The Raven in Teen Titans: Raven is quite different from any iteration of the character we’ve seen before. Creators Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo shared five fun facts about the changes they made in this new graphic novel.
Whether you’re a lifelong fan of Raven or you’ve never encountered the character before in any form, Teen Titans: Raven is a fun, re-imagined origin story that has a little something for everyone.
But the die-hard fans will notice quite a few differences between Raven’s classic origin story and the one presented in Teen Titans: Raven. Fortunately for us, author Kami Garcia and illustrator Gabriel Picolo took some time to outline some of the fun changes they made to her origin (and what inspired them).
Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo present 5 fun facts about ‘Teen Titans: Raven’
1. ‘Teen Titans: Raven’ highlights the lesser-known side of Raven
We didn’t want to change the core elements of Raven’s character because we’re both big fans of the original version created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez. But we also wanted to create a more relatable “regular teen” version of her character, so we focused more on her teen side and less on her superhero side.
2. Raven gets a makeover
One of the first choices we made about Raven was to take her out of her traditional super hero outfit and put her in regular clothes. We swapped her cape for a cool leather jacket, her bodysuit for ripped jeans and quirky tees, and her boots for knee high Converse high-tops. We didn’t want her to look like a supermodel or a fashionista. We wanted her to dress like a regular teen.
3. With a new origin story comes a new cast of characters
Raven is an origin story. She hasn’t met the other Teen Titans yet, so we had to create some new characters. Raven’s foster sister, Max, is our favorite. Max is a force of nature. She’s sassy and fierce and she has a big personality. Raven is really lost at the beginning of the book and Max’s energy provides the perfect counterbalance.
4. There was really only one location this story could take place
The graphic novel is set in New Orleans and it felt like the only city where the story could take place. NOLA’s history is steeped with mystery and supernatural lore, and everything about it is unique. It’s the perfect setting for a story with fantasy elements.
5. What does ‘Dracula’ have to do with Raven? Everything.
Bram Stoker’s novel Dracula played a unique role in the Teen Titans: Raven. After Raven moves to NOLA, it arrives in a box of her things from home. There are several quotes from Dracula that capture the way Raven is feeling at different points in the book. They also foreshadow the danger and darkness she faces.
About ‘Teen Titans: Raven’ by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo
When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth’s foster mom—and Raven’s memory—she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.
Starting over isn’t easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can’t remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.
But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she’s ready to face what’s buried in the past… and the darkness building inside her.
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others—and yourself.
Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo is available now from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, The Book Depository, or Indiebound. Also, don’t forget to add it to your Goodreads “to read” list!
