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Teen Titans (1966) #1-11
Teen Titans: The Silver Age Omnibus Vol. 1
Only a short while after the first superheroes entered the scene, they were followed by a host of scrappy teenage sidekicks. Batman had Robin. The Flash had Kid Flash. Green Arrow had Speedy. Aquaman had Aqualad.
By 1964 there were enough of these young heroes-in-training to form their own team—the Teen Titans! This youthful Junior Justice League came together to aid other youngsters and stomp out evil wherever they found it—all with the style and slang of the swinging ’60s. Dig it?
TEEN TITANS: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 collects stories from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #54 and #60, SHOWCASE #59 and TEEN TITANS #1-11, from such talented writers and artists as Nick Cardy and Bob Haney.
By 1964 there were enough of these young heroes-in-training to form their own team—the Teen Titans! This youthful Junior Justice League came together to aid other youngsters and stomp out evil wherever they found it—all with the style and slang of the swinging ’60s. Dig it?
TEEN TITANS: THE SILVER AGE OMNIBUS VOLUME 1 collects stories from THE BRAVE AND THE BOLD #54 and #60, SHOWCASE #59 and TEEN TITANS #1-11, from such talented writers and artists as Nick Cardy and Bob Haney.
357 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2017
73 people are currently reading
147 people want to read
About the author
Bob Haney
450 books13 followersRobert G. Haney was an American comic book writer, best known for his work for DC Comics. He co-created the Teen Titans as well as characters such as Metamorpho, Eclipso, Cain, and the Super-Sons.
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Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews
July 31, 2017
The Teen Titans were my second favorite group at DC, after the Legion of Super-Heroes. The tales reprinted in this omnibus edition were published before my time, but I have enjoyed going back and reading these tales. There is some hackneyed 60s slang, much of it overused, but a lot of nods to the popular music of the time, as well as some politics.
Bob Haney wrote most of these stories, and we see the Titans evolve from the initial trio of Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad, all around twelve years old, to a more mature, post-high school team that included Wonder Girl and Speedy. I say post high school because in the next to last issue of this collection Wonder Girl rents an apartment. The villains are kinda wild at times, including the Mad Mod, a British clothes maker who plants stolen goods in clothing shipments, Mr Twister, who has come back in the recent Titans Hunt series, the Scorcher, and various other bad guys. Artist Neal Adams comes in towards the end and creates some continuity by having a race of extra-dimensional aliens trying to take over Earth, and ties them back to a few earlier Titans foes. Nice touch.
The art is almost all Nick Cardy, with some additional art by Neal Adams and Gil Kane. Cardy's Titans are a joy to look at, because he had a way of creating innovative panel structure that was unusual at the time. His Titans look their age and there is some great dynamic posturing in all the fight scenes.
This omnibus also reprints the six issue (plus the Showcase tryout) Hawk and Dove. Initially created by Steve Ditko, he only did a couple of issues with writer Steve Skeates, and then Gil Kane comes in to draw and then write the final issues. The Ditko issues have been reprinted before in the Steve Ditko Omnibus, but the later non-Ditko issues haven't, so it was great to finally read them. I got a bit tired of the bickering between the two heroes, but that was their thing. As much as I liked Ditko's art on his two issues, Kane's art really shines. I suppose this series was included because Hawk and Dove show up and take part in one issue of Teen Titans (and will later appear in the Bronze Age Omnibus).
So, even though the stories are rather dated in some respects, they're a lot of fun to read if you can take it all with a grain of salt. The first story appeared in 1964 or so, and as the series progresses, the vibe and urgency of the 60s makes its way into the book. Hippies, non-hippies, greasers, it's a bit of a microcosm of 60s America. The Titans are definitely groovy and square at the same time, but that's alright. Perhaps the most amusing thing is to see how flirty Wonder Girl was, who seemed interested in Kid Flash, Speedy, Hawk, and several minor characters. She even gets a tad flirty with Robin.
Definitely pick this up if you're a Titans fan. The first few issues are very Silver Age-ish DC, but things change rather quickly, and although most issues are still one and dones, it ties into other DC books at the time rather well (especially considering Haney was never all that interested in continuity). And if you like this book, and the following Bronze Age omni, check out DC's current Titans series, which features the same characters.
Bob Haney wrote most of these stories, and we see the Titans evolve from the initial trio of Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad, all around twelve years old, to a more mature, post-high school team that included Wonder Girl and Speedy. I say post high school because in the next to last issue of this collection Wonder Girl rents an apartment. The villains are kinda wild at times, including the Mad Mod, a British clothes maker who plants stolen goods in clothing shipments, Mr Twister, who has come back in the recent Titans Hunt series, the Scorcher, and various other bad guys. Artist Neal Adams comes in towards the end and creates some continuity by having a race of extra-dimensional aliens trying to take over Earth, and ties them back to a few earlier Titans foes. Nice touch.
