Fight Club Rankings are the spine of Secret Wars on Infinite Earths! Based on cumulative win/loss results: relevant rankings are updated at the bottom of every new featured fight -- but only for the characters involved! Rank & File is a chance to compare and contrast more of the 900+ characters that are ranked, by highlighting the ten best heroes & villains of different categories!
Titans is the first live-action series to debut on the new DC Universe streaming service! The team are students of some of the biggest icons in the DCU, but which members have made the biggest impact? This edition of Rank & File is all about the Top 10 Teen Titans! Remember: This list is based on cold hard win/loss records. Hit the comments section at the bottom to share your Top 10!
Titans is the first live-action series to debut on the new DC Universe streaming service! The team are students of some of the biggest icons in the DCU, but which members have made the biggest impact? This edition of Rank & File is all about the Top 10 Teen Titans! Remember: This list is based on cold hard win/loss records. Hit the comments section at the bottom to share your Top 10!
#1 Nightwing (DC)Real Name: [Dick Grayson]
First Appearance: [Detective Comics #38 (April, 1940)]
Recent Opponents: [Deathstroke, Circus of Strange, Mister Toad]
Fight Spotlight: [Batman & Nightwing versus Amazo]
These ranks are ultimately determined by a sample of win/loss results, but it's hard to imagine anyone but Dick Grayson as the #1 Titan! He isn't just the natural leader of the group - he's arguably the very reason the Teen Titans even exist!
There were plenty of kid sidekicks in the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, but the original Robin was the one who inspired the rest! He broke through to mainstream pop culture consciousness as the quintessential sidekick, starring not only in comic books, but also live-action television, movies, and cartoons! The Boy Wonder couldn't have done it all on his own, but was an obvious #1 draft when the inspired idea to spin-off sidekicks came in 1964!
There were plenty of kid sidekicks in the Golden and Silver Ages of comics, but the original Robin was the one who inspired the rest! He broke through to mainstream pop culture consciousness as the quintessential sidekick, starring not only in comic books, but also live-action television, movies, and cartoons! The Boy Wonder couldn't have done it all on his own, but was an obvious #1 draft when the inspired idea to spin-off sidekicks came in 1964!
#2 Flash (DC)Real Name: [Wally West]
First Appearance: [The Flash #110 (December, 1959)]
Recent Opponents: [Lady Flash, Superman, Penguin, Girder & D. Down]
Featured Fight: [Flash versus Quicksilver]
After Barry Allen's apparent sacrifice during Crisis on Infinite Earths #8: Wally West chose to honor his uncle's memory by assuming the mantle of The Flash! Before that, he had harnessed his incredible speed as the yellow-clad sidekick Kid Flash!
Kid Flash was a founding member of the Teen Titans, but just like the erstwhile Nightwing, became better known in the modern age as an adult hero. Fans reading throughout the nineties and double-ohs came to embrace him as "their Flash", serving with the grown-up Titans and Justice League. With Barry Allen's unexpected return in Final Crisis and Flash: Rebirth, the third generation Flash became displaced, eventually excised from continuity all together (and replaced) in the line-wide New 52 reboot. Fans got a brief reprieve with his return under the DC "Rebirth" banner, but his apparent murder soon followed in the current event series: Heroes in Crisis.
#3 Robin (DC)Real Name: [Tim Drake]
First Appearance: [Batman #436 (August, 1989)]
Recent Opponents: [Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Kidnappers, Jason Todd]
Featured Fight: [Jubilee versus Robin]
The third Robin followed in the footsteps of his predecessors, becoming a major player with Young Justice, and the Teen Titans of the nineties. He brought light back into the world of The Dark Knight Detective, soaking up Batman's teachings with a natural predilection that lent his skills to a successful solo career, as well.
Tim Drake eventually became leader of the Teen Titans, but his exact status was muddied by the New 52 reboot, which initially installed him as an in-fiction founding member of the Teen Titans, who always went by the moniker Red Robin. He was then killed off in 2016, only to become part of the convoluted reshuffling of the DCU, held prisoner by Jor-El (as Mister Oz), and returned to Gotham City in the company of his future-self.
#4 Red Hood (DC)Real Name: [Jason Todd]
First Appearance: [Batman #537 (March, 1983)]
Recent Opponents: [Nightwing, Tim Drake, Speedy, Green Arrow]
Featured Fight: [Red Hood & Batman versus The Society]
Short-lived Robin, short-lived Titan! Jason Todd was supposed to be a new Boy Wonder for the 1980s, but he somehow managed to be too much of a brat for the decade that gave us the beloved Brat Pack!
