Teen Titans, Vol. 1: Damian Knows Best

Teen Titans (2016)

by Benjamin Percy, Jonboy Meyers (Illustrator), Khoi Pham (Artist)

Exploding from the blockbuster DC Rebirth event, it’s an action-packed new spin on one of the most famous superhero teams of all time, from writer Benjamin Percy (GREEN ARROW) and a titanic team of talented artists including Jonboy Meyers (Spawn), Diogenes Neves (GREEN LANTERN: NEW GUARDIANS) and Khoi Pham (The Mighty Avengers) comes TEEN TITANS VOL. 1: DAMIAN KNOWS BEST.

His father is the world’s greatest detective. His grandfather is the world’s deadliest terrorist. He is Damian Wayne, a.k.a. Robin, Son of Batman-and he now commands the Teen Titans.

Whether they like it or not.

When Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Kid Flash answer this brash new Boy Wonder’s call for help, they find themselves on the front lines of a war between Damian and his immortal grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul. The entire League of Assassins and the elite Demon’s Fist are prepared to move against these young heroes, all to claim Robin for their own. And if these new Titans are toppled, so be it.

The stakes are crystal clear: if they win, they live. If they lose, Robin will join the forces of evil-and the rest of them are history. But with Damian in charge, sometimes death doesn’t look so bad…

It’s a culture clash for the ages in TEEN TITANS VOL. 1: DAMIAN KNOWS BEST. Collects TEEN TITANS #1-5 and TEEN TITANS: REBIRTH #1.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Graphic Novels Comics, Comic Book, Fiction

147 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 13, 2017

About the author

Benjamin Percy is the author of seven novels -- most recently The Sky Vault (William Morrow) -- three short fiction collections, and a book of essays, Thrill Me, that is widely taught in creative writing classrooms. He writes Wolverine, X-Force, and Ghost Rider for Marvel Comics. His fiction and nonfiction have been published in Esquire (where he is a contributing editor), GQ, Time, Men's Journal, Outside, the Wall Street Journal, Tin House, and the Paris Review. His honors include an NEA fellowship, the Whiting Writer's Award, the Plimpton Prize, two Pushcart Prizes, the iHeart Radio Award for Best Scripted Podcast, and inclusion in Best American Short Stories and Best American Comics.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

This certainly isn't going to be a gritty Teen Titans, is it?
And that's fine. Apparently, this is going to have more of a Tween Titans feel to it because even though some of the members seem to be older, their leader was 12 the day before yesterday.



By the way, Batman is such a douchebag for missing his kid's birthday. What? He can plan for every contingency except an event that happens on the same fucking day every fucking year?
Seriously. Give the kid a call or something, you asshat.
Ugh.

Anyway, the gist is that Damien wants to prove himself to his father, while at the same time proving to himself that he's not like his grandfather, Ra's al Ghul.
And while Daddy may not have given him a present, his Paw-paw sent him something! A dead bird and a message that The League was sending out their graduating class to kill him and several other young heroes.
Dawwww! You know, it really is the thought that counts!

And since he's being raised by a parent that's lacking in all social graces, poor Damien has literally no idea how to reach out to the others without being a total twat.



Anyway, the rest is your basic We don't bite our friends, Damien! kind of story, in which everyone learns to trust in the power of friendship.
It wasn't bad.
That's not to say I was blown away. But it was readable, and certainly suitable for younger audiences.



It was actually a lot better than I assumed it would be, honestly. And I can see how this title might actually find its feet and get better. At least it doesn't have that goofy Batgirl feel to it, you know?



The younger tone might turn some readers off, but I think I'll probably keep reading this one to see where it goes. If you hate Damien you may want to give this a pass. Otherwise? Try it.

[Alex ☣ Deranged KittyCat ☣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

His father is the world’s greatest detective. His grandfather is the world’s deadliest terrorist. He is Damian Wayne, a.k.a. Robin, Son of Batman-and he now commands the Teen Titans.

Whether they like it or not.

When Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy and Kid Flash answer this brash new Boy Wonder’s call for help, they find themselves on the front lines of a war between Damian and his immortal grandfather, Ra’s al Ghul. The entire League of Assassins and the elite Demon’s Fist are prepared to move against these young heroes, all to claim Robin for their own. And if these new Titans are toppled, so be it.

The stakes are crystal clear: if they win, they live. If they lose, Robin will join the forces of evil-and the rest of them are history. But with Damian in charge, sometimes death doesn’t look so bad…

My son is a Teen Titans fan, I like DC comics, so I said I'd give this a try.

Teen Titans is new territory for me since I don't know much about any of the characters. I've always preferred the main superheroes (like Batman & co). But this was a nice read, although the art style changed at some point. Damian started looking really weird.


*Copy provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Calista · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, a lot of this is new to me. It seems that Robin has been more than one person over the years and Batman calls the new ward Robin over and over, but the twist here is that this Robin is actually Batman's son. The mother went to live with Ra's Al Ghul. The new Robin is forming a new Teen Titans. So it's now the same group of people I have known to be Teen Titans. Raven is still here and Beast Boy, but Cyborg is missing and the other ones. I'm a little disappointed.

Robin is doing his best to be good. He was sculpted to be evil, but he has a hard time letting other people in. He is a perfect match for Batman. Batman does show up here and there and he is a terrible father really. He can't connect emotionally. This is a group of misfits who figure out how to make it work.

I did find this story to be fun and well crafter. I look forward to reading more.

[Chad · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spins out of Robin: Son of Batman, in fact it probably should have been called Robin and the Teen Titans as much as it focuses on Damien. Damien kidnaps the Teen Titans because they are in danger. Five assassins (The Demon's Fist) are graduating from Ra's al Ghul's assassins school and their final exam is to kill each of the members Damien has kidnapped. The remainder of the arc is the Titans dealing with the Demon's Fist.

The Good: Not a bad introduction for the new Teen Titans. Hopefully, this will be better than the new 52 series.

The Bad: Mara's character changes significantly from Son of Robin. Batman is now an absentee father who forgets his son's birthday after he went to Apokolips to bring Damien back.

The Ugly: I don't like how Damien keeps getting aged up. He turns 13 at the beginning of this book. Pretty soon he'll be a young adult like the previous 3 Robins. Damien works best when he's a little prick of about 9 or 10.

Received an advance copy from DC and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Oscar · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad.

[Chelsea 🏳️‍🌈 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars but I'm rounding up because I quite liked this.

"Damian, Listen... Dick talks about you all the time. And you know what he says? That you are impossibly arrogant. But that it is almost excusable... because someone who is destined for great things deserves to believe in himself."

So, this novel is kind of like a sequel to Robin: Son of Batman. He's up front and center on the cover, the plot is driven by Damian and this is by and large his story. The team targeting the Titans have history with Damian and this ties into Son of Batman quite nicely. So, if that's not what you picked up this book for, you probably didn't enjoy it.

I know very little about the Teen Titans. I watched a few episodes of the old show and stayed clear of the Teen Titans Go! show. That being said, there were aspects of this book that seemed straight out of the Teen Titans v. Justice League movie where Damian meets the Titans. Everything from Starfire being the older sister type of character trying to keep the peace with Damian to Damian being a little shit and learning what it means to be on a team. Oddly enough, he's learning this lesson concurrently with Super Sons where he's learning it again... strange. However, I love my son and I'm not complaining.

This opens on Damian's thirteenth birthday. He's alone except for Alfred and that broke my heart. This series and Super Sons are painting Bruce as a rather absent and kind of neglectful father. I just feel so sorry for Damian. I mean jeez, not even Dick showed up? Alfred mentions that Dick had the Teen Titans and Robin gets an idea in his head. So... he kidnaps the Titans and tells them they're all in danger. Perhaps I missed something but I'm not sure how Damian knew the League of Training Assassins singled out the Titans or why he waited so long to meet up with the team if he knew. Anyway, he tries to force them into being a team with him and then the League of Training Assassins shows up.

