My sadness at the loss of the Teen Titans animated series is well documented. My family turned to the Teen Titans Go! comics and that helped, for a while, and then there was the whole hubbub over whether or not that would continue, as well.

I simply cannot keep up with all of these changes, but I try, because I really have a thing for the Titans. Which sounds a lot creepier than I mean it to, when I say it like that. Anyway. I probably got a little more excited than was strictly necessary when I read Newsarama’s preview of the new Teen Titans: Year One comic:

TEEN TITANS: YEAR ONE #1
Written by Amy Wolfram
Art by Karl Kerschl & Serge Lapointe
Cover by Kerschl
Writer Amy Wolfram (Teen Titans animated series) joins rising star artist Karl Kerschl (ALL-FLASH #1, ROBIN) for a colorful reimagining of how the Teen Titans came together! See how these teammates bonded, and overcame the sheer awkwardness of being teenagers in this explosive 6-issue miniseries that guest-stars the Justice League of America! You may think you know Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and Aqualad – but you don’t really know the original Teen Titans!
On sale January 2 1 of 6 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US

Hey, yet another way for us to get our Teen Titans fix around here. Sounds good to me! Teen Titans: Year One is slated to be a six-issue limited series, and I suppose by its very prequel nature it’ll be self-limiting, but who knows. We’ve got Teen Titans Go!, Tiny Titans, now Year One… maybe this could spark the return of some animated Titans. It could happen.

I can dream, you know. (It’s a new year. Don’t burst my bubble just yet.)

When we last left off in the world of Teen Titans, DC Comics was threatening to cancel the Teen Titans Go! series and fans were up in arms. We’re big on the TTG series here, so I was hoping it wasn’t true.

Now I’m reading conflicting information and I’m really confused. The fact that I’m confused is nothing new or particularly surprising, but the trying to figure out what’s really happening here is a convoluted process.

Here’s what I know for sure: Tiny Titans was announced last week as an upcoming comic aimed at the 3+ set. Look at that picture, there. Aren’t they adorable? I mean, creepy and strange, but cute? It sort of reminds me of Muppet Babies. Hopefully Tiny Titans will be better than muppets in diapers. Let’s hope.

You can learn more about Tiny Titans over at Wizard Entertainment; I have to admit, as weird as the concept seemed to me at first blush, it doesn’t sound half bad.

Here’s what I’m not sure about: On August 10th, Newsarama confirmed that Teen Titans Go! was being canceled, and I sort of figured that it must be true because the source was DC Comics’ Jann Jones. They were discussing the genesis of Tiny Titans and this exchange took place:

NRAMA: Before we get too far into things, how will these titles fit within the Johnny DC imprint as it stands? Will they be additions, replacements, or something else?

JJ: We’re going to be losing Teen Titans Go! and Justice League Unlimited in the line that I know of. These titles won’t exactly be replacements for those two, though, they’re something completely different.

So. It’s true, then; TTG is on its way out. Right?

Maybe not. Five days later, TitansGo.net quoted the following, which had been sent in from J. Torres:

Just got back from the Chicago con where much confusion over TTG’s cancellation ensued following the announcement of “Tiny Titans.” I’m still trying to get to the bottom of things, but it looks like after the above interview was posted on Friday afternoon, fans begin mobbing Jann Jones and Dan DiDido at the convention complaining about the pending end of TTG. Next thing you know, Jann is recanting what she said in the interview and Dan’s telling fans that TTG will go on. And late last night, after the DC dinner, Jann did say to me that they weren’t cancelling TTG anymore but didn’t give me any details.

So it might be good news for the Titans all around, or maybe in a few days someone at DC will recant the recanting. It’s been known to happen.

Either way, are you going to pass up an opportunity to see what a toddler Raven is like or how much pizza toddler Beast Boy can eat? Of course you’re not.

It’s been a while since there was any good Teen Titans news to share, and today I’ve got three items of interest to keep you happy over the weekend. Because I know your weekend would’ve been empty and meaningless, otherwise. You’re welcome.