The art is almost all Nick Cardy, with some additional art by Neal Adams and Gil Kane. Cardy's Titans are a joy to look at, because he had a way of creating innovative panel structure that was unusual at the time. His Titans look their age and there is some great dynamic posturing in all the fight scenes.
This omnibus also reprints the six issue (plus the Showcase tryout) Hawk and Dove. Initially created by Steve Ditko, he only did a couple of issues with writer Steve Skeates, and then Gil Kane comes in to draw and then write the final issues. The Ditko issues have been reprinted before in the Steve Ditko Omnibus, but the later non-Ditko issues haven't, so it was great to finally read them. I got a bit tired of the bickering between the two heroes, but that was their thing. As much as I liked Ditko's art on his two issues, Kane's art really shines. I suppose this series was included because Hawk and Dove show up and take part in one issue of Teen Titans (and will later appear in the Bronze Age Omnibus).
So, even though the stories are rather dated in some respects, they're a lot of fun to read if you can take it all with a grain of salt. The first story appeared in 1964 or so, and as the series progresses, the vibe and urgency of the 60s makes its way into the book. Hippies, non-hippies, greasers, it's a bit of a microcosm of 60s America. The Titans are definitely groovy and square at the same time, but that's alright. Perhaps the most amusing thing is to see how flirty Wonder Girl was, who seemed interested in Kid Flash, Speedy, Hawk, and several minor characters. She even gets a tad flirty with Robin.
Definitely pick this up if you're a Titans fan. The first few issues are very Silver Age-ish DC, but things change rather quickly, and although most issues are still one and dones, it ties into other DC books at the time rather well (especially considering Haney was never all that interested in continuity). And if you like this book, and the following Bronze Age omni, check out DC's current Titans series, which features the same characters.
February 17, 2017
There is a lot to love in the weirdness of these early teen titan stories. Haney writes with a teenage Google translate flair you can't help but love and the sci fi strangeness almost never gets old. It was also fun to read this collection along with the Teen Titan Wasteland (now Titan Up the Defense) podcast. That added an almost commentary track to the experience I wholeheartedly recommend. Also included in this omnibus are the six issues of Hawk and Dove. Those Hawk and Dove stories are unsettling and off putting in a way few silver age stories are with two diametrically opposed heroes working as much around as with the law. The self righteousness of both characters is something you rarely see and Hawks brutality ages significantly worse than Doves pacifism in my eyes. Overall this is a marvelous, eye opening collection.
January 28, 2020
It's true. Whichever Titans you read growing up are YOUR Titans. Mine's THE NEW TEEN TITANS. These kids were fun but heavily dated. After the millionth DADDIO I was ready to drop this. Some of the art and solutions were quaint but no one was ever in danger, except perhaps the hippies.
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April 9, 2019One of the more ridiculous Silver Age titles I’ve read.
I love the Teen Titans, they’re one of my favorite teams in comics. But they’ve come a long way from their swingin’ 60s roots, when every issue was littered with phrases like “natch, daddio!” and Wonder Girl danced the frug. The stories here generally follow the same formula: the Titans get a call from some group of teens (a biker gang, a surf rock band, exchange students) to help against evil adults. They fight the adults, they win, teen power!
At best, these stories are mildly endearing. I can understand how the Titans, essentially a mini Justice League, were a hit. And I’m usually able to enjoy comics from this time period, but I just couldn’t with this. It’s painful how hard writer Bob Haney tries to make teens sound hip. It’s like reading a bunch of Snapper Carrs sling dialogue back and forth. And the villains? Yikes. Mr. Twister, Separated Man, Ding Dong, Mad Mod... Yeah, Titans villains definitely got better later on.
The art was fine, but it wasn’t until the last four issues (8-11) by Irv Novick that I really took notice. An artist since the 30s, Novick helped usher DC into the Bronze Age with his realistic style. That realism is present here, albeit tinged with twee.
At least we get some hilariously wonderful dialogue. One of my favorites, from Aqualad: “Mumbling mantas! The Mad Mod in a crazy scuba outfit riding a robot fish!”
I love the Teen Titans, they’re one of my favorite teams in comics. But they’ve come a long way from their swingin’ 60s roots, when every issue was littered with phrases like “natch, daddio!” and Wonder Girl danced the frug. The stories here generally follow the same formula: the Titans get a call from some group of teens (a biker gang, a surf rock band, exchange students) to help against evil adults. They fight the adults, they win, teen power!