A divided audience took the opportunity to vote for Jason Todd's death in the phone-in deadpool for A Death In The Family. The result doomed him to a famous crowbar beatdown at the hands of The Joker, right as he was about to connect with his true mother! That grim end led to a grim resurrection nearly two decades later. Now he's best known as the violent vigilante Red Hood, whose violent lack of discipline has struck a far stronger chord with a new generation of disaffected youth (and whining turds). He's an adult in the comics, but it looks like he'll be the antagonistic shadow to Dick Grayson when he shows up as the second Robin of the live-action Titans show.
#5 Captain Marvel Jr (DC)Real Name: [Freddy Freeman]
First Appearance: [Whiz Comics #25 (December, 1941)]
Recent Opponent: [Brotherhood of Evil Mutants, Mary Marvel]
Featured Fight: [Captain Marvel Jr versus Iron Goblins]
Originally published by Fawcett Comics until their acquisition by DC Comics in the 1970s; Captain Marvel Jr didn't sign-up for the Teen Titans until the late nineties! He joined the team in '98 after falling out with Captain Marvel and the Marvel Family, gaining the short-lived moniker "CM3" whilst fighting some of his most classic enemies with the Teen Titans!
I've always liked the idea of the Teen Titans providing an apprenticeship to the biggest kid-heroes of the day, so I get a kick out of Captain Marvel Jr signing up for the Titans. He remained affiliated with the group into the 2000s, but I also like that his tenure was ultimately short, and not quite lasting enough to be part of the iconic fabric of the group. He's an excellent all-star ally for the Titans to be able to call up out of the reserves, but his real place is with the Marvel Family.
I've always liked the idea of the Teen Titans providing an apprenticeship to the biggest kid-heroes of the day, so I get a kick out of Captain Marvel Jr signing up for the Titans. He remained affiliated with the group into the 2000s, but I also like that his tenure was ultimately short, and not quite lasting enough to be part of the iconic fabric of the group. He's an excellent all-star ally for the Titans to be able to call up out of the reserves, but his real place is with the Marvel Family.
#6 Green Lantern (DC)Real Name: [Kyle Rayner]
First Appearance: [Green Lantern #48 (January, 1994)]
Recent Opponent: [Killer Frost & Effigy, Sinestro, Sinestro, Green Lantern]
Featured Fight: [Green Lantern versus Silver Surfer]
Kyle Rayner was thrown into the deep end when he was appointed the sole surviving Green Lantern of the nineties! A controversial replacement for a corrupted Hal Jordan; Rayner's story was one of hard knocks and learning on the job. He's better remembered for his tenure with the revamped "big seven" JLA, but served a brief membership with the Titans in 1995, helping establish a relationship with Donna Troy, who was herself connected to space-policing as Darkstar.
Much like Captain Marvel Jr; Kyle Rayner is far from your typical Teen Titan, but as a notable young hero at the time, he was a natural call-up! The Titans have always had strong ties with the major adult heroes and this was a rare opportunity for a Green Lantern to serve with the group. It was good that he wasn't permanently saddled with 'kid hero' status. Just enough to get some more seasoning before being called up to the major leagues.
Much like Captain Marvel Jr; Kyle Rayner is far from your typical Teen Titan, but as a notable young hero at the time, he was a natural call-up! The Titans have always had strong ties with the major adult heroes and this was a rare opportunity for a Green Lantern to serve with the group. It was good that he wasn't permanently saddled with 'kid hero' status. Just enough to get some more seasoning before being called up to the major leagues.
#7 Atom (DC)Real Name: [Ray Palmer]
First Appearance: [Showcase #34 (October, 1961)]
Recent Opponents: [Killer Moth, Superman, Deathstroke]
Featured Fight: [Atom & Atom versus Killer Moth]
Not a hoax! Not a dream! Not an imaginary story! Although, it might not be such a bad thing if it was...
Atom found himself reliving his youth when a battle with Extant reverted the senior Justice Leaguer back to his teens via unstable chrono-energy! When the Teen Titans re-launched in 1996, teen Ray Palmer naturally assumed leadership over a ragtag group of all-new misfits. This was the team that eventually welcomed Captain Marvel Jr into their ranks, who, it's fair to say, wasn't even close to being their strangest new admission. Maybe if I read more of their adventures I'd feel differently, but this period seems best left forgotten, much like Iron Man's teen run, published around the same time.
Atom found himself reliving his youth when a battle with Extant reverted the senior Justice Leaguer back to his teens via unstable chrono-energy! When the Teen Titans re-launched in 1996, teen Ray Palmer naturally assumed leadership over a ragtag group of all-new misfits. This was the team that eventually welcomed Captain Marvel Jr into their ranks, who, it's fair to say, wasn't even close to being their strangest new admission. Maybe if I read more of their adventures I'd feel differently, but this period seems best left forgotten, much like Iron Man's teen run, published around the same time.
