Think you know the Titans? check out these Titans fun facts.
What's Your Name?
Wonder Girl's civilian name, Donna Troy, was not revealed
until Teen Titans [first series] #22 (1969); Before that time, she never
had an established secret identity at all!
Aqualad's given name, Garth, was not revealed until
Tales of the Teen Titans #45 (1984) - more than twenty years after his first
appearance!
Azrael, the mysterious winged alien, didn't have a name
at all until Mother Mayhem named him and duped him into joining Brother
Blood's cult.
Yeah, we meant to do that...
Speedy was originally not a founding member of the Teen
Titans. Teen Titans [first series] #53 revealed an 'untold tale' (in 1978
- 13 years after the Teen Titans were created) of the first case of the
Teen Titans. Although Speedy founded the team, he only became a part-time
member at first; this occurs between the origin of the Teen Titans, revealed
in issue #53, and The Brave and the Bold #60.
Terra and Geo-Force were not created to be siblings
for each other; they were created separately for the New Teen Titans and
the Outsiders. When each creative team learned that the other was planning
to introduce an earthen-powered character, the offices weaved their back-stories
together and established them as brother and sister.
Wonder Girl was added as a token female to the Teen
Titans. She presented a knotty problem in herself. According to the version
of Wonder Woman then current, Wonder Girl was actually Wonder Woman herself
as a teen-ager, just as Wonder Tot was the Amazing Amazon as a pre-teener.
All three "ages" of Wonder Woman frequently teamed up in fantasy
adventures, somewhat akin to teaming Superboy, Superbaby, and Superman without
the benefit of time-travel. This was Wonder Girl's first crossover into
the mainstream DC universe, and many a fan wondered about the continuity
hassles implicit therein. It was finally revealed, four years after this
issue, that Wonder Girl had been orphaned by a fire which killed her parents.
Wonder Woman had saved her, taking her to Paradise Island where she was
given Amazon powers by the mysterious Purple Ray. She later took the alias
of Donna Troy and remained on Earth.
Irony Corner
Aqualad used to be afraid of fish
At one time, Wally West's use of his super speed was slowly killing him.
The only reason George Pérez accepted the Titans assignment in 1980 was
a chance to do the Justice League. "I said the one thing I wanted to
do is the Justice League, one crack which I figured was all I would get.
He said yes but the one thing he was interested in was a new revival of
the Teen Titans. After a few minutes of hearty laughter, I said OK strictly
because I wanted to do a JLA story. I didn't think the Titans had a snowball's
chance in hell of succeeding," Pérez said, laughing.
Although Aquagirl is considered an honorary member of the Teen Titans,
she was never shown joining in their adventures [Teen Titans, first series
#1-53]; Aquagirl has been named an honorary Teen Titan, although her adventures
with the original team remain among the many unpublished tales in the Titans'
history.
In the beginning, Marv wanted to draw comics. He even went to the High
School of Art and Design and was an art teacher for a while. He scripted
the stories that he drew and while doing so discovered "my writing
was a lot better than my art. The rest is history.'
Pérez Facts
Favorite Titan to draw: Starfire. "My favorite to draw was Starfire,
because she was made for any young male artist to enjoy."
Titan He'd most like to meet: Wonder Girl." Wonder Girl? My favorite.
My favorite character, as far as person I would love to meet the most."
Titan he feels closest to: Cyborg. "The one character I enjoyed developing
was Cyborg: he was an inner-city youth, as I was. It allowed me a little
more input to his character than I had with the others."
Gaze Upon My Visage
George Pérez modeled the face of Gar Logan after a young Mickey Rooney,
to make him appear younger than the other Titans.
Terry Long bore a more-than-passing resemblance to then-Titan editor Len
Wein.
George Pérez changed Raven's look as the New Teen Titans series progressed.
When first revealed, it was softer and round. As the series continued, he
modified her look: larger forehead, sunken cheekbones and sharper features.
This was later 'explained' as a plot point of Raven's evil growing inside
her, thus effecting her appearance [New Teen Titans, second series #1]... although it was not planned that way.
