New Teen Titans #34 (1983)

New Teen Titans #34 (August, 1983)

"Endings... and Beginnings!"

Writer/Co-Creator - Marv Wolfman

Layouts/Co-Creator - George Perez

Finisher - Romeo Tanghal

Letterer - Todd Klein

Colorist - Adrienne Roy

Editor - Len Wein

Cover Price: $0.60

Every New Year's Day over the past several years, it would happen.  Like clockwork, I'd resolve to pick up on my writing/blogging again... going as far as actually setting up a new blog every year.  One year it would be my Justice League International Bwa-ha-blog!, the next my From Claremont to Claremont X-Men blog...

With the subject of my latest batch of reviews, it'd probably be little surprise to learn that this year, I was planning on a New Teen Titans read-thru blog.  I'm happy to finally have a place where I can write about some of these excellent stories... and happy to be able to share the next chapter in The Life and Times of Tara Markov.

Don't worry... I'm not going All-Titans, All-the-time...

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Guess we should be thankful he was wearing anything at all under the robe!

We open with the reintroduction of an old friend.  Wintergreen delivers a precious tiny drink to one Slade Wilson... Deathstroke the Terminator.  They chat about his still-pending H.I.V.E. contract on the Titans, Slade's ex-wife Adeline, and his dumping of a video game company stock... did Deathstroke forsee the video game crash of 1983?

We shift to Titans Tower, where a despondent Terra is on monitor duty.  We see her fellow Titans lurking in the hallway... before they surprise her with a sweet sixteen birthday celebration!

The sarcastic gal actually appears to be moved by the sentiment, however, quickly twists the thoughtful gesture into a way for her to complain about still being something of an outsider among the group... because she doesn't have her own chair in the meeting room, and isn't yet privy to the Titans secret-identities.  Thanks for suckin' the air outta the room, kid.

One Titan is missing from the party... the team leader, Robin!  He's somewhere out toward Montauk breaking into drug-lord Scarapelli's compound with the beanie-wearing District Attorney, Adrian Chase.  Robin expresses discomfort that he'd agreed to actually "break in"... it's easy enough for the pair to finally corner the fat man.  Dick is surprised to find out that the whole time, Chase was packin' an arrest warrant with Scarapelli's name on it.  Robin being duly deputized is able to arrest the man... and does so, but he ain't happy about it.

Back at Terra's (pity) party, she plays up her "woe is me" backstory... only to learn that Starfire had been a slave for five years, and Raven is the daughter of a demon.  Donna tells her that a troubled childhood is hardly a novelty among the Titans.

Donna excuses herself... she's gotta give Terry her answer as to whether or not she'll marry him.  Along the way, she meets a deep-in-thought Kid Flash.  He thinks he's finally made an important decision himself, and he'll likely be transitioning off the team in the near future.

We get a brief look at the Terminator as he stalks his latest target... some Wall Street bigwig.

At City Community College we witness a clearly mentally deficient co-ed throw herself at Terry Long.  Boy, is she disappointed when Ms. Troy sashays into the scene wearing the rock he gave her.  Don't look so glum, Sally... you don't know the milquetoast bullet you just dodged.

Donna and Terry take a walk through the park so they can go neck.  Nearby we see an elderly couple smiling at their public display of affection.  I'd have to believe the old fella (whose name appears to be Romeo) is only smiling because after seeing one old man pick up a young lass, he knows there's still hope for him.

Move along, Romeo... nothin' to see here... trust me...

Back at the Tower, Terra's gone into full blown tantrum mode... tears and all.  She threatens to walk if the Titans don't cough up their secret id's... and gives them a one-week ultimatum.  Damn T, dial it back a touch, eh?

Amid the tears, the phone rings.  It's Sarah-from-the-Special-School, and she'd like to talk to Vic.  Vic is all "pshhh, woman", and Gar tells her Vic would love to talk to her... but he's on the toilet.  Does/can Vic use a toilet?  Anyhoo, Sarah's fiance Mark is none too pleased to see his betrothed trying to call another man... so he gets a bit physical.  Luckily, Sarah can take care of herself just fine, and knees him in the crotch before tossing his skinny ass out of her apartment.  Guess he wasn't as nice a dude as we thought...

Back at the Tower (man, I'm saying that a lot today), Gar and Tara's conversation is interrupted by a video screen message from... Deathstroke the Terminator.  He's got a hostage, and offers a trade... his captive's life for the lives of the Titans.  Who does he think he's talking to, the Doom Patrol?  Well, I guess, technically, he is talking to a Doomie.  Anyhoo, Terra seeing this as her big opportunity to show her stuff, karate chops Gar, and heads out to stop Deathstroke all by her lonesome.

