DC Comics; 60¢

Marv Wolfman and George Pérez kicked off the second year of their New Teen Titans series with one of the best issues of their entire run. One issue after a 10¢ cover price increase that came with the addition of more story pages, the duo took full advantage of the extra space and packed extra adventure, suspense, and danger into the issue.

On the surface, things were pretty normal: the team split up on different quests. While Changeling’s life hung in the balance as he received medical treatment on Paradise Island, Raven and Starfire were immersed in the island’s culture. At the same time, Cyborg, Robin, and Kid Flash continued Changeling’s search for Steve Dayton and the Doom Patrol.

What they found started with the fantastic George Pérez – Romeo Tanghal cover depicting a battered and perhaps dead Robotman hung up as a warning to go no further. In the hands of lesser creators, this would have been enough for a great issue, but at every turn Wofman and Pérez peeled back layers and added character moments. By the time they were done, even readers who never heard of the Doom Patrol wanted their killers brought to justice.

– J.C. Vaughn