Teen Titans Academy #1: All-New New Teen Titans!

Throughout the years, the Teen Titans brand has undergone a great many changes. From an outlet for teenage superhero sidekicks to come into their own to brand new heroes arriving to fill out rosters and bring all new dynamics, Teen Titans has always been about change. As we join DC Comics on their post 2020 journey of change, it seems only fitting that a book like Teen Titans Academy should lead the charge. We see our beloved Titans of yore (dominantly of the classic Wolfman/Perez era) ascending to a new type of hero: teachers. But what are teachers without students? Sheridan and Sandoval have created a cavalcade of heroes, from non-binary effigies to talking gorillas, while also seemlessly integrating established hereos that typically aren’t Titan-type molds, like SHAZAM and Miguel from the recent Dial H. Then there is the bold move (although perhaps fairly intuitive given Sheridan’s background in writing for animation) to bring in the popular animated-only character, Red X, to inject the book with a deeper mystery. This book simultaneously seems to honor its place in the tradition of Titans books while being unapologetically unafraid to change.

The direction and characer design is, simply put, incredibly exciting. There is a lot of groundwork being laid in this first issue and as a result it is very prone to exposition dumps and slightly awkward pacing but given that it is not only a new launch, but also one of the first comics written by Sheridan, I believe it is only a matter of time before the odd rhythms of this unique medium make themselves known to him. In the mean time, as we continue to meet strange new faces and with the thread of armageddon looming (thanks to Future State: Teen Titans, also from Sheridan), the readers can join the rest of the internet in the speculation craze of trying to suss out the face behind the Red X and enjoy the ride!