NEW TEEN TITANS "Plague!" Conclusion

We Have Already Seen...

...The Teen Titans (minus Robin) assist The Protector in trying to shut down a drug dealing operation.

While interacting with tweens/teens, one of the heroes, Speedy, reveals he had been an addict, but managed, with great difficulty, to kick the habit.
But the kids' parents are still confused and disturbed...

It's not a pat ending, but it is a hopeful one!

Co-creators Marv Wolfman (writer) and George Perez (penciler) of the NEW Teen Titans ensemble* did a superb job creating a story that gets the point across without being overly "preachy", even going into establish DC canon about Speedy's drug addiction!
(*The Teen Titans were created in 1964, originally made up of adult superhero/heroines' sidekicks and had a couple of different runs ending in 1975,
In 1980, DC, following the example of Marvel's "All-New, All-Different X-Men" revamp, did a similar thing with Titans, combining already-existing characters with several new Wolfman-Perez creations, Cyborg, Raven, and Starfire)

NEW TEEN TITANS "Plague!" Part 1

If You're Any Sort of Comic Book Fan, You Know this Team...

...except for the guy in the middle yelling at us!
Don't worry, we'll clear that matter up as we go along...













To Be Continued...Next Friday

Unlike a number of other "revelations" about super-heroes in public-service comics, like Captain America revealing he had asthma as a kid, Speedy's confession about being a drug addict didn't come out of nowhere!
It was already part of official DC canon, first shown over a decade earlier in DC's Green Lantern/Green Arrow #85 (1971)...

...written by Denny O'Neil, penciled by Neal Adams, and inked by Dick Giordano (who also inked this story).
Note: when this Titans story was published in 1983, the GL/GA story was out of print, so that's why there's no footnote about it in the tale above.
The entire GL/GA storyline from the early 1970s was reprinted in a mini series the next year.
As to who The Protector is...
Because Robin was part of the Batman licensing program which was promoting Nabisco cookies at that point in time, he couldn't be used in the Keebler cookie-sponsored comic!
The Protector ended up as the Robin-replacement in all three public service drug issues, even the ones not sponsored by Keebler!
But, DC apparently made him an official part of DC continuity with an entry in Who's Who Update '87 #4...

...and even including him on the wraparound cover (in the center on the far-left of the back)...

He's cameoed in several stories over the years, always in the background.
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DR TOM BRENT: YOUNG INTERN "Not All Doctors Are Doctors"

Electroshock therapy is still being used today...

...despite being controversial as far back as the 1960s, when this never-reprinted tale from Charlton's Dr Tom Brent: Young Intern #5 (1963) was published!

Written by Joe Gill, penciled by Charles Nicholas, and inkd by Vince Colletta, it's surprising this story got past the Comics Code Authority, since it portrays an authority figure (Dr Edmond) using "vibrotherapy"as untrustworthy.

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M.D.

Volume 1

The First Newsstand Comic Dedicated to the Medical Profession!

SECRET HEARTS "David!"

Dont worry, neurotic Mary Robin R.N., isn't back...

...but, since this tale does present a romantic triangle with a nurse at one corner, that's an understandable assessment!

Written by Gerry Conway, penciled by Alex Toth, and inked by Dick Giordano (using the pen name "Ric Dano"), this cover-featured, never-reprinted story of two sisters, a guy, and misunderstanding from DC's Secret Hearts #149 (1971) is typical of the romance genre.

BTW, the reason Giordano used a pen-name is that he was the editor of the book, and technically, an editor wasn't supposed to edit their own material...whether it was script or art!
But it happened a lot more frequently than most thought, mainly due to tight deadlines!

In October...

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HALLOWEEN HOSPITAL HORRORS

Blogathon!

Be Here October 6th...if You DARE!