Despite the large role theTeen Titansplayed in DC animation in the 2000s, any fans of that era will likely have a hard time recognizingBeast Boynow, especially in the comics. In both theTeen TitansandTeen Titans Go!cartoons, Beast Boy played the comic relief role, bringing humor and hijinks to the darkest scenarios. Now, however, Beast Boy is unwillingly vying for the role of most tragic hero in the DC Universe.
In late 2023, DC releasedTitans: Beast Worldby Tom Taylor, Ivan Reis, and Lucas Meyer, a large eventwhich saw the Titans face their first big test of leadershipas Amanda Wallermanipulated Beast Boy into infecting the globewith spores that transformed their hosts into raging animals.
Though the main series concluded after six issues, the aftermath was handled in the ongoingTitansseries by Taylor and Meyer, giving a full look at the impact on the Titans’ - and specifically Beast Boy’s - mental health. All this comes after Gar’s brutal almost-death in the pages ofDark Crisis on Infinite Earthsby Joshua Williamson and Daniel Sampere, whenDeathstroke shot Beast Boy in the eyein order to announce his war on all heroes.
Beast Boy Bears the Brunt of Tragedy in the Current DC Universe
Titans: Beast WorldChanged Everything for Garfield Logan
While the Titans have never been without suffering,the violence brought to Garfield’s arcs has almost seemed personal. Garfield was still recovering from Deathstroke’s Titans Academy attack fromDark CrisiswhenTitans: Beast Worldhappened, obliterating much of his sanity and sending him once again down a path of physical and mental injury. Though theTitansbook has sought to help Garfield come to terms with the lives lost during the events ofTitans: Beast World(and faileddue to Raven’s mental tampering), the true impact on his character as a whole has yet to be seen.
Beast Boy Loves Raven: This Titans Romance Saved Raven from a Major DCU Threat
Everyone knows that Beast Boy loves Raven more than anything and that love is the exact thing that saves her from one major DCU threat.
In 2003, the animatedTeen Titanssoared in popularity, making characters like Beast Boy, Starfire, Cyborg, and Raven household names. Today, its legacy still exists throughTeen Titans Go!, whose humor is designed for an even younger audience. Butthere’s no denying that certain characters on the show are lent an extra childish touchfor comedic effect, Beast Boy being one of them. It’s to the point where Beast Boy’s current comic state and the version of him that young kids are familiar with are nearly unrecognizable just based on the tone of the stories alone.
Beast Boy Is Still the DC Universe’s Silliest Hero - Especially for Kids
The Contrast Between Different Versions of the Character Is Stark
Characters shouldn’t stay exactly the same when switching between creators and mediums, as each story deserves its own take on these icons, but the contrast between how Beast Boy is represented in kids' media versus the central DCU is notably different from other DC characters.The amount of pain Beast Boy has gone through in the comics, specifically in the last few years, is so different from how he’s depicted in animationthat it makes his comic arcs that much more tragic. DC has certainly affirmed the amount of range the character has when it comes to storytelling.
For a different take on Garfield Logan for yet another demographic, check out the YA graphic novelTeen Titans: Beast Boyby Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo, available now from DC Comics.
Garfield Logan’s role within DC continuity as a whole might have started out as comic relief, but there’s no doubt that Beast Boy has become much more of a tragic character, with the contrast between his iterations showcasing just how far he has unwillingly fallen.Titans: Beast Worldcaused a lot of suffering within the DCU, but it was Beast Boy who suffered the most. WhileTitansseems ready to finally give Beast Boy the reprieve he deserves, it’s good to know there’s a large universe whereBeast Boyisn’t always the plot’s sacrificial (green) goat.
