The evolution of the JSA #87 cover.From Vu
JSA #87
(Jul 2006)
DC Comics
Vu: Personally speaking, I did not love the giant "Final Fight!" smacked in the middle of the cover.
Also: Did you notice they cropped off George Perez's signature?
Posted by Vu Nguyen
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
DC Comics
TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT Rushed Back to Print Ahead of Animated Film By George Marston, Newsarama Contributor March 2, 2017 09:22am ET
A new printing of Teen Titans: The Judas Contract, the
landmark story in which Deathstroke's agent Terra infiltrates and
betrays the team, has been rush-solicited by DC Comics to coincide with
the release of the animated film adaptation on April 18..
Written by Marv Wolfman with art by George Perez, the new volume includes New Teen Titans #39-40, Tales of the Teen Titans #41-44, and Tales of the Teen Titans Annual #3. It will also bear a new, as-yet-unreleased, cover by George Perez.
The new printing of The Judas Contract is scheduled to arrive in stores April 26.
I love super heroes. Many
have said they are the mythology of our time. Like mighty Hercules or
noble King Arthur, the super heroes of the modern world inspire the
readers to be better than they thought they could be and arouse their
imaginations. I love reading about brave men and women who are faster
than a speeding bullet and able to leap tall buildings in a single
bound. I love to read about unparalleled detectives that can solve
riddles that would turn an ordinary man’s brain to cream cheese. I love
to read about extraordinary people in extraordinary circumstances, good
vs. evil in exotic locales and far off worlds that excite my
imagination. I read comic books because of super heroes. The following
list is comprised of the tales that I keep coming back to over and over
again. These are the reasons why I love comics so much. These are…
Top 10 Must Read Comic Stories of All Time
(excerpt)
New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
– A super villain knowing a super hero’s secret identity is one of the
worst possible things that can happen, and that is exactly what happens
in this instant classic by the great Marv Wolfman and George Perez. Deathstroke the Terminator blames the Teen Titans for the death of his son, Ravager,
and plots the teen heroes’ downfall. Betrayed by one of their own, the
next generation of heroes is systematically and utterly defeated by one
of the most dangerous men alive. In this tale the reader sees the
death of a Titan, the debut of a new member, and watches as Dick Grayson
makes the transition from Boy Wonder to the adult hero known as Nightwing. The Judas Contract is just super hero comics at their very best.
(....)
Crisis on Infinite Earths
– Crisis is the biggest, best, most influential Big Event to ever be
produced. It literally changed the landscape of the DC Universe.
Heroes died, whole galaxies crumbled, and the DCU has never been the
same since. When an unstoppable force starts to rip through the
multiverse and destroy everything in its path, every single hero and
villain on every single remaining parallel Earth in every single time
era, from the dawn of mankind to the far-flung future, must unite to
save all reality. Marv Wolfman and George Perez deliver the most epic
super hero story ever told. And by the end of it, the DCU re-launched
stronger and better than ever. For the next twenty-five years this
would be known as the Post-Crisis DCU. Much like DC Comics is doing now
with the New 52, Superman, Wonder Woman, SHAZAM, Aquaman, Flash and the Justice League all restarted from number one and reintroduced and revamped their characters for a whole new generation, my generation. Batman: Year One told the tale of how a young rooftop vigilante outlaw became a hero. And it was all set up by the mega-event that is Crisis on Infinite Earths.
Crisis features the greatest super heroes in the world fighting against
the greatest threat the world has ever seen. It’s just epic and a
classic comic book story that absolutely must be read.
Brad Meltzer
writes heart-pounding thrillers that take you on wild rides through
worlds of deception, conspiracy, and murder. His novel The Book of Fate debuted at No. 1 on The New York Times
bestseller list. A longtime comic book fan, he also penned graphic
novels in the Justice League of America and Buffy the Vampire Slayer
series. On The History Channel, he hosts Brad Meltzer's Decoded, a new show that delves into unsolved historical mysteries.
(excerpt)
You mention Agatha Christie. Which writers have inspired you in terms of pursuing thrillers or doing historical stuff?
I remember reading Murder at the Vicarage,
which is an Agatha Christie book, when I was really young. I had to be
10 years old or 12 years old. I remember opening this book and -- to
this day, I don’t know what a vicarage is. I don’t want to know what a
vicarage is, don’t tell me, I don’t ever want to know. But I just
remember opening that book and there was a dead body. There was a dead
body and someone’s got to figure it out, and that was amazing to me.
