Teen Titans Special: "The Lazarus Contract, Finale"

[laughing_tree]

My pitch for this (I’ve been pushing for it for nearly a year) was to revisit “The Judas Contract,” Marv Wolfman and George Perez’s defining story arc of the New Teen Titans. We were going to J.J. Abrams the thing in order to build a firewall around the original story–so it can never be retconned or ignored–while re-telling it with the post-Rebirth continuity.

But the old continuity was just a mess. Cyborg was never a Titan. Starfire, Raven– it was terribly difficult to sort all of that out. My preference was to not bother; just show blocks of the original story with the original cast without explaining why Cyborg is now a founding member of the Justice League and never a Titan.

As I see it, both DC and Marvel (but especially DC) wastes way too much time on process stories. I’m tired of reading process stories– stories that explain why this character is now wearing a red hat instead of a yellow one. Who cares. Entertain me.

Comics fans aren’t idiots and, sadly, they aren’t kids anymore. Rather than go through the whole Rebirth thing, and what seems to be endless process stories being written ever since, I’d simply have had Batman turn to camera, breaking the fourth wall, and be honest with the DC comics fan: “We fucked up.” Now, on with our show.

Comics should be Good Stories Well Told. That’s it. Personally, am not entertained by all of these comics that invest multi-issue story arcs explaining the red hat/yellow hat thing. I don’t care. I’m 56 years old, I understand things have changed.

Somewhere along the way we’ve stopped entertaining and gotten morosely engaged with this continuity stuff. Continuity exists to serve the stories, not the other way around.

Ultimately, because of the varying events both past and upcoming, it proved impossible to do the JJ thing, so editor Antone came up with the next best thing. “Lazarus…” walks right up to the Judas Contract and knocks on the door, but we don’t fully go there because, honestly, we couldn’t.

-- Christopher J. Priest

The main story, scripted by Priest, penciled by Paul Pelletier:











The Titans and Teen Titans follow Deathstroke back in time and run into the past Titans:



























"Aftermath," scripted by Ben Percy, penciled by Khoi Pham:



"Damage Report," scripted by Dan Abnett, penciled by Brett Booth:

Comments

[zapbiffpow]

I get it, he has a chip on his shoulder at the best of times, but here he appears to have a bag of chips.

Yeah, what the hell was that? He isn't this cut-loosingly abrasive over at Superman and Super-Sons. Damian's supposed to be an ass, but an ass in the right direction.

[icon_uk]

Actually, I think he's pretty unlikable there too, it's hard to see why Jon would ever choose to spend time for someone who has such little respect for him.

[zapbiffpow]

I don't know - Superman #11 showed how Damian can be gruff but civil during downtime, while their bickering during Super-Sons gets a pass thanks to its anime-ish over-the-topness, having some actual pretty funny lines, and even a hint of self-awareness (using their roughhousing to create a dust cloud to surprise their enemies, which also lends to the anime-ishness). Here his mean-spiritedness doesn't seem to have purpose but to make that cliffhanger happen.

[bradygirl_12]

Actually, I think he's pretty unlikable there too, it's hard to see why Jon would ever choose to spend time for someone who has such little respect for him.

Exactly! Apparently this little creep can diss anyone he wants and people just laugh it off and say it's Damian being Damian. Ugh! He has no respect for anyone but his grandfather and father and maybe Dick, whose biggest flaw in my eyes is making excuses for this kid. I don't care that he was raised in the League of Assassins. Sometimes personality comes through despite background, and this kid is totally unlikeable. I know a lot of people like him. I can't fathom why.

Patting Raven on the head when she desperately needed him would be laughable if it wasn't so pathetic.

[long_silence]

Yeah Dick constantly giving Damian a pass is what bothers me the most.

Dick just stood by while Damian kicked kid Wally off the plane (after he'd been kidnapped and tortured), forgot Jackson, killed his best friend Wally and all he said was "stop hurling flash bangs"

Damian won't face any consequences for giving Wally a heart condition, Dick won't blame him for crippling one of the greatest heroes on Earth, and they'll all just stand by while the little tyrant does whatever he wants.

[thanekos]

Truly, in the matter of running teams with an absolute rule that cares not for other input, he is more than his father's son.

[bradygirl_12]

Yeah, Dick was unfathomable here. All those sins attributed to Damian makes him worse than Bruce on a bad day. Dick should haul this kid in and read him the riot act about how a good team leader behaves, not that the kid could comprehend.

[chalicother]

I don't even understand why the others are spending time with Damian. At least pre-new 52, the Titans responded back to Damian and did not just accept Damian as leader. Why is Damian even in charge...? Hell, at least when Batman is being a jerk, the other character comment it. Why are all the titan's being so passive with this Damian. I actually like Damian, but not like this. This reminds me of Damian from Son of Batman.....that's not a compliment.