Moments later, Deathstroke is shocked to see he's being attacked by some little girl.  They have a pretty awesome battle that sees Terra use her powers with great precision, and Deathstroke parry with his wits and arsenal.  

This goes on just long enough for the Titans cavalry to hit the scene.  Through some Titanic teamwork, Slade winds up held by an earthen fist... which appears to be Terra's "go to move".  Deciding it's better to live to fight another day, Deathstroke uses his power staff to cause a potentially fatal explosion.  When the dust clears, he's nowhere to be found.

Terra, still shaken by the event, excuses herself.  She'd like to be alone for a moment.  Behind her, the Titans realize that Terra is now "officially" one of them... and they'll tell her everything she wants to know tomorrow.

We follow Terra... follow her back to the horrid little Brooklyn apartment where she was being held captive by the terrorists.  She's not alone, however... she smiles, and removes her mask.

... and we learn that she's been working with Deathstroke, the whole time.

After that sobering bit, we close out the issue with Robin and Chase having a contentious back and forth.  Robin feels used, and Chase is all "whattayagonnado?"  The issue ends with Adrian Chase's apartment exploding... a story which will be picked up in the 1983 New Teen Titans Annual... which we will not be covering.  (psst... he survived)

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Well, there it is.

This is such a great way to reveal Terra's double-agent status.  If I'm not mistaken, it'd been a couple of years since we'd last seen Deathstroke at this point... having Terra first arrive on the scene during the interim... and acting as though she doesn't know who or what this "Who'sinator" is was perfect!

What's better yet, is that Terra hasn't exactly "crossed the line" yet.  Yeah, we know she's infiltrated the team at the behest of the Titan's worst enemy... but, there isn't any blood on her hands just yet.  It's not too late for her to reform... to turn on Slade and show her true allegiance to her fellow Titans.

The fact that this is all occurring on Terra's birthday makes the situation all the more poignant.  The Titans show Terra that they care... like, for real... will that stay in the back of her head?  Will she remember that these are... her friends, when it comes time to decide whether or not to "pull the trigger"?  So much wonderful ambiguity.  I could not imagine reading this as it was released... waiting (at least) a month Terra's story to continue would have been torture!

In other news... We learn that Sarah-from-the-Special-School's fiance may not be as nice a dude as he appeared to be when Vic met him on New Year's Eve.  We also learn that Terry Long's students throw themselves at him... which, in my opinion, renders them far too stupid to be attending college.  We also learn that... hey, Adrian Chase is kind of a jerk.  Go figure!

The clock is ticking closer to midnight... just one more stop on the road to Judas... and it's a doozy!

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New Teen Titans #30 (1983)

New Teen Titans #30 (April, 1983)

"Nightmare!"

Writer/Co-Creator - Marv Wolfman

Artist/Co-Creator - George Perez

Inker - Romeo Tanghal

Letterer - Ben Oda

Colorist - Adrienne Roy

Editor - Len Wein

Cover Price: $0.60

Another day, another chapter in The Life and Times of Tara Markov.  Today it's all about teamwork... let's watch and learn.

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We open inside Titans Tower on New Year's Eve with Speedy, Kid Flash and Frances Kane.  They have just taken out the Brotherhood of Evil, and we learn that Phobia had triggered Raven into attacking Wally.  The trio talk, and Wally comes to the conclusion that perhaps it's time for him to step down to being a part-time Titan.  They chat for a moment too long, and the Brotherhood comes to.

Phobia wakes up and forces the teens to face their worst fears, before she and the rest of the Brotherhood take them out... take a lock of Fran's hair... and take their leave.

We shift to a ratty apartment in Brooklyn where Terra had been held against her will by the terrorists.  Gar is less than impressed with the digs, and isn't all that shy about it... he asks Terra why she didn't just use her powers against her captors, and she sidesteps the question... before debuting her new and improved superhero costume.

Terra asks if Gar thinks she's "Titans material", and he's too afflicted with puppy love to notice how pushy she's getting on the subject... instead he's just like... it's not my call, doll.

We join Robin, Starfire and District Attorney Adrian Chase as they enter the television set for Bethany Snow's news program "Snow Storm".  She requested an audience with them, and they cannot help but think they're about to climb right into a spider's web.  Inside, they are taken aback by Snow's change of heart when it comes to the Church of Brother Blood.  She's now opposed to them and terrified for her own safety.