There's a match for everyone:
Blank: a shapeshifter that matches up with Beast Boy
Stone: a superstrong "earth-mover" who matches up with Starfire
Nightstorm: basically Storm who matches up with Kid Flash
Plague: who spreads diseases with her touch and matches up with Raven
Mara: Damian's cousin who has the same skills as Damian

They're after the Teen Titans as part of a quest to be accepted into the League of Shadows or for fun? I'm not entirely sure. Mara has a vendetta against Damian because, in his early years, he was an asshole towards her and he was the one meant to inherit leadership of the League of Shadows. Honestly, if she wasn't trying to kill my son, I would sympathize with her because Damian left and she's still being treated like shit.

Anyway, Damian's an ass to his team until there's a Degrassi moment where Damian admits that he's still learning to be good and he doesn't know how to ask for help. Everyone talks about their less than stellar relatives, Kid Flash's father was Reverse Flash (which was news to me), Starfire's sister imprisoned her, Raven's father is a demon and Beast Boy talks about his bad past. Damian has a come to Jesus moment and decides to sacrifice himself. The team runs off to stop him and we have a final battle where everyone takes on R'as al Ghul for their lives and freedom.

There are my usual pet peeves in this series:
- calling team members friends when you've known them for a matter of hours and by connection: slightly unbelievable development of relationships between characters for the sake of the plot

I kind of see past them because I enjoyed reading this book. I wish more was done with the other team members because I feel like Starfire's the only one I really got to know anything about. I like that her story is about agency though and that came across in her six panels.

The art was fine. I'm not sure why everyone has super thick outlines but it didn't bother me. There was one unfortunate panel where Starfire was angled in such a way that I felt like I was staring into her vagina. That wasn't pleasant but there wasn't a lot of T & A shots in this book so kudos for that. Overall, I haven't hated anything Benjamin Percy has written. I might even call myself a fan at this point.

So, if you like Damian Wayne, this is a recommend.

Beast Boy: So Damian, do you prefer the title of "Fearless Leader" or "Ruthless Overlord"?
Damian: How about "Work-In-Progress"? That goes for us all. I don't know what the future holds, but one thing's for certain... we're in this together."

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well least it's better than Titans huh?

Listen, I don't like Teen Titans the show. I know the fanbase is huge, my wife even loves it, but it was never for me. I didn't grow up reading the teen titans or watching it. So when I get the comics I want to see what all the fuss is about. I do hear John's run is where it's at so one day I'll get to it, however, let's talk about Rebirth.

The star is Damien. This is probably why I enjoy it more than others. I love Damien. He's a little shit, with a big heart, who uses his humor to ignore the flaws of himself. He's also a badass warrior who made his cousin go half blind. So there's that. After Damien kidnaps the Teen Titans he tells them they will become the NEW Teen Titans! However, we the League of Assassin's comes into play things might not go as easy as one would hope.

Good: The art is pretty solid. Everything is bright and fun, the fights are well done, and the character designs are all solid (raven is hot). I also thought Damien giving his speeches felt the most like a Robin so far. The team working together to take out the assassin team was enjoyable as well.

Bad: The way they forced them together felt a little odd. Beast Boys Humor is kind of dumb (I guess that's normal though?) Also the art, while good at most times, can look a little weak. I feel like there was even a moment or two that they used the same panel art with slightly different colors in a fight.

Overall it was fun time but not super amazing. I'll probably read least volume 2 or maybe even 3 to see how it ends up. For now it's enjoyable! A 2.5-3 out of 5.

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't know what made me decide to pick this up. It could be because we're getting a Robin book this week, but I thought that this was an interesting read

I'm not going to lie, part of this story was confusing for me because I haven't read Robin, Son of Batman and I feel like that story probably gives a lot of context to Damien's character. I don't think that you have to read that to read this; however, I think it would provide a little more clarity. While this is titled as a Teen Titans book, I think that this definitely focuses more so on Damien as a character and his struggles with trying to find his place in the world. He's torn in between the world of his father and the world of his mother. Inevitably this causes him to be torn between good and evil. On his 13th birthday Damien makes the decision to get a team together to not only safe their lives, but his own. For the most part I liked the story. It did read a little young in some sections and I didn't really buy into the instantaneous connection between all the characters (Robin, Kid Flash, Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven). They knew each other for a few hours and it didn't seem realistic for them to be so invested in each other so quickly. Nevertheless, I liked the plot of this. The team has to work together to fight against the League of Training Assassins and the battle scenes were pretty good. I like the complexity of Damian as a character: not really knowing whether he's good or bad. It's a solid first volume and I enjoyed the art style.

