The New Teen Titans Omnibus, Volume 2 collects The New Teen Titans nos. 21-41 (1982-1984), The New Teen Titans Annual nos. 1-2 (1982-1983), Batman and the Outsiders no. 5 (1983), and Tales of Teen Titans no. 41 (1984), written and illustrated by co-creators Marv Wolfman and George Pérez. These stories continue the adventures of Robin, Wonder Girl, Kid Flash, Changeling (Beast Boy), Starfire, Raven, and Cyborg.

Having established their characters in the preceding 20 issues, Wolfman and Pérez push the characters to new heights, introducing Brother Blood, Terra Markov, and pitting Starfire against her sister in a multi-issue sci-fi epic. The Brother Blood storyline draws upon much of the tropes of the Satanic Panic from the 1970s and early 1980s, connecting him and his cult to the fictional nation of Zandia established earlier in the series. The “Runaways” storyline engages with issues of drug use, teen pregnancy, implied prostitution, and homelessness in a way that was rare for a comic book, even under the relatively relaxed Comics Code Authority guidelines of the 1980s. It also dares to end on a somber note, reflecting the reality that complex issues lead teens to runaway from home without trying to tack on a hopeful ending. The stories conclude with plots building to the “Judas Contract” storyline and a further appearance from Brother Blood regarding arms shipments to Zandia reminiscent of Iran-Contra.

This second omnibus edition of The New Teen Titans helps to show why Wolfman and Pérez’s reboot of the team resonated with so many readers. It goes beyond simple comic book battles to engage with real pathos and drama. Wolfman’s quality writing coupled with Pérez’s art helped make this one of the best comic book series of the early 1980s, inspiring the great Cartoon Network television series Teen Titans, the bad Cartoon Network show Teen Titans Go!, and the DC Universe series, Titans. DC continues to include a Teen Titans series under their DC Rebirth brand, but the longevity of the team is all due to Wolfman and Pérez. ( )