With a style called Super D (Deformed) that occasionally causes characters eyes to bug out and facial expressions to be exaggerated, Teen Titans is somewhat different from the other WB shows like Batman: The Animated Series, but fans of both the comic and the show might find something to like on the Teen Titans: The Complete First Season.
Episode 1: Divide and Conquer: The team loses a member then Robin and Cyborg have a falling out. Will the team be able to defeat Plasmus without Cyborg and who is the villain behind Plasmus getting freed from prison?
Episode 2: Sisters: Starfire’s sister, Blackfire, arrives and appears to be taking her place in the Teen Titans but what secrets does Blackfire hold?
Episode 3: Final Exam: Three members of the H.I.V.E. Academy (Gizmo, Mammoth, and Jinx) are assigned by the shadowy villain Slade (he ordered Plasmus freed from prison) to bring down the Teen Titans.
Episode 4: Forces of Nature: Thunder and Lightening, two forces of nature, come down to earth to “amuse” themselves. Thunder and Lightening are provoked by a strange shaman - who appears to be Slade in disguise. It’s up to the Teen Titans to keep them from destroying the city.
Episode 5: Sum of His Parts: Cyborg’s power cell needs recharging but he unwisely decides to help the team chase villain Mumbo the Magician with a junkyard battle. During the battle, Cyborg’s battery conks out and when he awakens he’s in an underground lair. Whose clutches is he in and what do they want?
Episode 6: Nevermore: Cyborg and Beast Boy find a strange mirror in Raven’s room and are transported into her psyche.
Episode 7: Switched: The Puppet King transfers the Titan’s souls into his puppets. Raven and Starfire barely escape but find that they’ve switched bodies in the process.
Episode 8: Deep Six: Aquatic villain Trident has stolen a boatload of toxic waste and the Titans, along with Aqualad, are called in to find it.
Episode 9: Masks: A new villain comes into town named Red X. He appears to be trying to team up with Slade, but what are his real motives?
Episode 10: Mad Mod (mislabeled Detention on the disc): A psychotic 60s villain, Mad Mod, kidnaps the Titans and they must escape from his deranged psychedelic school room. This episode has a little bit of Scooby Doo to it.
Episode 11: Car Trouble: Cyborg builds himself a new car but has trouble holding onto it. Gizmo from episode 3 makes another appearance in this episode.
Episode 12/13: Apprentice: In this two part episode, Slade reveals his master plan and lures the Titans into a trap. Robin vanishes while chasing Slade but when he reappears it looks like he’s joined Slade’s team.
This show also appears to be heavily influenced by the Anime style. It also features some fine vocal work from all the Titans (Robin – Scott Menville, Cyborg – Khary Payton, Raven – Tara Strong, Beast Boy – Greg Cipes, and Starfire – Hynden Walch). Ron Perlman (Slade), Malcolm McDowell (Mad Mod), Tom Kenny (Mumbo), Wil Wheaton (Aqualad), Tracey Walter (Puppet King), and Clancy Brown (Trident) also provide vocals. I found myself enjoying the show even though I was hoping for an episode about how the team came together.
The episodes are presented in fullscreen as they were originally broadcast. Special features include a 22-minute featurette called “Comic Creations” that go into the history of the Teen Titans. The comic has been around since the 1960s and the cartoon team formation is different from the original comic book team. This has interviews with Marv Wolfman writer of the original comic and George Perez artist of the original comic.
It also has interviews with executive in charge Sam Register, producer Glen Murikami, and writer David Slack who are all involved with the animated series. There’s also an 8-minute featurette called “Finding their Voices” that interviews the voices behind the Titans. There’s a 3-minute music video of the show’s theme song by Puffy Ami Yumi and a 13-minute featurette on the two girl group. They also include an 8-minute episode of The Hiros that comes from a show called Toon Topia and a 30 second preview for the Hi Hi Puffy Ami Yumi TV show.
I found the show enjoyable and the guest voices, especially Malcolm McDowell, are very good. The two-disc set has enough extras to make sure fans of the show and of the comic series will be happy.
Teen Titans – The Complete First Season is now available at Amazon . As of yet, there is not a release date for the UK. Visit the DVD’s database for more information.
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