The Brave and the Bold (Volume 1) with a cover date of July, 1965.
Synopsis for Teen Titans: "The Astounding Separated Man"
The town of Midville has decided to have itself a "Teen Day" and the mayor elects a "Teen Mayor" for the next 24 hours to celebrate, choosing local boy Tommy Holmes. However, while most of the people of Midville enjoy the celebration, there are some in the town that dislike teenagers and have issues against Tommy Holmes because his father is in jail. Although Teen Day begins well -- with teens taking on city jobs -- Tommy is upset that his father cannot be there to see how well things are going. Suddenly, a menace the towns folk known as the Separated Man attacks again, sending a giant hand to terrorize the city.
With this danger on the loose, Tommy calls in the newly formed Teen Titans: Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash and Wonder Girl to come and rescue the city. Each team member (with permission from their mentors) go from their respective locations to go and investigate the strange attacks of the Separated Man.
Back in Midville, the townsfolk blame Tommy for the attacks because his father is a criminal and he is saved at the last minute by his girlfriend Judy who drives him away from the angry mob on a motorcycle. They are soon attacked by parts of the Separated Man's body. They seek refuge in the nearby teen club house where all the local teens are waiting for the arrival of the Teen Titans. When the Titans arrive, Tommy explains to them that his father was a scientist who created a means of turning himself into a giant molecule. This in turn created the Separated Man, when the effects worse off his father was held criminally responsible and incarcerated. After Tommy had finished his story, they find that the feet of the Separated Man is storming toward the club house.
The Teen Titans and local teens work together to try to stop the Separated Man, tripping up it's feet with Wonder Girl's lasso. They then go into the town proper where the towns folk are trying to stop the Separated Man's hand, the Teen Titans and local kids tie ropes to all of it's fingers and drag it away on mini-bikes. When a giant eye appears and begins dropping flaming tears, Tommy's father appears telling the mayor he has a way to stop the Separated Man, however the mayor orders him to be arrested. This is stopped when the flaming tears being to cause fires around the town, prompting Kid Flash to use his super-speed to stop the flames.
Professor Holmes explains that while he was in jail he was trying to perfect his Separated Man formula to expunge any criminal tendencies, however the formula was stolen by his cell mate Jake Trask had stolen it the day he was paroled. Having developed an antidote, he tells them that the Separated Man must be looking for more of the serum to remain in his current state. Telling them that he has to inject the anti-serum into the creatures heart, the Teen Titans and local kids go out looking for the heart of the Separated Man.
They trick the Separated Man's ear into eaves dropping on them and send it away by cranking up their portable radios sending it flying away in pain. Wonder Girl goes after the ear only to be assaulted by the Separated Man's mouth, she quickly defeats it by throwing a billboard into it's maw. Later attempts to catch other parts of Separated Man's body also fail, the Teen Titans tripping up each time.
When Professor Holmes reveals the location of more of the serum (in a lighthouse down by the water) the Separated Man attacks the town in his full body. The Teen Titans and the local kids then attack the creature out in the water, knocking him over, causing him to sink into the water below. The Titans then rope up the Separated Man long enough for Robin to inject the anti-serum into his heart, changing him back into Jake Trask. After Jake is turned over to the police, the town's people celebrate, and Tommy's father returns to jail to finish his sentence. Afterwards, the Titans, their first mission together as a team a total success, part company.
Appearing in Teen Titans: "The Astounding Separated Man"
Featured Characters:
- Teen Titans (First named appearance)
- Aqualad
- Kid Flash
- Robin
- Wonder Girl (First appearance)
Supporting Characters:
Antagonists:
- Separated Man (First appearance) (Flashback and main story)
Other Characters:
- Queen Hippolyta
- Prof. Brian Holmes (Single appearance) (Flashback and main story)
- Judy (Single appearance)
- Aunt Martha (Single appearance)
- Tommy Holmes (Single appearance)
Locations:
- Atlantis (Cameo)
- Central City (Cameo)
- Gotham City (Cameo)
- Batcave (Cameo)
- Paradise Island (Cameo)
- Midville
Items:
Vehicles:
- None
Notes
- This issue is reprinted in Silver Age Teen Titans Archives, Volume 1, Showcase Presents: Teen Titans Vol. 1, DC 100-Page Super Spectacular #DC-12 and Superboy #185.
- This issue is the first canonical appearance of the Teen Titans. Some sources credit The Brave and the Bold #54 as the first appearance of the Titans, but they are not identified as the Teen Titans at that time. Since this is the first actual appearance of the Titans as a group, Wonder Girl may be considered as founding member rather than a recruit. The Teen Titans appear next as a group in Showcase #59.
- The Wonder Girl that appears in this issue is not to be confused with young Princess Diana—Wonder Girl—who often shared in time-traveling adventures with her older and younger "Wonder Tot" selves. When the Teen Titans team dynamic was first conceived, the creative staff were unaware that Wonder Girl was actually just a younger version of Wonder Woman and not a separate character. In the history of the Titans, Wonder Girl is treated as a separate individual. This innocent mishap of mistaken identities eventually evolved into a perpetuating continuity quagmire for the character—one that would go through several revisions over the years depending upon the creative team charged with handling her at the time. Wonder Girl's given name, Donna Troy, will not be revealed until Teen Titans #22. Donna's origin is expanded upon in New Teen Titans #38 in a story entitled "Who Is Donna Troy". Her back-story evolves even further in the five-part "Who Is Wonder Girl" storyline from New Titans #50–New Titans #55. Wonder Girl makes a chronologically earlier appearance in Teen Titans #4. She appears next in Showcase #59.
- Aqualad appeared last in Aquaman #23. He appears next in Aquaman #24.
- Kid Flash appeared last in The Flash #149. He appears next in The Flash #156.
- Robin appeared last in Detective Comics #342. He appears next in Batman #174.
- Aquaman appeared last in Aquaman #23. He appears next in Justice League of America #38.
- Batman appeared last in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #59. He appears next in Batman #174.
- Flash appeared last in Justice League of America #136. He appears next in The Flash #156.
- Queen Hippolyta appeared last in Wonder Woman #154. She appears next in Wonder Woman #155.
- Wonder Woman appeared last in Justice League of America #136. She appears next in Wonder Woman #155.
Trivia
- Kid Flash's costume is mis-colored throughout the course of this issue.
See Also
Recommended Reading
- Teen Titans Recommended Reading
- Teen Titans (Volume 1)
- New Teen Titans (Volume 1)
- Tales of the Teen Titans (Volume 1): #41-58
- New Teen Titans (Volume 2)/New Titans (Volume 1)
- Team Titans (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans (Volume 2)
- JLA/Titans (Volume 1)
- Titans (Volume 1)
- Titans/Young Justice: Graduation Day (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans (Volume 3)
- Titans (Volume 2)
- Blackest Night: Titans (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans (Volume 4)
- Teen Titans (Volume 5)
- Convergence: New Teen Titans (Volume 1)
- Convergence: Titans (Volume 1)
- Titans (Volume 3)
- Teen Titans (Volume 6)
- Teen Titans Academy (Volume 1)
- Titans (Volume 4)
- World's Finest: Teen Titans (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans: Year One (Volume 1)
- Teen Titans Go! (Volume 1)
- The New Teen Titans: Games (Volume )