Save TEEN TITANS GO!

SAVE TEEN TITANS! Sound familiar, doesn’t it? Well, here we are again, titanic ones. A source close to DC Comics has told me that TEEN TITANS GO! may be in danger of cancellation! Apparently, they are looking at the whole “Jonny DC” line of comics and possibly adding/deleting/revamping some titles. I’m told TEEN TITANS GO! Is in EXTREME danger of cancellation. Yikes!

The comic book is the ONLY place to get NEW Teen Titans animated tales. Plus, writer J. Torres and artist Todd Nauck have been giving us tons of untold stories and continuing sagas with some of our favorite animated characters. Great stuff, if you haven't already checked out this excellent adaption of the tv show. J revealed some upcoming plans on his blog – that now we may never see!: "I talked Teen Titans Go with my favorite editor Tom Palmer, Jr. and we firmed up plans for upcoming issues including our big 50th anniversary. Additionally, we talked about which artists would be available for which upcoming stories, including ones involving Kilowatt, a certain member of the Justice League, Galfore and... Wildfire! It also looks like someone who worked on the TV series (and has a pretty big online following) might be helping us out with some art in a future issue, too."

Looks like it’s time for fans to rally together to save the series! And there’s hope; A similar campaign helped save the MANHUNTER comic book from cancellation. So we need to get crackin’ and writin’!

E-mail: askdcdirect@dccomics.com

Write letters to:
Dan DiDio
c/o DC COMICS
1700 Broadway NYC, NY 10019

Snail-mail letters make the biggest impact (and please, be passionate, but nice!) Spread the word and write soon!

Karl Kerschel Reveals Superboy Swipe

Did everyone enjoy the Teen Titans origin in this week's 52? I sure did! It featured some awesome art from Karl Kerschel & company. I anxiously await TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE! But here's some stuff we didn't know...

Karl reveals on his blog: "I thought I'd share this as an intersting tidbit. I did a two-page Teen Titans origin story in the latest issue of 52 (issue 47), and there was a change on one of the pages. Superboy had to be removed from the Young Justice scene for legal reasons (DC is in a rights dispute with the creators of the character) and in this case the most elegant solution was to replace him with a similar shot of Wonder Girl. It worked out fine, but I thought I'd post this for anyone wondering where the heck Superboy was in the pages of history.
He was there! We all saw him!"

Check out the image here.

52: Dead Titans and Donna Troy

from Newsarama: "While the story of the war will occur within the pages of 52, the publisher is also releasing four one-shots on the same day. [...] Now that 52 has passed the Week 47 mark, and the lines are pretty clearly drawn between the parties, we sat down with World War III writers Keith Champagne and John Ostrander to find out more about what readers can expect from the four special issues."

And we'll find out why Donna Troy will be acting as Wonder Woman. Keith Champagne says: "Desperate times call for heroic measures. Wonder Woman is a humanitarian and the world could really use some humanitarian aid during Week 50."

How do the Titans fare in Part Three: Hell for Heroes? John Ostrander says: "A Titans line-up is quickly pulled together in the face of Black Adam's assaults. They catch up with him up by the roof of the world -– in the Himalayas. They get chewed up real, real bad." The solicts mention that the Titans lose one of their own, to which Ostrander ominiously replied: "It says they only lose one?"

Read the full article here!

Myself, I'm wondering what the deal is with all the dead Titans lately. Lilith, Pantha, Baby Wildebeest, Bushido, Osiris, Superboy, almost Nightwing... and more to come? Plus the mystery grave in TEEN TITANS #47? Dan Didio, stop the madness!

Redesigning Ravager

My next redesign is Ravager.

I've always found Rose Wilson to be a fascinating character - even before her transformation into Ravager. The changes that Geoff Johns and Mike McKone put her through made her even more interesting. And like most Mike McKone designs, his Rose-as-Ravager was pretty cool.

In redesigning Rose, it was more a matter of looking at where she is as a character. Once she broke free of Deathstroke's brainwashing, it seems like Rose would want to distance herself from the whole traumatic experience. So, it'd be natural for her to want to change her look.

