Every week, I'll examine the five goofiest moments from a five-issue stretch of a particular comic book series. Here is a list of the moments featured so far.
This week, we look at the first five issues of the 1976 Teen Titans revival, written by Bob Rozakis (co-writer on #44, solo writer #45-48) and Paul Levitz (co-writer on #44) and drawn by Pablo Marcos (pencils on #44), Irv Novick (pencils on #45-46), Bob Brown (pencils on #47), Jose Delbo (pencils on #48), Bob Smith (inks on #44), Vince Colletta (inks on #45, 48) Joe Giella (inks on #46) and Tex Blaisdell (inks on #47)
As always, this is all in good fun. I don't mean any of this as a serious criticism of the comics in question. Not only were these writers certainly never imagining people still reading these comics decades after they were written, great comics often have goofy moments (Kirby/Lee's Fantastic Four is one of the best comic book runs of all-time and there were TONS of goofy stuff in those 100 plus issues!).
HONORABLE MENTIONS
I like how they subtly addressed Speedy's drug problem in the first issue of the revival...
I also like how Kid Flash reacts to it all. "Yeah, I'm happy that my friend has dealt with his drug problems, but dammit, he's hurting my chances of making it with Wonder Girl, so screw him!"
Here's a valuable life lesson. Never let Doctor Light ever show you any kind of shaft...
I have never heard the term "sobersides" (meaning a solemn person), but I love the idea of teens in 1976 using it!
I get that Robin is the leader and all, but isn't it kind of weird for him to buy a restaurant and then just order two of the Titans to run it?
I love the look on Aqualad's face. Even he knows his suggestion is dumb...
This might be the greatest introduction of a new team member ever...
Okay, Hawkeye tying Jarvis up is still probably the greatest, but this is close!
Speaking of the illustrious Joker's Daughter, I love how Rozakis just gave her ESP one issue out of nowhere...
Is this the dumbest inspiration for becoming a superhero?
Karen dates a Teen Titan and his bitching inspires to become a superhero...
Then, she decides to...attack him and the Titans to prove....a point, I guess?
I know this is the same dude who made "Holy ____, Batman" a classic catchphrase, but seriously, "be seated"?!?!?
5. Wrestling with death
Mal has one of the greatest superhero origin. Dude wrestled with death to gain a magic horn!!!
I like that even after having the horn, he doesn't even know exactly what it does (the application of the horn's power IS pretty nebulous)...
Also, in #48, doesn't Mal sort of lose to his own girlfriend?
Wouldn't she feel awfully dumb if she killed her boyfriend while proving her point? Especially when her point was...I guess that anyone could be a Titan? I guess...
4. So the Carpenters practiced incest?
In #46, there is a plot involving stand-ins for Paul and Linda McCartney and the Carpenters. In a twist that has nothing really to do with the main plot of the issue, they turn out to be the same people!
While that is, in and of itself, goofy, it is also pretty weird that Rozakis had JUST used the whole "the crime you thought happened did not really happen, the person being victimized was the one behind the fake crime!" plot in an issue of Batman Family that introduced Joker's Daughter...
3. Good thing you trusted these kids with your security codes!
First off, Liar-Light is awesomely goofy...
But I also like that Robin totally sold the Justice League out. And I love how them selling out the League is dealt with at the end of the issue...
Yep, the only consequence is a lecture from the Flash that Speedy doesn't even let him finish! Score one for not having to deal with nearly getting the League killed!
2. The Thanos-Copter has a new friend!
First, we had the Thanos-Copter, but now the Fiddlecopter!
Soooo much awesomeness!!!
1. Speaking of Speedy's bad attitude...
So Aqualad gets sick from a special flu...
Simple enough to do, right?
Nope!
What I love is that not only was Speedy too lazy to do what it would take to keep one of his best friends from DYING, but he then cops an attitude about it!! Hilarious.