Though they seem very different on the surface, the X-Men and Teen Titans share more than a few similarities. Both were moderately successful books when they debuted in the '60s that were rebooted to much more success in the '70s and '80s. Those similarities even extend to each team's core appeal. The X-Men and Titans stood out from other team books at the time because much of the drama came from interpersonal conflicts. The teams were so similar that they even met each other at the height of their popularity, and their first encounter didn't end well for the X-Men's leader. In Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans, the Titans break into X-Mansion and beat up Professor X.
The giant-sized crossover focusses on Darkseid's attempts to resurrect the Dark Phoenix. Raven of the Teen Titans receives a vision of the Phoenix's awful power and wakes up screaming, alerting Starfire. As soon as Starfire hears Raven's descriptions of the Dark Phoenix, she knows a multiversal threat is on the horizon. Without hesitation, Starfire, Raven, and Changeling send an alert to the other Titans. While Donna Troy, Cyborg, and Kid Flash immediately come, Robin is missing. The Titans find their leader wounded after a battle with Deathstroke. When the team tells Robin that a villain named the Dark Phoenix is threatening the universe, Robin responds by saying he's heard that the Phoenix was once a member of the X-Men.
Having heard legends of the Phoenix's terrible powers, Starfire wastes no time breaking into the X-Mansion. Seeing a sleeping Professor X, Koriand'r assumes he's in league with the Phoenix and charges. Luckily the sound of an orange woman bursting into his study rouses Xavier in time for him to stop the rampaging Tamaranean with a psychic blast. Just as he can gather his senses enough to wonder what is happening though, Cyborg sneaks up behind him and subdues the X-Men's leader with a sonic attack. Raven then uses her empathic abilities to knock him out. When Robin finally arrives he is shocked at what his team has done. In a brutal lecture, Robin explains to his team that they cannot, in fact, break into someone's house and assault them in their sleep.
As the issue goes on, the two teams are eventually kidnapped by Darkseid and get a more proper meeting. Unlike most inter-company crossovers, the two teams don't actually fight and instantly recognize each other as allies against Darkseid and the Dark Phoenix. The crossover leads to fantastic moments like Changeling flirting with Shadowcat, Wolverine fighting Deathstroke, and Raven teaming up with Professor X to have a psychic duel with the Dark Phoenix. The issue culminates in the Dark Phoenix rejecting Darkseid and embedding him in the Source Wall.
Over the years this comic has aged remarkably well. The character interactions are all fun and though some dark topics are touched on, it is all good-natured. Even the fight with Professor X is treated less like a cool fight and more like an honest mistake made by the Titans. There is optimism present in the book which is refreshing to read given how dark both teams would become in the '90s.
Uncanny X-Men and The New Teen Titans is a fun read that reminds readers of a time when both teams knew happier days.