I redesigned Rose with a somewhat Nightwing-inspired outfit. Since Nightwing was the one who 'saved' Rose from Slade, I thought she'd want to honor that. Also, it would really piss off daddy to see his daughter in a costume inspired by his greatest adversary! Plus, she still keeps some Ravager-elements of her old costume to keep her edgy.

I also really liked the color scheme. The blues and silvers really worked with Rose's hair and eye color. So it worked on multiple levels. Also, the lighter-blues make it so she's not such a Nightwing clone. Also, notice that her costume is also made of leather - a thicker material and lends to Rose's bad-ass attitude. I also really wanted a simpler mask and something that would free Rose's long, white mane of hair. It really makes her more unique and expressive. Her divided domino mask is also something to make her unique.

As far as weapons, I kept her sword. But I also thought Rose would be using non-lethal weapons. Back in th 90's, she was pretty adept at using the bo staff. So I brought that back. And I remember Perez showing Slade with an energized bo staff - so I thought once again, it'd be something that Rose would steal and subvert. Because Rose is all about thumbing her nose at Deathstroke. That's why we love her.

More to come...

Redesigning Jericho

Jericho a la Walko. My internal marching order with Jericho was: make him cool. I love George Perez and all, but the original Jericho design 1. had nothing to do with his powers and 2. had a feminine quality to it. So what to do to bring Joey into cool-dom without betraying the character?

The thing I kept in mind was what made Jericho cool with da ladies. And I thought that had a lot to do with his sensitive artistic side. I wanted that to come through. I have him in a sleeveless vest and close-cropped hair, along with some chin scruff and longer, narrow sideburns. Little elements like that said "artist" to me. The close-cropped hair is also something that seemed really cool for Joey. No more soft, curly, afro locks! I also kept Perez' version of his face, with the wide eyes and round face. That's part of who he is, to me. So now, he's got that Justin Timerlake vibe.

As far as his uniform, I wanted to play around with something that would be ownable to Jericho. And I thought of playing around with an eye motif icon. That symbol on his chest is a stylized eye - and when he makes "contact", the green parts glow. Cool visual, and a nice emblem for Jericho to call his own. Color-wise, Jericho should have always been GREEN to me. It's the color of his eyes and it's also representitive of his powers.

I also wanted to give Joey a costume that wouldn't hinder physical combat, since his mother has taught him that; He's a decent fighter. The kelvar vest is just an added layer of protection, but gives him a bit of a modern look.

More to come...

Redesigning Kid Devil

I've had this on my mind since ONE YEAR LATER. DC'S ONE YEAR LATER was an opportunity to redesign many of the characters for the 21st century. Teen Titans is a property I always thought should seem fresh and modern. And most importantly, its characters should seem young and their 'looks' should reflect that.

That brings us to my first victim: Kid Devil a la Walko.

So here's my take on Kid Devil: Eddie Bloomberg went from this geeky kid to this cooler red devil version. And Eddie is still a bit of a geek inside, but I thought his exterior would be a contrast to that; After spending years in Los Angeles, I figured some of that fashion sense would rub off. So when you first SEE Eddie, he's s lightly scary biker-type guy... but inside, he's still the slightly insecure sidekick no one wanted.

So rather than the ripped black "Hulk" pants, I gave Kid Devil some more modern looking leather pants and kick-ass steel-toe boots. The casual white shirt contrasts his red skin. There's little accessories to keep the 'teen' vibe, like the studded belt, wrist cuff, earrings and necklace. It's a sort-of costume that is almost a regular outfit.

Also, half of Kid Devil's look is the fact he already looks inhuman. There's something about taking strange characters and putting them in 'regular' clothes that's interesting to me. I like those contrasts.

More to come...

Teen Titans #48 In June

" Welcome to month two of a new year-long tradition here at Newsarama. Over the previous year every Saturday before DC releases its monthly solicitations, we’d take a preview look at that month’s issues of 52, long with other select highlights from around DC’s publishing slate."

COUNTDOWN #47-44
Story by Paul Dini
47 written by Sean McKeever; art by Al Barrionuevo
46 written by Jimmy Palmiotti& Justin Gray; art by Jesus Saiz
45 written by Tony Bedard; art by Jim Calafiore
44 written by Adam Beechen; art by Carlos Magno
Breakdowns by Keith Giffen
Covers by Ed Benes
This year-long weekly series featuring a cast of hundreds kicks into high gear in its second month, under the watchful eye of head writer Paul Dini! See Mary Marvel undergo a surprising transformation! Learn why Donna Troy and Jason Todd are integral players in a cosmic chess game! And see Jimmy Olsen as you’ve never seen him before!

