The live action series ‘Titans’ is set for release in just over a week on DC Universe and Netflix. While much attention has been given to the mature rating boasted by the show (with Robin’s F-bomb exclamation in reference to Batman having received a great deal of attention), it’s still too early to know whether the show will be any good.
I’m hoping it will, but currently I have very mixed feelings. That’s too bad because I’m a Teen Titans fan and I’m probably not alone in wanting a live action version of the Bronze Age relaunch of the DC team of youngsters known as the New Teen Titans (from which the ‘Titans’ series’ is obviously drawing its main inspiration).
The Teen Titans comics, however, have been around a lot longer than that. Premiering in 1964, DC’s Teen Titans stories have been read, loved and collected since the team's Silver Age introduction in Brave and the Bold #54 .
In the comic book world, it’s a truism that readers and collectors determine which books rise to the ranks of the sought after ‘key’ issues. The New Teen Titans, with its growing fan base, is long overdue for a reassessment regarding potential sleeper keys within its original modern run. Whether 'Titans' as a live action series succeeds or not, the comics the show is based on have gradually been increasing in value. And it’s about time.
For years, the new team's first appearance in DC Comics Presents #26 , the first Deathstroke the Terminator appearance in New Teen Titans #2 and the first Nightwing in Tales of the Teen Titans #44 were the only issues sought out from the brilliant Wolfman-Perez run. Of course, those are valuable keys currently spiking, and collectors should own them. But let’s put this situation into sharper focus -
When it first appeared in early 1980, some critics dismissed the New Teen Titans as DC’s attempt to replicate the success of the fan favorite Marvel “Uncanny X-Men” comics. Although there was some truth to the claims that DC initiated their Teen Titans reboot as a response to the success of Marvel’s Uncanny Mutants, under the creative guidance of Marv Wolfman and George Perez, DC’s junior Justice League quickly found its own voice and earned a devoted fan base with many consistently well written and excellently drawn stories.
What this means is that Wolfman and Perez’s original run on the modern version of the Titans is highly underrated, and so perhaps due for a reassessment regarding its potential return on investment. Here, I’ll list just three issues from the Wolfman-Perez run worth considering. These comics should in my opinion (along with the usual suspects mentioned above) be picked up:
New Teen Titans #1 (November 1980) - First issue to titled series
Start with issue #1. This comic features the second appearance of the new team, the first appearance of Slade Wilson’s son Grant (as the Ravager) and the first DC Universe appearance of the alien race the Gordanians. This is an underrated modern sleeper key easy to find raw for an affordable price even in high grade. Currently a certified 9.8 CGC copy can fetch $240.00. And while returns are somewhat mixed, if we count signature series sales, then the best roi has been on 6.5 graded copies at positive + 171% over the last three years. Without signature series copies distorting the fair market values: 9.8 copies show a positive + 17.2% roi after 90 recorded sales during the last 13 years, with the last two Ebay sales returning $129.95 and $199.00 respectively.
Issue #3 of the NTT features the first appearance of the Fearsome Five along with the origins of Raven and Starfire (who will both be featured characters on the new ‘Titans’ live action series). This comic has been slowly gaining in value. Currently certified 9.8 copies sit at around $80.00 while best returns have also been on 9.8s with a positive + 27.4% roi after 26 sales over the last nine years. The last recorded Ebay sale on 07/24/2018 shows a CGC certified 9.8 copy selling for $109.95
New Teen Titans #21 (July 1982)– First appearance of Brother Blood & Mother Mayhem
Bother Blood was another great Teen Titans villain who, however, has yet to see the popularity of Slade Wilson’s Terminator character. This issue has been gradually gaining in value over the years. Flying under the radar of most collectors, the power of Blood is nonetheless strong with a certified FMV of $110.00 on 9.8 copies and positive returns on all recorded sales. Best returns, after 11 sales since 2015, have been on 9.6 certified copies: which shows a positive +68.7% return on investment. Will Blood make a live action appearance on 'Titans'? If he does, keep your eyes on this book.
