Raven (DC Comics)
Raven | |
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![]() Raven, as she appears on the cover of Raven: Daughter of Darkness #5 (July 2018). Art by Emanuela Lupacchino. | |
Publication information | |
Publisher | DC Comics |
First appearance | DC Comics Presents #26 (October 1980) |
Created by | Marv Wolfman George Pérez |
In-story information | |
Alter ego | Raven (birth name) |
Species | Azarathian Cambion (demon/human hybrid) |
Place of origin | Azarath |
Team affiliations | Teen Titans Titans Sentinels of Magic Night Force Justice League Justice League Dark |
Partnerships | Beast Boy The Flash Zatanna John Constantine Nevermore (protégé) |
Notable aliases | Rachel Roth (human alias) Epithets: Daughter of Darkness Daughter of Trigon Other names: The Unkindkness Doctor Hate |
Abilities |
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Raven is a superheroine appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appeared in a special insert in DC Comics Presents #26 (October 1980), and was created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez.[1] The character also goes by the alias Rachel Roth.[2]
Raven, daughter of the powerful demon Trigon and human Arella, possesses a supernatural lineage that grants her remarkable abilities as an empath. She can sense emotions and manipulate her soul-self, which takes the form of her namesake, for various purposes. Despite her lineage and the ominous predictions associated with her connection to Trigon, Raven becomes a prominent member of different Teen Titans and Titans lineups, where recognized for her expertise in mysticism and stands out as one of the team's most formidable members. The character has also served as a member of other teams in the DC Universe, including the Justice League, Sentinels of Magic, and the Justice League Dark.
Raven has appeared in numerous television series and films, including as one of the Teen Titans in Cartoon Network's eponymous series and its spin-off series Teen Titans Go!, voiced by Tara Strong, and in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU), voiced by Taissa Farmiga. Rachel Roth / White Raven made her live-action debut in the DC Universe/HBO Max series Titans, portrayed by Teagan Croft.
Development
[edit]In an interview, Perez described his design approach for the character, "taking the cue that Raven was very mysterious à la Phantom Stranger, I took that as a starting point, and using the shadow face where half her face is always in shadow despite the lighting, was a shtick I got from Phantom Stranger, who also had the same deal. He had a long billowing cape, as did she, and in her case, since her name was Raven, I decided to create a silhouette for her that would look like a bird. The hood was designed so that in the profile, it would end up looking like a birds head, so that when her soul self came out, since that was done in full black, it looked like a gigantic black Raven. Her name and the Phantom Stranger were key to how I designed her."[3]
Perez was asked if the characters face was based on any real life person, Perez stated the following, "originally Raven was Persis Khambatta, the actress who played in the first Star Trek film, and later became a young lady named Fran Macgregor, who was a dancer, and I used some of her features, particularly for her figure, for Raven."
Fictional character biography
[edit]First life of Raven
[edit]Raven first appeared in The New Teen Titans #1 recruiting superheroes to fight her father Trigon. She initially approached the Justice League for help, but they refused her on the advice of Zatanna, who sensed her demonic parentage.[4][5] In desperation, she reformed the Teen Titans as the New Teen Titans to fight her father. The team consisted of Robin, Kid Flash, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Cyborg, and Beast Boy (then known as Changeling).[6] Raven and her new friends later came to think of one another as family.
Trigon soon took Raven to his home dimension. The Titans defeated Trigon and sealed him in an interdimensional prison with the help of Arella, who stayed at the interdimensional door as Trigon's Guardian.[7] Raven continued to fight her father's influence, and her face started changing. For a period of time, Raven lost control several times in stressful situations but managed to regain control before Trigon could assert himself.
Eventually, Trigon escaped his prison, destroyed Azarath, came to Earth, and took control of Raven. The Titans were manipulated into having the dark sides of their souls kill the evil Raven by Lilith, who was guided and possessed by Azar, thereby allowing the souls of Azarath and Raven herself contained inside her rings to possess her now-empty body and use her as a channel to kill Trigon. After this battle, Raven rose from the ashes, cleansed of Trigon's evil, and vanished.[8]
Raven
[edit]After Raven's disappearance, Arella went around the world in search of Raven. She tracked Raven down, but both of them were kidnapped by Brother Blood. The minions of Brother Blood used Raven to control Nightwing (formerly Robin) as part of Blood's plans. The Titans rescued them both and prevented Brother Blood from returning to power.[9]
As a result of the defeat of Trigon, Raven was free to experience emotions for the first time in her life. Raven found she could not only sense but control others' emotions.[10] She learned to handle this power only after unintentionally making The Flash believe that he loved her when she thought she was in love with him. Raven also fostered a relationship with technopath Eric Forrester, who used the life force of women he seduced to regain some of his lost humanity. Forrester knew that Raven's soul-self could help him to retain his humanity permanently. This attempt was cut short by the intervention of Joseph Wilson (Jericho), who helped Raven destroy Forrester once and for all and gain a romance between the two heroes after.[11]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/7/72/EvilRavenToT.jpg)
Raven was later kidnapped by the Wildebeest Society during the "Titans Hunt" storyline.[12] The Wildbeest, led by the Trigon-possessed souls of Azarath, were going to use several Titans to bring about the return of Trigon. During a massive battle, Raven was possessed by the evil souls and once again became the evil doppelgänger of her father. Arella, along with Danny Chase, used the power of Azar's soul to cleanse Raven. In the aftermath, Raven's body was destroyed, and Arella and Danny sacrificed themselves and joined the cleansed souls of Azarath to become Phantasm.[13]
Evil Raven
[edit]Raven appeared possessed by her evil conscience and attempted to implant Trigon's seed into new bodies. She interrupted Nightwing and Starfire's wedding and implanted a seed of Trigon into Starfire. Instead of corrupting her, she implanted the soul of the good Raven. This caused Starfire to leave Earth to escape from the evil Raven. The Titans could defeat Raven only because of the help they received from Phantasm.[14]
Raven later returned, still evil, to destroy the good version of herself implanted in Starfire. With the help of the Titans, evil Raven was reduced to ashes, and the good part of Raven was given a new, golden spirit body completely free of her father's demonic influence. In New Tamaran, Starfire and the golden spirit form of Raven revealed that implanting Raven's soul in Starfire was her plan to get rid of her demonic soul.[15]
Spirit
[edit]In her bodiless spirit form, Raven returned to Earth to help extract her former teammate Cyborg's soul and consciousness from the Technis planet's computer mind.[16] Later, she was instrumental in defeating Imperiex by aiding Wonder Woman and Tempest in re-powering Darkseid.[17] Once Imperiex was defeated, Raven then resumed her journey to find a new purpose.