TEEN TITANS #48
Written by Adam Beechen
Art by Al Barrionuevo & Bit
Cover by Tony S. Daniel
An AMAZONS ATTACK tie-in issue guest-starring Supergirl! How far will Cassie and Kara go in the impending battle — and how will their choices affect their relationship with the Titans?
On sale June 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

for more, click here!

WWLA: Titans News Bits

DC NATION PANEL FROM WW:LA

Is Nightwing going to be killed off eventually, per DiDio's apparent wishes? DiDio said that although he certainly did want to off Nightwing at one point, there are no plans currently.

What went into making Bart Allen the Flash? DiDio: "We wanted to..." Palmiotti: "Have fun." DiDio: "We have a lot of story that's about to take place with Bart coming down the line." At this point, DiDio started his "quid pro quo" where he'd ask the fan a question after answering their question.

Next question was about two previously announced Teen Titans projects - George Perez hardcover is on hold while he works on Brave and the Bold, as is the Raven series.

DC UNIVERSE PANEL FROM LA

Teen Titans writer Adam Beechen was next up, saying that Teen Titans will tie-in to Amazons Attack. DiDio asked him about his involvement in Countdown, and he said "It's a lot of fun, it's great to be working with such amazing writers."

Jimmy Palmiotti and Amanda Conner were up to plate next. Conner talked about Terra, saying that it's a new character taking the mantle. Conner also teased that there's a "brief" scene in the series where Terra is "clothes free" in Dr. Mid-Nite's lab. Palmiotti talked about Countdown, but, as par for the course, didn't reveal much.

"What's up with Wally West and his family?" DiDio: "I think they're trapped in Florida, they couldn't get a flight because of the snow." The rest of the panel ribbed DiDio for the cheesy joke, with Palmiotti saying "the Florida snow goes through your nose" and Beechen saying "trapped in Florida is DC's 2008 event." DiDio then kicked the question to Wolfman, who simply said, as is DC's unofficial policy, "Maybe."

"Will Deathstroke have his own comic again?" DiDio: "He shouldn't have his own comic, he's a bad guy. I think he's just such a strong villain. He's a prime mover in the DC Universe. I don't think he needs his own book."

DC UNIVERSE PANEL

Palmiotti and Connor, joined by Justin Gray on Terra, will be a four-issue mini-series. "It's a complete different Terra," Palmiotti said. "Nobody in the DC Universe knows anything about her," Connor said. "But she's always popping in to the save the day." Connor said there's a three-page sequence where Terra is naked in Dr. Mid-Nite's lab. "I have to use all these Austin Powers tricks to keep hiding her naughty bits," she said.

Beechen said a lot of Tim Drake's "romantic entanglements" will be addressed in Robin.

Dick Grayson's Lost Year

Nightwing writer Marv Wolfman teases an upcoming arc about the original Robin’s time between Titans teams.

Even though most of his beloved Titans have grown up, that doesn’t mean famed writer Marv Wolfman isn’t still attached. For example, as the current writer of Nightwing with artist Jamal Igle, Wolfman’s keeping a firm grip on that character, with a fresh take on the classic hero. During this weekend’s Wizard World Los Angeles, Wizard caught up with the legend to talk about Nightwing, Raven and the signing battle between Titans and Crisis.

WOLFMAN: We’re doing great. We’re already on our third arc, which I think is working out right—the first one I really can say that about. The first arc was a fill-in story and I think it was really good in that it re-established Nightwing’s personality and regrounded him. The second story is a bit weird in that I tried something different with the villains, but it builds to a really solid ending that motivates the series from that point on. The third arc really comes together in a solid crime story that is very Dick Grayson-centric at the same time.

Read the full article here.

J. Torres Spills TEEN TITANS GO! Plans

J. Torres has reported on his New York Comic-Con experience. He includes some juicy tidbits about some upcoming plans in TEEN TITANS GO!

