Titans #11: The Lazarus Contract, Part 1

[superboyprime]

"Christoper Priest is an amazing guy whose work I’ve admired for a long time, and he has an incredibly keen take on how Deathstroke works. At any point whether there was a doubt how to handle things, I would talk to him and we would sort of make it work because he had a very, very clear view of the way things would work. I think ultimately it could have been much harder to do, but it was a real pleasure to do because we got in step with each other and understood how he operated. I think this is in terms of villains pulling shocks and surprises, the idea that he’s almost not operating as a villain, he’s coming to them almost more openly than he’s ever done before and say I’ve got a problem that I wish to solve and you can help me do it makes it, I think that’s why it’s a very compelling story." - Dan Abnett

Years ago:



The present day:

Comments

[nyadnar17]

He really should have told him the truth. Flash based time travel is utter bullshit that ALWAYS ends badly for everone.

[zapbiffpow]

Agreed - that's why I'm glad traveling back has become this taboo-level sin for the Flash books. I don't know if that's because of the reaction to Flashpoint/New 52, but in any case, it puts the "why doesn't Flash just travel back and fix everything, every time?" nitpick in check.

They should probably make some narrative legislation for DC's time-travellers. Like, say, Booster Gold time travel is safe, but resource-intensive and less capable of overriding fixed points in time; Flash time-travel is easy and malleable, but uncontrollably hyper-consequential.

[tigerkaya]

Slade should have asked Reverse Flash, for whatever reason that guy gets a pass at altering the timeline.

[zapbiffpow]

I actually have nothing for Reverse Flash. New 52 Reverse Flash, sure. Even CW Reverse Flash, but Original Recipe Reverse Flash, no.

His deadness might put a ding in his favor-granting mood, though.

[silicondream]

Eh, Wally got pretty good at it when Waid was writing. Of course, he mostly used it either to complete causal loops or to undo the meddling of other time travelers--but then, successful time travel pretty much has to result in a causal loop.

Bart Allen and Jenni Ognats managed to do positive things in their pasts, too. It's kind of just Barry and John Fox that really suck at it.

[zapbiffpow]

With Priest on board, I'd have figured Slade to say something less overtly moustache-twirly than "you'll all pay for it."

But "Yeah, you got them all..." is good, though.

[doctornone]

Abnett wrote the script for this issue.

While Priest took part in planning the overall story with the others, I doubt he gets to write Deathstroke's dialogue.

Also a major plot point from D' own book gets resolved in a Titans issue - Couldn't they have waited and then let Priest handle it

[laughing_tree]

Yeah, but as a common courtesy I'd imagine they'd run the Deathstroke bits past Priest for approval first. Though with how quickly the chapters of the crossover are coming out, it's possible there wouldn't have been the time, I suppose.

"Also a major plot point from D' own book gets resolved in a Titans issue - Couldn't they have waited and then let Priest handle it"

Considering how far long they've been planning the crossover -- at least since the issue where Deathstroke was reading about a "new Flash" in prison -- that major plot point wouldn't have wound up being resolved in Titans unless that had been the plan. If Priest wanted otherwise, there was more than enough time to plan things out differently, whether by ending the last Deathstroke arc an issue earlier or by saving the whole plot for after the crossover or whatever. So I doubt this is happening because of a crossover blindsiding anyone or bad timing but because it's actually part of the plan.

[zapbiffpow]

Hey, no worries, I know this is Abnett - that's why 'with Priest on board' instead of 'with Priest writing'. For the rest, I'm with tree on the collaboration-checking stuff.

[cynic79]

Thus why Wally will always be the superior Flash to Barry. :p

[silverhammerman]

So I've been loving what I've read of the Priest Deathstroke, how necessary will it be for me to read this at some point? I have little to no interest in either Titans team and Brett Booth's art isn't exactly enticing me.

[doctornone]

So far I have only read part one of the Lazarus crossover, but there is a certain scene that is kinda of a epilog to Twillight. So I would say yes, you need this issue. Now Part two and three - well, we just have to wait and see.

[silverhammerman]

I've only bought the first Deathstroke trade and was planning to follow it in that format, so this could complicate things.

[shadowpsykie]

haven't they already met?

[shadowpsykie]

i'd love to see how Priest's Slade, and THIS slade, end up leading a team of titans....