Rebirth
[edit]Raven's spirit was eventually ensnared by Brother Blood and his Church of Blood; they used sorcery to bind her soul to the body of a teenage girl. The Teen Titans (reformed again), discovered that the Church of Blood were worshipers of Raven's father, Trigon. They also found a prophecy about the marriage between Brother Blood and Raven that would result in Armageddon. The new team interrupted the wedding, and Brother Blood and his followers were forced to flee. Raven rejoined the Titans. She also used her new body to create the human identity of "Rachel Roth" for herself, using her mother's original surname.[18] As Rachel, she enrolled in a local high school.
After enduring much confusion about her new place in the world, Raven's teammate Garfield Logan (Beast Boy), began developing romantic feelings for her, and the two became romantically attached.
52
[edit]In 52, after the death of Superboy, the Titans began to fall apart. Robin joins Batman, and Wonder Girl left the team. Beast Boy struggled to maintain the team and was flippant towards Raven and their relationship. The new members who joined were only interested in seeking fame and honor rather than looking to fulfill justice. When Beast Boy decided to help Steel on a mission, most of the members left, leaving only Raven and Zatara. Later, Beast Boy, Raven, Offspring and Aquagirl aid Steel in launching an attack on LexCorp. Raven also participated in World War III. Eventually, Robin, Wonder Girl, and a few new members join the Titans, making the team whole again. Beast Boy and Raven were among the only members that remained in the team during this period.
"One Year Later"
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/47/Raven%27s_new_look_in_one_year_later.jpg/170px-Raven%27s_new_look_in_one_year_later.jpg)
Raven quit the team after she and Beast Boy ended their relationship.[19] Letting the others think she was leaving because of Garfield, Raven left because she uncovered a secret of one of the other Titans.
Raven took advantage of this power with a book of unclear significance.[20] Raven had a diskette containing Jericho's soul. She performed a cleansing ritual over his soul and transferred it into a new body[21] before returning to the team as a full member.[22]
Without warning, the Titans are captured by the villainous Titans East and transported to the original Titan Island in New York City, where Raven is placed in the "care" of Enigma and Duela Dent, who took to torturing her psychologically. Raven manages her escape. After beating the Titans East, she and Garfield talk about their feelings, but he refuses to dwell on the matter, leaving their relationship uncertain.[23]
Following the death of Bart Allen, Raven, along with the other adult Titans, decides to leave the team. Raven decides to pursue her chance at attending high school, having never had the opportunity before.
Raven stars in a five-issue miniseries written by Marv Wolfman, with art by Damion Scott. It occurs during the missing year, following Raven's attempts at living as an ordinary teenage girl and attending high school. Unfortunately, she gets inadvertently drawn into a mystical fight involving Psycho-Pirate's Medusa Mask and has to battle for the lives of her classmates. In the Wizard #177 magazine, Wolfman briefly described the series, saying, "She needs to be on her own and in charge of herself for the first time in her life. This is more than just a 'tale of Raven'; it sets up her new life".
Titans
[edit]Raven discovers that Trigon had more than one child, her half-siblings, and that a trio of children devoted to her father are behind the attacks. She is affected along with many of the other Titans by these three beings. Raven's three half-brothers use her and Beast Boy as keys to open a portal to Trigon's realm. Raven uses her own power to influence greed in others to make her half-brothers steal what little power Trigon had left. The portal is closed and Trigon's sons, believing they have gained great power, leave.
Raven's half-brothers later return and provoke her demonic side, causing her to leave the Titans and join them. However, the team was able to track them down and convince Raven to join the side of good once more. She later provided a number of other artifacts, all capable of killing her, to the Titans as terms for her staying with the team.[24]
Wyld
[edit]Battered and dazed, Raven arrived at Titans Tower, where she was rescued by the newest roster of Teen Titans. While she was recovering, Beast Boy stated that he was still in love with her and would remain so, despite whatever difficulties were involved.[25]
Raven decided to stay with the Teen Titans, now acting as a mentor to the younger members. When the Teen Titans attempted to return home, Raven was kidnapped and taken to another dimension by Wyld.[26] Wyld reveals that Raven was the one who created him. When Raven was traveling dimensions looking for her father, her soul self caused all of the animals she visited to merge into one being: the Wyld. The Titans enter the Wyld World to rescue Raven. Wyld is eventually destroyed by Static.
