Convergence: The New Teen Titans #1 (2015) features the classic, pre-Crisis on Infinite Earths team struggling with their relationships during a year without powers, before being forced to fight the Tangent Universe's Doom Patrol. The issue was written by their original creator, Marv Wolfman, with art by Nicola Scott and Marc Deering.
Plot Synopsis
The story is set during the year that the heroes of Metropolis are trapped under a dome by Brainiac, nullifying all their powers.
- Life Under the Dome: The issue explores the new "normal" lives of the team. Nightwing (Dick Grayson) and Starfire (Kory Anders) are married but dealing with marital stress, particularly after Kory's impulsive, emotion-driven actions during their powerless vigilante missions with jetpacks. Wonder Girl (Donna Troy) is separated from her husband, Terry Long, and feels a renewed sense of responsibility as the "peacemaker" of the group, a role that confines her.
- The Dome Drops: When the dome disappears, the Titans' powers are restored, and the living planet Telos announces the battle for survival between the various domed cities.
- The Conflict: The New Teen Titans are pitted against the bizarre, powerful heroes of the Tangent Universe's Doom Patrol. The Doom Patrol arrives with the intention of dismantling the Titans' city, as they believe the power source needed to save their own world is housed within Cyborg.
- Moral Dilemmas: Instead of an immediate all-out brawl, the issue focuses on the interpersonal conflicts within the team and the ethical dilemma of fighting other heroes. The Doom Patrol, realizing both sides were unwilling participants, briefly retreats, while certain members of the Titans question their own morality and whether their goals are worth the cost of another team's lives.
Key Characters
- Nightwing (Dick Grayson): The team leader who is in a strained marriage with Starfire.
- Starfire (Kory Anders): Struggles with her Tamaranean heritage (where emotions drive actions) and the moral implications of their new reality.
- Wonder Girl (Donna Troy): The emotional core of the team, separated from her husband and acting as the group's conscience.
- Cyborg (Victor Stone): Becomes the unwitting target and power source for the opposing team's goals.
- The Tangent Universe's Doom Patrol: The opposing force, who are equally motivated to save their own home world.