That one just blew apart my brain.
And in terms of research, certainly. When I read Melville, I
remember just being like, “Oh, I want to go whaling.” And I’m Jewish; I
have no business whaling! But I wanted to do it for that moment. So I
think the research side came from that.
I think, in terms of other mysteries, it was Marv Wolfman and George Pérez writing stories for [the comic series] Teen Titans. They were as much an influence as anything else. Or Paul Levitz and The Legion of Super-Heroes: The Great Darkness Saga, which was one of the great mysteries of its time. And to me, it still is.
Fans Turned Pro: Johns,
Meltzer, and Winick- As kids we read comics and dream of one day making
them. These fans in particular are now living that dream and have
become some of the best talent working in the industry today. Join
Stephen Wacker, Geoff Johns (52, Action Comics, Green Lantern, Teen
Titans), Brad Meltzer (Identity Crisis, the upcoming Justice League of
America), and Judd Winick (Green Arrow, The Outsiders) as they discuss
how they got where they are and what they plan on doing next. Listen in
as these MVPs give us their take on DC's amazing characters! Recorded
live on July 22, 2006 at Comic-Con San Diego, CA. Brought to you by www.dccomics.com
>>>
(excerpt)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989)
(1989)
NEW TEEN TITANS #8
(Jun 1981)
(5:06) Brad Meltzer: In terms of what I love when I grew up. The best book as far as I'm concern, bar nothing, was Marv Wolfman and George Pérez's Teen Titans.
And Marv Wolfman is here, and that is -- (claps).
I mean, that -- I thank you, sir. That
book was -- I can't even tell -- my novels are so affected by that
writing -- my comics are affected by that writing. And Identity Crisis is affected by that story.
Just from the Judas Contract alone and the idea of a surprise in a comic that I couldn't guess.
As I felt, as we all get older, we can
all guess the endings. Now I can tell you where I was sitting when
turned that page and I saw Tara talking to Deathstroke. And going, and
there was no internet, no Previews, no nothing. And I just remember thinking, 'No, it's impossible!'
And I really felt that affected me forever.
And that idea of surprise your reader, but not with shock values, but with character. Character! Character! Character!
That Day in the Life story, was one of the greatest story ever. We pay homage to it in Justice League. But those stories were my bread and butter...
BW: Ok [laughs] Let's just leave it at that. Now let’s talk about
Terra. How did you go about adapting JUDAS CONTRACT for the show? Did
you read it before adapting it?
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989)
(1989)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
David Slack:
Oh yeah. Cover to cover, multiple times. That's the first thing I do
when I'm going to work on something Marv [Wolfman] has done [in the
comic book series]. I dig in deep and really look at the way they had
done it. The JUDAS CONTRACT stuff is so well done and so interesting.
It was a joy researching that. So we looked at that, and Glen and I
made the choice to have one writer work consistently on the whole arc.
And Amy [Wolfram] had done such a good job on her episodes in season
one - plus, since it was a female character, we wanted a female
perspective.
So Amy went and read the JUDAS CONTRACT
and Glen reread it. Then we sat down and talked... what were some of
the things we can use from it, what were some things we wanted to
change, who was 'our' Terra vs. theirs. Obviously, the biggest change
is that the Terra that Marv and George wrote is just a bad seed. Not
even just a bad seed - but she's evil. She's not a good person. We were
more interested in showing things from Terra's point of view a little
bit more. That sometimes people can do very bad things, but not be a
completely bad person. That was where we thought out story was - and
that opened it up to tell to a six year old audience. Because some of
the Terra/Slade relationship stuff in JUDAS CONTRACT is a little too
hot for TV.
So we used what George and Marv had done
as huge, huge stepping stones. I've said this before at conventions:
We're standing on the shoulders of giants here. We couldn't ask for
better source material than the stuff that Marv and George created.
"Growing Pains"
Monday, November 08, 2004 11:50:56 PM
David Slack Talks About Developing Teen Titans for TV
This interview was conducted in September 2004
(excerpt)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
BW: Were you a fan of the comic book series?