J. reports: "I give the convention a big thumbs up this year. First of all, the organizers were more, well, organized. The space was bigger but so were the crowds, however, the staff seemed in better control of the situation this time around. There were still some problems, in particular with the way Artists Alley was laid out, delays with re-entry into the hall if you went outside, and maintenance issues in the restrooms, but all in all it was an improvement over last year's... mess and a much more pleasant con-going experience. At least for me."

"I had several prodictive meetings over the weekend. I talked Teen Titans Go with my favorite editor Tom Palmer, Jr. and we firmed up plans for upcoming issues including our big 50th anniversary. Additonally, we talked about which artists would be available for which upcoming stories, including ones involving Kilowatt, a certain member of the Justice League, Galfore and... Wildfire! It also looks like someone who worked on the TV series (and has a pretty big online following) might be helping us out with some art in a future issue, too."

See J. Torres' full report on his site!

Beast Boy Creator Passes

A comic book legend, Arnold Drake (co-creator of Beast Boy and Doom Patrol), has passed away.

From Comic Book Resources:

"The comics industry mourns today the loss of writer Arnold Drake, co-creator of DC Comics' Doom Patrol and Deadman. Drake fell ill during last month's New York Comic-Con and was hospitalized for pneumonia, reported Ken Gale, host of the 'Nuff Said WBAI radio program. Although his condition appeared to improve, Drake passed away this morning in New York City's Cabrini Hospital from pneumonia and septic shock.

A writer of comics since the 1940s, Arnold Drake is the creator of Beast Boy and Stanley & his Monster, characters who like Drake's Deadman and Doom Patrol have entertained readers for decades in countless appearances and several series authored by Drake himself and, later, by new generations of creators he inspired."

Our thoughts are with his family.

TEEN TITANS: TOKYO DVD Winners!

Thanks to everyone for entering our Tokyo DVD Giveaway Contest! We’ve had some amazing entries come through. SO amazing, we decided to give away MORE prizes! I dug into the Titans Tower vault and found some super-swag to give away! We had a really tough time picking a Grand Prize Winner, so we picked TWO!

GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Sergio Quijada: "Teen Titans Ikuso!" Sergio’s renditions of Japan-style Titans were just awesome. There was no doubt that Sergio was one of our Grand Prize Winners. Fantastic Work, Sergio!



GRAND PRIZE WINNER: Menachem K. Jerenberg: "Doom Watch" A fantastic piece with lots of characters and detail; Menachem did an awesome job of capturing the excitement of season five. For that, “Doom Watch” tied for Grand Prize!

Grand Prize Winners will get:
-- A TEEN TITANS: TROUBLE IN TOKYO dvd movie
-- A Toyfare Magazine featuring a complete episode guide of TEEN TITANS with creator commentary
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2005: Featuring Glen Murakami’s group Titans picture!
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2006: Featuring artwork from the show!

FIRST PRIZE WINNER: Otaku BeastBoy: Titananimals Otaku BeastBoy from the J Torres forums provided a rather interesting piece of art: Original sculpts of the Titans as animals from “Bunny Raven or How to Make a Titananimal Disappear”. We thought this was an original and unique piece.


First Prize Winner will get:
-- A Toyfare Magazine featuring a complete episode guide of TEEN TITANS with creator commentary
-- A copy of TEEN TITANS GO #1 comic book
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2005: Featuring Glen Murakami’s group Titans picture!
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2006: Featuring artwork from the show!

HONORABLE MENTIONS:
Gustavo Aviles: "Wonder Girl SFX"
Tarcísio Aquino: "Joey and Raven"
John Patterson: "Robin & Starfire: We'll Always Have Tokyo"



Honorable Mentions will get:
-- A TEEN TITANS comic book
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2005: Featuring Glen Murakami’s group Titans picture!
-- San Diego Comic-Con Promo Card 2006: Featuring artwork from the show!

Thanks to everyone for entering! Hopefully, I can showcase all the entries real soon!

STUN!: Jimmy Palmiotti on Terra

STUN! The weekly comics podcast hosted by James VanOsdol. Now available for listening on this site–the Jimmy Palmiotti podcast from 11/13! Palmiotti talks about Jonah Hex, Heroes for Hire, Terra, and Uncle Sam and the Freedom Fighters, as well as a few industry things that make him cranky. Also on the show: Executive Producer Patrick Brower from Graham Crackers Comics in Chicago gives a retail update. The Terra stuff doesn't kick in until the 14 minute mark.