In the final issue of this incarnation of the Titans, Superboy-Prime and his Legion of Doom attack Titan's Tower. Raven stops Kid Flash just before he can kill Inertia. Then she reveals her soul-self to Headcase, terrifying and in so defeating him. After the Legion of Doom is defeated and Superboy-Prime is bound to the Source Wall, Beast Boy and Raven have a talk about her difficulty in reading Solstice's emotions after Beast Boy had accused Raven of leaving her behind and he refused to believe her when she stated it wasn't on purpose. They also talked of their encounter with Headcase. Eventually, Raven starts to open up about her true feelings. Beast Boy makes it clear he doesn't want to escape from any part of her. Touched, Raven decides that she needs to embrace the positive feelings inside her rather than just her negative ones. Beast Boy assures her this is part of being human, and points out, "I think you've worried enough about the bad...so why don't we focus on the good for a change?" With that, the two reconcile and share a heartfelt kiss.[27]
The New 52
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/5/55/Raven_Kenneth_Rocafort.jpg/220px-Raven_Kenneth_Rocafort.jpg)
After the events of the 2011 "Flashpoint" series, the history of the DC Universe was altered, resulting in The New 52. Raven makes her New 52 debut in the first issue of the Phantom Stranger. There she is shown as a girl in a black and white striped sweater becoming distraught at a funeral over the overwhelming emotion emanating from the people there. The Phantom Stranger takes Raven to Stonehenge, the portal between Earth and the realm of Trigon. Being told by a "higher power" what must be done, the reluctant Stranger unwillingly hands her over to Trigon.
Teen Titans
[edit]Raven made her first Teen Titans appearance in Teen Titans vol. 4 #16. Raven, sporting a new costume, is introduced by Trigon as his "Black Bird of Terror" to his minions. It is strongly suggested that Raven had been controlling Robin's emotions. During Trigon's invasion on Earth, she approached a near dead Beast Boy who had been assaulted by Deathstroke earlier in the remains of the Ravagers facility.[28] After being touched by Raven, Beast Boy awoke. When he asked if Harvest had sent her, she apologized stating that she brought him into the fray much sooner than she expected, stating, "Hush. We are birds of a feather now... You are mine to control", as Raven mind-controlled him and teleported them to New York where Trigon and the Teen Titans are in battle.[29]
Raven's origins revisited
[edit]Trigon reveals more of Raven's origins. He has had a son from each of the other worlds he's conquered, but Raven is his only daughter. Trigon let Raven's mother, Arella, live because he considered that she needed to be raised by humans to recreate the seven under-realms in her own image. Arella fled with her daughter to Azarath where the monks taught her how to control her dark side and avoid Trigon's influence on her. Years later, she escaped from Azarath to protect her mentors and planet from Trigon and fled to the Earth where Phantom Stranger captured her for Trigon.[30]
Raven spent time in the under-realms where time flows faster or was compressed. Trigon thought he only needed to liberate her and not control her to make Raven have her own image. Impressed, Trigon handed her the Throne of the Under-realms to rule the place as Queen.[30]
Return of Trigon
[edit]In New York, Trigon's three sons, Belial, Ruskoff, and Suge, assault the Teen Titans to take Raven back. Raven, Beast Boy, and the Titans defeat them, but Trigon appears again and takes control of the Titans save for Red Robin, Raven and Beast Boy. The manipulated Titans attack, and while Raven and Beast Boy distract them and Trigon, Tim cuts through Trigon's eyes with his inertrite wings. Pulling out the wings from his eyes, Trigon compliments Tim before suddenly disappearing. Soon after, a woman and a group of suited men come through a portal, informing them that they will take Psimon into custody and make the incident appear as if it had never happened. When questioned about the police officers Psimon has killed, the woman reveals it was a hallucination by Trigon, so it has never happened.
Raven and Beast Boy are re-accepted into the Teen Titans. Raven brings controversy to the team by revealing Tim's flirtatious relationships when under Trigon's control. Raven goes into her room, leaving the awkward situation behind. There, she summons her father, saying, "Father, I am one of them. Your plan worked perfectly", leaving questions on what side she is playing for.
Meanwhile, Tim calls Raven aside, telling that if something happens to him, the team will look up to her to lead them.
Forever Evil
[edit]After the events of "Trinity War", the Earth's greatest heroes are gone and the Crime Syndicate of America has taken over the world. The Teen Titans challenge the Crime Syndicate, but are easily overpowered by Johnny Quick and Atomica and then flung into the time stream. While the Titans are constantly flung through time, Raven is sent a few thousand years back in time. There, she is challenged by Etrigan the Demon, who recognizes her as Trigon's daughter and tries to kill her. Raven is saved by Wonder Girl, who suggests that the way to stop Raven's powers, since she was born and raised in a world between worlds, is to manipulate the energy within the time stream. Raven succeeds in anchoring the Titans with her soul-self, teleporting them through time.