#8 Arsenal (DC)Real Name: [Roy Harper]
First Appearance: [More Fun Comics #73 (November, 1941)]
Recent Opponents: [Sinestro Corps, Injustice League]
Featured Fight: [Justice League versus Injustice League]
As Green Arrow's sidekick Speedy: Roy Harper was a natural recruit for the original Teen Titans of the sixties! Joining in 1968's Teen Titans #19, he was the second kid-hero to join the original trio, after Wonder Girl! So perfectly suited to the group was Speedy, he became a founding member in modern retcons to the team's origin. That same fluid history would sadly condemn him as he succumbed to the excising of third generation heroes with the New 52.
Like other founding Titans; Roy Harper enjoyed a period as a maturing hero in the nineties, establishing himself in the identities of Arsenal and Green Arrow, after Oliver Queen's death. When Green Arrow returned from the grave, Harper eventually became known as Red Arrow. Misery seemed to strike the character more frequently after that. He lost an arm to Prometheus in the controversial Cry For Justice mini-series. The "Rebirth" banner brought him back into continuity last year, only to see him murdered beside Wally West in the recent Heroes in Crisis series.
Like other founding Titans; Roy Harper enjoyed a period as a maturing hero in the nineties, establishing himself in the identities of Arsenal and Green Arrow, after Oliver Queen's death. When Green Arrow returned from the grave, Harper eventually became known as Red Arrow. Misery seemed to strike the character more frequently after that. He lost an arm to Prometheus in the controversial Cry For Justice mini-series. The "Rebirth" banner brought him back into continuity last year, only to see him murdered beside Wally West in the recent Heroes in Crisis series.
#9 Robin (DC)Real Name: [Damian Wayne]
First Appearance: [Batman #655 (September, 2006)]
Recent Opponents: [Circus of Strange, Mister Toad]
Featured Fight: [Batman & Robin versus Mister Toad]
When Batman fathered a child to Talia al Ghul in 1987's Batman: Son of the Demon, it was dismissed as part of a non-canonical one-shot. That all changed in 2006 when writer Grant Morrison brought the story firmly into present continuity with Son of the Bat - a story that re-introduces the lost infant as Bruce Wayne's genetically enhanced offspring.
Raised by the League of Assassins, Damian arrived as a spoilt and lethal boy wonder planted to disrupt Batman's efforts. His genuine desire to fight by his father's side and prove himself a rightful heir soon saw him firmly encamped as a permanent fixture of the Batman Family. When Bruce Wayne seemingly died at the hands of Darkseid, Damian continued to serve as Robin to a stand-in dark knight - Dick Grayson. This mentorship under the original Boy Wonder led Damian to finally be admitted into the Teen Titans for a very brief stint at the end of 2010.
Raised by the League of Assassins, Damian arrived as a spoilt and lethal boy wonder planted to disrupt Batman's efforts. His genuine desire to fight by his father's side and prove himself a rightful heir soon saw him firmly encamped as a permanent fixture of the Batman Family. When Bruce Wayne seemingly died at the hands of Darkseid, Damian continued to serve as Robin to a stand-in dark knight - Dick Grayson. This mentorship under the original Boy Wonder led Damian to finally be admitted into the Teen Titans for a very brief stint at the end of 2010.
#10 Supergirl (DC)Real Name: [Kara Zor-El]
First Appearance: [Action Comics #252 (May, 1959)]
Recent Opponents: [Martian Manhunter, Reactron, Mary Marvel]
Featured Fight: [Supergirl versus Reactron]
Arriving on Earth as the teenaged cousin of Superman in 1959: Kara Zor-El seems ready-made to be an original member of the Teen Titans. Editorial conflicts of the time meant membership eluded the Girl of Steel until the funeral gathering for Bart Allen in 2007!
The exact age and status of Supergirl has fluctuated over the years, maintaining reasonable doubt about her suitability and contention for the Teen heroes. She was erased from existence in the mid-eighties by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, briefly replaced by a very different Supergirl, who actually beat her to membership in 1995. Her association with the Titans has been minimal, at best, which is a great reason to check out some of the more famous Titans who missed the cut!
The exact age and status of Supergirl has fluctuated over the years, maintaining reasonable doubt about her suitability and contention for the Teen heroes. She was erased from existence in the mid-eighties by the Crisis on Infinite Earths, briefly replaced by a very different Supergirl, who actually beat her to membership in 1995. Her association with the Titans has been minimal, at best, which is a great reason to check out some of the more famous Titans who missed the cut!
Bringing Up The Rear:
Deathstroke, Superboy, Tula, Wonder Girl, Raven, Starfire, Miss Martian, Cyborg, Donna Troy & Impulse
Remember: The Rank & File Top 10 is determined by win/loss rankings at the time of publication. It's certainly arguable that iconic Titans like Superboy, Wonder Girl, Raven, Starfire, Cyborg, and Donna Troy belong on any top list. Share your Top 10 Teen Titans in the comments below!
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