TEEN TITANS 629
like Th e Mad Mod, Captain Rumble, and Ding-Dong Daddy Dowd. While the writing
may have been somewhat pedestrian, the artwork provided by Nick Cardy was lush.
By issue #16 (1968), a new and more serious approach to the stories was implemented.
One of the most important tales of this period involved a revised origin for Wonder
Girl. Te e n T i t a n s #25 (1969) revealed her to be Donna Troy, an orphan rescued by
Wonder Woman and given the power of the Amazons while being raised on Paradise
Island. Th e Teen Titans’ initial run was cancelled with issue #43 in 1973. However, the
team was revived in 1976 with several new heroes, including Bat-Girl, Golden Eagle,
Bumblebee, and Harlequin who claimed to be the daughter of various supervillains.
Eventually, the team fractured as some of the heroes left to form a new group called
“ Titans West.” Th is incarnation of the team was short-lived as it was canceled following
issue #53 (1978).
In the early 1980s, when DC Comics decided to re-launch the Teen Titans once
again, few within the industry believed the title would be successful. However, these
concerns were quashed as this new version of the team, which debuted in DC Comics
Presents #26 (1980), proved to be an immediate hit. Th e New Teen Titans, written by
Marv Wolfman and drawn by George Pérez, climbed to the top of the sales charts in
six months and remained DC’s most popular title for most of the decade. Wolfman
had worked on the title in the late 1960s before spending most of the 1970s at Marvel
Comics, where he eventually rose to the position of editor-in-chief. Upon returning to
DC he reinvigorated the Titans with many of the stylistic techniques that had made
Marvel’s titles popular with modern readers. In many respects, the new Teen Titans
were DC’s answer to Marvel’s X-Men franchise as both series presented a diverse cast
of young heroes combating villains and their own growing pains and doubts. Wolfman
employed a large cast that included both established and new, intriguing characters.
Robin, Kid Flash, and Wonder Girl from the old team were joined by Raven (a half-
demon empath), Starfi re (an alien warrior princess), Cyborg, and Beast Boy, now
renamed Changeling. Wolfman’s stories were action-packed but readers seemed to espe-
cially appreciate the quieter moments in the Titans’ lives when they took off the masks.
He presented the heroes as having an emotional depth previously absent from DC
Comics’ other creations. His goal was to show respect for the characters and not depict
them as stereotypical teens. Pérez’s contribution to the title was invaluable. He pos-
sessed a keen ability to draw books with large casts and was equally adept at depicting
epic battles and subtle facial expressions. Pérez eventually joined Wolfman as the series’
co-editor. After Wolfman and Pérez left the series for other projects, the Teen Titans
lost much of their luster. Numerous writers and artists have attempted to re-launch the
series since in 1980s heyday with varying success. Th e cast has also changed with each
new creative team.
Th e Teen Titans’ appearances have not been limited only to the comics pages. Th e
team featuring Speedy, Kid Flash Wonder Girl, and Aqualad made their fi rst animated
appearance in segments within Th e Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure (1967).
Th e character Cyborg joined the Super Friends Saturday morning cartoon show in the