The Titans arrive 20 years into the future, where Jon Lane Kent, has massacred most of Earth's superheroes, leaving only a few, including Beast Boy (Garfield Logan), now calling himself Beast Man, and Rose Wilson. Superboy Kon-El and Jon battle, and Kon triumphs. But Kon is sent elsewhere by an unknown power, and a severely injured Jon is swapped unknowingly as Superboy by Logan and Wilson. The Titans depart again to an alien planet in the 30th century, where Kid Flash is a rebel leader and war criminal, Bar Torr. While the Titans stay to witness the Trial of Kid Flash, Raven deduces Superboy is Jon, and helps send him back to the present time so that he can find a cure for his deteriorating body condition.
Leaving Kid Flash and Solstice in the future, the Titans return to their original time and are united with Bunker, Beast Boy, and Skitter. Raven finds out that their journey has severed Trigon's control over her. Followed by an attack by the villain Grimm, the Titans plan a final attack on Harvest's new colony. Raven is reluctant to join because of her past actions, but Bunker tells her that everybody deserves a second chance, and Raven changes her mind. In the colony, they are surprised to find that everyone is returned to normal, and even the victims of the Culling have been restored to life. Raven plays a crucial role by finding out Harvest's scheme to extract all the metagenes to create a massive DNA strand for his usage. This is destroyed by Raven's soul-self and Harvest is finally defeated.
DC Rebirth
[edit]Sometime after leaving the Teen Titans, Raven traveled to San Francisco hoping to find her mother's family and introduce herself to them. She attempted to conceal her powers before having a misadventure and was then later abducted by Damian Wayne, who recruited her to be part of the new Teen Titans team he was establishing to take down his grandfather Ra's al Ghul. It is then revealed that the Demon's Fist, a team initially led by Damian before he decided to follow Batman, were hunting each of the assembled Titans that Damian had abducted for their initiation into the League of Assassins. Raven turns out to be the target of the assassin named Plague, whose hands can rot, decay and take the life out of anything she touches.
New Justice
[edit]![]() | This section needs to be updated.(August 2023) |
Infinite Frontier
[edit]![]() | This section needs to be updated.(August 2023) |
Dawn of DC
[edit]![]() | This section needs to be updated.(August 2023) |
Characterization
[edit]Within the DC Universe, Raven is a character who possesses considerable power as a result of her lineage and connection to Trigon, her demon father, who is often depicted as a powerful demonic entity. Her unique heritage, being half-demon and half-human with a human mother, leads to an ongoing theme of balancing her formidable powers and mastering the mystic arts. Despite the constant threat from her father and other demonic forces, the character aspires to become a hero and works to overcoming the challenges presented by her lineage.[31]
In the Infinite Frontier era, the character's age is depicted in her twenties, in contrast to her portrayal as a teenager in DC Rebirth. During this time, she assumes the role of a faculty member at the Teen Titans Academy while also being a member of the Titans. As a faculty member, she takes on the responsibilities of a school counselor and serves as an expert in mystic subjects. Several other notable DC Comics characters whom are mystically inclined served under her tutelage, including fellow demon hybrid Nevermore, Shazam, and Stitch.[32]
Powers and abilities
[edit]Under the tutelage of the being known as Azar, Raven became a skilled empath who can sense pain, disease, and remove them from a person's body by assimilating them into her body and expunging them, a process depicted as painful.[33] Other abilities as an empath includes reading emotions and possessing telepathic-like insights into the minds of others.[34] Ultimately, these powers facilitate her "Soul Self", an astral body shaped like her namesake. This soul-self has the capability to travel long distances, become intangible, and establish telepathic communication. It functions as a protective shield, capable of absorbing a limited amount of energy and solid matter, which can be regurgitated before reintegration with Raven. By converting her physical body into her soul-self, she can transport herself and others over a restricted distance, or teleport them. Additionally, her soul-self can mentally subdue individuals by enveloping them. Initially, Raven's soul-self had a time limit of five minutes outside her body, after which she would experience mental torment. She eventually overcame this constraint.[35]
Raven possesses a profound mastery of the mystic arts, which is intertwined with her soul-self. Her sorcerous abilities grant her a diverse range of powers including teleportation, manipulation of shadows, telekinesis, hypnosis and proficiency in chaos magic. Chaos magic is a form of sorcery within the DC Universe that enables practitioners to perform magical feats without adhering to specific systems such as incantations or chants.[34] Over time, Raven's mastery of these abilities has advanced to the extent that she is considered a skilled teacher in the mystic arts.[36]
Like her brothers, Raven can induce and amplify one of the seven deadly sins (in her case, pride) or all seven of them, in any living being. Doing so causes her to suffer bouts of nausea and vomiting for several days afterward as side effects. Raven also has limited precognition allowing her to predict near-future events. This occurs involuntarily and infrequently. Additionally, she has displayed excellent hand-to-hand combat, albeit rarely.