David: One of the reasons they brought
me on is that I'm NOT a comic book guy. I've read some -- I've read a
lot, actually, now. I wasn't into comic books much though. Instead, I
was reading science-fiction. I knew about the Teen Titans through their
one appearance on - was it the Superfriends? - when we were much
younger. Anyways, I was a big Spider-Man fan growing up. So I was
pretty unfamiliar with the Titans growing up. So I dug into a huge
stack of the stuff that George [Perez] and Marv [Wolfman] had done -
all of which is entertaining and brilliant. Really cool to look at and
really revolutionary.
My role on the show was that when Sam
and Glen would get into some argument about "What Super-Adaptoid could
and could not do" to sit there and go, "Guys, no one knows what you're
talking about anymore." We wanted the show to appeal to a broader
audience so we didn't want to get too lost in the Titans mythology of
stuff. So one of the things I brought was UNfamiliarity with the
property. And I think that helped bring a fresh perspective to things.
"But we were able to find our way of doing it that fit our show and I
think we still honored what that character of Terra was: a lost, mixed
up teenage girl whose a lot stronger than she realizes."
That said, I've really enjoyed working
with Marv, who's a great writer. And we've done our best at every turn
to honor the spirit in which that original comic book was created. Like
the stuff we did with JUDAS CONTRACT. For a lot of reasons, we couldn't
do what they did in the comic book exactly. For one thing, they did it
very well so what's the point in doing it again? But we were able to
find our way of doing it that fit our show and I think we still honored
what that character of Terra was: a lost, mixed up teenage girl whose a
lot stronger than she realizes.
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
Oh, and this,
not CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS was what cemented my love of George
Perez's work. The layouts, the composition, I didn't even know what
those words meant at the time, but I knew Perez was one of the best
artists on the planet. The early chapters are simply chilling as
Terra's true role fleshes out. Dick leaving Robin behind was especially
shocking (I mean he's ROBIN for god's sake!), but seeing him play he
detective angle from his time with Batman was enough to convince me
Wolfman and Perez knew what they were doing. Perez may not have been
the best character designer at the time (Jericho. Can I get a
witness?), but who cares about design when he can develop the
characters in their civvies so well? With TITANS we weren't dealing
with the colorful suits and dopey monikers, we were dealing with the
people that occupy them.
DC writers like Geoff Johns and Brad
Metzler are trying to convince everyone that Deathstroke is one of the
best villains in the DCU. I don't need convincing. 'Stroke needs a
better costume, but I wouldn't say that to his face.
I could go on for years. I haven't even
touched on Terra, her grave, and what it really meant to the group, but
if I don't cap it here, I'll never stop. Pick it up. Read it. You can
fill in the blanks yourself.
Re: Jericho
« Reply #1 on: 08/23/04 at 01:50am »
posted by Todd Sturner
You need to read Marv Wolfman's
introduction in "The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract" trade
paperback. Because Jericho was mute, George had to draw Jericho signing
and did not allow Marv to use "thought balloons" when writing the
character.
Here are some other facts about Jericho (Joe Wilson):
Joe is Slade Wilson's second son. Slade, as you know, is
Deathstroke and is appearing in books at DC currently, including Teen
Titans and Identity Crisis. His brother was Grant (the Ravager from NTT
vol. 1, issue 2) and his sister is Rose (the new Ravager in the current
Teen Titans series). His mother was Adeline (killed by Starfire as her
immortal blood was being harvested by Vandal Savage - The Titans, issue
10 or 11, I think).
Joe became mute when his father (as Deathstroke) tried to
rescue him from kidnappers who were going to slit his throat. Slade
thought he was faster - but not by much as the kidnapper successfully
started the process and severed Joe's vocal cords. Joe's mother,
Adeline, tried to kill Slade later for the incident, but only succeeded
in premanently damaging his left eye (as told in "The Judas Contract").
Joe was later possessed by the lost spirits of Azarath (the
infamous "Titans Hunt" storyline) and, after attempting to destroy the
Titans, was killed by Slade (IMHO, pretty gruesome panel for a Titans
issue).
His powers are a mutation from Slade's chemically-enhanced
genes. Best line of "The Judas Contract" is when Dick Grayson (as
Nightwing) tells Joe (as Jericho), "Besides, I hear you mutants aren't
that bad." (I may have the quote wrong - I'm recounting this from
memory; obviously a comment referring to the X-Men, of whom the Titans
were compared to more than once in the 80s)
Hope this helps!
July 05, 2004 06:07 pm | Brad Meltzer's Essay in Atomsmashers
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
Brad Meltzer wrote a 9-page essay on GIVE OUR REGARDS TO THE ATOMSMASHERS
called "How I Spent The Summer With the Judas Contract", describing his
puberty experience with Tara Markov (he was 14 at the time).