First: Are you a fan of the Teen Titans Go! comics? J. Torres has posted a preview of some pages from TTG #43 over on ComicSpace. (The issue is available for purchase now, but why not whet your appetite?)

Second: Newsarama has an interview with Marv Wolfman up where he discusses (among other things) the upcoming animated Teen Titans: The Judas Contract. Just be aware that this is based on the The New Teen Titans comics (read: it’s for adults), though it’s interesting to hear Wolfman praise the Cartoon Network series:

NRAMA: Is it connected to the Cartoon Network version of Teen Titans?

MW: No, this has nothing to do with that. This is an adult version. It’s a very strong PG-13 based on the comic, not the cartoon show.

NRAMA: Do you suspect it will be less anime influenced?

MW: I don’t believe art designs have been done but what I’ve always been told was that this was going to be done straight. But I loved the Cartoon Network version of “The Judas Contract”. I thought for a show aimed at eight year olds, they did a story that an adult could watch and not at all be insulted by. We are aiming for a PG-13 audience so hopefully we’re going to be able to do all the emotion that they did and more, but also make it closer to the original comic.

And last but not least: Teen Titans is on its way to becoming a live action feature film through Warner Bros.

The live-action adaptation is being produced by Akiva Goldsman and Kerry Foster through their Weed Road banner, while Mark Verheiden has been brought on board to write the script.

[...]

Goldsman said the tone will be consistent with such recent Warners’ comic book fare as “Batman Begins,” “Superman Returns” and the upcoming “Watchmen.”

Newsarama weighs in with their commentary on this last item, and that’s worth a read, as well.

Any way you slice it, the Titans seem to be alive and kicking. Maybe we’ll get them back on Cartoon Network someday, after all.

Listen, I’m a grown woman. I’m a mother. My days are much more about packing lunches and delivering treatises on why it’s really equally easy to put your underwear in the hamper as to throw it on the floor, plus hitting the hamper has the added bonus of keeping my head from exploding. My point is, I do not have a huge amount of my time and attention invested in cartoons, really.

Except for Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends. Because, well, that’s brilliant. And Teen Titans, because that was also brilliant, before it was rudely cancelled. But at least after Teen Titans the television series was axed, I discovered Teen Titans Go!, the comic book series. That helped, a little.

Except that now it turns out that Teen Titans Go! is in danger of cancellation, as well:

We learned from a source close to DC Comics that “Teen Titans Go!” may actually go under, and J. Torres has confirmed it. This comes as a huge surprise since the series is actually the DC Comics’ best selling all-ages series. It has done a great job of carrying on the cancelled show’s adventures, as well as introducing many new fans and kids alike to comics and the Titans. According to our source, the cut-off issue for “Teen Titans Go!” hasn’t been confirmed yet, but we’re at least guaranteed up to the last solicitation (TTG #44 out in June, featuring Red Raven). Sadly, the end may come sooner after that than you’d think.

Why? Why?? I’m starting to take this personally, I tell you. Hmph.

TitansGo.net recommends contacting DC Comics directly to voice your disappointment and potentially save the series:

Write letters to:
Dan DiDio (and/or Tom Palmer Jr.)
c/o DC COMICS
1700 Broadway NYC, NY 10019

E-mail: askdcdirect@dccomics.com

[Edited to add: Butho from TitansGo.net is now suggesting addressing mail to "Johnny DC" as well, to basically hit all related DC Comics departments. Thanks for the tip, Butho!]

Go tell DC Comics to knock it off. The world needs its Titans. Heck, even I need them, as a break from my mundane life as a mom. And haven’t I suffered enough loss already? I mean, for someone who really doesn’t care about cartoons? Ahem.

[Photo courtesy of J. Torres Online.]

Today the 38th issue of Teen Titans Go! goes on sale, and as you can see from the artwork, Mad Mod returns with his special brand of psychedelic mischief.

And if you’re like me, you cannot look at that frame without seeing shades of Austin Powers. In fact, I now cannot stop exclaiming “Yeah, baby!” in my cheesiest voice, which is scaring the kids just a little. Sheesh. You’d think they’d be used to me by now.

