DC Preview: Teen Titans #66

Newsarama has a preview of Teen Titans #66.

Written by Sean McKeever; Art and Cover by Eddy Barrows and Ruy Jose Teen guest stars galore! With only four members left, it's time for the Teen Titans to hold a recruitment drive! Who will make the cut, and who will be sent packing? Who will refuse to even show up, and who will bring a boatload of trouble with them? DC Universe | 32pg. | Color | $2.99 US On Sale December 31, 2008

DC Nation: The Return of Barry Allen

This week's DC Nation focuses on the Flashes:

" Okay, Time to set the story straight.

From the time I started working at DC, I had a plan --no, scratch that, a desire to bring back Hal Jordan and Barry Allen. To me, they were the definitive Green Lantern and Flash, and they helped bring forth a generation of heroes. More important, they were the base from which all the other ring-bearers and speedsters would come. Nothing against Kyle or Wally, but you can't know who they are without knowing who Hal and Barry are first.

In bringing Hal back, I found a "partner in crime" in Geoff Johns (remember that name; it is important later). Geoff was an even bigger Hal fan than I was and had the same desire to bring him back. Following that desire, we formulated a plan, and following the plan came GREEN LANTERN:REBIRTH. The success of Rebirth exceeded even our wildest expectations, so with Hal and better than ever, we turned our attention to Barry.

Okay, Now, with Barry, things were a little more...complicated. his death was one of the most important events of CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS, not something to be changed on a whim or as easily undone. But slowly, over the years, the walls of Crisis came tumbling down, first with the return of the true Supergirl and then with the return of the Multiverse. Yet Barry's death held firm.

Confession time. i originally hoped to bring Barry back at the end of INFINITE CRISIS, but things didn't work out as planned. Still, we did plan on a change in Flashes, as to echo the original Crisis, so...enter Bart. Now, Bart was there to show the generational aspect of The Flash, but he was never going to be The Flash for long. Plans for his arrival and departure were worked out in conjunction with COUNTDOWN and the JLA/ JSA crossover. And again, it looked like we'd paved the way for Barry, but again the timing wasn't quite right. It wasn't until we hit FINAL CRISIS that the stars would align themselves properly. Enter Geoff Johns (there, I told you he would be important later).

Just as he did with Hal, he wanted to with Barry. A plan was made and a story was set--a story that would encompass everything and everyone in the Flash's history. Not just Barry, but Jay, Wally, Bart, Iris, Max...well you get the idea. BARRY ALLEN, THE FLASH:REBIRTH is a celebration of everything that was, is and will be great about the character. We are building on the brilliant foundation and history of the Flashes while adding to the future.

Don't you love it when a plan (sort of) comes together?

To be continued.

DD"

Once again, I fail to see the logic of pulling Barry Allen back from the grave. It's obvious the late 1970s was "Dan Didio's era of comics," but that doesn't mean the modern-day DCU needs to revert back to those constructs.

This column also serves to support the notion that these things aren't planned very well in advance. And, in the process, they've really messed up Bart and Wally. And all to "restore" DC characters back to 1977. I really can't see one solid reason to bring back Barry (and, as a result, lessen a great death in CRISIS and marginalize Wally, who was EARNED the Flash mantle).

Happy Holidays, Titanic Ones!

My holiday gift to you guys is the Teen Titans story in DCU Holiday Special. It's full of cute-awesome.

Tim and Cassie have a little "friendship moment" as senior members of the team. Nice stuff with Kid Devil and Bombshell and Miss Martian. And there's a particularly cool thing with Bombshell, that I thought "ah, this is how she is different from Ravager."

The story is by the Teen Titans Assistant Editor Rex Ogle (who can come back to write Titans anytime) and the art, by Mike Diomatta, is beautiful.

Happy holidays, Titanic ones!

Tales of Three Terras

Here's an article I just wrote to sort out the confusion of the Three Terras.

Sometimes it's not easy being ye ol' moderator of titanstower.som. Take, oh, Terra for instance. The ever-shifting origin of Terra 2 was a bit of a problem.... and the ambiguity of her origin makes it hard to establish a definitive bio for Terra 1 and Terra 2.

Now, throw in a third Terra into the mix. One who has connections to both Terras. Sort of, but not really. See, even those plans got a bit sidelined between TERRA #3 and TERRA #4, due to some of the events of FINAL CRISIS: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. I feel for writers Justin Gray and Jimmy Palmiotti, who made many changes to Terra 3's backstory due to editorial direction. Heck, Atlee wasn't even "Terra" at all, originally. They were even asked to retrofit their original pitch into an "all-new Terra", cuz DC loves their "new faces under familiar masks" schick. So much so, that Terra is a legacy character now.

Then, there's the revelations of FINAL CRISIS: LAST WILL AND TESTAMENT. In that book, Deathstroke tells Geo-Force that he injected Terra with drugs, which eventually drove her insane. Which, of course, goes against the whole point of the original "Judas Contract" storyline.

