The New Teen Titans #8
Published and © by DC, June 1981
Title: “A Day in the Lives …”
Synopsis: The Titans get some downtime to go to work, visit friends and family, and play in the park.
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Penciler: George Pérez
Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Review: With this issue, The New Teen Titans truly arrives. Normally, a multi-image cover like this one screams “Lame Transition Issue!” And a quick glance at the synopsis suggests the same. Instead, the creative team delivers a real gem here. By eschewing most superheroics for an issue, Marv Wolfman finally has room to let his characters breathe. And the Titans respond, feeling more like real people than in any of the preceding issues. George Pérez’s storytelling – always great for action – proves equally effective for quieter, character-driven material. Even Romeo Tanghal’s inks are coming along. This issue is a major step forward.
Grade: A
Cool factor: Creative teams taking chances. Cooler still? When those chances work.
Not-so-cool factor: Terry Long’s chest hair. (This reviewer was always a fan of Wonder Girl’s normal-guy boyfriend, but, dang, his look was a product of the times!)
Notable: First appearance of Terry Long.
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 15p British variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “There is never a point to violence.” – Raven, right before attacking the terrorist
A word from the artist/co-creator: “ ‘A Day in the Lives …’ was the story that galvanized the personalities for me, the point at which I felt they were dictating how I would draw them and how Marv would dialogue them. That’s when they truly came alive.” – George Pérez, from a “Foreword” penned in November 1998 for “The New Teen Titans Archives: Volume 1,” 1999
Editor’s note: This review was originally published by Sequential Reaction (Vol. 1) on Feb. 23, 2016.