George Pérez based Aqualad's face on a girl's: "Actually, I based
[Aqualad's face] on a girl's face. I dated a girl, she had very strong features,
and I matched them, made them a little more masculine and made Aqualad out
of her."
Wonder Girl's face was originally based on Marie Osmond. George Pérez:
"And Wonder Girl originally was Marie Osmond. (Laughter.) And then
I kind of gave her a much more stately face as opposed to a wholesome all-American
face as the years went on. But originally she was Marie Osmond. And that
was upon Marv's suggestion."
Could've Been...
The X-Men/New Teen Titans team-ups were conceived to be an annual event
although only one was ever produced. #2 was to be released in 1983 by George
Pérez and Marv Wolfman featuring Brother Blood and The Hellfire Club.
At one time, Hanna Barbera was developing a New Teen Titans cartoon series.
The series would have featured Wonder Girl, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, Changeling
and Kid Flash. Robin would not be in the series, presumably because he was
busy as a member of the Super Friends. Wonder Girl would be leader in the
series and villains would include Trigon and Blackfire. The series never
made it off the ground. Hanna Barbera did produce a 30-second anti-drug
spot in the early eighties using these six characters, though. It was the
only animated appearance of the New Teen Titans. They liked the Cyborg character
enough to introduce him to the Super Friends [which was re-titled Super
Powers Team: Galactic Guardians].
Dan Jurgens was going to have Wildcat be the mentor to his Teen Titans
team.
The Bad Luck Club
The Titans have had more members and allies die that perhaps any other
super-group. Among the death tally: Terra I, Aquagirl, Kole, Gnarrk, Danny Chase, Dove I, Hawk I, Lilith, Superboy, Terra II, Young Frankenstein, Osiris, Bombshell and Flash (Bart Allen). Not to mention Redwing, Killowat, Battalion, Dagon and Prestor Jon,
who were erased [for all purposes, died].
The Titans have had more members turn evil and battle the team than perhaps
any other super-group. The turncoats include: The first Terra, The Trigon-Raven
and resurrected-Raven, Jericho, Changeling (under Raven's thrall) and former
Titan, Hawk, who became Monarch. Rose Wilson was brainwashed and drugged as the new Ravager, and fought the Titans. Lex Luthor forced Superboy to fight his friends. Bombshell was secretly a spy sent by Deathstroke. And Risk defected to Deatshtroke's Titans East team. Duela Dent switched between hero and villain numerous times. Frances Kane, aka Magenta, did the same. Plus, The Team Titans were sleeper agent
assassins for Extant.
Terra and Kole were both created with the knowledge they would both die;
Terra was fated to be killed since her inception and Kole was created to
be a 'sacrificial lamb' in CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS.
How'd They Come Up With That?
George Pérez came up with the Jericho character in one night " Overnight,
I came up with the concept, personality, and design for Joseph William Wilson,
the newest Teen Titan. Joseph, or Jericho, was the first Titan I ever designed
solely and as such, he was more of an artist's character than a writer's
character."
George Pérez's designs for the New Teen Titans were approved on his VERY
FIRST go-round sketches.
Marv Wolfman, responding to constant comparisons to Marvel's X-Men, conceived
Terra as an anti-Kitty Pryde. Marv: "The X-Men had just introduced
a new member to their group, a young 14-year-old cute-as-a-button girl with
incredible powers. I'd do the same. I'd play her first as a villain, then
seemingly reform her and have her join the Titans. Only I'd have her constantly
lie to the Titans, change her stories, do suspicious things, and, in general,
make her a louse. I could do that, I knew, because comic book convention
would demand that readers ignore all the evidence and assume she was a good
girl."
Oops! Titans Bloopers
Identity Crisis Lass: As if she didn't have enough identity issues,
Donna Troy is referred as Donna DRAKE in Teen Titans [first series] #39.
