In a brand new younger grownup graphic novel collection from DC Comics, the Teen Titans get an replace. And after the Raven guide that debuted final yr, it’s time for the scrappy shapeshifting hero Beast Boy to shine!

Out Sept. 1, Beast Boy begins earlier than the younger hero has manifested any superpowers. He’s a highschool senior, coping with his personal insecurities, and slowly manifesting repressed powers. However will he use his animal-like shapeshifting powers for good or to climb the social ladder at his faculty?

Who’s making Teen Titans: Beast Boy?

Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo, who partnered up for the earlier installment of the collection, reunite for Beast Boy. In the event you acknowledge their names, it’s as a result of Garcia co-penned a collection of YA paranormal romance novels again within the early 2010s (the Stunning Creatures collection) and earlier than Picolo labored for DC, he had a powerful on-line presence on Instagram and DeviantArt (with a good quantity of Teen Titans fan artwork — you can also make your goals occur).

What’s Teen Titans: Beast Boy about?

Garfield Logan tackles his previous few months of senior yr, tremendous duper bummed that he hasn’t ever had a progress spurt. When he stops taking some vitamin dietary supplements, nonetheless, he begins exhibiting animal-like powers — which skyrockets him to reputation but in addition catches the eyes of some unsavory characters…

Why is Teen Titans: Beast Boy taking place now?

Technically, that is the second guide in a collection, updating the Teen Titans characters’ backstories and giving them extra fashionable origin tales. The primary guide, an origin story about everybody’s favourite Goth lady with demonic powers, Raven, got here out final yr. Beast Boy turns the highlight over to the shapeshifting hero, setting all the pieces in movement to kick off some Teen Titans crossovers.

Picture: DC

Is there any required studying?

Nope! Whereas the collection does have a earlier installment, it focuses on Raven. Beast Boy’s story is fairly standalone, with out many mentions or nods to Raven’s (although familiarity with some DC staples like H.I.V.E. and Slade Wilson might enrich the expertise). The upcoming guide within the collection, Beast Boy Loves Raven, will convey the 2 characters collectively.

Is Teen Titans: Beast Boy good?

Principally! All the things that focuses on Garfield Logan is sweet. Beast Boy is a humorous hero with a thirst to show himself and Garcia writes him with a definite voice, by no means shying away from his insecurities. He strives for reputation in his final semester in highschool, one thing he’s by no means achieved because of his brief and shrimpy stature. Picolo’s depiction of the hero seals the deal.

When the story is nearly Beast Boy coming to phrases together with his powers — determining whether or not to make use of them for his personal private self curiosity — and overcoming his insecurities, it’s enjoyable, with occasional heartfelt moments. He sneaks right into a college’s lab to take an image of a python, which follows him house! He takes an enormous chunk of a ghost pepper, however his animal tastebuds enable him to eat it! All good Beast Boy moments, reminding us that it is a hero with humor and coronary heart.

The issue is that plenty of the emotional crux of Beast Boy is constructed upon the relationships Gar has with two of his shut associates and people relationships really feel very shallow and strained. It’s simpler together with his buddy Daniel, an athlete with a coronary heart of gold, however his good friend Stella — whose quest to cease animal testing and save the canines on the animal shelter drives a lot of the plot — is only a grating character, who thinks she’s higher than the opposite women in school as a result of she’s a gamer.

Her complete character feels prefer it got here out of 2012 and never 2020. It might be one factor if her judgement was interrogated or if the opposite feminine characters got any extra depth apart from “sizzling widespread women,” however because it stands, all the pieces about Stella feels very shallow, which detracts from the emotional core of the story. Gar finally stops specializing in reputation to assist her with the canines, however Stella not often exhibits any sympathy to Garfield’s insecurities, principally telling him to recover from it. It seems like a stretch that he’d have an ethical reckoning due to her.

One panel that popped

Picture: DC

An excellent showcase of Beast Boy’s powers — and his goofiness.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy is out Sept. 1 and out there to buy on Comixology.