Here's what Jimmy says about Terra: "DC wanted a new Terra. 52 covers some of it. Somehow, we're going to figure out how all those Terra tie together. We came up with a real basic premise. They are all connected. Their powers are all the same, but their attitudes are completely different."

"The new Terra sort of has the sensibilities of Superman. [...] She has a real super-hero sensibility. There's no doubt [in her mind], unlike the other two Terra, who both had some psychological stuff going on. In this mini series, we explain them out. We explain who they are, where they came from and what they have in common with the new Terra. And then we say, "go." So by the sixth issue, we launch her out. And that's for another writer to work on her in another book."

"[The fans] are going to hate it - or they're going to love it. Look, we already know we're going to take a load of crap for the book. But at the same time, we're going to clear up a lot of stuff. So I think the real diehards are going to really appreciate what we did. And anyone who picks it up for the first time will really grab onto the new character, because the new character is a lot of fun. But she's nothing like the other two."

When asked if he turns a blind eye to the diehards fans feedback, Jimmy says, "[laughs] No, I kind of like the feedback. I don't mind it. When people on the internet say over and over, "hey, we love this!" that's great. And there's always some good ideas in there, too. [...] But anytime you write a character like Terra, who is very close to some people, you're always going to get a lot of crap thrown at you. But it's OK. I don't mind it. I'm glad they took the time to read it, and THEN hate it [so much]. Because at least they went out and bought it. [...] They only thing I turn a blind eye to is when it starts getting personal when they attack you on the internet. [...] That's just kind of stupid. [...] But realistically, anything that gets people thinking and talking is OK. [...] That's the great thing about this hobby - this art form - is that two people will look at something and see two different things."

Listen to the whole interview here!

Interesting thoughst on the whole Terra thing. It sounds like Jimmy has his heart in this one - although I still don't see the need to get rid of the OLD Terra - who was NEVER properly explored.

Teen Titans #44 Preview

DC has provided Newsarama with preview looks at titles shipping on March 14th, including Robin #160 and Teen Titans #44... Check it out here!

TEEN TITANS: TOKYO DVD Contest Deadline

I've gotten a bunch of entries from our art contest! The deadline is TOMORROW, oh Titanic ones! You can WIN a brand-new copy of the recently-released DTV movie "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo" And some other stuff too -- I've got some cool Titans stash and swag that are taking up space at Titans Tower!

Send us your Teen Titans-related artwork. Full contest details can be found here.

You can also check out the thread on our forums. Get drawin'! We'll be announcing winners early next week!

Karl Kerschl on TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE

Newsarama reports: Artist Karl Kerschl has quickly made a name for himself in the comics industry, especially in the realm of DC Comics. Most recently he's done an issue of Flash: The Fastest Man Alive and a short stint on Robin and The Adventures of Superman, and it was recently announced last year that Kerschl was working on a 'Year One' miniseries about the Teen Titans, titled fittingly enough Teen Titans: Year One.

Newsarama:The big project you're working on now is Teen Titans: Year One, which was announced late last year. No artwork has been released yet, but your name and those characters make for a potent force to be imagined.. There's not much out about the series except that it's six issues and you're making it look good. What can you tell us about it?

Karl Kerschl: I can tell you straight up that I'm aiming it squarely at a young teen audience. That's my predominant focus, so anyone looking for gritty superhero death and mutilation is going to be sorely disappointed. The operative word is 'Teen'. When Eddie Berganza approached me about the idea last year, I was immediately excited about the potential of depicting those characters as children, both physically and psychologically, and even moreso about trying to infuse the story with a sense of humor. My mission statement to myself is that each page should appeal somehow to a 13-year old but still carry the weight of an emotionally deep story. Amy Wolfram, who writes for the Titans cartoon, is working from the original comic stories and crafting a great arc which hits all the notes of the origin story but gives it a modern spin. I'm pretty sure this'll be something that people either love or hate - not much middle-ground.

NRAMA: As far as character designs go, what Teen Titans issues are you looking at for reference?