Weaknesses
[edit]As an empath, Raven is unable to completely disconnect herself from other's emotions; exposure to many people with heightened emotions can pose a risk to her.[34] Raven is also susceptible to overwhelming mystical forces.[37]
Collected editions
[edit]Raven
Title | Material collected | Publication Date | ISBN | |
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All | Raven | Collects issues #1–6 | 2017 | 978-1401268985 |
Raven: Daughter of Darkness
Title | Material collected | Publication Date | ISBN | |
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1 | Raven: Daughter of Darkness Vol 1 | Collects issues #1–6 | 2018 | 978-1-4012-8473-2 |
2 | Raven: Daughter of Darkness Vol 2 | Collects issues #7-12 | 2019 | 978-1-4012-8963-8 |
Other versions
[edit]The Unkindness
[edit]First appearance | Future State: Teen Titans #1 (2021) |
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Created by | Tim Sherdian & Rafa Sandoval, |
Abilities | In addition to her normal powers as Raven, possess vastly increased power due to absorption of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse as well as the Powers of Shazam, granting:
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The Unkindness is a potential future incarnation of Raven, introduced in Future State: Teen Titans #1 (2021). This iteration of the character, created by Tim Sherdian and Rafa Sandoval, follows a storyline that diverges from the main continuity after the events of Infinite Frontier. During a confrontation with the adversary Red X and the Four Horsemen of Apocalypse, who were unleashed by the villain, Raven defeats them by using her magical powers to imprison their spirits within herself. However, this act of absorption corrupts her, leading Shazam to confine her within the Rock of Eternity in order to contain her corruptive power.
Corrupted, Raven forms an alliance with Neron, manipulating the separation of Billy Batson from his super-powered form, Shazam. Billy acts as a magical ward, while Shazam assumes the role of dealing with external threats and becomes the leader of the Justice League of America. In the absence of Billy's influence, Shazam's morality becomes corrupted, displaying a willingness to kill criminals and other heroes and facing challenges from others who question his true identity as Billy. As Shazam's crimes are discovered by other heroes, the Spectre intervenes to gather more information about the situation. While aware of Shazam's killings, the Spectre refrains from direct intervention due to Shazam's past heroism. However, Shazam unexpectedly kills the Spectre using the remaining fragment of the Spear of Destiny. Subsequently, Deadman, who had been inhabiting the body of the fourth Question and one of Shazam's victims, appears and briefly suppresses Shazam's powers by using the magic word. This action serves the Unkindness and Neron's interests, as the Living Lightning returns to the Rock of Eternity and is absorbed by the Unkindness, freeing her from confinement. Now in possession of the Powers of Shazam and considering herself unstoppable, the Unkindness becomes a significant threat to the universe. In return for his loyalty, she rewards her accomplice, Neron, with the Rock of Eternity.[38]
Doctor Hate
[edit]First appearance | Knight Terrors: Night's End #1 (2023) |
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Created by | Joshua Williamson & Howard Porter |
Teams | Lords of Chaos |
Abilities | Possess additional magical abilities gained through possession of various artifacts (Helmet of Hate, Nightmare Stone); powers including magic derived from chaos energies, mind control, etc. |
Doctor Hate, also known as Dark Raven, is an evil version of Raven who debuted in Knight Terrors: Night's End #1 (August, 2023), created by Joshua Williamson and Howard Porter. The character is depicted as the demonic half of Raven who gained independence.
With the help of Amanda Waller, Dark Raven becomes the direct counterpart of Doctor Fate by donning the Helmet of Hate, making her a powerful ally for the Lords of Chaos and Waller. The helmet was formed from a corrupted shard of the Helmet of Fate during the company-wide crossover event, Lazarus Planet. She is further augmented by the Nightmare Stone, introduced in the subsequent crossover storyline Knight Terrors as the opposite of the Dreamstone. In the conclusion of the Knight Terrors storyline, Hate assists Amanda Waller in shifting public opinion against the Justice League and entrusts the demonic half with the artifacts.[39]
Doctor Hate first appears as a major villain in the Titans: Beast World crossover event, where she is responsible for erasing Beast Boy's consciousness when he transformed into a Starro to defeat it's ancestral enemy, the Necrostar. With the lost of humanity, Beast Boy adopts their behavior and infects others on the planet to transform them into animal-human hybrid creatures. Hate battles both heroes and villains of African origin known as "The Network"[40] as well as the Titans, where her identity is eventually discovered by Nightwing and Raven.[41] With the help of other Titans, Dark Raven is stripped of the Helmet of Hate but secretly prevailed in her fight with Raven, instead trapping her and covertly adopting her counterpart's identity.[42]
Alternate realities versions
[edit]- An alternate universe incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans: Earth One.[43]
- Moonchild, an alternate universe incarnation of Raven, appears in The Books of Magic Annual #3.
- Dark Raven, an alternate timeline incarnation of Raven, appears in Titans Tomorrow.
- Raveniya Dayspring, a fusion of Raven and Marvel Comics character Aliya Dayspring, appears in the Amalgam Comics universe.
- Ravanna, a fusion of Raven and Zatanna, appears in Superman/Batman.[44]
- An illusionary alternate version of Raven appears in DC/Wildstorm: DreamWar.
- An alternate timeline incarnation of Raven from a future where the New Teen Titans never existed appears in Booster Gold vol. 2.[45]
- An alternate universe incarnation of Raven appears in the Flashpoint storyline. This version is a member of the Secret Seven before being killed by the Enchantress.
