I just finished reading Teen Titans vol. 1: A Kid’s Game. This is an older book that collects issues #1-7 of Teen Titans (vol. 3). Though a fan of the Cartoon Network show, I never warmed up to the Teen Titans comic books. That all changed after reading this book.
For some background, this series is a relaunch of the Teen Titans comic book. It was written by Geoff Johns and sees a new team of Titans assemble.
The Teen Titans Are Back
The story begins in the aftermath of Graduation Day, an event that saw the end of the superhero team Young Justice. This event is referenced a lot in these issues, and its outcome drives most of the character’s motivations and actions. I didn’t read Graduation Day, but the dialogue in A Kid’s Game is clear enough that I got an idea of what happened throughout the book.
When we first meet each Teen Titan individually, as they are adjusting to life after Young Justice: Superboy now lives in Smallville under the alias Conner Kent. He is for the most part unhappy, as he prefers cities and crime-fighting over the slow life of a farmer. Robin (Tim Drake) is, as usual, fighting crime alongside Batman. Impulse (Bart Allen) now lives with Jay Garrick (the first Flash), but continues to live irresponsibly, disappointing both Jay and Wally West (the current Flash). And finally, Wonder Girl (Cassie Sandsmark) has just been kicked out of school.. again. Since her identity as a superhero has become public, she has found it hard to adjust to teenage life.
Yet these four teenage heroes are recruited by Cyborg, Starfire, and Beast Boy; former Titans how are now young adults. The Titans believe that the kids need each other to succeed in life, both as heroes and as teenagers.
The Danger is Real
Despite some resistance to the idea of forming a team, our heroes band together to save tourists from an explosion at Alcatraz. In the commotion, Impulse runs into Slade Wilson (a.k.a. Deathstroke), who shoots him in the knee. This brutal confrontation shows that the Teen Titans are not playing games. The danger is real, the stakes are high, and they must learn to work as a team if they want to become the heroes they aspire to be.
Throughout these issues, the Teen Titans hunt down and battle Deathstroke, and it takes the entire might of the team to defeat him. In an unrelated, yet convenient plot twist, former Titan, Raven appears, saves the day, and then disappears. While the younger heroes had not crossed paths with Raven before, the older Titans know that Raven’s mysterious appearance does not bode good news, and set out to find Raven.
High-Octane Action… Real Drama
Teen Titans has all the action you can expect from a superhero comic. At times, the action can get eerily violent. Yet, the Teen Titans power through. They have been through life-and-death situations before. Now, they must learn how to do it all again, but as a team.
Beneath all the action, we get to see the Titan’s inner struggles. Superboy’s dissatisfaction with a life he feels is beneath him, as well as his concerns about his origins. Robin’s struggles with living a double life and lying to his father about his heroism. Wonder Girl’s desire to find her true identity and a place to belong. And Impulse’s (later called Kid Flash) growth as he realizes he needs to mature in order to step out of the Flash’s shadow. Geoff Johns is able to weave these storylines into a larger plot, yet the story never feels dense. It’s truly an ensemble comic book where every character gets their due representation.
Score: 9/10
Incredible action, intense drama, and a lot of hormonal superheroes makes this a great teen hero story.
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