KK: For the character designs, I'm working straight from the original Titans costumes of yesteryear, so Robin will be wearing his green underwear and booties and everyone else will be similarly dressed in their old duds. I'm also trying to depict them, physically, as young kids and I've simplified the drawings to reflect the light-hearted atmosphere and push the style that I used on my fill-in issue of the Flash a bit further. I've been using the Teen Titans Showcase collection as reference, along with an old CaseBook issue which flashes back to the formation of the team. The adults in the book are in their original costumes as well, but they still carry a sense of menace when they need to and I think the open, animated designs work in the darker scenes (and there are some pretty dark scenes) as well as the humorous ones.

NRAMA: If you can't talk too much about it, can you spill maybe on some favorite characters or moments so far?

KK: My absolute favorite moments so far are the Aqualad scenes. The first issue is mostly character introductions, as you might imagine, and each of them have been fun to do in their own way because they're all such different kids, but Aqualad is... something else. I catch myself laughing a lot while I'm drawing these pages. There's seahorse-riding and octopus-wrangling, for a start.

This series will rock. To see what else Karl is up to, click here!

Beechen Reveals Membership Changes

UPDATE: Comics Continuum reports: "Beechen said there will be new members of Teen Titans. Speaking of the 50th issue, he said, "In addition to moving the story forward, it will be a celebration of everything that the Teen Titans have been.""

It was announced at Wonder Con 2007 that Adam Beechen, soon-to-be-Titans-writer, is now exclusive with DC.

The Pulse reports: On the DC Universe 2007: Great Expectations Panel were Dan Didio, Executive Editor, Bob Wayne, VP of Sales, Jann Jones, Coordinating Editor, Matt Idelson, Superman Editor, Judd Winick, writer of Green Arrow and the Outsiders, and Robin and upcoming writer for Teen Titans, Adam Beechen.

Didio began the panel by introducing Beechen as "the man who turned Cassandra Cain evil", which garnered a lot of boos from the audience.

In Titans news: "In the wake of the Titans East arc, there will be some new members to the team as well as some old members leaving," said Beechen. Some elements of the Amazon Attacks will spill into the Teen Titans book. Issue # 50 of Titans figures to be big, but Beechen wouldn't elaborate on this.

For the full article, click here.

Phil Jimenez Comments on Donna's Duds

From The Pulse: Phil Jimenez did a straight forward Question and Answer session with the audience for the entire hour of his panel at this year's Wonder Con where he revealed he'll be spinning a web with Marvel's favorite webslinger, the Amazing Spider-Man.

"Surprisingly, Jimenez has recently suffered artist's block, which he says doesn't happen to him very often. Jimenez said his own favorite piece of work is the Tempest mini-series that came out in 1996."

"Outside of drawing the promo piece for DC's Countdown (the one with the various DC characters looking very solemn with the destroyed Statue of Liberty in the background), Jimenez isn't really working on the project, but he knows what DC is planning. Jimenez said that the Donna Troy in her Wonder Girl outfit "will be addressed in Countdown."

For the full article, click here.

NYCC: Changeling by George Perez

Ah, another fantastic commission from The Man himself: George Perez! George will be taking a break from cons for two years to support his wife, who will be going back into dancing. So after 2007, we won't see any Perez con appearances for a couple of years! As usual, George was his friendly self, cheerfully signing autographs and answering fan questions.

Lucky me, I won the "Perez lottery" on Saturday to get a commission. I chose Changeling since, I haven't seen George draw many commissions of everyone's favorite green shape-shifter. So here he is! Man, I love this piece.

As always, George is donating all proceeds from his commissions to the HERO fund, which supports aging comic creators in need. Whatta guy!

NYCC: Speedy by Cameron Stewart

I love Cameron Stewart's stuff. I asked him to draw Speedy, since he did a GREEN ARROW cover with Speedy awhile back. Cameron's finished piece is an awesome thing. Can I tell you how much I love this one? Speedy-junkie jokes never get old...

NYCC: Nightwing by Matthew Clark

Matthew Clark was in attendence at the con this year. I had a commission from Matthew at a New York con from months ago; Luckily, he remembered! I've been loving his rendition of Nightwing in OUTSIDERS, so I had him draw that character. Matt said it took him awhile to figure out how to approach Nightwing, but he feels comfortable drawing him now. I'll just say that this piece is one of my favorites of the NYCC!

