REVIEW: ‘Teen Titans Academy,’ Issue #1

The Titans Academy is open for heroes-in-training! The original Titans and the current Teen Titans now welcome more prospective heroes into their ranks as they train them for their own challenges they’ll have to face in the fight against evil-doers. Teen Titans Academy #1 is written by Tim Sheridan, with pencils by Rafa Sandoval, colors Alejandro Sanchez, inks by Jordi Tarragona, and Rob Leigh is the letterer.

Superhero storytelling, where the heroes are allowed to grow into new roles and responsibilities, often makes the best kind of storytelling, which is in abundance with this inaugural issue. Nightwing, Starfire, Raven, Beast Boy, Wonder Girl (Donna Troy), and other Titans have been through an extraordinary amount of turmoil over their crime-fighting years and want to prepare the new generation of heroes with Titans Academy. Sheridan consistently makes it clear how much the heroes have grown and instilled the lessons they’ve learned and how much our heroes want to prepare newcomers like Summer Zahid, Alinta, Brick Pettirosso, Gorilla Gregg, “Tooby,” Stich, Matt Price, and others for what they’ll have to face. Sheridan packs the issue with fantastic character interactions. We get to see the Titans mentor the young heroes and the latter interact with each other as they adjust to their new environment. He also seamlessly writes teenage interactions, making these new heroes feel just as relatable as our original Teen Titans. The set-up of this new story is fantastic.

The setup and overall dynamic of the Titans Academy setting are exciting, with so many prospects for future storytelling. And it stands out as its own while drawing from story elements like the X-Mansion or the dynamic of The Team of Young Justice. Sheridan and his team have made something great here that has amazing potential for more stories in its microcosm. The more characters can grow and change and create new teams and ways of combatting villains, the better and more exciting the superhero universe. After reading this issue, I’m so much more excited for more stories with the student body of Titans Academy.

The art by Sandoval and Sanchez is overall wonderful to see on the page. Sandoval draws great and dynamic scenes and characters that Sanchez richly colors with depth and variety. However, if there is one thing to critique, Sandoval should do a better job of differentiating the characters’ facial features and hair textures, especially between characters of different races. But other than that, this is a beautifully and richly drawn comic that would be fantastic for you to collect.

Leigh’s letters are always excellent, complimenting the action you see on the page while never interfering with it. All the more, making this such a great and fun read. 

Teen Titans Academy #1 is overall a fantastic start to this series. With wonderful character dynamics between older and newer characters, an exciting new setting, and great art, it’s an enthralling comic that will satisfy both old and new Titans fans alike. I highly recommend you pick this one up.

Teen Titans Academy #1  is available wherever comics are sold.