[Sesana · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great, which is a shame. I have a serious soft spot for the Teen Titans, but DC hasn't delivered anything great for the team in quite some time. The team has to be built around Damian, because we always need a Robin or former Robin on the team, but the rest? Kid Flash is a decent choice, but isn't Starfire too old to be a Teen Titan anymore? I get the sense that she, Raven, and Beast Boy are only here because they're some of the best known Titans (as Teen Titans, I mean) and not because they're a good organic fit in their own right. Wouldn't it have made more sense to include actually teenage characters like Blue Beetle? Instead, we have a team of obligatory Titans that doesn't really work. Kid Flash aside, it's like they're all there to babysit Damian.

Team choice aside, the story is just ok. The resolution is just a bit too neat and easy, and Damian goes too quickly from outright jerk to self-sacrificing. It also relies on having characters who should be very powerful, highly experienced, and well-trained get bested by a group of teenagers on their first mission. It may have helped if anybody had more than the barest hint of characterization, but that didn't happen. Those teenaged assassins don't even get that much, just a vague description of their powers and and uninspired codename.

It's never a good sign when the artist suddenly changes a few issues in. Meyers is only the artist for the first two issues (Rebirth and #1), with two other artists rounding out the issue. I've seen worse, as far as turnover goes. Katana has fifteen artists on ten issues, so three artists on six issues isn't that horrible, I guess. And none of these artists are bad, at all. But Meyers has a little something extra that the other two don't, and I missed that.

I've read worse volumes of Teen Titans, but I've read way better, too. I think I'll wait for the next iteration to give it another shot.

[Subham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was really good!

I loved this whole thing. Damian gets all the titans and its fun seeing where they are and then them coming together and well there is initial resistance but then he tells them of the Demons fist, a group under Ra's and led by his cousin Mara who have targeted them for assassination and we see them coming together, initial fights and escape and then coming together and sharing a moment of their pasts and how they maybe similar, a noble sacrifice by one, great fights and then the eventual coming of the team to fight their foes and an impassioned speech, change of hearts and facing off against Ra's and Mara! What will be the fate of Damian wayne? Plus the origins of Demons fist and a new era maybe..

Its such a good volume and I love how Ben dives into the whole thing in an epic fashion and he gives each member their due moment and a passionate story for Damian showing his character growth and giving him a new status quo and friends and this new villain group Demons fist was a fun addition for the Titans and the way they face off against this group was awesome and I loved it! Its a great battle and coming together of the team and shows how well these characters gel with each other plus I love the interaction between Gar and Damian and Goliath is just <3. Plus interesting hints in the end of things to come! <3

[Daniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

5.0 stars ...

Loved this so much! Gonna really enjoy this series. 👍😁👍

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty cute. Andddd it's better than Titans, so that's a lot going for it already.

Poor Damian, alone with Alfred on his 13th Birthday.
Classic Damian, kidnaps himself some friends to remedy that. lol
But actually, Happy Bar Mitzvah, big D! Sad Bruce couldn't even apologize for missing it though. :-/
And Damian only sorta kidnapped some friends. He's also protecting their lives.

I could see how a lot of readers probably don't like Damian as a character, but I actually really enjoyed this.
His inner monologues were actually pretty poetic, and he's trying (earnestly to make friends, to be good, to choose the light), which is really fun to see.


To be fair, maybe one of the reasons I liked this so much is because it felt like a Damian title, and not Teen Titans, who I don't really know/care about (yet).

Some LOL moments:

*"I'm Batman"!!!!! LOL
*When everyone shares their messed up baggage around the campfire and Kid Flash says he trust Damian to lead them through this.
*When Kid Flash asked Raven about her powers/magic when no one else has before.
(Aw, Kid Flash is so great here.)
*Goliath :)
*The mirror of Erised: Damian sees his future self as Batman. <3

*And when Batman shows up everyone (except for Damian) is super wowed. Ha!