It’s like they stuck the Teen Titans, the Scooby Doo gang, and Austin Powers all in a blender and turned it on. The result? Well, TitansGo.net shows off this sneak peek. I look at that page and I sort of want to get up and dance.

DC Comics touts the upcoming issue:

Featuring art by indie comics superstar Chynna Clugston (Blue Monday, Queen Bee)! Mad Mod returns to offer the Teen Titans fame and fortune. Will their new superstar status distract the Titans from finishing off MM once and for all?

The issue is written by J. Torres and already fans over at jtorresonline are chatting it up, mostly in a very positive way. (Although, I just noticed that someone has commented that due to the holiday, all releases will be pushed to Thursday this week… so it’s supposed to be available today, but might be delayed until tomorrow. Call ahead if you’re looking for it.)

If you’re unfamiliar with guest artist Chynna Clugston, she boasts an impressive resume if the advance page wasn’t enough to pique your interest. Other than getting the Austin Powers theme music stuck in my head, I think the 38th issue of TTG is going to be perfect.

There’s some good news afoot for Teen Titans fans, but it depends on your point of view. As a fan of the TV cartoon rather than a comics aficionado, I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, I really loved Trouble in Tokyo and would be happy for a who slew of Titans movies in the same vein. It’s great entertainment for the whole family. On the other hand, I’m intrigued.

Oh, Toy Box Mommy, you are saying. What in the world are you talking about??

Whoops. Would that be helpful to this discussion? I bet it would. My bad.

The George Perez website brings us the scoop: Teen Titans: The Judas Contract will be coming direct to DVD in 2008.

For everyone who was a fan of the hit Cartoon Network series, this is not for you. For everyone who liked the show but wondered where characters like Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, and others were in the original cartoon, this is more up your alley.

Based on the story written by Marv Wolfman and George perez, Teen Titans villain Destroke the Terminator sends a spychopathic metahuman named Terra to infiltrate the team to gain access to their secret identities so he can capture them.

“I love the original story,” explains Wolfman. “This is one of several Titans stories we did early on that deserves to be a movie.”

Wolfman admitted to having a fondness for the original Dethstroke stories, the Terror of Trigon and the Titans story set on Starfire’s home world.

Co-writing and Wolfman will be Tom DeSanto, producer on the “X-Men” and upcoming “Transformers” films. Perez will contirbute all-new character designs, and the team will feature the classic lineup of Wonder Girl, Changeling, Cyborg, Raven and Dick Grayson, who will make the transition from Robin to Nightwing.

Just off the top of my head, I’m going to have to say that that sounds… completely awesome. With DeSanto on board I’m imagining something very dark and compelling. I might not be able to let my kids watch this one, but that doesn’t mean I can’t get the DVD to… ummm… prescreen it, just in case. Yeah. That’s it.

TitansGo.net has a further bit of clarification:

To rebrief on this new project (and to rid confusion), this DTV release will be an adaption of the classic Teen Titans comic story of the same name, by “The New Teen Titans” co-creators Marv Wolfman and George Perez. For those unfamiliar with “The Judas Contract”, it is a milestone NTT story arc in which Deathstroke (Slade Wilson) sends Terra to infiltrate the Titans as part of his plot to destroy them from the inside. While the Teen Titans animated series adapted the story for Season 2, this new DTV is not related to the show in any way aside from the basic story.

Well, that would be a problem if the “basic story” wasn’t so amazing, I guess. As it is, I’m guessing they won’t have any trouble selling those DVDs when the time comes.

(Psssst! Been to the Teen Titans Store at Ty’s recently? There’s been a bunch of markdowns. And today is your last day to place any order and still receive it in time for Christmas with just the standard ground shipping. I’m just sayin’.)

Where would I be without TitansGo.net? Somewhere with a lot less knowledge of where to go for a handy Teen Titans fix, that’s where.

According to TGN, issue 37 of the “Teen Titans Go!” comic book contained a special 6-page bonus insert:

Written by Marc Sumerak and drawn by TTG regular artist Todd Nauck, the story features the Titans teaming up with Sara Hunter, a dyslexic girl on a mission to save her father. This bonus comic is part of an effort by Schwab Learning to promote child education.

