Titans That Deserve Substantial Roles in DC Comics
It’s a spectacular time to be a fan of the DC Comics team known as Teen Titans — now simply labeled Titans. And with Titans officially stepping up to fill a Justice League-level vacancy, there are plenty of opportunities to change up rosters, assemble new teams, and explore the potential of other Titan assets who still have what it takes for more epic, high-stakes storylines. So who do we think deserves to enlist in the exciting new era of Titans heroes? Let’s dive in.
Photo Credit: DC ComicsTara Markov (TERRA)
Tara Markov (better known as Terra) is a legend who doesn’t often get the credit she deserves. During her brief but impactful stint in the Titans, Terra easily won over her comrades before turning on them as a double agent for Deathstroke — becoming a key figure in one of the most iconic comic runs ever. Since then, society has finally recognized some of the issues with her characterization (and the dynamic with Deathstroke), retooling her origin to recognize that she was genuinely a victim in that scenario.
Terra’s smaller appearances since then (from DC’s New 52 to Rebirth) have given her more substance to work with, but ever since Doomsday Clock, she’s been placed on the peripheral as a member of Markovia’s Outsiders. While we’re proud of her ability to shift narratives and contribute to a team, we’d still like to see how DC handles Terra the hero as a new Titans staple.
Conner Kent (Superboy)
Ok, he’s obviously pretty popular as-is, and there are a lot of Supes at the moment, but Conner Kent is always needed. And for a while there, we weren’t even sure that Conner Kent would make his way back into DC after so many continuity changes. Fortunately, there was an eventual move that explained his absence before thrusting him right back into the ever-changing DC arena. So it’s genuinely great to have him back.
After winning a buzz-worthy fan vote that resulted in his very own mini-series (against a few notable teams or character titles), Superboy has since stepped into the background with a few minor appearances to get him integrated with as many familiar faces as possible. But with so much storytelling momentum behind him, perhaps he needs to be back on the front lines of the team that made his character an irreplaceable DC icon. Plus, we’re always drawn to his tight bond with Tim Drake, Bart Allen, and the other Supes, so bring those early ‘00s bonds back to the Titans for a nice sense of nostalgia!
Roy Harper (Arsenal)
Roy has become a fan-favorite hero and Justice League member (the 2005-2011 era was some peak Arsenal content) who kind of fits in everywhere. So the fact that he can be plugged into Titans, Justice League, Outsiders, etc. means that we have a lot of options to keep the archer around for the foreseeable future.
Still, Roy’s recent tendency to be a supporting character when he’s in a team roster (not all the time) partially detracts from his potential to be an impressive next-gen mentor and narrative focal point. And with that in mind, I think it’s time for a Roynaissance, where the hero gets to help lead the next chapter of the Titans. Besides, Nightwing could use a little help with how busy he tends to be anyway.
Miguel Jose Barragan (Bunker)
Bunker was first introduced during the fourth volume of the Teen Titans comic run back in 2011, offering the team a character who wasn’t required to hide the fact that he identified as a member of the LGBTQIA community. And that’s something that wasn’t necessarily depicted with many mainstream characters up to that point. Furthermore, with his unique constructs of light — Bunker quickly became one of DC’s more ambitious, well-crafted next-gen characters.
Although Miguel was essentially shelved for a brief time during some of the continuity changes, he did recently reappear in the popular Titans Academy title where he received a platform to showcase his growth in the 10+ years he’s been in the mix. Now let’s get Bunker back in the fray because when you have compelling characters in your arsenal, you don’t want to remove them from the board for too long.
Edward Bloomberg (Red Devil)
The character Edward Bloomberg initially entered the world of DC as a motivated, pushy sidekick to Blue Devil — all stemming from his inspiring interaction with the hero. Having gained priceless experience alongside the man that inspired his path, Edward eventually leveled up to the Red Devil title, received demonic-like abilities stemming from his metagene, and became a member of the Teen Titans alongside popular members like Miss Martian, Wonder Girl, and Blue Beetle. However, his character hasn’t exactly been the luckiest for a while now.
As of the New 52 storyline (a 2011 relaunch), a new iteration of Red Devil was even believed to be dead, until the “demise” was revealed to be a ruse of sorts. But, like…now that we know he’s alive, why isn’t he making his presence known? Did we miss something here? After watching his youthful antics and transitioning into a mature hero, Red Devil feels like a great fit for the now-grown Titans team — and it’d be nice to elevate his importance for modern readers.
