Though reader interest in a JLA Junior is what eventually led to the Teen Titans' debut in 1964, the concept of a junior squad dated back to the 1940s, when young heroic sidekicks teamed up to form groups like Young Allies and Tough Kid Squad.

Even so, when Robin, Aqualad and Kid Flash first appeared in The Brave & the Bold, readers were immediately enthralled. Wonder Girl showed up just five issues later, and a completely fleshed out collective was born.

But could a band of b-list superheroes prove themselves and their storylines just as riveting as their larger-than-life mentors?

Not really--at least not the first time around. In under nine years, the crew began to flag under the pressure set forth by their more popular predecessors. Even with the addition of more members (Speedy, Beast Boy, The Hawk & the Dove) and junior supervillains like the Joker's Daughter, the series suffered in interest and sales. Many attribute this to the arguably contrived "hip" dialogue (think of your mom and dad using words like "Jiggy").

Even when their first attempt at a series ended in 1973, the irrepressible Teen Titans wouldn't be gone for long. The series was revived in 1976 and again in 1980. And, of course, there's the current Cartoon Network breakout, anime-inspired hit, Teen Titans and the wildly popular Geoff Johns-penned DC Comics revival Teen Titans, on stands now.

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