Two New Titans Titles in 2003!
An all-new Teen Titans by Geoff Johns and Mike McKone.
Nightwing and the Outsiders by Judd Winnick and Tom Raney.
courtesy of http://www.comicscontinuum.com
november 2002
THE TITANS/YOUNG JUSTICE: GRADUATION DAY
Creators: Writer Judd Winick, artist Alé Garza, editor Eddie Berganza.
Release: Three issues, Prestige Format, third quarter 2003.
Imprint: DC Universe.
DC description: When a mysterious woman from the future makes an explosive
entrance at a S.T.A.R. Labs site, it results in the death of one of
the founding members of the Teen Titans! Can either team carry on, knowing
that they might have somehow prevented this tragedy? This miniseries
leads directly into two new series: Outsiders and Teen Titans.
TEEN TITANS
Creators: Writer Geoff Johns, penciler Mike McKone, editor Eddie Berganza.
Release: Ongoing series, third quarter 2003.
Imprint: DC Universe.
DC description: Being a teenager isn't easy - and nowhere in the DCU
is that more evident than in the relaunched Teen Titans, starring Robin,
Wonder Girl, Beast Boy, Cyborg, Superboy, Starfire, Impulse and Raven.
In character-driven, action-filled tales, this reborn super-team tackles
problems that today's teens face, as well as such menaces as Deathstroke
the Terminator, Brother Blood, and the Scarecrow.
OUTSIDERS
Creators: Writer Judd Winick, penciler Tom Raney, inker Scott Hanna,
editor Eddie Berganza.
Release: Ongoing series, third quarter 2003.
Imprint: DC Universe.
DC descripton: Nightwing leads this new team into action in a monthly
ongoing title. These new Outsiders may not fight the glamorous battles.
They may not make the front page or the evening news. But these 20-something
heroes are where they need to be, taking on threats no one else will.
courtesy of http://www.newsarama.com
november 2002
If one of the constants of youth is change, then DC's plans for two
of its ‘younger heroes' books shouldn't be that much of a surprise.
Early next year Young Justice and The Titans will both come to an end.
But don't think of it as so much of a "goodbye" as a "so
long for now", because come next summer, the youngsters of the
DCU will be back as strong as ever.
The changes will begin with The Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day,
a three-issue prestige format mini-series written by newly-exclusive
DC writer Judd Winick and Gen 13 artist Alé Garza.
"When a mysterious woman from the future makes an explosive entrance
at a S.T.A.R. Labs site, it results in the death of one of the founding
members of the Teen Titans," reads DC's description of the series.
"Can either team carry on, knowing that they might have somehow
prevented this tragedy?"
"This the end, the death knell for the Titans and Young Justice,"
said Winick. "This is where it all goes down. The two teams get
involved in a battle against a common enemy. A lot people are going
to get hurt.
Graduation Day comes down three issues of a tremendous amount of fighting
and property damage.
"But it's also the catalyst for two new teams, helping define
some of the line-ups and setting up the motivation for each team."
"Teens have to grow up. This will lead to their going to the next
level, becoming a new team," said editor Eddie Berganza, specifically
of one of the defunct teams, Young Justice.
This mini-series then leads directly into two new series: Teen Titans
and Outsiders, which will both debut with 40-page issue #1's at the
price of a standard DCU 22-pager.
Teen Titans will feature the creative team of writer Geoff Johns and
artist Mike (Exiles) McKone.
"This is like a dream project for Geoff," said Berganza. "He's
told me the first year's storyline, and it's amazing. You won't believe
what he has planned."
One thing the publisher does ask you to believe it the new team's line-up,
because they've already revealed it. The new series will star former
YJ'ers Robin, Wonder Girl, Superboy and Impulse, along with former Titans
Beast Boy, Cyborg, Starfire and Raven, though Johns tells Newsarama
that won't be the teams's complete final line-up.
"I chose these characters specifically because, most of them are
DC's new generation of teens (Superboy, Robin, etc.) and the others
are favorite characters of mine, ones I gravitate toward," Johns
said, adding the line-up's sort-of ‘resemblance-with-a-twist' to
Wolfman & Pérez' classic New Teen Titans line-up was both intentional
and coincidence.
"Why Starfire and Cyborg (not teens) are present will all be
explained in the book. And you'll be seeing a different kind of Raven.
Plus we have some big plans for Superboy. "
Johns said his approach will be similar to that of JSA - the best of
the old and new, but in a different way…"And we're all shooting
for and will be working very, very hard to retain the history while
still making this one of DC's most accessible books," he promised.
