Markov, Joey Wilson, and Gar Logan never felt like normal kids… but they had no idea how right they were. Their seemingly idyllic Oregon upbringing hides a secret—one that will bring killers, shamans, and extraterrestrials down on their heads, and force them into an alliance that could shake the planet to its foundations!”
Lemire explains who make his roster and why the classic Marv Wolfman/George Perez era Titans is an influence:
“What I really decided to do was take unique characters that would be free of all that, so I embraced the Wolfman/Pérez era I loved so much — the roster is Cyborg, Changeling, Starfire, Raven and Jericho,” he told Comic Book Resources.
“From the outside looking in, Cyborg is probably the most recognizable character on the team. I’ve always been fascinated by the character. He just seemed like such a tragic character, and you know I love tragedy. [Laughs] He’s a kid that’s been overtaken by a machine — that’s just such a great emotional hook. I knew that I could really work with that. In a lot of ways, he was an easy character to write because I knew his story and his drive. Some of the other characters were a bit more difficult to figure out, what motivated them and what their arc was going to be but Cyborg was pretty clear cut and I think I have done it in a way that is true to who he always was but it’s a new take on the man-machine thing too. And I hope, a little bit unexpected.
Changeling or Beast Boy — or whichever name he was given at the time — was always a great entry point for readers as a kid because he always seemed the youngest. And in a lot of ways, he was the most relatable. I’ve really gone with that here. He’s a bit younger than the other characters in the book, a bit more immature. That’s where he starts — he ends up somewhere else, but I don’t want to spoil anything.
I will not discuss Starfire, because there is a lot of mystery all around her and I can’t say anything without spoiling a whole bunch of the book. I will have to leave that one open for now.
I always loved Raven. In a lot of ways, she was my favorite character in the Wolfman/Pérez stuff. She’s a tragic story. She’s the daughter of a demon and she’s being pulled to the dark side, constantly. I didn’t go that route with her in my version. It’s a really fresh take on Raven, actually. It’s very different than the DCU version. But I still love the character.
Raven and Starfire are really key to the plot of the first volume. I can’t talk too much without spilling stuff, but, like Starfire, there is a lot of mystery surrounding Raven that will all be revealed as the story evolves.”
Lemire says to expect Slade Wilson (Deathstroke) and Jericho but not in a way you might expect.
Teen Titans: Earth One arrives Wednesday. You can order here.
By Editor