Get your Tamaranians straight: Nightwing is upset with Starfire
and comments: "...for another, you're married to Ryand'r." No
wonder he's upset-Starfire's husband's name was Karras... R'andyr is Starfire's
BROTHER!
OK, it might be comfortable, but really: Donna Troy appears in the
hospital scene in New Titans #101 in her Troia costume - even though she
lost her powers 7 months earlier in TEAM TITANS #3!
Well, I knew who I was for a minute: Lilith has the record for shortest
valid origin story. Established in New Teen Titans [second series] #7-9,
it was in effect nullified by Crisis On Infinite Earths #12 a few short
months later, which caused reality shifts effecting Wonder Woman, Donna
Troy and the Titans of Myth. So Lilith's origin expired shortly after it
was revealed!
Secret Crossover
Tales of the Teen Titans #48: Published almost simultaneously with this
story of a battle between the New Teen Titans and the Recombatants, who
resemble the DNAgents, is a story of a battle between the DNAgents and Project:
Youngblood, a team of heroes who resemble the New Teen Titans, in DNAgents
#14, produced by Eclipse Comics. The Recombatants(Aurora, Dreadnaught, Topaz,
and Pseudos; first appearance of all; characters patterned on Rainbow, Tank,
Amber and Sham of Eclipse Comics's DNA gents; all die in this story)
We Are Gathered Here Today... . Secret Guests to Donna's Wedding
Among the people that attended Donna Troy's Wedding, in Tales of the Teen
Titans #50:
- Michael Jackson, Sting, and Luciano Pavarotti
- Marv Wolfman, George Pérez, and Adrienne Roy (of
DC Comics Inc.)
- Lucy, Tina, Mercy, and Margie (first and only appearance
of all to date; a group of young female wedding guests; named for members
of Titan Talk APA)
- Joe Richani, Janet, and Doug (first and only appearance
of all to date; a group of wedding photographers; also named for members
of Titan Talk APA)
- Dabney Everly, Anthony Tollin, Mike DeCarlo, Michele
Wolfman, Jessica Wolfman (daughter of Marv and Michele), Carol Flynn,
Steve Montano, Gary Martin, Len Wein, Todd Klein, Rob Liefield, Pat Bastienne,
Dick Giordano, Romeo Tanghal, John Costanza, Sam Sanders, Bob Greenberger,
and others (no physical appearance; all signed the guest list; most are
staff members of DC Comics Inc.)
- Phoenicia Banu, the designer, was based on George
Pérez's wife.
From FOCUS ON GEORGE Pérez:
MacDONALD: And so you drew a lot of fans in there?
Pérez: Yes, in fact, the four women who were ogling Dick and Bruce are four
women who are big Robin fans. One's named Margie Spears, the other one's
Tina Chambers, Mercy Van Viack, and Lucy Carr. And, with the exception of
Mercy, Mercy's the only one I did not contact personally. I don't even have
her phone number, but all of them I've talked to, and I know what their
view are about Dick Grayson, so I had to do that little scene in the kitchen.
The man who introduced himself to Kory is, obviously, a big Koriand'r fan,
and has a lot of Kory art from me that he's bought, including the pin-up
shot that was the first page of issue #42. He owns that piece of art, so
I had to put him in. He had to meet Kory. He sent a letter of profuse thanks
for it.
Weird but true things in Titan History
Aqualad, at one time, found himself stricken by an undiagnosed malady,
which he finally realized was psychological in nature, resulting from his
feelings of uselessness to the team because of his limited powers and need
to remain near water.
Hawk & Dove appeared in BRAVE AND THE BOLD #181 as all-grown-up adults
in their thirties, even though their fellow Titans were still teens. The
writers eventually discovered the wide age discrepancy that resulted, and
the story is considered out-of-continuity. But when they appear at Donna
Wedding, there is a joke reference to their ages.
Harlequin, the Joker's daughter, was later revealed to be Two Face's daughter.
Marv and George realized this seemed chronologically impossible, so they
revealed it is a 'lie' in Tales of the New Teen Titans #50 (Donna's Wedding).
