Gar is picked last in gym class, and is always bullied by the cool kids. He’s been trying to gain weight but he can’t figure out why he isn’t growing. He takes amino acid supplements, and maybe that’s why? His parents are definitely withholding information from him about why he has to take them.

I love the representation in this book. There is a character in a wheelchair and a character with a prosthetic leg. His best friends Tank and Stella are amazing. Stella volunteers at the animal shelter and runs a video gamer blog. Tank is a star athlete but is struggling in English class. Gar is just trying to figure out who he is and thank goodness he has these friends by his side. Also, he is saving the animals one rescue mission at a time!

This was another lovely, well-written and beautifully illustrated origin story by Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo. On sale 9/1/2020!

This was AMAZING! I absolutely loved reading this origin of Beast Boy story. The artwork was fantastic and so gorgeous. It is probably one of my favorite art styles for teen titans. I thought that this was such an interesting take on the origin story for Beast Boy. The plot was really fun and quite interesting, especially with a particular villain appearance * wink wink*. I am a huge fan of Kami Garcia's writing and this did not disappoint. This is part of the Teen Titans collab between Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo, however, you can read each of them separately as they are all origin stories for each member of the team. The characterization of Gar (Garfield) was really in character and I enjoyed this highschool version of Gar. Overall, this was a fantastic read and addition to the Teen Titans comics. I can't wait to read the next book and I think this is a great story for all DC fans or fans of the Teen Titans!
* Thank you Netgalley and DC Entertainment for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Teen Titans Beast Boy is the second book in the Teen Titans DC Ink series. Garfield is a small guy that wants to be taller and more popular. After he stops taking his supplements, his body finally begins to grow.
I liked the characters and artwork in the story, but I was hoping to see more action. This story had a lot of teen drama and no supervillain. My experience with a lot of origin stories is that I don't get hooked until the latter half of the story. This story was no different. Even though I enjoyed Teen Titans Raven more, I'm still looking forward to finding out what happens to Beast Boy.

Thank you to DC Entertainment, DC Comics, NetGalley, Kami Garcia, and Gabriel Picolo for the opportunity to read Teen Titans: Beast Boy in exchange for an honest review.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy is the second installment of the new origin story comic progression for the Teen Titans, the first being Raven. This felt both like and unlike the traditional Beast Boy we know from the Teen Titans comics and television animated series. While the feel of his character is there, the look and setting are quite different, but in a fresh, fun way for younger contemporary readers who may be getting into Teen Titans for the first time.

This follows Gar, who has been taking supplements to combat some amino deficiency thing his whole life. Or so he thinks. It is very obvious his parents were ensuring he was taking those pills every day for a reason, a reason they keep hidden from him. As he earns the title Beast Boy for pulling off an impossible stunt with a pepper, he begins to see just how beastly he is. As he experiments and learns about his power, he finds what he may have been looking for his whole life.

I love the animal focus and interactions in this book. Saving animals from shelters or scientific testing, or just gaining new animal companions; this was a cute, fun element to the story.

I wasn't sure I would like this as much as I did, but this was quite a fun read. While it certainly feels like there could be more, and I would certainly read it, there is also a feel of completion to this as an origin story, and the rest we, the reader, can come up with easily enough on our own.

I enjoyed Picolo's art, and the book itself is an amazingly quick read. The novel functions as an introduction to the character, and leaves the reader wanting more. Garcia develops the secondary characters, which helps the reader to care about more than just Gar himself. Finally, I think there are some cool references to DC Comics characters and lore that viewers and readers of the Titans will pick up on and enjoy.

This was a lot of fun! The art was fitting and the story was engaging. I wish there had been a little more with Gar's powers earlier, but this was more of a high school story than a super hero story. But I still enjoyed it and liked seeing Beast Boy brought to life like this!

This was an great companion graphic novel to Teen Titans: Raven! Teen Titans: Beast Boy was a fun science fiction mystery involving best friends, social media pranks, and trying to discover yourself during high school.
Gar was relatable character, and I enjoyed his humor. Beautiful artwork! Highly recommending this series for anyone who enjoyed superhero origin stories and Teen Titans!