The writer also made a point to say Teen Titans will be very different
than JSA and his other superhero team book, Marvel's Avengers.
And speaking of other books, asked what impact this new series will
have on his schedule - which currently includes those other two team
books (though JSA is co-written with David Goyer), Hawkman, The Flash
and your various specials and limited series - Johns responded, "No
worries on my part. I write about a book a week, I give everything I
do 100%-plus, and I pride myself on being early. Additionally, the Teen
Titans doesn't start until July 2003. I'm extremely excited about all
the characters I work with and I love spending my days writing."
The writer went on to say Teen Titans is going to be an "action-filled
character-focused book", with stories revolving around the "fun
and horror of being a teenage superhero".
"There will be real threats [according to DC, Deathstroke the
Terminator, Brother Blood, and the Scarecrow!], there will be consequences
for their mistakes (because they do make them, even Robin) and we'll
be turning these characters on their heads," said Johns, who expressed
his love for writing kids. "Issue #1 alone will feature a major
revelation for one of them.
"The greatest thing about writing kids, like Jakeem Thunder and
Star Spangled Kid in JSA, is that they do learn, they do evolve and
grow."
As to that other new superteam book being born out of Graduation Day,
that would be Judd Winick and Tom Raney's Outsiders.
"These new Outsiders may not fight the glamorous battles. They
may not make the front page or the evening news. But these 20-something
heroes are where they need to be, taking on threats no one else will!"
reads DC's description of the series.
Editor Eddie Berganza quickly pointed out this series doesn't have
much to do with the old Outsiders series, besides one character and
some superficial connections.
"Judd is good at doing really different stories, and that's something
that we really want to explore," said the editor.
Though like Johns (not wanting to give away too much information too
soon), Winick told us three basic things about this new series and team:
1.) He wants to make it a great ‘jumping on' book, i.e. you will
have never had to have read any other DC titles before to understand
it.
"As a reader, you won't turn a page and see a villain you've never
heard of and are supposed to ‘gasp' by the sight of," said
Winick. "I will be delving heavily into the past, but it's going
to play both ways. If you're a nut for continuity and like a nod to
the past, you'll be happy. If not, don't worry, this book will hit all
the right chords."
2.) The book will feature a "new twist" on the old team book
concept.
"These guys are not the JLA," said the writer. "And
the basic twist on it, they aren't as the ol' expression goes, ‘firefighters
… running around and putting out fires'. They will be hunters.
They're going after the bad guys before the trouble starts."
3.) The premise of the book is as simple as its title. book be filled
very unusual characters that don't fit in with the rest of the DCU –
outsiders. They are all atypical for one reason or another. Either by
choice or by design or by their very nature.
"Each of them has a different reason for being an "Outsider",
said Winick, who also said this series is pretty much a "fresh
start" and not connected to the previous Outsiders. "Each
of them has their own cross to bear."
As to who the "them" are, if you haven't figured it out by
the preview image above, the writer filled us in on his line-up…
"The team is lead by Nightwing," he said. "Dick's in
charge."
"I'd say that's there's a symmetry to having Nightwing head up
the team," replied Winick, asked if it was Nightwing's connection
to Batman – and therefore the original Outsiders - that led to
that choice. "There's also an irony for Dick … the last thing
he really wants to become is like Batman. But it's not working out very
well."
Winick added the promised, "death of the founding Teen Titan"
is not Nightwing's motivation for leading the team, and Berganza added
it takes Arsenal to pull him back in and make him a leader.
"We've also got Arsenal," continued Winick, who said he will
also use Roy when he takes over Green Arrow only if plans don't conflict
with Outsiders.
"Which is easy since I write both books," he said with a
grin.
"We have Jade who I'm bringing over from Green Lantern, Metamorpho,
and three newbies … Grace, a seven-foot powerhouse who currently
works security in a meta human bar. Thunder, Cassandra Pierce, daughter
of Jefferson Pierce, Black Lightning, and a team member to be named
after Graduation Day." [Yes, that girl peering her heard out from
behind the left of Arsenal is a seventh member, but Winick doesn't want
to talk about her yet].
"I'd say evolution is a good word for it," concluded Winick,
asked why such drastic changes were being made to DC team-book line-up.
"I think the Titans out grew the title and the mantle should be
passed along to a group that can bear the original name and concept.
"And the Outsiders, well … they're mostly the younger heroes
in their 20's. It will reflect that more than it has before."