Let's see it in Marv Wolfman's own words: "I enjoyed playing the game for two years," Wolfman says. "Whenever anyone would ask 'ls a Titan going to die?' I said no. [laughs] And I was honest about it, because in my mind she was never a Titan, and she wasn't even a traitor. She was a very sick person."

And that, my friends, was the tragedy of Terra. That was the sad truth Marv and George laid out from the very beginning. The first Terra was no victim. This is even confirmed by Deathstroke several times during "Judas Contract" and hammered in in TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #55. Making Terra a victim of Slade's evil serum dilutes "The Judas Contract" in many ways.

So, anyway, back to our original programming.. I've updated the 3 Terra pages. I've left the original Terra's backstory intact, with no mention of Slade's drugging of Terra. Deathstroke did tell that to Geo-Force during a fight, where each player was trying to get a psychological edge on the other. Until it becomes absolute cannon, I'm preserving Terra's story the way Marv & George intended it. I did update Geo-Force's entry with that information, since it pertains to him and his current storyline.

Geo-Force

I did the best I could with Terra 2's backstory, but there's still some holes in that one as well. Like, didn't the Stratans wonder what happened to Terra 2 when the Time Trapper placed her 10 years in the future? And was she effectively defending Strata even not knowing where she was from? Best not to think too much about it, I suppose.

So, happy reading the Tales of Three Terras! I've added some images and information in Terra 1 and Terra 2, and also created a page for Terra 3.

Terra 1

Terra 2

Terra 3

The lesson here: Don't mess with the classics.

Tony Daniel: Battle for the Cowl's Field Marshall

Newsarama spoke to Daniel about the mini-series to find out why he wanted to write the story, what readers can expect from Battle of the Cowl, and where that "Batman and Robin will never die!" image might show up again.

NRAMA: But Tony, this is a pretty big deal, getting to write such a high-profile comic. Was this the kind of project you wanted for your writing debut at DC?

TD: It just worked out that way. Being on Batman for a year and working with Grant Morrison, I really felt that there is no book I’d be better prepared to handle than this one. It’s much easier than, say, starting on a book like Superman, where I haven’t been up-to-date on my reading.

NRAMA: As you mentioned, you've been concentrating on your pencils since coming to DC. After runs on Batman with Grant Morrison, Flash with Marc Guggenheim and Teen Titans with Geoff Johns, what's it like to now write your own story as well as draw the comic? Do you miss the creative process of working with writers like these guys?

TD: I think all three of those writers are terrific, and I’m sure that I learned a thing or two from each of them. I’m fairly confident that I’ll get the chance to work with each of them again at some point. Or I’d like to. We’ve shared those thoughts already pretty much, and it’s flattering and it’s the best compliment. It means I made them happy in my interpretation of their stories, which is how I look at penciling. Like I’m a foreign language interpreter. But I haven’t been away from that kind of writer/artist relationship long enough to miss it. And when I write, I get deeply enthralled into the story and characters and plot points, and I find that very satisfying.

Read it all here!

Art Baltazar - Talking Tiny Titans

John Siuntres sits down with Art Baltazar for an in-depth conversation about DC Comics' Tiny Titans. Aw Yeah, Titans.

On this edition of the Word Balloon podcast, we sit down with artist Art Baltazar, who's Tiny Titans (along with Franco) has proved to be an all ages hit for DC Comics. You'll hear about what's in store for the Titans, including Art's gentle satiric take on the current events of the DCU.

Darkseid is taking over the Titans school, and detention will never be the same. Is it a Crisis of Final proportions?

Check it out here!

DC Flashback: Dick Grayson, part 1

With the disappearance of Bruce Wayne at the end of Grant Morrison and Tony Daniel’s "Batman R.I.P." storyline, DC Comics fans have been left a world without a Batman. Coinciding with the conclusion of “R.I.P.,” DC announced the cancellations of “Robin” (with issue #183), “Nightwing” (with issue #153), and “Birds of Prey” (with issue #127), and will launch in March “Battle for the Cowl,” a three-issue miniseries featuring Batman’s many protégés and associates fighting it out for the mantle of the Bat.

Could Dick Grayson be the new Batman? Come along with CBR for part one of a two-part examination of the life of the original Boy Wonder, the heroic Nightwing, and the man called Dick Grayson.

Read it all here!

McKeever on TITANS #11-13. Winick out?

Sean McKeever has disclosed on ComicBloc that he will be writing TITANS #11-13.

Sean says: " The Annual: First week of April, yes. And speaking of the crossover... I can now disclose that I am writing TITANS 11-13, which consists of the issue leading up to the crossover and the two issues of the crossover. I am not the ongoing writer. That's all I can tell you right now."

Sean also clarifies that the solicit for #11, listing Winick as writer, is an oversight.

"I am not the ongoing writer." Sounds like Winick may be leaving TITANS. Otherwise, I would think Sean would clarify that he's just filling in for a few issues. Hmmm...

If that's the case, I'd vote Sean McKeever or Fabian Nicieza to write TITANS on an ongoing basis.