Meltzer is a successful novelist who, as
it turns out, a big fan of comics. He's currently writing novels as
well as comics. His latest project is IDENTITY CRISIS... and as far as
I know, have had rave reviews (although, from what I've seen, most
women were unhappy about the choice of the victim).
The book is edited by Sean Howe and is
currently only available in hardcover with a retail price of $24.95. It
is a little expensive, but it is worth checking out if you're in a book
store.
>>>
GIVE OUR REGARDS TO THE ATOMSMASHERS!: WRITERS ON COMICS
by SEAN HOWE (Editor)
List Price: $24.95
Hardcover: 240 pages ; Dimensions (in inches): 8.75 x 0.75 x 6.50
Publisher: Pantheon Books; (June 29, 2004)
ISBN: 0375422560
THE NEXT BIG THING
written by Andre Shell
published in
TOYFARE: THE TOY MAGAZINE #74 (Oct 03)
What Stories Should Get Their Own DC Direct Figures?
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (Trade Paperback) (Dec 2000)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
(excerpt)
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS
The grandfather of all comic book crossover events, the epic
"Crisis" deserves its own line. We want to see the Monitor, Harbinger,
and one of the most evil villains of all time: The Anti-Monitor. Of
course, the line's highlights would be George Pérez-styled, highly
articulated versions of the main DC characters in their classic
costumes; we want Wonder Woman and Flash and Aquaman, and … well,
everyone!
JUDAS CONTRACT
Considered by some as the definitive Teen Titans story, the
controversial "Judas Contract" revolved around a family and betrayal. A
highly articulated Deathstroke the Terminator would be the crown jewel
of this line (they could even do a young Deathstroke repaint, with both
eyes!), and figures of his agent Terra and his mute son Jericho, plus
the original Nightwing, would round out it quite nicely.
Teen Titans Essential Tale: "The Judas Contract"
from Wizard #0, 2003
transcribed by Bill Walko
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989)
(1989)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
If anything, "The Judas Contract" shreds superteam ideals by asking, "Who do you trust?"
Co-plotting creators Wolfman and Perez craft an all-new art of deception with their iconic version of the Teen Titans.
In fact, a true appreciation of this
tale (which DC recently collected into a TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS trade
paperback) comes from knowing that it comprises only a patch among a
larger, more sinister tapestry.
Approximately a year before "Judas
Contract" begins, a snarky young girl named Terra joins the Teen Titans
under peculiar - and as a result, sympathetic - circumstances. At
first, the earth-manipulating teen fights them, claiming she's a pawn
of terrorists who have kidnapped her parents. The Titans resolve the
issue, but not before learning the kidnappers had killed Terra's
parents long ago without her knowledge. All alone in the world, Terra
seeks refuge with the Titans.
Over the course of the next year,
Terra's sarcastic 'tude wins her teammates over. They let her in on all
of their secrets - their real identities, their personal lives, their
day job - severything. The lead-in to "Judas" serves up the ultimate
whammy: Terra serves under the employ of the Titans' No. 1 nemesis,
Deathstroke the Terminator... and has been from the start. And now the
pair - hired by the nefarious organization known as the HIVE - know
exactly how, where and when to strike at the start of "Judas."
And pounce they do, systematically
taking out each Titan, one by one, for eventual execution at the hands
of the HIVE. With one exception: the ex-Robin, Dick Grayson, who
outmanuevers the far superior Deathstroke to escape and plan his
team-mates' liberation in a then-new guise of Nightwing.
The ensuing battle for the Titans'
freedom comes at a high cost, and Terra's duplicity cuts too deep, as
one Titan perishes by story's end. Perhaps the deepest wound went to
Changeling (now called Beast Boy) - before "Judas," he believed that he
and Terra had a blossoming romance; instead her deception devastated
him with a broken heart.
"The Judas Contract" proves that
innocence can be lost at any time, and things aren't always what they
seem. The teenage life still walks its road of hard knocks...but for
the Teen Titans, "Judas" left them a world more dangerous than ever.
ALSO CHECK OUT: If it's got the names
"Wolfman and Perez" on the cover, then it's gotta be good. And the
following three examples kick ass. Pick up the first four issues of New Teen Titans (vol. I) and see how these Titans ain't a Junior JLA. New Teen Titans (vol. I) #20
serves as a touching one-shot story where Wally West (then going by Kid
Flash) writes his parents describing what it means to be a Titan.