And I even liked the team up at the end. It felt very "teen" Titans. :)

[Gulli · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The story is simple and straightforward, but enjoyable.

Unsurprisingly, Damian is the highlight of the volume. His character is depicted well, insofar as he is portrayed as a complicated and proud hero. I appreciated the reference to Robert Browning's 'Child Rolande to the Dark Tower Came,' which complements the narrative.

I found the rival team compelling, but at times thought Raven or Starfire could've singlehandedly overpowered them during their encounters. Beast Boy's depiction was peculiar: characters kept referring to him as an annoying loud mouth, but he didn't come across as such (in this volume, at least).

[Diz · Rating 3 out of 5]

The art is really nice, and I like the design for the Rebirth Raven. I really didn't like the character design for the New 52 Raven, so this is a big plus for me. Unfortunately, the team chemistry is there, and it's not really clear why the other Titans would work with Damian.

[Danielle The Book Huntress · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy the Teen Titans animated shows, and it's perked me interest in reading the books. I am very into the DC Universe "Titans" TV show, but is very adult themed. This book is more geared towards a younger audience. It was decent. I didn't get that drawn into the story, and I felt that the stories seemed more like snapshots and weren't in enough depth to really move the story forward.

Damian always comes off as a brat to me. I keep trying to like him. I'm not still not feeling his personality just yet. This book didn't change that for me. Would I read more? Probably, if I can find them at my library.

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Read as single issues]
Teen Titans has had a rocky history for the past five years or so. Ever since the New 52, the series has floundered under odd direction and the constant appearance of Scott Lobdell and his mad-on for NOWHERE and Harvest. Thankfully, this new series looks set to change that with the best opening arc in a long time for the team.

Damian Wayne discovers that Ra's Al Ghul's League Of Assassins teenage murderer squad is going to target teenage metahumans as their final exam, so he does what he thinks is best - kidnap them all and force them to work with him to stop them. Nice try Robin, but that's not how you make friends. So in the face of adversity, Damian, Starfire, Beast Boy, Raven, and Kid Flash must work together to stop Ra's and the League, or Damian may have to succumb to his darker impulses and leave forever. Drama!

Ben Percy's been writing up a storm on Green Arrow, and his Teen Titans feels natural and fun. The interplay between the characters can get a little repetitive since Damian constantly seems to think he's smarter than everyone else, but it's great to see familiar faces mixing with newer ones. Only in a sliding timeline can Starfire, Beast Boy, and Raven be on three or four incarnations of the same team and never grow up. The ultimate resolution to the story plays out well too, and gives the team a reason to remain together - they actually work really well as a team, when Damian stops being a dick for ten minutes. Also, Goliath, Damian's giant red dog dragon monster pet, is adorable.

The art is a little more shaky, as Jonboy Meyers left the series after two issues. As a result, we get Meyers for the Rebirth one-shot and issue 1, Diogenes Neves on issue 2, and then new series artist Khoi Pham on issues 3-5. They're not massively different, especially Pham and Neves, but Meyers' heavily detailed style is a taste of what could have been, and it's a shame to see him go so early on. It's still a consistent tone for the book however, helped by having colourist Jim Charalampadis colour all three artists.

A great start to the new series, with fan favourite characters, a compelling plot, and a varied but consistent art team. This volume is definitely Damian's story, with each new arc looking to focus on someone new (volume 2 for example, is all about new Titan Aqualad). I have faith in this team again, and I haven't said that since pre-2011. Teen Titans, go!

[Wing Kee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Starts of real bad and slowly climbs it's way up.

World: I am not a fan of the art, it does get better and better as the issues go as new artists come in and gives us a more detailed and kinetic series. Jonboy Meyers and the first two issues were rough, they have these weird faces that does not connect with me. The world building is aight, it's not great because of the rough start, but as the book progresses it gets better and tying the origin of the new team with their insecurities is a good way to build a strong emotional core. Good by the end.

