So if you were born in the early 90's like me, you loved Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, Kids WB, etc. You might have gotten into the Teen Titans animated series in 2003. Personally, this show was a little too late for me, I think I could have enjoyed it if I was younger when it first came out, but I never got into it. I am a fan of the Teen Titans in general though, especially 'The New Teen Titans', the comic series by Wolfman and Perez that began in 1980. Even though I generally look down on the Teen Titans animated series for a number of reasons, I do like how they covered the Judas Contract, the most infamous arc of the Titans history.
SPOILER WARNING. After years of buying random issues of The New Teen Titans at my local comic shop, I've finally covered the Judas Contract, and it's quite a doozy. This arc marks some big changes for the Titans. Kid Flash leaving the group, Dick Grayson becoming Nightwing, Jericho joining the group, and obviously the finale leaves the character reeling from the shock of what's happened. This also marked the transition of the title 'New Teen Titans' becoming 'Tales of the Teen Titans'. Terra's death by rock crushing at the end was brutal to say the least. I remember her simply being changed into stone in the animated series.
My favorite aspect of the Judas Contract was simply the character Joseph Wilson, aka Jericho. He was just a BADASS. I really want to start hunting down more Teen Titans with Jericho in the team. He's got some of the coolest powers I've ever seen in a comic book (CONTACT!) and I just love his furious mutton chops. Those really show how dated this comic is, but in a good way! The relationship between Slade and Jericho was really touching at parts. I'm still a little disturbed by the romance between Slade and Terra. I don't blame the animated series for not going into that more, it's pretty weird. I really like how human Slade is in the comics, though. He's such a hardcore mercenary but he's still a father in some aspects. If you ever watched the show, Tara Markov was a shy, timid girl who had trouble controlling her powers. In the comic, she's a loud mouth, trash talking, cig smoking, brat with buck teeth. Slight change there.
In the climax of the last battle, Terra goes completely insane. Wolfman and Perez didn't try to give the character any hope at all, she just flew right off the handle and ultimately caused her own demise. Overall, really intense arc. Lots of drama, lots of emotion. Perez's art is fantastic, I thoroughly enjoyed reading this. I especially enjoyed Wolfman's writing in the final pages at Terra's funeral.
"But Joseph William Wilson isn't listening to his mother, his thoughts are elsewhere...soaring high on a warm spring wind, floating gently in a a clear, cloudless sky...and borne aloft by tomorrow's hopes and dreams that can still come true."
The Judas Contract: 8.5/10
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