Finally, the "Who Killed Trident?" storyarc in Titans (vol. I) #33 presents a unique murder mystery that will keep you guessing until the end.
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (Trade Paperback) (Dec 2000)
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS TP - relist
Written by Marv Wolfman; art by George Pérez, Dick Giordano, Mike
DeCarlo, and Jerry Ordway; painted cover by Pérez and Alex Ross
In stores October 29. Worlds lived. Worlds died. And the DC
Universe was never the same after this earth-shattering saga that saw
the deaths of many heroes and redefined the DC Universe forever.
FC, 368 pg. Trade Paperback $29.95
THE NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP - relist
Written by Marv Wolfman; art by George Pérez, Dick Giordano, Mike
DeCarlo, and Romeo Tanghal; cover by Pérez
In stores October 29. Reprinting some of DC's best-selling comics of
the '80s - THE NEW TEEN TITANS (Volume One) #39 and 40, TALES OF THE
TEEN TITANS #41-44 and ANNUAL #3 - this classic trade paperback
features the retirement of Robin and Kid Flash, the birth of Nightwing,
and the introduction of Jericho!
FC, 192 pg. Trade paperback $19.95
April 25, 2003 | Judas Contract Review on USAToday
The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract by Marv Wolfman, George Perez, Dick Giordano, Mike Decarlo and Romeo Tanghal (DC Comics, 192 pp., $19.95)
Originally published in the 1980s, The Judas Contract presents
a fresh-faced team of conservative, good-natured and law-abiding heroes
eagerly uniting to battle potential men- aces to the free world. Led by
Batman's sidekick, Robin, outgrowing his days of wearing shorts with
his costume, the Titans also include armor-covered African-American
hero Cyborg; flame-shooting flying alien princess Starfire;
purple-and-black-clad mystic Raven, who can vanish from one spot and
reappear in another; and Tara, an annoying addition who actually is a
spy for a costumed villain intending to destroy the group.
The New Teen Titans (the basis
for an upcoming series from Cartoon Network) is a well-written study of
a group in transition from adolescence to adulthood. Subplots that
involve a costumed cult leader and terrorist named Brother Blood are
eerily prophetic, and the unmasking and tragic end of a traitor in the
group makes The Judas Contract a super, heroic and welcome respite from this generation's film-inspired anti-heroes.
Next week I'm heading off to a convention Kansas City
I'll be there with pals Len Wein and George Perez, among many others
including my old Marvel cronies, Tony Isabella and Steve Englehart.
George and I hadn't seen each other for a few years (I don't get back
east and he hasn't come to San Diego) but we've now been to two cons
together within two months. Bring your Titans/Crisis collections if
you're in the area.
Speaking of Titans, DCs re-released the
old Judas Contract trade paperback in a great new edition. I was
flipping through the pages and it brought back all sorts of memories.
It's a great collection, so you might want to order it if you don't
have the originals.
I actually prefer the original printing
of this trade paperback, which featured an original painting by George
Pérez. The original TPB's print run was very small as reported by the
STANDARD CATALOG OF COMIC BOOKS (see August 15, 2002 | SCCB: Sachs & Violens). Since it did include a semi-new cover, I thought it would be nice to add to my collection.
The cover is taken from TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3
with new colors by Tom McCraw. That is pretty much the ONLY thing new
in this printing. The interior is the exact replica of the original
trade, including the same introductions by Marv Wolfman and George
Pérez (both written in 1988).
The back of the book reads:
Back in
the eighties, THE NEW TEEN TITANS became DC's most popular title and a
huge sales success. The series reached its zenith with "The Judas
Contract" storyline - a multipart epic that played on comics readers
expectations and offered shocking revelations and surprising twists at
every turn. From the retirement of Robin and Kid Flash, to the birth of
Nightwing and the introduction of Jericho, to the ultimate betrayal of
a Titan - "The Judas Contract" kept readers positively riveted during
its initial run, and still has fans talking today.
THE JUDAS CONTRACT is by the fan-favorite team of writer Marv Wolfman (CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS), and penciller George Pérez (Solus, Avengers, WONDER WOMAN), who are joined by inkers Dick Giordano, Mike DeCarlo & Romeo Tanghal.
DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING SAGAS IN COMICS HISTORY!
Anyway,
the paper inside is an inferior newsprint as opposed to the Baxter
format paper in the original TPB (that was used for the deluxe NEW TEEN
TITANS series). Well get this book if you want it in your Pérez
collection, but otherwise, if you already own the original TPB - don't
bother shelling out $20 for this new version.
The following products are expected to ship to comic book
specialty stores next week. Note that this list is tentative
and subject to change. Please check with your retailer for availability.
JAN030246 NEW TEEN TITANS JUDAS CONTRACT TP NEW ED $19.95
I think Forge and Edge are interesting
ideas but now that CrossGen has repurposed them into a new size, I need
to see those before I offer any opinion/observation.
...
Yes, I know what's on our March and
May-December schedule. However, as stated elsewhere, we constantly
revise the schedule based on market conditions. I'd much rather not
tell you something is coming out in a specific month and then have us
change it. For March, which is locked down, we will have a volume of
JUSTICE LEAGUE ADVENTURES, NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (back to
press), WONDER WOMAN: PARADISE FOUND (issues #170-177), GREEN LANTERN:
EMERALD DAWN II and 100 BULLETS: COUNTERFIFTH DETECTIVE.
...
Yes, we're doing our homework on
collecting George Perez's run of Wonder Woman but exact details and
release dates will be forthcoming. Part of the problem is that with
older film it takes longer to inspect and prep.
posted December 13, 2002 08:57 AM
...
SwordQuest, with gorgeous George Perez, is owned by Atari, which is now
longer an AOL Time Warner company. Therefore, it'd be tough to produce.
It was also drawn for a different size and wouldn't necessarily adapt
to the traditional comic book trim size. Finally, I don't recall if the
fourth book was ever finished. I do recall, though, seeing the real
prize, the jewel-encrusted sword at a trade show and thought it looked
awesome.
posted December 23, 2002 09:07 AM
The paper stocks we use on the trade
paperbacks are selected using a variety of criteria. For example, are
we picking up existing film? How was the material colored (believe it
or not, changing paper stock may suddenly ruin a beautiful color job).
And of course, there's that pesky issue of price. Our commitment to a
quality package never diminishes.
Yes, we're talking about collecting
George's JLA and Wonder Woman material. However, given his detailed
work, we have to make sure the film is intact and complete. If not,
then we need to address how best to restore the work without ruining
the look of the artwork which does george and the reader a disservice.
And obviously, we'll be looking for an optimal marketing opportunity to
release such collections.
...
Covers are very important to the overall
mix, but should a collection have 185 story pages, 5 covers and a
minimum of 3 pages of front matter, that's 193 pages. The next signatur
eup makes it 208 pages and raises the issue of how to fill the
remainign pages and by going up a signature does that also mean the
price has to increase? We look at these issues closely before making a
decision.
------------------
Bob Greenberger
Senior editor - Collected Editions
December 17, 2002 | NTT: Judas Contract - New Edition
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
THE NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP - NEW EDITION
Written by Marv Wolfman; art by George Perez, Dick Giordano, Mike DeCarlo, and Romeo Tanghal; cover by Perez.
Reprinting
some of DC's best-selling comics of the '80s - The New Teen Titans
(Volume One) #39 and 40, Tales of the Teen Titans #41-44 and Annual #3
- this classic trade paperback features the retirement of Robin and Kid
Flash, the birth of Nightwing, and the introduction of Jericho.
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
The book is called THE STANDARD CATALOG
OF COMIC BOOKS (ISBN 0-87341-916-2), and is written by the same people
who edits and publishes COMIC BUYERS GUIDE. It is a little expensive at
$34.95, but it's worth it if you're a collector as it is a good price
guide and checklist, and for the fact that it's 1237 pages long.
Although, in most guides, they do tend
to miss certain variant comics and/or just plain inaccurate. I just
checked the 31st Edition to OVERSTREET'S COMIC BOOK PRICE GUIDE, which
is the latest version, and it still lists DARK HORSE #50 as having a Pérez story (see "Settlements").
Anyway, in addition to a summary of some
titles, SCCB also list, in some cases, Diamond Preorder numbers and
Capital City's order numbers. What I found very interesting is that THE NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP
is quite rare! According to this book, Capital City only received and
shipped 2,500 copies (note this number does not include Diamond
Distribution).