At best, these stories are mildly endearing. I can understand how the Titans, essentially a mini Justice League, were a hit. And I’m usually able to enjoy comics from this time period, but I just couldn’t with this. It’s painful how hard writer Bob Haney tries to make teens sound hip. It’s like reading a bunch of Snapper Carrs sling dialogue back and forth. And the villains? Yikes. Mr. Twister, Separated Man, Ding Dong, Mad Mod... Yeah, Titans villains definitely got better later on.
The art was fine, but it wasn’t until the last four issues (8-11) by Irv Novick that I really took notice. An artist since the 30s, Novick helped usher DC into the Bronze Age with his realistic style. That realism is present here, albeit tinged with twee.
At least we get some hilariously wonderful dialogue. One of my favorites, from Aqualad: “Mumbling mantas! The Mad Mod in a crazy scuba outfit riding a robot fish!”
December 24, 2018
They're "wild, woolly and full of gumdrops!" Bob Haney had a tin ear for hip teen dialogue, but nevertheless I really enjoy the Silver Age TT.
Part of that is the lovely Nick Cardy art on most of the issues here. Part is that Haney genuinely seems to like teens, including the aspects of teen culture (rock music, hot rodders, teen idols) that generated a "kids get off my lawn" reaction from a lot of other middle-aged comics writers. And I've always liked the low-key origin; after Kid Flash, Robin and Aqualad wind up joining forces to help some teens in trouble, they decide to become a formal team, helping out teens the way the JLA deals with adult issues.
There's no question this is not going to be to everyone's taste, and it's certainly not up to the level of the best of the Wolfman/Perez era. But that said, I enjoyed it.
Part of that is the lovely Nick Cardy art on most of the issues here. Part is that Haney genuinely seems to like teens, including the aspects of teen culture (rock music, hot rodders, teen idols) that generated a "kids get off my lawn" reaction from a lot of other middle-aged comics writers. And I've always liked the low-key origin; after Kid Flash, Robin and Aqualad wind up joining forces to help some teens in trouble, they decide to become a formal team, helping out teens the way the JLA deals with adult issues.
There's no question this is not going to be to everyone's taste, and it's certainly not up to the level of the best of the Wolfman/Perez era. But that said, I enjoyed it.
June 13, 2018
This book is utterly insane, but I love it. As I mentioned in older reviews, the Silver Age does have plenty of goofy moments. But since sidekicks never had their own book before, this was quite an innovative idea. There are even characters that go onto have huge roles in later comics such as Donna Troy, Beast Boy, Speedy, Kid Flash, and of course Robin. This version of the team didn’t last long and will go to have deeper and darker subjects that we’ll see soon.
May 27, 2020
A Very Dated Debut
I really enjoyed the Teen Titans cartoon a while back, so I decided to take a look at the origin of the team. It's Silver Age, so I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, and yeah, this wasn't a masterpiece.
Most of the villains in this are boring, ridiculous, laughable, or a combination of the three. In the earlier ones, they're really pushing the Teen angle, having teens summon the titans and mentions of all sorts of teen problems. There's a lot of things that feel "hello, fellow kids" in this, though in fairness I don't know if it felt like it at the time.
The dialogue is so, so dated. Ridiculously so. There's definitely sexism too, though not quite as much as I expected. Wonder Girl is allowed to be the tank and not a shirking violet, even if she's constantly called Wonder Chick and the like.
Really, Wonder Girl is the best part of this, though I was interested in the other lead heroes as well. The art is also charming, and some of the Silver Age silliness did make me giggle, mostly unintentionally.
I'm rating this higher than I actually enjoyed this because this was the beginning, however ridiculous and stumbling, of a series that I came to enjoy. But should you read it? Only if you're really curious about the original start of the Teen Titans and have a high tolerance for dated dialogue and dumb villains.
I really enjoyed the Teen Titans cartoon a while back, so I decided to take a look at the origin of the team. It's Silver Age, so I wasn't expecting a masterpiece, and yeah, this wasn't a masterpiece.
Most of the villains in this are boring, ridiculous, laughable, or a combination of the three. In the earlier ones, they're really pushing the Teen angle, having teens summon the titans and mentions of all sorts of teen problems. There's a lot of things that feel "hello, fellow kids" in this, though in fairness I don't know if it felt like it at the time.
The dialogue is so, so dated. Ridiculously so. There's definitely sexism too, though not quite as much as I expected. Wonder Girl is allowed to be the tank and not a shirking violet, even if she's constantly called Wonder Chick and the like.
Really, Wonder Girl is the best part of this, though I was interested in the other lead heroes as well. The art is also charming, and some of the Silver Age silliness did make me giggle, mostly unintentionally.
I'm rating this higher than I actually enjoyed this because this was the beginning, however ridiculous and stumbling, of a series that I came to enjoy. But should you read it? Only if you're really curious about the original start of the Teen Titans and have a high tolerance for dated dialogue and dumb villains.
