DCs' Titans & The Pitfalls To Avoid

I normally try and stay away from talking about adaptions. They tend to get covered in a lot of detail by a lot of people. However, with the Rebirth series, I have become a fan of the Teen Titans again and so, I feel it only fitting that, with a lot of recent casting news coming through the pipeline, I throw my two cents in. Because, while I am enjoying the team in the source material and the castings sound good on paper, I also have some criticism of the handling of the franchise.

I don't want to entirely shut the idea of the series down from jump though. No, that would be a disservice to fans. Instead, I want to air my three biggest concerns about the series. The Titans/Teen Titans have a storied history within the DC Universe. Which is why I hope that these issues can be avoided. Sadly that history does enable some of these shortcomings, but without further delay, onto the heart of the matter. The criticism:

1.Relying on old team dynamics.

One thing that I can't get over in comics, is the appeal to nostalgia that tends to happen ad nauseam. With that said, I do understand why a lot of current creators do it. A lot of it is calling back to what they grew up reading and it can be fun to see these call backs. For a live-action television series featuring the Titans though, this is a team that has the potential to do a lot more than that.

The relationship between Starfire and Nightwing is iconic among Teen Titan fans, as is the friendship shared between Cyborg and Beast Boy. While we are likely to see these explored, I would imagine that on some level fans of the franchise want something new, even with these familiar characters. The idea of Dick having feelings for another teammate like Raven has never really been explored and would leave longtime fans with something new to sink their teeth into.

Likewise, while the duo of Beast Boy and Cyborg is well-known for their fun-loving and carefree friendship, it's not entirely unique. With that, it's a possible friendship that can be explored with any combination of characters, such as Hawk & Dove who will be appearing in the show. Static and Blue Beetle III are also characters that could play well with Beast Boy--a safe bet for one of the members of the cast.

2. Relying on old stories.

If you've seen the Teen Titans series from 2003, then you'll remember Raven's backstory as a half-demon, to allow Trigon to enter and conquer Earth. This story is what created The New Teen Titans and has generally been Raven's defining story. While an important milestone in Titan history and a great story, it is also one told through several mediums. From the original story, the animated series, and most recently serving as part of the inspiration for Justice League vs. Teen Titans.

While I don't think anyone would bemoan the idea of Deathstroke appearing as a villain in the series, it would be surprising not to see The Judas Contract revisited in some way through this. Another important story in the history of the Titans, recently resurrected through The Lazarus Contract, this and the story of Raven are not the only tales that deserve this kind of attention.

Stories, such as Who is Donna Troy or even an adaption of the animated episode Winner Take All would be welcome. Ideally, we would be given a combination of both new and old stories. While Superheroes may be all the rage with the mainstream audience now, it shouldn't entirely play catch-up for longtime fans.

3. Stagnant Cast

The DC Universe is filled with powerful warriors, genius strategists, and all forms of life in-between. And it's a safe bet to say that a lot of them have joined some incarnation of The Titans at one point or another. While, I'm not advocating that the folks at WB should go out of their way to include every single character possible into every episode, I do think it's within the spirit of the franchise to explore some of these characters and lineups.

Outside our current cast, many members of this team have had a lasting influence at various points. Arsenal, Omen, and Jericho, among others, have all played pivotal roles in the development in the group. Their inclusion at a point, would make a great testament to the scope of the DCU and the rotating roster proved entertaining aspects of similarly series such as Justice League: Unlimited and Young Justice.

While you could still have your primary cast, guest appearances, like the source material offers at times, would be a great way to get eyes on a series from fans of the various versions of the Titans/Teen Titans.

Truthfully, I look forward to the series. It's still a ways out, but I imagine it will be a treat to see these characters come to life. The castings have been surprising, but not bad by any stretch. Development has always been one of my favorite things about the Titans and so I hope that's a theme that carries over to the show. Well, that and an appearance by Static. That's what I'd really like to see!

In Defense of Comics Rotating Creative Teams (Part 2)

Authors' note: Part 1 for this article can be found here.

In continuing with the dialog sparked by this article, on the shortcomings of American comics in comparison to Manga, the other reason I don't hold the following tweet to be entirely accurate is because I don't think every Mangaka is consistently good at what they do, even if they are the original creators of a series. This can be for a variety of reasons. It is also worth noting that, despite their many differences, Manga can have similar issues to American comics.

I like the continuity, characters don't become completely different people every few issues whenever a new team takes over.

— Pluiedautomne (@pluiedautomne) July 5, 2017

Artists, writers, and the various other people who put together mediums like these aren't perfect.
Even iconic creators can fall short of the expectations of their fans at times. Famed creators like Akira Toriyama, Masashi Kishimoto, and Hirohiki Araki have done amazing work with their respective franchises. Naruto, Dragon Ball, and Jojo's Bizzare Adventure are all incredibly popular and influential series. But even the staunchest defenders of these men has to concede that each one has issues with their series. 

Kishimotos' development of his female characters, and the escalation of power leading to less traditional Ninja techniques and more explosions in the Naruto led to, in many peoples' opinion, the decline of the series as it progressed. DB fans who happen to prefer characters who aren't Saiyans regularly find their favorite characters becoming less useful as Goku, Vegeta, and other Gods dominate the action of the series. Stardust Crusaders, arguably the most iconic of the Jojo's Bizzare Adventure franchise begins with a gaping plot hole--the first of many throughout the series.

I love JJBA, but how could DIO be in a coffin underwater if Erina used it to get to safety?

When such things occur in comics, it's not unusual for a new creative team to address similar issues, by furthering development of minor characters, helping reestablish or refocus major characters, or addressing old issues. Many times for the better. Such instances have given comics a number of great characters, events, and the like. 

Runs like The Flash by Mark Waid, Action Comics by Grant Morrison, and Aquaman by Geoff Johns are all critically-acclaimed, along with cult-classics like Secret Six by Gail Simone and Nightwing by Chuck Dixon. Under new writers and artists, Green Arrow went from a Batman copycat, to his own defined character with a passionate fanbase. Very much different from the original creation of Mortimer Weisinger and George Papp.

While the Silver Age stories have their charm, I think Green Arrow is in great hands these days.

In addition, and this might be an extreme case in helping my argument, but it's not unheard of for Mangaka to take time off. Since they typically do a lot of work, it's not a bad idea to think that these men and women could use a break. This is something you're particularly adept with dealing with, though, if you're a HunterxHunter fan. Some fans are even suggesting that creator, Yoshihiro Togashi hand the series to a more consistent artist.

While individual artists and writers are known to take issues off, it rarely results in an outright stoppage. The cost of which, could mean a loss of interest and readers. Where this helps American comics, is that when artists and writers take breaks, a fill-in gets a huge opportunity! 

While the practice is far from perfect and American comics can stand to learn a lot from how Manga is made. Still, there is plenty of room for give and take. And likewise, Mangakas can learn a lot from how American comics are produced. In the long run, I would hope to see more entertaining and varied products come from both sides.