- An alternate universe incarnation of Raven appears in DC Comics Bombshells. This version is of German descent and was forced to aid the Nazis after they destroyed her village before escaping.[46]
- On Earth-11, a gender swapped male version of Raven appears as a teenaged hero allied with Teen Justice (an alternate, gender swapped version of the Teen Titans) and is in a relationship with Donald Troy, the gender-swapped version of Donna Troy .[47]
In other media
[edit]Television
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/47/TeaganCroftRachelRoth.jpg)
- A teenage Raven appears in Teen Titans (2003), voiced by Tara Strong.[48] This version is a member of the eponymous team who wears a hooded blue cloak and black leotard and possesses grey skin, violet-blue eyes, and shoulder-length violet-blue hair. Additionally, she possesses dark mystical energy, which she often invokes via the chant "Azarath Metrion Zinthos" and allows her to perform several feats, such as telekinesis, teleportation, and safely phasing through solid objects and fire, among other abilities, which are all tied to her emotions. She initially starts the series as the most reserved and stoic member of the Titans, though she eventually softens up and comes to see them as family.
- Raven appears in the "New Teen Titans" segment of DC Nation Shorts, voiced again by Tara Strong.
- Raven, based on the Teen Titans (2003) incarnation, appears in Teen Titans Go! (2013), voiced again by Tara Strong.[48] This version is a member of the Teen Titans who sports black hair with purple streaks, is more chatty and sociable, and displays her dark side when she is provoked or agitated. Additionally, she eventually goes on to enter a relationship with fellow Titan Beast Boy and possesses an alternate superhero identity called "Lady Legasus". Moreover, the Teen Titans (2003) incarnation of the character also appears in the episode "The Academy" via archival footage.[49]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in the OK K.O.! Let's Be Heroes episode "Crossover Nexus", voiced again by Tara Strong.[50][48]
- A teenage Rachel Roth / White Raven appears in Titans, portrayed by Teagan Croft.[51] This version is the half-sister of Brother Blood. Following her mother's murder, Rachel's powers manifest, leading to her receiving protection from Dick Grayson and helping found a new incarnation of the Titans.
- Raven appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2019), voiced again by Tara Strong.
- The Titans incarnation of Rachel Roth makes a cameo appearance in "Crisis on Infinite Earths" via archive footage from the episode "Titans".[52]
Film
[edit]- The Teen Titans (2003) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo, voiced again by Tara Strong.[53]
- Raven appears in films set in the DC Animated Movie Universe (DCAMU), voiced by Taissa Farmiga.[48]
- Introduced in Justice League vs. Teen Titans,[54] this version is a member of the Teen Titans who forms a bond with new teammate Damian Wayne. After defeating her father Trigon, she traps him in a crystal shard and wears it on her forehead to stop him from escaping.
- Raven appears in Teen Titans: The Judas Contract.[55]
- Raven appears in Justice League Dark: Apokolips War.[56] Following Darkseid's invasion of Earth and most of Earth's heroes being killed, she enters self-imposed exile to protect Damian from Trigon. Two years later, the pair reunite to help Earth's remaining heroes mount an assault on Apokolips and confess their feelings for each other. After Damian is killed in battle, Raven loses control of her powers and inadvertently frees Trigon, who battles and eventually helps defeat Darkseid. After she resurrects Damian, the two share a kiss before the Flash resets the timeline.[57]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans Go! To the Movies, voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
- Raven appears in DC Super Hero Girls: Legends of Atlantis, voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) and Teen Titans (2003) incarnations of Raven appear in Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, both voiced again by Tara Strong.[48] Additionally, several alternate reality incarnations of Raven make minor appearances throughout the film, such as her Tiny Titans, the New Teen Titans comic, and DCAMU counterparts.
- Raven makes a non-speaking appearance in Injustice.[citation needed]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem in the Multiverse, voiced again by Tara Strong.[58][59]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears in Teen Titans Go! See Space Jam, voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
Video games
[edit]- Raven appears as a playable character in Teen Titans (2005), voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
- Raven appears as a playable character in Teen Titans (2006), voiced again by Tara Strong.[citation needed]
- Raven appears in DC Universe Online, voiced by Adriene Mishler.[48] She is initially forced to serve Trigon as a brainwashed thrall until being freed by the Teen Titans.
- Raven appears as a playable character in Injustice: Gods Among Us, voiced again by Tara Strong.[60] This version is an associate of the Justice League. Additionally, an alternate universe version of Raven appears as a former member of the Titans and servant of Trigon who joined High Councilor Superman's Regime to hasten the former's return.
- Raven appears as a character summon in Scribblenauts Unmasked: A DC Comics Adventure.[61]
- Raven appears as a downloadable playable character in Lego Batman 3: Beyond Gotham.[62]
- The Teen Titans Go! (2013) incarnation of Raven appears as a playable character in Lego Dimensions, voiced again by Tara Strong.[63]
- Raven appears in Teeny Titans, voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
- The Injustice incarnation of Raven makes a cameo appearance in a flashback depicted in Starfire's ending in Injustice 2 as a former member of the Teen Titans who left to serve Trigon.[citation needed]
- Raven appears as a playable character and boss in Lego DC Super-Villains, voiced again by Tara Strong.[citation needed]
- Raven, based on her Rebirth design, appears as a cosmetic costume in Fortnite, with a classic design and civilian appearance based on her as Rachel Roth also being available.[64][65]
Miscellaneous
[edit]- Rachel Roth / Raven appears in Smallville Season 11: Harbinger.[citation needed] She is kidnapped by Brother Blood, who intends to use her as a sacrifice to summon the Sons of Trigon, before she is rescued by Zatanna and John Constantine. After the latter takes the Book of Magick and leaves Zatanna behind, Blood successfully completes the ritual by using himself as the sacrifice. The Sons of Trigon pursue Zatanna and Roth until Constantine has a change of heart and uses Blood's heart to defeat the trio. Following this, Zatanna places Roth in Jay Garrick's care, after which she joins the Teen Titans.
