Warning: Spoilers for Titans (2023) #18 ahead!
Ravenhas long been a fan-favorite character across all iterations of theTitans, despite often undergoing significant changes from medium to medium. Now, however, fresh developments suggest that DC is ready to make someelements from theTeen Titans! (2003)animated series canon, bringing more cohesion to Raven’s character across various platforms.
Tensions run high inTitans(2023)#18 - written by John Layman, with art by Pete Woods – as the Titans are forced out of their tower in Blüdhavenand must go underground. Raven, normally stoic and controlled, reacts especially poorly to the change, snapping at her teammates in a rage and later being overcome by fear and violence in a firefight.
Beast Boy explains that “[Raven]’s personality was split into different pieces for months on end during the whole Dark-Winged Queen stuff,” a plot detailthat echoes the plot of the popularTeen Titans!episode, “Nevermore.
DC Appears Set To Introduce Raven’s “Emoticlones” From The “Teen Titans” Animated Series To Its Mainstream Canon
Titans(2023)#18 - written by John Layman; Art & Color By Pete Woods; Lettering By Wes Abbot
Teen Titans!, Season 1, Episode 6, “Nevermore,” is one of the show’s early characterizations of Raven. When Raven begins to behave oddly, Beast Boy and Cyborg go snooping in Raven’s room to try and figure out why, but they find themselves sucked into Raven’s mind after touching a magical mirror. In Raven’s mind, they meet different color-coded versions of her, each corresponding to one of Raven’s emotions. These “Emoticlones” would prove to be a very popular aspect of the animated Raven, making subsequent appearances in theTeen Titans Go!(2004)comic and even theTeen Titans Go! (2013)animated series.
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The structure ofTitans #18 has a lot in common with “Nevermore.” Both introduce the conflict with an outburst from Raven, withTitans#18 even confirming that she is having trouble balancing the different aspects of her personality.Roy Harper provoking Raven to go all out against the duo of Mammoth and Shimmer also seems like a callback to “Nevermore,” echoing the rage-fueled Raven’s brutal takedown of the rampaging Dr. Light. There’s even anotherTeen Titans!Easter egg inTitans#18, with Roy unpacking a box of Titan dolls that look eerily similar to the ones from episode 7, “Switched.”
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The Animated Series' Storytelling Is Woefully Overlooked
With all the references toTeen Titans!episodes in this issue, particularly episodes 6 and 7, it seems very clear that the latest arc ofTitansis pulling from its animated counterparts for inspiration.Teen Titans!was beloved in the 2000s for its emphasis on strong characterization alongside action, and it’s now clear that all that work is finally being blended into their main comic counterparts. This wouldn’t even be the first time that DC has tapped into elements fromTeen Titans!for the comics: the previouslyanimation-only villain Atlas made his comic book debutinCyborg (2023)#3.
Who is Atlas and how does he fit into DC’s main canon? Find out in Morgan Hampton and Tom Raney’sCyborg (2023) #3!
More than just a beloved pop culture touchstone, theanimatedTeen Titans!represents a rich vein of storylinesand strong characterization for the Titans, but one that has been relatively underutilized in the comics.This new arc ofTitansseems set to change that, however, with the stage set for Raven’s Emoticlonesand even the creepy Puppet King to shine. Fans of the old and new alike have a lot to look forward to, as the best of the animatedTitansfinally appears ready to break into the mainstream.
Teen Titansis a superhero animated TV series based on the DC Comics team of the same name. Airing from 2003 to 2006, the show follows five young heroes—Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy—as they battle villains while navigating adolescence. The series was widely praised for its blend of action, humor, and character development, and it spawned a popular spin-off,Teen Titans Go!.
