I've caught several episodes of the new Teen Titans cartoon. I grew up reading the Wolfman/Perez New Teen Titans, which serves as something of a foundation for the animated series, so I figured it would be right up my alley. Instead, I found an entertaining, light show that's clearly aimed at kids, but one that nevertheless boasts a slightly darker edge while maintaining an appropriate tone for the tykes. J. (X-Men: Ronin) Torres and Todd (Wildguard: Casting Call) Nauck tap into some of the energy and appeal of the TV show, but they set too simple a tone for the debut issue.
The Teen Titans try out a brand new video game that places the heroes themselves against a throng of digital ninja, and the boys in particular delight in taunting each other and kicking ninja butt. Little do they know, though, that the game is recording information about their powers and fighting techniques. That opens the door for a trio of villains to take them on, fully aware and prepared for all of the heroes' moves, tricks and gimmicks.
Nauck and Stucker are no stranger to teen heroes, and especially the team leader here, Robin. They did some great work on Young Justice, capturing the energy and emotion of youth, and they continue to do so here. They nail the house style of the cartoon they're trying to recreate here, but at the same time, Nauck's own unique style still manages to shine through. They also attempt to recreate the anime leanings of the show's style with some cute manga character "asides." I don't care for the more overt anime influence on the cartoon, but the manga moments here are fun, reminding me of a similar storytelling style in Chynna Clugston-Major's Blue Monday comics.
The plot here is quite thin. Torres is focusing on introducting these characters to his audience, but the conflict just isn't all that engaging. He throws in a twist in the plot at the end, and while I didn't entirely see it coming, it didn't really pack much of a punch either.
Torres provides a script that's not too tied down in the TV show's continuity, clearly aiming for a more accessible tone for new readers. He certainly conveys the title characters' personalities nicely; he especially hits the mark when it comes to Starfire's characterization. But we don't get a sense of what the characters' powers are, who the villains are (I know, but only from having seen the TV show) or what motivates them. Furthermore, while Deathstroke plays a part here, this story lacks the darker edge that he brings to the cartoon.