- Raven makes a non-speaking cameo appearance in the "DC Super Friends" short.[citation needed]
- The Injustice incarnation of Raven appears in the Injustice: Gods Among Us prequel comic.[citation needed] Amidst Trigon's fight with Mister Mxyzptlk, Raven attempts to convince the former to stop before he destroys reality until Doctor Fate intervenes and banishes both Trigon and Mxyzptlk to another dimension. Shaken by her father's "death", Raven seals herself in a pocket dimension. Believing that Fate's decision is proof that she will never be fully accepted by human society, Raven abandons her humanity and embraces the dark portion of her soul, which greatly enhances her power. This leads her to join Superman's Regime with the secret intention of freeing her father and helping him conquer Earth.
- Raven appears in DC Super Hero Girls (2015), voiced again by Tara Strong.[48]
Reception
[edit]![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/2023-07-14_14-54-16_ILCE-7C_DSCHO2336_%2853056299348%29.jpg/220px-2023-07-14_14-54-16_ILCE-7C_DSCHO2336_%2853056299348%29.jpg)
Critical reception
[edit]George Marston of Newsarama referred to Raven as one of the "best female superheroes of all time", writing "what makes Raven stand out, along with her dark history as the daughter of a demon, is the way she breaks the mold for one of the oldest tropes in super-team comic books, the troubled badass whose past always comes back to haunt their efforts to be a hero, a la Wolverine, Essentially, Raven embodies the 'angry goth girl' archetype, but in a way that backs up her edginess with a decades-long character arc and near limitless power. This aspect of Raven's personality is often a subject of comedy in the Teen Titans and subsequent Teen Titans Go! animated series, making her one of the most popular characters of those shows as well as an ongoing cult favorite comic book character. ."[66] Raul Arias Philippi of Screen Rant stated, "In-universe acknowledgment of her powers and character growth in the Teen Titans is far more important than the portrayal doing Raven’s character justice, though, and Titans United #1 delivers on this front as well. First, Nightwing defers to Raven’s expertise when first encountering the recently empowered criminal. As Raven tries to assess and control the situation, she cycles through several of her powers to both engage the threat, and help her teammates, particularly a fatally injured Beast Boy who she heals without breaking a sweat. While previously her Teen Titans teammates might have been concerned about Raven overdoing it with the magic, it’s clear here that she has the team’s complete trust, regardless of whatever magic she uses and how complex or dangerous it is. Perhaps though, the biggest endorsement of Raven comes from Beast Boy, who lauds her heroism when returning to base, saying: “You always wanna help. That’s why you’re the best of us.”[67] Jenna Margolis of CBR.com wrote, "satisfying to see Raven step up as the point person for magical knowledge since the League initially deemed her too dangerous when she approached them for help defeating her father, Trigon. Now, Raven is in the position to assess others for the magical risk they pose, and offer them the support (and the benefit of the doubt) she didn't receive years ago."[68]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Manning, Matthew K.; McAvennie, Michael; Wallace, Daniel (2019). DC Comics Year By Year: A Visual Chronicle. DK Publishing. p. 180. ISBN 978-1-4654-8578-6.
- ^ "Raven". DC. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
- ^ Cadigan, Glen (2005). Titans companion. Raleigh, N.C.: TwoMorrows Pub. p. 109. ISBN 1893905500.
- ^ The New Teen Titans #4
- ^ Cowsill, Alan; Irvine, Alex; Korte, Steve; Manning, Matt; Wiacek, Win; Wilson, Sven (2016). The DC Comics Encyclopedia: The Definitive Guide to the Characters of the DC Universe. DK Publishing. p. 244. ISBN 978-1-4654-5357-0.
- ^ The New Teen Titans #1
- ^ The New Teen Titans #6
- ^ The New Teen Titans vol. 2 #1–5
- ^ The New Teen Titans vol. 2 #31
- ^ The New Teen Titans vol. 2 #32
- ^ The New Titans vol. 2 #67
- ^ The New Titans vol. 2 #71
- ^ The New Titans vol. 2 #84
- ^ The New Titans #121
- ^ The New Titans #130
- ^ JLA vs Titans #1–3
- ^ Wonder Woman vol. 2 #173
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #11
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #37
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #38
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #40
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #41
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #47
- ^ Titans vol. 2 #6
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #76
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #82
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 3 #100
- ^ The Ravagers #12
- ^ Teen Titans vol. 4 #19
- ^ a b Teen Titans (2011), Issue 23A
- ^ "Raven". DC Comics. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ Heinrichs, James (2021-08-01). "Raven is Teaching DC's Next Generation Of Great Magic Users". ScreenRant. Retrieved 2024-01-27.
- ^ Who's Who: The Definitive Directory of the DC Universe #19. DC Comics. 1986.
