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Comic Attackers, earlier this week we showed you the new line up of the Teen Titans starting this October. The new direction will be drawn by Nicola Scott and written by J.T. Krul (Green Arrow). Today, J.T. took the time to talk to us about his upcoming run on Teen Titans and what he has planned for DC’s coolest teens!

COMICATTACK: J.T., you’re slowly but surely expanding your grip on the DC Universe; from Blackest Night: Titans, to regular Titans, to the Teen Titans, to The Rise of Arsenal and Green Arrow, and now back to the Teen Titans: why them and why now?

JT KRUL: Why not? When DC approached me to do the book, it was the ultimate no-brainer. I had a blast on Blackest Night: Titans as well as my few issues of Teen Titans and Titans. And I was dying to work on some Titans stories that weren’t so heavy. I mean, after “Blackest Night”, “Titans Fractured”, and “Rise of Arsenal”, I’m ready for a little bit of light. Don’t get me wrong, the Teen Titans are going to be put to the test, but the tone will be lighter than my previous Titan work.

CA: Tell us your thoughts about series artist Nicola Scott and how she got the job.

JT: Quite simply, she said “yes.” That’s how she got the job. When Rachel and I started talking about artists to bring onto the project, Nicola was at the top of both our lists. She is incredible, and I was particularly struck by her work on Blackest Night: Wonder Woman. Action, Character, Emotion – she brings it all. I am one very lucky writer.

CA: How long is your run slated to be?

JT: As long as I can make it. So far, we’ve mapped out the future of Teen Titans up to Issue #100 and beyond. So, as long as DC is happy, then I’m not going anywhere.

CA: Fill us in on some of the villains this new team will be facing.

JT: Can’t really talk about the villains. Where would the fun be in that. But the first issue will introduce a threat called the Feral Boys that are merely the tip of the iceberg for what’s in store for the opening arc. While there will be some familiar faces popping up in terms of villains, I really want to introduce some new threats that can be connected to this team of Titans and not just the group itself.

CA: These characters are notorious for their constant in-fighting and petty bickering. Kids will be kids, but will this play a factor in your take on the team?

JT: I think the natural friction between the members is always going to sprout up from time-to-time, especially when you factor in such personalities like Ravager and Damian, but first and foremost, the Teen Titans are a team and a family. They aren’t enemies thrown into the fray, they want to be together. Maybe not all for the same reasons, but they all are there by choice. So I guess you could say the bickering will be getting dialed back a bit.

CA: I couldn’t be happier that Ravager is returning to the fold! Why did you want her to be a part of your crew? Were there any characters you were considering but ultimately decided to keep out of the line-up?

JT: Rose is one of my favorites. I enjoyed the hell out of writing her two-part “Blackest Night” story. She’s such a strong and dynamic, yet very vulnerable character. She was an absolute must for me. As for other characters, it was tough because I wanted to return the A-listers to the team, but didn’t want to have 10 members, so tough choices had to be made. I don’t want to mention names because they might just show up over the course of the run.

CA: Damian is an exciting and unexpected addition to the team. Will the events in the Bat-books affect his depiction in your stories, or will his time with the Teen Titans remain detached from Gotham City?

JT: I’m going to make every effort to make sure the events in the Bat-books reflect in however Damian is used in my book. But overall, his involvement with the team will be detached from his Gotham life, much the same way Conner’s TT life will be reflective yet separate from his own book.

CA: Will any former Teen Titans members like Tim Drake, Cassandra Cain, or Wendy Harris (who now goes by ‘Proxy’) be making any appearances? What about other teenage heroes like Misfit and Speedy?

JT: Don’t want to talk about others popping up, but it will happen from time to time.

CA: Can you tell us where some of the current Teen Titans members who won’t be on your team are headed (Bombshell, Miss Martian, Static, etc)?

JT: Well, Blue Beetle is already in JL:Generation Lost and Static will be getting his own book written by Felicia Henderson. As for the others, I wouldn’t be surprised if you saw them popping up somewhere in the DCU.

CA: The Teen Titans series has been in desperate need of a wake up call for about the last 30 issues; how do you think your run on the series will help return this book to prominence?

JT: Nicola and I are going to do what every creative team has done before – tell the best stories they can. Hopefully, the readers will respond. Having Nicola and the line-up we have is a huge boost – because these are the titans everyone loves the most. It’s Young Justice with a bit of traditional Titans, plus Ravager. Throw in Damian and i think we’re off to a good start.

CA: Any last words about the things to come?

JT: Yes, I’ll reveal one rather big aspect – soon on in our run, we’ll be introducing a brand new Titan that will be joining the team. It’s something Nicola and I are particularly excited about. Great things are ahead for Teen Titans and I can’t wait for it all to start in October.

Stay tuned for more on J.T. Krul’s upcoming run on Teen Titans, and visit this link to read more about him!

Andy Liegl
andy@comicattack.net