Story: The first two issues were tough. I like Percy and his Green Arrow run, it's fast, it's fun and it's got heart. The first two issues here were not that at all, it was fast, but janky and had logical gaps which made me check out. Add to that the characters were given snippet intros that were not really in line with the tone of the book. I blame this on Jonboy Meyers cause once he leaves the book it gets a lot better. The pacing is alright but a bit choppy and there is way too much fighting and not enough development for the group to warrant the payoff. This should have been a quieter book with an intro of each and their core. The mindless action and huge cast did not do this book any favors. That being said, once you got past the basic character work and the emotions we were supposed to feel the book does come together somewhat. It got progressively better. I am looking forward for more character work in the next arc to build this teams chemistry.

Characters: Damian is who he is and he does give a new fresh dynamic to the Robin that Dick and Tim don't bring. Add to that his core story did do a fairly good job to kick off the team. The rest of the cast get no such depth and are basic ideas of what they are. It's a shame. I know having Starlite as a Teen Titan is in line with the TV series but isn't she a bit old for this team? Why is she not on the Titans? Where is Cyborg. I don't mind the light tone l, in fact I prefer it so it sets itself apart for Justice League. I just need more character moments and development moving forward.

A bad first two issues and an upward trajectory. Here's hoping it gets good.

Onward to the next book!

[Taylor Ramirez · Rating 5 out of 5]

June 19th Review: Why read new books when I can reread comics? Also god I love the art in the first issue. I wish the art had stayed that way. But I did like the art in the last issue. I think the rest is fine but man that first issue is great. I really love this team dynamic. All the different personalities and powers. It’s so cool. And I’m a sucker for the heroes versus their opposites. It’s great. I wonder when we’ll see Mara and the Demon’s Fist again.

October 23rd Reaction:We start off with Beast Boy partying it up in LA, trying to distract himself from the death of Tim Drake. He then gets kidnapped by a hooded figure.

I forgot how attractive Starfire is. And she gets zapped with an equalist glove.

This art style makes Raven look super adorable.

And finally we meet Kid Flash, who I know a bit from Young Justice and I think he was in the Teen Titans cartoon but I don’t know if this race bent version is different.

We then skip to all four of the Teen Titans are together, captured…by Damien.

Robin: I…I don’t have any friends…not with kind of life I’ve lived.

I don’t think kidnapping people is the way to go about making new ones.

Wow. Where does one get a secret liar that has skull spewing lava?

Oh great, the Demon’s Fist crew are going after our five heroes.

It usually takes me a while to warm up to Kid Flash, but this comic is making me want to look more into his backstory.

Mara is Damien’s cousin. Interesting.

Beast Boy really wants to curse.

Raven: Even the Demon’s Fist understands this. Each assassin chose us as individual targets because of what we represent.
Starfire: Light.
Kid Flash: Hope.
Beast Boy: Super sexiness.

I know it’s clichéd but I really love this camp fire scene.

Okay, the Demon’s Fist crew switch felt a little bit rushed but it was cool to see them work with the Titans.

This was a really fun comic! While I’m still not the biggest Damien fan, he had his moments. I really love the team!

[Yasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this comic. From the first page on I was very impressed by the artwork. Khoi Pham, Jonboy Meyers and Diógenes Neves did amazing jobs and gave the whole story a wonderful realization. This story arc focuses a lot on Damian, who I like, but I wish the other Teen Titans would have gotten more involved, too. Maybe the team will appear more in focus now that Damian’s background has been featured thoroughly. I’m especially interested in their pasts, because they don’t seem like kiddies and all I really know about comes from the Cartoon Network show that I used to watch as a child.

Benjamin Percy did a great job writing this story. Getting to know the Demon’s Fist team, and reading all about the struggle of Robin’s parentage makes the journey in this comic very dramatic. Choosing between your mother and your father’s legacy in Robin’s position isn’t the easiest but I’m so glad the way the story played out.

What you have or haven’t done, who your family is or isn’t, where you do or don’t belong -- none of that matters. You’re assigned your history, but you decide your future.

Percy also brings some humour into the series with a few witty exchanges between the team members to loosen up the dramatics, but at the same time portrays the gravity of the story in a wonderful way. The author/artists team works great together and I can’t wait to see how they continue with this arc.

