The New Teen Titans #19
New Teen Titans #19 is a textbook example of the Wolfman–Pérez era's ability to weave classic DC characters into the Titans' world with wit and visual invention: a Doctor Light who is already beginning his slide from credible JLA menace toward comedy villain tangles with the entire team plus a guest-starring Hawkman, while Pérez and Tanghal render four avatars of Vishnu as fully realized, mythologically grounded threats rather than throwaway monsters. The issue sits squarely in the run's creative peak year of 1982, when the series was widely regarded as DC's answer to The Uncanny X-Men in terms of character-driven superhero storytelling. Its letter column provides a historically documented early announcement of what would become Night Force, making the issue a minor artifact of Wolfman's broader DC ambitions during this period.
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The story, titled 'The Light Fantastic!', was scripted by Marv Wolfman with pencil breakdowns by George Pérez and finished art and inks by Romeo Tanghal — the regular team split that characterized much of this volume's production. Colors were provided by Adrienne Roy, with letters by John Costanza, and the cover was both penciled and inked by Pérez himself with Anthony Tollin on colors. The editorial team was Len Wein as editor, Mike W. Barr as associate editor, and Dick Giordano as managing editor. The issue went on sale January 19, 1982, carrying a May 1982 cover date.
Trivia · 8 facts
- Story title: 'The Light Fantastic!' — script by Marv Wolfman, pencil breakdowns by George Pérez, finished art and inks by Romeo Tanghal, colors by Adrienne Roy, letters by John Costanza; cover fully penciled and inked by Pérez.
- Cover date: May 1982; on-sale date: January 19, 1982; published by DC Comics as part of the first New Teen Titans ongoing series (Vol. 1).
- Plot: Doctor Light (Dr. Arthur Light) escapes prison, attempts to rob Indian artifacts at a New York museum, accidentally materializes solid holographic forms of four avatars of Vishnu — Varaha, Narasimha, Parasurama, and Matsya — and deliberately leads them to Titans Tower hoping the team will be destroyed.
- Hawkman (Katar Hol / Carter Hall), depicted here as a visiting museum curator, guest-stars and teams with Robin to capture Doctor Light; Starfire ultimately destroys the Vishnu avatars by channeling her starbolts through Doctor Light's own optical lenses.
- Doctor Light's portrayal in this issue reflects the ongoing Bronze Age transition of the character from a once-serious Justice League antagonist into an increasingly ineffectual, self-doubting villain — a shift that CBR and Wikipedia both trace through this era of the Titans books.
- The issue's letter column advertises an upcoming Wolfman project initially called 'The Dark Force,' drawn by Gene Colan; that title was later renamed Night Force and launched in August 1982, making this page the earliest known public announcement of that series.
- Sarah Simms (Cyborg's love interest) and Terry Long (Wonder Girl's boyfriend) both appear in cameo roles; Sarah Simms had made her first appearance earlier in New Teen Titans #8 (June 1981), not this issue.
- The story has been reprinted in at least nine editions, including New Teen Titans Archives Vol. 3 (DC, 2006), The New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 1 (DC, 2011 and 2017 printings), and numerous international editions in French, German, Spanish, Portuguese, and Australian markets.
Cast · 21 characters
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When Dr. Light tries to steal some Indian artifacts, he accidentally creates solid holographic forms of four of the avatars of Vishnu.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).