DC: Fans Turned Pro (MP3 Direct Link)
8/23/2006 5:54 pm

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...

"The Terra-ble Twos"
update >> december 22 >> 2004

David Slack Shakes Down The Second Season

This interview was conducted in September 2004

(excerpt)

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.

The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract
Rating: (5 Stars)
Reviewed by: Eric Valentine
Added on: Sat, 04 September 2004 04:37:37

(excerpt)

NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989) (1989) 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!

NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989) (1989) 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 chapter frontspiece has George Perez's art of Tara in her makeup & smoking from TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #42 (May 1984).

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

From Publishers Weekly
As we always knew, 1950s scaremongers were wrong: not only does overindulgence in comic books not dissuade young readers from prose, but some very famous writers grew up addicted to comics. Howe has lined up a remarkable bunch of essayists, including Luc Sante, Greil Marcus, Jonathan Lethem and Brad Meltzer, to write about their favorite funny books. Many revisit the comics of their youth with amused distance—the Marvel vs. DC rivalry, the wonders of Jack Kirby's cosmology and Steve Ditko's crabbed mysticism. A few analyze specific series: Steve Erickson takes on Howard Chaykin's boundary-pushing '80s title American Flagg, and Gary Giddins traces how Classics Illustrated celebrated a part of the literary canon that was dying. Some of the most striking contributions, though, are very personal pieces by self-consciously comics-obsessed writers: Glen David Gold recounting his tormented attempts to buy original comics art from a dealer who'd have nothing to do with him; Sante explaining the power of the "clear-line" style of Tintin cartoonist Hergé on his boyhood self; and Meltzer (who's now a comics writer and novelist) discussing his near-sexual fascination with a mid-'80s New Teen Titans story line. The book includes some of today's most elegant writing on comics, a worthy companion to Lupoff and Thompson's All in Color for a Dime (1997), the previous standard in the field.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

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

Earth's teen defenders were unbeatable, until they took in a new member.

Here they come to save the day, and us
Posted 4/23/2003 8:05 PM
By Mark Flores, special for USA TODAY

(excerpt)

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.

TODAY'S VIEWS
3/19/03
written by Marv Wolfman

(excerpt)

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.

Shipping Next Week: March 5

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

Questions for Bob Greenberger
posted December 12, 2002 09:39 AM

(excerpt)

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

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. 192 pages, $19.95, in stores on March 5.

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).

Compare this number to some other, like ACTION COMICS #643 (Capital City: 35,100), BATMAN #400 (Capital City: 27,650), THE NEW TITANS #50 (Capital City: 18,750), PRIME #15 (Capital City: 14,450), CRISIS #3 (Capital City: 42,050), CRIMSON PLAGUE #2 (Diamond Predorders: 23,680), and WONDER WOMAN #168 (Diamond Preorders: 27,185).

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!

Letters. We’ve Got Letters!
By Marv Wolfman

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.

[ Read more We've Got Letters (Aug 11) ]

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.