Titans In March

Titans in March! Here's the rest of the solicts. And Titans fans get a glimpse at the new line-up.

TEEN TITANS #69
Written by Sean McKeever Art by Allan Goldman & Julio Ferreira Cover by Eddy Barrows & Ruy José Get ready for the debut of the new Teen Titans line-up!What surprising heroes show up as part of the team? Who made the cut and who got sent home? And where do they go from here? This special issue sets the stage for the "Deathtrap" crossover with TITANS, which kicks off in the upcoming TEEN TITANS ANNUAL! On sale March 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TITANS #11
Written by Judd Winick
Art and cover by Howard Porter
Shaken by the loss of one of their teammates, the Titans attempt to regroup and move on. But they discover that their problems aren't even close to over as their past comes back to haunt them in this prelude to the major “Deathtrap” crossover with TEEN TITANS starting next month!
On sale March 11 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

TERROR TITANS #6
Written by Sean McKeever
Art and cover by Joe Bennett and Jack Jadson
It’s the explosive finale! Clock King's final, twisted plan terrorizes Los Angeles. Can Ravager stop it? Will she even want to? What role will Static play? And when the dust settles, how will each of the Terror Titans feel about the Clock King, their team...and themselves?
On sale March 4 • 6 of 6 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

VIGILANTE #4
Written by Marv Wolfman
Pencils by Rick Leonardi & John Stanisci
Cover by Walter Simonson
After interrogating Nightwing for information leading to the capture of Jericho, Vigilante has trained his sights on another member of the Titans. This time, Vigilante’s search for the traitor brings him to Titans Tower, but when he breaks into their headquarters, he finds himself face-to-face against the mighty Cyborg! Let the battle begin!
On sale March 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

BATMAN: BATTLE FOR THE COWL #1
Written by Tony Daniel
Art by Tony Daniel & Sandu Florea
Covers by Tony Daniel
"Batman: R.I.P." and FINAL CRISIS saw the end of Batman. Now, months following the disappearance of her protector, Gotham City sits at a precipice and it may be too far gone for Nightwing, Robin, Commissioner Gordon and the rest of the city’s heroes to save the day. Amid the fires, rioting, looting and gang warfare, one question rings out from the souls of Gotham’s desperate citizens: Where is Batman?
With guest-stars galore, the destruction of a sacred Gotham City institution and an ending that will have everyone talking, this 3-issue miniseries event written and drawn by Tony Daniel (The Tenth) features the battle to take on the Mantle of the Bat. Who has earned the right? Who thinks they deserve it? Robin? Nightwing? Jason Todd? Two-Face? Catwoman? Batgirl? Who will ultimately win the BATTLE FOR THE COWL?
Retailers please note: This issue will ship with two covers. For every 10 copies of the Standard Edition (with a cover by Tony Daniel), retailers may order one copy of the Variant Edition (with a cover by Tony Daniel). Please see the Previews Order Form for more information.
On sale March 11 • 1 of 3 • 40 pg, FC, $3.99 US

TINY TITANS #14
Written by Art Baltazar & Franco
Art and cover by Art Baltazar
Welcome to the first official meeting of Pet Club on Paradise Island! But with the strict “no boys allowed” rule, what will Robin and the fellas do to join in? And mayhem ensues when Cyborg attempts to build a vacuum cleaner.
On sale March 18 • 32 pg, FC, $2.50 US

TITANS #8 Preview

io9.com has posted a preview for TITANS #8.

Looks like I'll be skipping this issue as well.

Page 5, in particular, is an offense in several ways.

First Look: Static in the DC Universe

The rollout of the Milestone characters in the DC Universe begins this week in Terror Titans #3, and DC has provided Newsarama with a first look at the issue’s last page – the DCU debut of Static.

Static’s appearance in Terror Titans will be followed up in issue #4 before the character moves to the Teen Titans series, where he will join to the team. The bulk of the remaining Milestone characters will make their DCU debut in this month’s Justice League of America #27, written by McDuffie.

Check it out here!

Eddy Barrows Thanks Titans Fans

from Eddy's blog:

"Hi, folks.

So, as Didio already mentioned, I am leaving the TEEN TITANS as of issue 68. It was a great honor had to work with them for 15 months.

The characters were so different than what I could imagine. When DC invited me to work with the Titans, I thought it was the classic Titans like Starfire, Raven, Changeling, Cyborg, etc. When I read the first script, I saw that I did not know any of them other than Wonder Girl and Robin. I asked to myself who was Kid Devil, Miss Martian, Ravager, Blue Beetle... With time, I learned to know them and soon as I working on them, I felt more comfortable with them.

In time, I learned to like all of them and I can assure you that TEEN TITANS is a great book. I am leaving but I know that the new artist is so good. The team is in good hands!

I want to thank with all my heart everyone for the run; my friend Tarcísio, who taught me everything about Titans more than he can imagine, to Titans fans for your patience to me, etc...

I get to draw ACTION COMICS in January and I hope you will follow me there.

Thanks again!

Titans Together!"

We'll miss you, Eddy!