I'm digging this new foray into Garfield, one of my favorite Titans! He's still his funny, wholesome self, and I'm so glad to see more lesser focused characters getting re-imagined by minorities in the comic industry--both Picolo and Garcia (a woman!). Even if you've never dipped your toes into comics, please give this Beast Boy edition of Teen Titans a shot!

I am a sucker for graphic novels. I love all of it: the art, the story, the gutters, the way language is used in thought bubbles. It all harmonizes for me into one compelling art form that I read as often as possible. Not only do I love reading graphic novels, I LOVE teaching them. I use them yearly in my classroom. DC Entertainment made a genius move and has been partnering with authors that I love to create more graphic novels for the DC universe and I LOVE it! I can't get enough of them. PLEASE keep writing them - the world (and my students) need more of these stories because they blend high interest characters with real world problems aside from coming into their powers. High school is hard and these novels reflect how kids have to cope and deal with some heavy issues. In this novel, there's issues of trying to fit in by doing illegal/stupid stunts, animal testing, euthanizing of animals at animal shelters, friendship, dyslexia. All of these issues come first and Beast Boy discovering his powers is second to the real issues. I have to geek out over his powers though! The art work on this one is INCREDIBLE!

Beast Boy was written by Kami Garcia who also wrote Raven (the first in the teen titan series). I bought 3 copies of Raven and gave them out to kids who I think needed them (one was my own kiddo). Kami Garcia wrote the Beautiful Creatures series of which I read the first and loved. Gabriel Picolo illustrated Raven beautifully, but I think he out did himself on this one. Admittedly, he says he based Beast Boy's hair off his own, so I feel like he was more attached to this character. His use of the color green throughout the graphic novel is striking and I was drawn to it over and over again. Pay attention to what is highlighted in green throughout the art work; you won't want to miss it.

I'll leave you with this thought provoking question I had after reading this novel: is animal testing acceptable if it saves both the animals' and peoples' lives?

I love a comic with some action and a tight friendship.I loved it! It's great that they had a dyslexic character.

I really enjoyed this. I read Garcia's Raven and thought it was just okay, but I enjoyed her take on Gar much more than Raven. It's very readable and I think that Gar is really an approachable character if you want to get into the Titans and I think that some middle grade readers would enjoy it. Gar felt like Gar which made it really fun to read. I thought the art was great as well.

This was a lot of fun and I got so absorbed in it that I reached the end before even realizing how far I was in it. I felt the ending was really abrupt, but I'm definitely interested in seeing what happens next. A couple of sort of ridiculous things happened, but I could suspend my disbelief because Teen Titans isn't about perfect sci-fi, it's about fun and fitting in. There's the typical mix of high school problems and Gar begins doing crazier things to achieve popularity. While I normally really dislike that sort of story, I found it really fun in this book, which is helped by the level of bizarre antics Gar attempts and the support of his two best friends looking out for him and telling him like it is when the fame starts getting to his head. This set a really fitting environment for the entrance of Beast Boy. How this happens is... wacky. But I've always wondered about Beast Boy's origin story and I don't think there is one that isn't wacky. I think this works as a story set in a superhero world. Kinda wish someone would've punched Mike in the face though.

This review also appears on my goodreads.

I loved this! I've watched Teen Titans the animated series and always found Beast Boy to be a fun character so I've been looking forward to this comic. I realized when I started that I didn't even know much about Beast Boy as a person. In the shows they never really talked about his back story. Beast Boy's name is Garfield, or Gar, and he has two best friends and for some reason is struggling with his weight and height. He's looking forward to bulking up or a growth spurt to gain the attention of a popular girl he's interested in. His parents have him on a supplement and Gar decides to stop taking them because he discovers that they're why he's not getting any taller or gaining any weight. When he does this some strange side effects start to occur.

This was a lot of fun and had the essence of the Beast Boy I know and love and gave me some back story to his character. The ending was left open so there should be a sequel coming that I'm excited for now!

Great interpretation for Gar in a high school setting (and yay! Living parents - the poor kid deserves a little less heartbreak).