January 2, 2018
Hey Groovy daddy O's it was the 60's and Bob Haney wanted to by hip to your jive lingo and you dig it? Yeah - there is a lot of slang like that throughout the collected volume. It is a little too much and the stories also want to be hip to the youngsters so instead of being fun super hero stories with them battling villains they battle a hot rod repairman, they battle Mad Mod the evil SUIT MAKER!, they battle disgruntled parents. Bob Haney - in my opinion, was never a very strong writer when it came to coming up with good super hero plots but at least he has fun with the Teen Titans (Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash and Aqualad). The best moments are when they are acting like a bunch of teenagers kidding around with each other. Also the art of Nick Cardy is amazing. For the time period he was remarkable.
Some fun silly stories but the attempt to make them hip bogs them down.
Some fun silly stories but the attempt to make them hip bogs them down.
July 12, 2018
Many superhero stories aged well from the Silver Age, but unfortunately Teen Titans was ultimately not one of them.
Some decent stories here but not a must-read unless you consider yourself a completionist.
Some decent stories here but not a must-read unless you consider yourself a completionist.
August 8, 2018
Horrible dialogue
Suffering sapho. Ride the green wave. Go-go-go. Check. I have trouble reading this and I was born in 1960. The villains were recycled for the tv show,interesting to see the original versions. Nobody talked like this in the sixties or seventies.
Suffering sapho. Ride the green wave. Go-go-go. Check. I have trouble reading this and I was born in 1960. The villains were recycled for the tv show,interesting to see the original versions. Nobody talked like this in the sixties or seventies.
May 23, 2019
These stories did not age well at all. On one hand, they tried too hard to be "hip". On the other, the villains are grotesque and/or ridiculous (making the cliche plot of the last adventure stand out).
September 23, 2019
The beginnings of the Teen Titans. Written in the mid 1960's. Good story telling and wonderful art.
December 30, 2021
i'm sorry but its sooo bad the only good thing about this was the 60s art style. i don't know if this originally meant to appeal to kids or teenagers but idk how either age group could stand it
October 30, 2024
I start tweaking every time they call her "Wonder Chick" but it was a fun read.
October 30, 2024
It's the OG team, am I supposed to not be obsessed???
December 8, 2025
Go, Go, Go Titans
If you're use to Teen Titans Go! this is a 1960s version of that type of story telling. I'm a Teen Titans fan so reading this was good to me. It's not for everyone but if you don't mind some dialogue that is outdated there's still a good group of stories in this book.
If you're use to Teen Titans Go! this is a 1960s version of that type of story telling. I'm a Teen Titans fan so reading this was good to me. It's not for everyone but if you don't mind some dialogue that is outdated there's still a good group of stories in this book.
September 28, 2018
History was made in the 1960's when superheroes came together to fight crime as a team. None more groundbreaking than the Teen Titans. Created as junior version of the Justice League of America, the team of Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash and Aqualad united to fight crime whenever it showed its face amongst the youngsters of their time.
Right off the bat this story is supremely outdated, from the way the kids talked and the way they behaved. Many years later interviews with the writers of the New Teen Titans felt that this portrayal of teenaged kids was not just silly but stupid. Kids were cute, grown-ups were mature, but teenagers were written like if they were space aliens. Adult writers didn't write teenagers like they were real people. Nowadays teenagers are written with an overabundance of angst and uncertainty, but that still wouldn't be correct.
Overlook the characterization though and you get some good stories worth immortalizing. The joining of Wonder Girl and the phasing out of Speedy. Beast Boy's debut with the Teen Titans and Mad Mod's first appearance as the enemy of the Teen Titans.
A good endeavor but marred with bad writing. It will get better and become extraordinary. C-
Right off the bat this story is supremely outdated, from the way the kids talked and the way they behaved. Many years later interviews with the writers of the New Teen Titans felt that this portrayal of teenaged kids was not just silly but stupid. Kids were cute, grown-ups were mature, but teenagers were written like if they were space aliens. Adult writers didn't write teenagers like they were real people. Nowadays teenagers are written with an overabundance of angst and uncertainty, but that still wouldn't be correct.
Overlook the characterization though and you get some good stories worth immortalizing. The joining of Wonder Girl and the phasing out of Speedy. Beast Boy's debut with the Teen Titans and Mad Mod's first appearance as the enemy of the Teen Titans.
A good endeavor but marred with bad writing. It will get better and become extraordinary. C-
April 15, 2021
Enjoyed reading was nice to see the early day. So glad to see society has changed through the decades.
April 1, 2024
Enjoy all the fun and breezy antics. It gets bogged down by the Hawk and Dove issues.
Displaying 1 - 20 of 20 reviews