You do not need a lot of superhero background knowledge to read and enjoy this book, but if you’re into DC Comics, I’ve been told it might be best to pick up Robin: Son of Batman first as this one spins off right after the happenings there. I haven’t had the chance to read that though either, so that’s another comic on my tbr.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

So good so good so good.

All the teen angst. Plot's pretty good, but the characterization is where it's at. A great introduction and finally something cool to follow up the show I miss so, so dearly. (Although no Cyborg!! Whatever happened to him? Kid Flash is cool though!!)

Damian is a shit, but I like him.

And Starfire and Raven were not sexualized!! This feels momentous!!

Well did, team. I want more.

[Liam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great story, great characters and some great art!! This group works really well together as each member brings something new and interesting to it, looking forward to seeing what else this fantastic little squad gets up to!

[anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

ME, A PROUD MOTHER OF FIVE,

[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This was a fun read definitely not my favourite in the DCEU, but that batman cameo was wonderful. I really enjoy seeing Batman in a fatherly role and i need to read more Batman with that aspect.

[Ivy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Nice to see Damian, Goliath, and the Teen Titans. Still don't know what happened to Tim. Hope Damian will be able to let go of his past

Can't wait to read Teen Titans, Volume 2!!!!!

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve started reading Teen Titans last year but I never got the chance to finish it; well here I am now! Damian Wayne is probably my ultimate favorite superhero. It’s a no surprise I ended up loving this series. I can’t wait to see them to grow as a found family. Also yay for Starfire for being here.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I REALLY enjoyed this graphic novel; it was perfect parts introspection and character development as well as classic comic book action. I have always loved watching Damian's character evolve, and Benjamin Percy is doing a fantastic job of taking the unique steps that only the Son of Batman and the Grandson of Ra's Al Ghul could take into adolescence. I LOVED the rest of the Teen Titans, especially Beast Boy and Kid Flash. They had me laughing as much as Damian's personal story had my heart going out for this kid who never was given a choice, but who, against all odds, crafted his own choice and is constantly deciding on good over evil. I was worried that his arrogance would tip the balance between understandable to annoying, but it actually didn't. He is who is because of the legacy he has, but at heart, he's a confused teenager who just wants friends and who knows, deep down, that he's a "work in progress." I really enjoyed the scene between Damian and Alfred, though I wish there would have been more Batman. I can't believe a father who literally traveled to Apokolips to bring his son back to life would not show up for his 13th birthday... and not make up for it in some way... though he is Batman and in the Justice League, so duty does call... and he did give Damian a Titans Tower, so.... Still, I really liked those father/son moments from the New 52's "Batman and Robin" series (one of the handful of things the New 52 did well), and I'd like to see more of those. I haven't gotten around to reading Rebirth "Batman" or "Detective Comics," so maybe I'll be satisfied there, but I haven't also seen a lot of Batman and Robin together in the "Super Sons" series either... though again, that's also not the point of the series. Plus... I'm kind of rambling now. In short, I won't judge how Batman's being written as a father until I actually read something that's starring Batman. But for the series starring his son: they are intriguing reads rooted in character development in a way that is intricately woven into the plot, giving not just a satisfying reading experience, but one in which readers find as much fun and action as they do "feels." I'm excited to see what's coming next for the new Teen Titans.

[Scott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy life's pleasant little surprises. I had grabbed this book as an afterthought from the library's new release shelf. (I had really stopped by for an embarrassing armload of Batman and JLA). This was fairly easy to follow with only a superficial knowledge of the team, and like a John Hughes teen flick - "Breakfast Club," anyone?- had equal amounts of humor and heart. The campfire scene, where each of the TT talk about family disappointments, was pitch-perfect in a teen drama way. Damian may be a little twerp, but I'd say the kid has potential. So does the series. "TITANS, GO!"

[Charles · Rating 1 out of 5]

That was pretty rough.