I am saving the last bit for AVENGERS #1 (vol 3), which they listed the following:
AVENGERS #1 (vol 3)
Circulation Statement: 166,903
Diamond Preorders: 194,439
Statement, filed 10/1/97,; avg print run 209,391; avg sales
163,342; avg subs 2,704; avg total paid 166,046; samples 270; office
use 125; max existent 166,441; 21% of run returned
The book was actually designed as
a price guide, but I mostly find the circulation statements more
interesting than the actual list value.
Personally, I always think a value of a comic book is based on the
buyer's wants and needs (not dictated by a book). I disagree with some
of the prices on the catalogue - just like you'd find WIZARD's pricing
ridiculous.
The induction of Comics Guaranty LLC
(CGC) in the price guide, I find a little annoying. I don't believe in
CGC and I find the people buying them at extraordinary prices a little
crazy. For about $600 for a perfect "10"
SPAWN #1,
you can get a pretty cool three figures unique George Pérez artwork, or
heck, get yourself a new digital camera. Basically, the guide lists how
many comics were CGC'ed and what the highest number it got. For
instance, INHUMANS #1
there were 32 sent in to be graded and the best of the lot is a grade
of 9.6.
According to this guide, we're supposed to multiply 7 to its worth
(which is valued at $8), so a CGC 9.6 INHUMANS #1 should fetch about
$56.
As always, opinions expressed here are strictly my own. Buy this book, it's worth it!
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
(excerpt)
The following came from someone whose name I stupidly lost. Tell me who sent this and I'll publicly apologize.
What is your opinion of the different
segments of your lengthy run on Titans? What was your best story arc?
What was your worst? At what point did you realize you didn't want to
write it anymore? Discuss generally your long run on the book and how
it affected you as a writer and the concept of the team book in the
comic medium. Also compare your run on Titans to the Claremont period
on X-Men and the results on both books.
The New Teen Titans was the best of
times and the worst of times. I loved writing the book, especially the
first eight to ten years where I was in charge of it, either
unofficially or officially. Those were the issues where I did what I
truly believed in. Once someone else comes in - even if they are a
great editor - things change. Sometimes for the best. Sometimes not so
for the best. There are a number comics where I truly believe the
editor makes the series much, much better, but a very few series where
I feel the creators should be left alone. For me those series would be
Titans, Crisis and Tomb Of Dracula. Everything else I've worked on has
been helped by working with good editors.
I don't think it's at all surprising that things weren't quite the same
on Titans once that control changed.
Best runs: The first 50 issues. Or
anytime I worked with the incredible George Perez. He wasn't just the
artist. He was the co-creator. Favorite stories: "Who is Donna Troy?",
the Terra storyline. And a story nobody ever brings up which is my all
time favorite, "Shades of Gray," the culmination of the
Changeling/Terminator story. There are dozens of smaller stories that I
also love, especially "A Day In The Life," and "A Pretty Girl Is Like a
Maladi." I loved the Kole stories and many others.
Where did it go wrong? The last year or
two. The reason? See my note in paragraph one above. Also, along the
way I lost interest in the series and thought of quitting, but then Jon
Peterson became editor and reminded me what I loved about the book. We
did "Titans Hunt" together which was as close to the 'classic' Titans
as I had done in a long time. It would have been a lot better if it
hadn't had to be broken up by two maxi-series, turning what should have
been a four-five part story where Vic Stone would have been rebuilt to
a year and a half storyline where he got lost in the mix.
I finally had it during that final year
and decided to quit the book. I hated every story. Every issue. I
wasn't even the plotter. So, at a DC Christmas out here in LA, I went
up to DCU Editor-in-Chief Mike Carlin and said I wanted to quit and
asked if DC would bring back Night Force and let me write that instead,
but with a different editor. I thought there might have been a problem,
but Mike said yes but asked me to stay on the Titans a few issues
longer. He said he thought it would be best to cancel the Titans with
my run rather than just hand it over to someone else. They would then
restart it with new characters, concepts and a new number one, which I
thought was a great idea. After sixteen years, a new voice and approach
was needed. Mike assigned a new editor to my last four issues, and,
with the exception of not being able to use Nightwing - who had been
returned to Batman continuity - let me end the series pretty much the
way I wanted. I still thank Mike for rescuing me from what had turned
into a hellish nightmare.