- ^ a b c "DC Universe Infinite: Encyclopedia Entry "Raven"". DC Universe Infinite Encyclopedia. 2021-07-23. Archived from the original on July 23, 2021. Retrieved 2022-08-28.
- ^ The New Teen Titans #8|June 1981
- ^ Sheridan, Tim (2022-03-08). Teen Titans Academy Vol. 1: X Marks The Spot. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-1-77951-281-9.
- ^ The DC comics encyclopedia : the definitive guide to the characters of the DC universe. Scott Beatty, Daniel Wallace (Updated and expanded ed.). New York. 2008. ISBN 978-0-7566-4119-1. OCLC 213309017.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link) CS1 maint: others (link) - ^ Sheridan, Tim (2021-01-19). Future State: Shazam! (2021-2021) #1. DC Comics.
- ^ "EXCLUSIVE: DC's Horror Event Ends With an Unlikely Hero and the Introduction of Dr. Hate". CBR. 2023-05-16. Retrieved 2023-07-31.
- ^ Brown, Chuck (2023-12-05). Titans: Beast World: Waller Rising (2023-) #1. DC Comics.
- ^ Taylor, Tom (2024-01-23). Titans: Beast World (2023-) #5. DC Comics.
- ^ Taylor, Tom (2024-01-30). Titans: Beast World (2023-) #6. DC Comics.
- ^ Teen Titans: Earth One #1
- ^ Superman/Batman #60–61
- ^ Booster Gold Vol. 2 #23~24
- ^ DC Bombshells #17
- ^ "Meet the Earth-11 Super Heroes of 'Multiversity: Teen Justice'".
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "Raven Voices (Teen Titans)". Behind The Voice Actors. Retrieved December 15, 2023. A green check mark indicates that a role has been confirmed using a screenshot (or collage of screenshots) of a title's list of voice actors and their respective characters found in its opening and/or closing credits and/or other reliable sources of information.
- ^ "Teen Titans Go! | No Awards for the Titans! | Cartoon Network - YouTube". YouTube. January 5, 2019. Retrieved July 23, 2023.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (September 24, 2018). "CN Lines Up 'OK K.O.!' Superhero Crossover, Halloween Specials". Animation Magazine. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Andreeva, Nellie (August 3, 2017). "'Titans': Teagan Croft Cast As Raven In Live-Action Series For DC Digital Service". Deadline. Archived from the original on August 3, 2017. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
- ^ Martin, Michileen (January 15, 2020). "Every Crisis on Infinite Earths cameo ranked". Looper. Archived from the original on April 2, 2020. Retrieved April 2, 2020.
- ^ Telsch, Rafe (February 6, 2007). "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo". CinemaBlend.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved March 29, 2016.
- ^ Sands, Rich (January 18, 2016). "Roll Call: Meet the Cast of Justice League vs. Teen Titans". TVInsider.com. Archived from the original on January 19, 2016. Retrieved January 18, 2016.
- ^ Kit, Borys (January 19, 2017). "Christina Ricci, Miguel Ferrer Join Voice Cast of 'Teen Titans' Animated Movie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 20, 2017. Retrieved January 19, 2017.
- ^ Bernaschina, Michael (February 27, 2020). "Justice League Dark: Apokolips War's Massive Voice Cast Revealed". CBR. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Matadeen, Renaldo (May 9, 2020). "Justice League Dark: Apokolips War's Shocking Ending, Explained". CBR. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ "Holy Crossover! Teen Titans Go and DC Super Hero Girls Team-Up". Comic Mix. February 14, 2022. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Lovell, Kevin (February 14, 2022). "Trailer, Artwork & Release Info For 'Teen Titans Go! & DC Super Hero Girls: Mayhem In The Multiverse'; On Blu-ray, DVD & Digital May 24, 2022 From DC - Warner Bros". Screen Connections. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Grey, Jon (March 14, 2013). "Raven revealed for Injustice: Gods Among Us, battles Catwoman in new clip". Event Hubs. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
- ^ Eisen, Andrew (October 2, 2013). "DC Characters and Objects - Scribblenauts Unmasked Guide". IGN. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Krupa, Daniel (November 27, 2014). "PAID AND FREE DLC FOR LEGO BATMAN 3: BEYOND GOTHAM REVEALED". IGN. Archived from the original on April 9, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2016.
- ^ "Raven Coming to LEGO Dimensions". YouTube. July 7, 2016. Archived from the original on July 9, 2016. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
- ^ Thier, Dave (April 6, 2018). "I Finally Caved And Bought The Raven Skin In 'Fortnite: Battle Royale,' And I Couldn't Be Happier". Forbes. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ Garton, Alex (March 16, 2021). "How to unlock Teen Titans hero Raven in Fortnite Season 6". Dexerto. Retrieved July 16, 2024.
- ^ "The best female superheroes". Newsarama. Retrieved Feb 2, 2024.
- ^ Philippi, Raul (2021-09-26). "Titans Finally Gives Raven the Credit She Deserves". Screen Rant. Retrieved 2024-07-26.
- ^ Margolis, Jenna (2023-03-24). "10 DC Heroes Who Finally Got The Credit They Deserved". CBR. Retrieved 2022-09-03.
External links
[edit]- Titans Tower: Raven Archived 2019-07-06 at the Wayback Machine
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