Let me preface that with the fact that I really don’t enjoy Damian Wayne’s character. Now, with it being Rebirth, I’d hoped that maybe there’d be some changes. I was wrong on that point by a country mile. Still as annoying and arrogant as ever. His snicker of “TT” just grated on my every nerve throughout this story. Some of the characters are alright, but pretty hollow. Not much definition to them other than reflecting on the same stories from their past multiple times throughout this story. Gar/Beast Boy is still a perv so I guess that’s kind of a nod to the classic Teen Titans of the 80s. Again, this doesn’t end up adding much to the story and further hinders it with brutal quips and attempts at humour that fall flat.

Once again, a change in the art team part way through a DC arc feels disorienting to me. They once again go for a slapstick, anime-esque look to the characters which feels wrong. The original art at the beginning was nice with Beast Boy looking a bit more beast than boy, but he then just looks like a green kid with coiffed hair later on.

I honestly do not know what the target audience for this book is and maybe that’s the main problem. Is it supposed to be for young adults and adults or kids? It feels like an attempt at a kids movie where they try and slot in some jokes to keep the grown-ups entertained and focused, but for me this proved like quite a task to read.

As for the plot, it’s a pendulum in its approach. Jerky Damian surveils and kidnaps the would-be Teen Titans. He acts like a jerk. He keeps a secret from them that is supposed to be a big reveal. Monster-of-the-week rival group shows up. Team sorta bonds. Damian leaves seeing the group uniting and he needs to sacrifice himself. Meanie group doubts itself and is at square one of where the Teen Titans were at the beginning. Teen Titans show up to save Damian. He calls them friends. They talk some humanity into meanies. All is well with world and Ra’s swears that this is the last time he’ll waste any effort on Damian. Ugh. I’m sure that in the future Ra’s appeal will be further and further eroded as they continue to drag that old chestnut (and once an intriguing villain) out of the closet yet again.

I can’t really recommend this in good conscience, because in the end I don’t know who to recommend it to. If you enjoy it, please let me know as maybe I approached this all wrong.

[Scott Rhee · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have no idea how many times DC has re-done the Teen Titans. From what I can gather in my researches (on Google), it’s been a hella lot. More times than Marvel has attempted to make a decent “Fantastic Four” movie, that’s for sure. (Actually, the best version of “Fantastic Four” was made by Disney-Pixar, and it was called “The Incredibles”.)

I skipped a lot of issues between the Marv Wolfman-George Perez years (‘80s) to the more recent incarnation by Adam Glass and Bernard Chang. I have neither the patience nor the wherewithal to read every single issue of every incarnation of the Titans, but I do want to figure out a bit of the backstory that I’m missing, which is why I picked up “Teen Titans, Vol. 1: Damian Knows Best”, which was written by Benjamin Percy and published in 2017.

In this issue, Robin is Batman’s son, Damian Wayne, and he has just turned 13. He has essentially kidnapped Beast Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Kid Flash because he doesn’t have any friends and that’s what fucked-up little rich kids do to get friends.

No, but seriously: Damian’s grandfather is Ra’s Al Ghul, the guy played by Liam Neeson in “Batman Begins”. He wants Robin to be the leader of his own little teen version of the League of Assassins, but Robin wants nothing to do with him. So, he wants Beast-Boy, Starfire, Raven, and Kid Flash to be part of his own club, because a superhero club is cooler than a ninja assassin club, or something like that. Oh, and Ra’s Al Ghul wants to kill them.

Bam Pow Ka-pow. Fight fight fight. Yada yada yada…

This wasn’t bad. The artwork (by artists Khoi Pham, Jonboy Meyers, and Diogenes Neves) is cool, although a little too influenced by Japanese manga for my taste. (*sigh* I miss George Perez…)

Damian’s kind of a little shit, and he looks more like an eight-year-old than a 13-year-old (I guess training to be an assassin and having a shitty dad like Batman for a dad really stunts one’s growth), but it’s probably too much to ask for a Robin that isn’t annoying. Beast-Boy, Raven, and Starfire are still pretty much the same, only skewed a bit younger.

I’m willing to see where this series goes…

[Terry Mcginnis · Rating 3 out of 5]

What started off as simply a title I got on the cheap, and a chore to get through, became an interesting read towards the end. Definitely not the kid version of the Titans. I may check out Vol. 2. Recommended for Teen Titans fans. Pass otherwise.