Catch up with your favorite DC heroes, the Teen Titans in this ongoing graphic novel series by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo

The Teen Titans graphic novel series was Written by Kami Garcia, the best-selling author of major YA novel series, Beautiful Creatures, and the DC Black Label (17+) comic Joker/Harley: Criminal Sanity. The series is illustrated by artist Gabriel Picolo; it brings a modern vibe to the themes of finding yourself, finding friends, finding your inner strength, and the strength of a team.

The first in the series is Teen Titans: Raven, where Rachel Roth (Raven) is introduced as a teenager who quickly becomes involved in a terrible tragedy that changes the course of her life.  As she attempts to deal with the loss of her memory and the everyday struggles of being in high school, she also discovers some not-so-normal talents. Published in 2019, this book is intended for readers 13+.  For younger readers, Rachel’s strength in the face of her struggles can be empowering; for older readers, it’s very relatable.

After the success and rave reviews of this first collaboration, Garcia and Picolo find themselves on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly’s bestseller lists, as well as an immediate fan base asking for more, according to Garcia’s official website.

One year later, they published Teen Titans: Beast Boy, balancing the moodiness of Raven with the happy boy-next-door story of Garfield Logan (Beast Boy). His story takes place at the same time as the events in Raven. Gar is a funny and friendly senior at Bull Creek High School who is looking for a way to finally stand out among his classmates…before getting his wish in a way he never expected.  The major points in the Beast Boy classic origin story are there – parents studying in Africa, strange medical testing, but thrown in the mix in this version are the struggles of teens everywhere – puberty. 

The third installment brings these two characters together in Teen Titans: Beast Boy Loves Raven. Picolo captures Gar and Raven’s potential relationship not only with a cozy selfie but with gentle smiles that reach their eyes as well. The use of color is just as understated. Not only are Beast Boy and Raven recognizable by their signature colors, it happens that those colors—green and purple—also complement each other delightfully, just like the two teens.

The highly anticipated next book, Teen Titans: Robin, is set to release on March 11, 2023.  I have snagged an early release copy and, let me tell you, the plot thickens as Raven and Beast Boy join forces with Robin (Damian Wayne) to escape H.I.V.E., the evil lab where our teens live through unthinkable experiments at the hands of villain, Slade Wilson.

I’m sure once you read this series, your next question will be, who is next? Cyborg? Starfire? The beautiful villain, Blackfire? Picolo has dropped a clue in his Instagram @_picolo HERE with his version of Blackfire. Whoever it is, I am here for it!