I still love the Titans and would love
to do individual stories about them, but DC hasn't seemed that
interested. I recently proposed a character-driven Titans-3 series
featuring an approximately 24 year old Cyborg, Raven and Starfire
trying to figure out what they are about when they aren't being super,
but nobody seems to be banging down my door for it. I also have tried
to jumpstart the Games graphic novel George and I started a dozen years
ago - of which he drew 80 incredible pages that have never been seen -
but again, no interest.
CRISIS ON INFINITE EARTHS (Trade Paperback) (Dec 2000)
80. CRISIS ON INFINITIE EARTHS (DC Softcover)
The most ambitious comic project ever could fill another volume with its body count. Marv Wolfman and George Perez's Crisis
aimed to clean up DC's cluttered 50-year-old continuity by merging the
handful of its parallel Earths into one, but not before a being called
the Anti-Monitor destroys an infinite amount of worlds in the process.
This cover, penciled by Pérez and painted by Alex Ross, is easily one
of the most beautiful ever produced and worth the purchase alone. "It
was actually the first series I ever followed," says JSA writer Geoff
Johns who was 12 at the time. "For me, it really shaped the DCU. I
doubt I would've read many DC comics before Crisis."
79. AVENGERS: ULTRON UNLIMITED (Marvel softcover)
The perfect killing machine has just received an upgrade, courtesy of
Kurt Busiek and George Pérez. Ultron, one of the Avengers most powerful
foes, returns with an appetite for destruction and holds the fate of
mankind in his adamantium grip. After Ultron slaughters the small
European country of Slorenia in under three hours, Earth's Mightiest
Heroes must rally like never before in order to put a stop to this
reawakened threat. But do they have what it takes to send this maniacal
killing machine to the scrap heap once and for all ?
60. INFINITY GAUNTLET (Marvel softcover)
Even when he's a god, Thanos still can't get lucky with the ladies.
Possessing the six Infinity Gems, Thanos gain omnipotence and kills
half the universe's population with the snap of his finger in an
attempt to earn the affection of the mistress Death. A plethora of
Marvel heroes mount a defensive to thwart the mad Titan, but how can
you beat a god? Only writer Jim Starlin knew the answer. "It had a
hundred characters and mindless destruction, but for all the bombast,
it was really about a guy trying to impress a girl," say Sojourn writer Ron Marz. "Thanos' failure is ultimately one of unrequited love. Who can't relate to that?"
NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT TP (2003) (5 Mar 2003)
15. THE NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (DC softcover)
The Titans have a traitor in their midst. This spy knows their secrets
and hands them over to the deadliest mercenary alive: Deathstroke the
Terminator, who systematically takes out the team. Only Nightwing
escapes… but even he needs help in order to rescue them before it's too
late. In this storyarc, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez pull off a lot in
six issues: Dick Grayson becomes Nightwing for the first time, Kid
Flash quits, Jericho (the son of Deathstroke) joins up… and a tragic
blow hits the team. "Judas Contract is a perfect template for powerful, dramatic storytelling," lauds Steve Kurth, penciler for G.I.Joe. "This story was pure magic."
9. SUPERMAN: WHATEVER HAPPENED TO THE MAN OF TOMORROW? (DC softcover)
It was time for the Man of Tomorrow to become the Man of Yesterday.
As DC prepared to start Superman from scratch in 1986, the publisher
watned to send off the "old" Man of Steel that had been around since
1938. writer Alan Moore had Supes face off with Lex Luthor and Braniac
in the Fortress of Solitude a final time, leaving every reader with a
tear in their eye. "A bittersweet goodbye to Superman continuity in
order to pave way for a revamped Man of Steel, Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow worked as both a nostalgic nod to a simpler past, and alook forward to all that comics could be," says Sojourn scribe Ron Marz. "This 'last' Superman story is also one of the best."
GREATEST STORIES NOT IN TPBS
JOHN BYRNE'S NEW SUPERMAN Ain't it
amazing that with everything DC collects, it hasn't collected Byrne's
headline-making 1986 revamp of the regular series? Especially the
three-part story where Supes must help save Earth once inhabited by the
"pre-Byrne" Superman where the Man of Steel must take the role of
judge, jury and executioner.
GEORGE PEREZ'S NEW WONDER WOMAN Ditto
for Pérez's 1987 revamp of everyone's favorite Amazon princess. With
stunning art and stronger ties to Greek mythology, Diana enters man's
world for the first time, learning lessons the hard way.
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