Well paced story of a boy struggling with school - wanting to be well liked, self image issues, and trying to be a good friend. Garcia and Picolo fleshed out Gar's story but they also don't detract from his friend's issues and the difficulties they're dealing with. I think this was an even stronger story than Raven was. Both leave room for a follow up story but they're certainly well told as single stories.

Thank you NetGalley and DC Entertainment for the ARC of this Graphic Novel. I’ve always loved the Teen Titans especially Beast Boy and is hought this was an excellent origin story. I loved everything about it including the new characters the author introduced. My only criticism is the story felt a little choppy at times. But other than that I’m in love with this book! I heard about her previous novel Raven but didn’t have the chance to pick it up. I will definitely be getting it now. Loved this book! Couldn’t put it down! Finished it in one day!

I have seen many different versions of Beast Boy in comic books and tv shows. Throughout all of them, there has rarely been a version I didn’t like. He is the jokester best friend who can turn into any animal and will always be green. You know when he has a frown on his face and won’t crack a joke to break tension, that something is very wrong. This is why we all love him. Kami Garcia and Gabriel Picolo’s version of Beast Boy gives even more depth to his character by showing him with normal teenage problems that a normal teenage Gar would have had. They show readers, for example, that his jokes probably aren’t something we should praise him for. Instead, they are a bad habit of Gar’s- a defense mechanism- that requires him to rip into himself before others can. This is a highlight that tells readers that if they notice this about anyone, they should do something about it.

Another important highlight Garcia and Picolo make is Gar’s wish to be seen. Anyone 6th grade and up can relate to this and can probably remember being willing to give anything for five minutes at the popular table. Because this feeling is so common, it’s completely believable that this is what started Beast Boy. It’s beautiful. Going even further, Garcia and Picolo show readers how every high schooler – not just the main character, not just ‘you’ – has something they struggle with. For example, readers see one character struggle with dyslexia and another with his identity. It’s poignant and very realistic.

There is so much going on this graphic novel, I can’t even cover it all without writing an article or paper, which I might do one day. I am so glad I waited for Teen Titans: Beast Boy. He has always been my favorite Teen Titan and I was NOT disappointed. I would HIGHLY recommend this book to any DC fan or origin story lovers. I sooo hope there is more coming!

P.S. Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to review this!

In this sequel to the Teen Titans origin stories, we get to enter the world of Beast Boy. In the midst of facing anxiety about his body, popular kids at school, and animal rights issues Garfield Logan aka Beast Boy manages to save the day with his humor, wit, and maybe just a little bit of beastly help.

I absolutely loved this addition to our Teen Titan origin stories. The artwork in this series continues to be absolutely fantastic; Picolo is truly the best artist for the job and I particularly love how he assigns a color to each Titan and focuses much of the art around that color. In addition, I started reading this graphic novel and was shocked at the difference in character between Raven and Beast Boy. I felt like I was reading an entirely different author because the two were vastly different. I even thought while reading, "This is totally a dude book," and I did not have that thought while enjoying Raven. Now of course, some of the details of the plot stayed the same which helped connect the two existing origins thus far but overall I really delighted in the diversity. I appreciated all of the issues covered in this graphic novel that focused on what teens face today in high school. It's extremely important to talk about these kinds of issues and break the stigma that they are something to be ashamed of or topics to be avoided. I especially appreciated the zeal for animal rights: not only is that an important issue today but it is also completely on brand with our beastly friend. I think both our author and our illustrator work very well together and their combined talents will help make this series stand out. I am highly anticipating the rest of this series and look forward to when all of our young heroes are brought together.

Teen Titans: Beast Boy is a fine addition to the world Kami Garcia created with Teen Titans: Raven. Beast Boy was much more interesting to me than Raven, even though I would argue I prefer Raven as a character. Fans of the first volume will want the second and will be left wanting even more after the way the book ends on a cliffhanger!

I have really liked DCs retelling of these teen characters. Beast Boy in this specific example has a main character grappling with identity that can be relatable to many teens, whether that is with racial identity or expectations.

This is the second book in the series. I am loving the story line but I wish the books would be released sooner. There is too much anticipation on who else will be written about and what happens at the HIVE.