Hey, if TEEN TITANS ever needs a new art team, I vote for the Matthew Clark/Art Thibert combo.

NYCC: Drinks with Comicbloc'ers

Saturday night, I met some of my Comicbloc buds for drinks. That's me in front with the green t-shirt. Once I can ID everyone in the pic, I'll let you know who's who! There's a coupla guys who I forget. And no, it wasn't because of the crazy electric blue TGIFridays space-drink thingee. But before THAT, I ordered a dirty martini -- because, you know -- life is about balance!

NYCC: Kid Flash by Craig Rousseau

At the New York show, I met Todd Dezago and Craig Rousseau, who are working on their series, The Perhapanauts. I had a great chat with Todd and got a pretty cool commission from Craig. I asked for 'any version of Wally West', and Craig chose to draw Kid Flash!

NYCC: Teen Titans Year One Team

from left to right: Amy Wolfram [writer], Serge LaPointe [inker], Steph Peru [colourist] and Karl Kerschl [artist].

The whole team behind TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE gathered at the Monkey Sweatshop booth (booth A116) at the New York Comic-Con! Amy Wolfram made it to New York from the West Coast, in her first con trek outside of San Diego. Many Titans fans will know Amy from her excellent work on the Teen Titans animated series; Amy crafted winning episodes like SISTERS, TERRA, BETROTHED, CALLING ALL TITANS and THINGS CHANGE. She'll be bringing the same character depth and whimsy to the Titans with the year one mini series! Amy's got some awesome insights into the original fab five. This should be a joy to read.

The art on the book looks to be nothing short of fantastic. The team is looking to achieve a sort of 'animated' approach. Karl's style is a little bit looser and freer - giving the book a kinetic and youthful look. Once Karl draws it, the foreground characters and images are inked by Serge LaPointe. The inked/penciled pages are then scanned in, and the whole thing is colored by Steph Peru. Steph takes the penciled backgrounds, and digitally colors them. Once that's done, Steph also adds lighting and shadows. The whole combined effort has a rich, lush look that reminds me of things like PRINCESS MONONOKE or a Disney film. The overall effect is something like this sample FLASH page.


The team is putting in a HUGE effort, and it's gonna come through on the printed page. Man, this book is going to be sweet! Look for TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE some time toward the end of 2007.

Big thanks to Amy, Karl, Serge & Steph for being so gracious!

NYCC: Teen Titans Year One by Karl Kerschl

Karl Kerschl made it to the New York Comic-Con this year; As many Titans fans know, Karl is currently working on the six issue TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE mini series. I chatted with Karl for awhile, and rest assured, the Titans are in excellent hands. Karl has developed a slightly different style for the mini series - a little more 'bouncy' than his SUPERMAN work. It really evokes that fun feeling of the Haney/Cardy era, but in a modern way.

I was lucky enough to snag three [!] sketches from Karl: Kid Flash, Wonder Girl and Aqualad. The 'Fear of Fish" Aqualad one is my favorite! This is the VERY FIRST look at what's in story for the mini -- so enjoy!

NYCC: Teen Titans Go! Team

[pictued from left to right: Mike Norton, J Torres and Todd Nauck (who is busy sketching behind that sign!)]

TEEN TITANS GO! team was at full force at the New York Comic-Con. J Torres [writer], Todd Nauck [artist] and Mike Norton [artist] did a few group signings at the DC Booth during the show. Mike drew me a Jericho and later, a Wonder Girl. Todd drew me a cool Raven.

I was chatting with Todd about how they used Wonder Girl for the comic; He said they just called up Glen Murakami and he sent over a design for the character. Glen also provided the cover for her debut issue. J Torres said the TEEN TITANS GO! doesn't seem to be in any danger of cancellation, even though they aren't producing any new episodes. J also mentioned they have something special planned for TEEN TITANS GO! #50 -- so be on the lookout!

NYCC: Todd Nauck's Titans

Todd Nauck was at the New York show and doing loads of drawings and commissions. I had Todd draw two of the newbie Titans: Zatara and Miss Martian.