DC Universe’s Titans Crosses Streams With DC Comics’ Titans

I bit the bullet. I paid my subscription fee to DC Universe Online, and I watched the entirety of the Titans series in two days. It’s amazing how quickly you can get through an 11-episode series while you work. Yes, it helps to work from home.

I have to say, it was worth the price of admission. I’m as shocked as you are, that I actually enjoyed this series, especially after we trashed its trailer so harshly. I echo Jen’s sentiment—the trailer does not do the series justice, and DC needs to learn how to market their shit better. A trailer with Robin nearly murdering a group of thugs and saying “Fuck Batman” hardly paints an accurate picture. In addition, it did Starfire absolutely no favors and made Beast Boy look pretty shoehorned in. They basically glossed over two of the series’ most intriguing characters.

What appealed to me the most about the series, aside from its crazy cliffhanger of an ending, was how true they kept the characters to their current comic book counterparts, especially Dick Grayson and Gar Logan. Yes, I know Dick Grayson never became a detective, and Koriand’r never had amnesia to the point that she was scamming gangsters all across Europe. It’s little pieces of their personalities and little subtle references that tied it all together. It’s these little nuggets and nods to the comic book fans that makes Titans all the more endearing, especially to those who read Titans and even Nightwing.

I guess this is the part where I say thank you to Geoff Johns, even though it hurts me a bit to say so. He knows why.

Most of these characters are in a rite of discovery with themselves. Gar and Rachel don’t fully know how to control their powers. Kory doesn’t remember who she even is. And Dick, well, Dick has Daddy issues. I suppose that explains why he’s such a man-whore.

Dick in a Box

So yes, that’s one example of how Dick’s TV character is connected to the comics: his propensity to sleep with anyone who smiles prettily at him. His close friends were Hawk and Dove, who were most decidedly a couple, and he slept with Dove. It doesn’t take him long to sleep with Kory. He probably would have banged the motel concierge if he hadn’t just gotten dressed post-coitus with Kory. It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that he slept with Donna Troy in the past as well, even though she appears to be like a sister to him. Do I bring up Barbara? That has to be a given.

What shocks me the most about the amount of tail he gets is that no one has talked about how amazing and distinct his butt is. That’s pretty much Dick’s core trait. That and his tendency to be a dick at Ric levels.

Speaking of Ric, as much as I am loath to, Ric is the epitome of Dick Grayson trying to find out who he is. This guy is always trying to find out who he is. First he goes to Chicago, then he tangles with the Court of Owls, and then he goes to Blüdhaven. Now he has no memory of who he is or was, so he’s once again trying to sort out who he was and who he wants to be. Maybe if Bruce would actually hug his son every once in awhile, Dick wouldn’t constantly be on a soul search.

But hey, he’s having the same issues in the TV show too! (They both even burned their tights!) It just wouldn’t be Dick Grayson without searching for his parents’ killers (yes, the show made that a thing as well) and searching for himself. Why wasn’t this guy at Sanctuary?

Eye of the Tiger

On the surface, it appears that Gar Logan’s character has been severely stripped down. He can only transform into one animal, for starters. While a tiger is badass and is a great fighter on the team, I can’t help but wonder if the reason why he can only become a tiger is because of a low budget. Or maybe it’s because they don’t want him to be naked all the time as he constantly switches between animals. Or he’s also still learning about his powers. I hope it’s the latter, personally.

His powers are a big point of contention, especially in Episode 9, “Asylum.” Gar made a huge point to Rachel that he has never killed anyone as a tiger or bitten a human. In “Asylum,” Gar loses control of himself and mauls a scientist to death. Granted he was an evil scientist, but the act greatly disturbed Gar.

In the comics, Gar has had control problems ever since he was still a Teen Titan. A certain escapade with mind control almost completely ruined his self-control. If he loses any sense at all, he transforms into a monster and attacks everything and everyone, friend or foe. He still hasn’t regained complete control even now in Titans, and every incident kicks Gar in the emotional balls. Self doubt, self loathing, everything he feels in the show as well.

I haven’t even gotten into Gar’s social awkwardness, his love of comics and video games, and his goofy personality. He’s right out of the comic pages, and I just want to give him, and his actor, a big hug.

None of these are huge, mind-blowing references that only “true” fans of the comics will understand. However, as a reader of the comics, it’s delightful to see these crossing elements. It’s DC Universe saying hey, we are still staying to true to source material, even current source material.

With everything else going on with the DC Extended Universe and their comics, I need these little nods.