I think the hardest part about writing these pieces is coming up with new ways to say ‘Happy Wednesday’. Are y’all surviving the hiatus better after last week’s advice? I sure hope so, because we have about two and a half more months to wait and we’re going to need something to do to stay whelmed. Speaking of something to do, today’s topic is about Young Justice’s tie-in comics. If you’re looking at your screen in a daze of confusion, don’t worry! A lot of other people are unaware of their existence too, which is why we’re here to shine a bright spotlight on it.
The YJ tie-in comics were released in 2011, just after ‘Fireworks’ premiered on the CN. It’s comprised of about 28 different stories (‘Torch Songs’ is split up into two parts), with 21 taking place in the duration of Season One, 6 taking place in the gap before Season Two, and the final one taking place in the gap before Season Three. The comics are all considered canon additions to the show and help fill in the little gaps between many of the Season One episodes. One of the biggest complaints I see in the YJ fan community is that the 5 year time skip between S1 and 2 halted the adventures of the original team when more was left to be desired; if you haven’t read the comics, now you have 21 additional team stories to close that void! In case you’re still not convinced, here’s why you should definitely be reading the YJ tie-in comics:
- They fill in gaps and answers a lot of questions: Did you know that Wally actually housed Superboy after they first found him? Or how exactly Marie Logan died? Maybe you were confused what Lucas Carr meant in ‘Away Mission’ when he said he accidentally let the Joker into Mount Justice. These topics were all explored in the tie-in comics. The stories cover a variety of adventures: team bonding, character backstories, and new missions. They’re short, sweet, and truly give the same type of vibe that make us love the original show.
- Further character development: Piggybacking on the previous note, the comics were an opportunity to further develop all our favorite characters outside the show. We’re introduced to aspects of them we’ve never seen, and with a couple of focus-heavy issues, we get a deeper look into their personalities. One of my personal favorite moments is the campfire scene, in which Kid Flash, Robin and Miss Martian talk about their backstories and how they ended up as their super personas. The conversation enhances Miss Martian’s incredibility (that we didn’t otherwise find out about until later episodes), while also showing us a more vulnerable side to the team.
- Some of the characters are introduced there: Ever wondered how exactly Artemis came to join the team? Or Blue Beetle? These are covered in the comics. While not all the new character introductions are shown, it’s nice to see some of the backstories behind the how and why. For example, Artemis’ story in ‘Rabbit Holes’ ties in to ‘Insecurity’, in which she wasn’t aware that her mother asked Green Arrow and Batman to watch over her. Additionally, if you’d read the comics, you would have been introduced to Talia Al Ghul much earlier than ‘Rescue Op’. Just another reason to binge them all!
- More content, sooner: Here’s the beautiful thing about the comics: other than being wonderfully written and expertly drawn, they take far less time to create than the show. Season 3 of YJ took over two years to grace our DC Universe accounts (with a hiatus…), the newest comic only took months. That’s a staggering difference when you need more YJ content, fast! Just imagine, if the comics had been renewed at the same time as YJ S3, we could have had numerous stories by now. If YJ is renewed for a S4, the series will take another few years to finish; what better way to fill the void than by getting new comics throughout the time we have to wait?
- They’re free with your DC Universe Subscription: No, that’s not an error. All these comics are included with your DC Universe Subscription. To find them, just type in ‘Young Justice comics’ in the search bar, and they should come up! If you don’t have a DC Universe Subscription, you can either get one (kidding! No, but seriously…) or purchase the comics on Comixology.
While YJ was renewed for a Season 3, the comics were only renewed for one more issue. If we want more of them (and we do!), it’s crucial that we do our part and start reading them like mad on DCU. Just imagine: a future in which we got new YJ content without having to wait two years for it. Imagine all the different storylines we could get (if anyone’s listening, I need a Will and Jade story about their adventures in the 5 year gap stat, please and thank you). Take a hot second, envision it, and then go on DCU and read the heck out of them. If you get tired, then take a break and watch an episode of twenty. Remember y’all, above all else, #KeepBingingYJ.