According to the story, Sara is a childhood friend of Beast Boy, and is an archaelogist like her dad. She proves to be a fun character, one we wouldn’t mind seeing pop up in later “official” TTG stories.

You can check out screen shots of the pages over at TGN, or you can read the entire thing through SparkTop.org in their little viewer interface (very slick!).

If you simply must have a paper copy of this mini-adventure for your very own, hop on over to Marc Sumerack’s site for the complete list of comics where the insert can be found. Although I have to admit to a bit of cognitive dissonance over discovering that you can grab the Titans in an issue of Archie. Although I can almost envision Beast Boy and Jughead hanging out together….

How much do I love TitansGo.net? So so much. They not only have all the latest Teen Titans news, they have connections. And really good ideas.

Like… how about a chance to ask whatever you like of Teen Titans story editor Rob Hoegee?

The live-chat takes place Sunday, November 19th, at 8:00 PM Eastern time (5:00 PM Pacific time), located in TitansGo.net’s very own chatroom. For full details on this event, alternate ways to join in, and other info, click here. Hope to see you all Sunday night for our chat with Teen Titans’ Rob Hoegee!

TitansGo.net points out that participants in the chat will be given a brief period of open Q&A, but you stand the best chance of your question being addressed if it you submit it beforehand. The deadline is midnight tonight (November 15).

While the chat is certain to be Titans-heavy, Hoegee is now the story editor and lead writer for Legion of Super Heroes, so it wouldn’t surprise me if he’s fielding questions about that as well. Whether you’re a fan of one show or both, this is a great opportunity to peer into a creative mind.

I’m going to try to check in on the chat, myself, but it’s happening at the same time as Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and I’m a little afraid that the cognitive dissonance between watching a tear-jerking family show and a chatting with a bunch of teenage cartoon fans might cause my brain to explode. And that would be… bad, I think.

TitansGo.net once again brings us the latest and greatest information for anyone hooked on the Teen Titans. Their interview with J. Torres is a fascinating peek into one of the great minds behind the Titans, as well as containing some teasers about upcoming “Teen Titans Go!” issues.

I encourage you to read the entire thing. It’s informative and entertaining and totally makes me want to hang out with J. Torres and maybe just chat and shoot some pool. Because my children love Teen Titans, of course. Ahem.

I can’t help it; I just love his enthusiasm and obvious love for what he does:

TGn: So “Teen Titans Go!” is a natural gig for you.

J. Torres: I’ve said it before and I’ll keep saying till I die I bet you, TTG was the best book to offer me as my first monthly series. Not only is it all-ages and fun, but it’s based on a cartoon that I love which is based on characters and a comic series that I loved as a kid myself, a comic that really got me into comics, so it comes around full circle rather nicely.

And it’s not as though I doubted he had a sense of humor (really, could you write for “Teen Titans Go!” and not?), but this made me laugh out loud:

TGn: Does DC give you much freedom for writing TTG’s stories? Were there ever any ideas you had to toss out?

J. Torres: So far no. And yeah, they’ve given me a lot of creative freedom. But it’s not like I’ve tried to do anything too violent or crazy, you know? I’ve tried to keep TTG true to the cartoon.

There have only been two or three occasions that I can recall when my editor has said “let’s tweak this”. One had something to do with me writing a line for Starfire about eating toothpaste, and another was an appearance by Arella that he didn’t think fit in with the story. But don’t worry, we’ll finally be seeing her in TTG shortly.

No eating toothpaste though, kids!

The interview points out that you can also have an early look at TTG #36 over at jtorresonline. The issue is due for release tomorrow (October 25th), but if you can’t wait, check it out.

If you’re a fan of the television show but not already a reader of the “Teen Titans Go!” comics, this interview should convince you that the series is quite true to the TV version (and all-ages suitable). It doesn’t have the ease that your kids would enjoy from vegetating in front of the set, I suppose, and might, perhaps, better their reading skills (oh, the horror!), but it’s a workable subsitute.

And with heart-warming messages like “don’t eat toothpaste,” how could you not love it?