Deviation Actions
Description
Jericho
Benjamin “Ben” Duncan
Unpublished Teen Titans v1 #20 1968
Guardian
Malcolm “Mal” Duncan
Teen Titans v1 #26 1970
Hung out with, and sat in on sessions with, the Sentinels – Cindy Carson, Rick Strong, and Crunch Wilson.
Protector
Jason Hart
New Teen Titans Drug Awareness Special (Keebler) 1983
Three young men from the Hell's Corner neighborhood of Blüdhaven. Ben, inspired by the Golden Age hero Jericho and local beat-cop Officer Grayson, decided to put on a costume and fight the overwhelming crime in the area. When his youngest brother got involved in a gang, the Hell Hawks, Ben's older brother Mal got in on the crime fighting. Mal's best friend Jason, who's cousin Ted had gotten hooked on drugs due to the Hell Hawks activities, joined the crusade. The three were trained by Grayson who had been junior partner to the Batman a decade before.
The Teen Titans found out about the three heroes when a news camera caught them stopping a robbery. The Titans were so impressed with what the young men were doing they made them honourary Titans and even helped provide further training. Further thinking leads to Mal training with Wildcat who gives his blessing for Mal to keep the Guardian identity, Ben dying and their little brother taking over the Jericho identity leading Mal to hook up with the Forever People for a time (where he acquired a horn and the name Herald), and Jason to take up the identity Nightwatch and join the Teen Titans.
This is breaking my own rule about going into the Silver Age past the formation of Superman's League, but y'know, synchronicity. Jericho was never used (and never given a last name), but Mal had a similar enough origin (thanks to Kanigher who I'm sure never encountered a black man he didn't expect to be angry and involved with gangs) and appeared damned near on the heals of the canceled #20, and then there's the Protector who was created SPECIFICALLY to fill Robin's place in a drug awareness comic (licensing you see: Keebler had rights to the Titans EXCEPT for Robin who was licensed with Batman to Hostess... Fox/Marvel? Nah...), so drugs, gangs, and forgotten/mistreated characters.
Went with a more home-grown costume thing here, even referenced old 70s cop shows for the vests, and Mal's early coveralls.
All concepts, I do believe, are property of DC Comics. Remix and picture are my fault.