She begins sharing damning photographs of what goes on beyond the walls of the church, when a gunman begins firing into the studio.  Starfire gives chase, but to no avail.  At this point, Snow is frantic, and swears that she'll spill the beans so long as she's protected.

We shift scenes to Cyborg.  He's visiting his "friend" Sarah from the Special School... boy is he surprised when it's not Sarah but her fiance Mark who answers the door.  Vic never knew Sarah was even involved with somebody else, and after a few moments of uncomfortable banter he excuses himself.  As he heads across town he blames himself for misreading Sarah's signals... mistaking her complete acceptance of him as something more.

We briefly return to observe Adrian Chase deliver Bethany Snow safely back to her apartment.  She enters alone, to find a member of Brother Blood's church waiting for her.  Snow smiles, and informs her "sister" that they "bought" it.

Back at the Tower, the Titans assemble.  Speedy shares what had gone down between the Brotherhood and Raven.  Gar gleefully introduces the team to their newest member... Terra.  You can almost feel about a dozen eyes roll at once.  Robin gives her the "you can come along, but don't break anything" treatment... and makes mention of Wonder Girl's absence.

Where oh where can Donna be?  Why, she's getting ready to dine at the famous Rainbow Room with her special friend, Terry Long.  He promises this will be a night to remember, and I can feel the pastrami sandwich I had for lunch rising in my throat.

Next up, Raven.  She is at St. Patrick's Cathedral... which is a strange place for her, indeed.  She is approached by a Priest who offers to help her, even though she refers to herself as "Satan's Daughter".  Their conversation is cut short by the sudden appearance of the Brotherhood of Evil.  Phobia challenges Raven to "take it outside", as fighting in a house of worship is a bridge too far, even for a supervillain team with "Evil" in their name.

Back at the Tower, the Titans are watching the "big ball" descend in Time Square on this New Year's Eve.  Terra and Gar watch as the globe hits the sign... and nothing happens!  Does that mean it's still 1982?

Moments later, Raven's soul-self emerges from the sign... finally illuminating the big 1-9-8-3.  Happy New Year, Titans... hope you survive the yadda yadda yadda.  At that moment, the Brotherhood's hit the streets... amid the thousands of New Yorkers ringing in the new year.  Trouble's a brewin'...

Luckily, the Titans are quickly on the scene.  The battle is pretty even, with both teams getting in some good shots on the other.  It isn't until Frances Kane makes her presence felt, using her magnetic powers to wrap a water pipe around Phobia.

Phobia realizes trying to mess with Kane's mind may not be in her best interests at the moment... and instead heightens the fear levels of several thousand New Yorkers!  Pretty solid escape plan, if I do say so!  The Titans weave their way through the crowd, as Robin begs Starfire not to do anything stupid... I love it!

We wrap up our issue by checking in with Donna and Terry... and it happens... Terry presents Ms. Troy with a diamond, and pops the question.

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It's almost as though I don't need to write reviews for these Titans issues anymore... this was another excellent outing.  Again, so many disparate vignettes woven to perfection.  Everybody's story moves forward... and you'd swear there was more than 23 pages here.

Let's start by discussing Robin, Starfire and the soon-to-be Vigilante.  They're shocked to see that Bethany Snow has changed her tune.  Snow was just such a wonderfully sleazy character around this time.  This ain't the smiling hostess for Channel-52 (remember that?)... instead, this is a cold and manipulative character... even though she's squarely in the Brother Blood camp, you almost feel as though she's got a contingency in place to look after "number one".

The Brotherhood of Evil... ehhh, this incarnation never really did much for me.  Phobia is cool, but the others are kinda just there.  They come across as goofy, and not in that "good" goofy way.  Perhaps it has to do with their target being Raven, who is probably my least favorite Titan during this era.  That's not really a slight... I mean, this roster is stacked... one's gotta be my least favorite!

Cyborg realizing the girl he's been crushing on is engaged was pretty heartbreaking... what's worse, her fiance seems like a pretty cool guy.  Hard to hate a guy like him.  Vic blames himself for misreading the situation... but I gotta wonder, just how much he did.

Speaking of engagements... emphasis on the "gag"... Terry Long pops the question to Donna Troy.  I know my Long-bashing has probably gotten old by this point... but, he really is the worst.  I suppose if I had to say one NICE thing about him... well, at least he's not Danny Chase.  As much as I don't dig Terry, I gotta admit... the wedding story (Tales of the Teen Titans #50) was a wonderful issue.  Definitely a high point in this already excellent series.

Now, the girl of the hour... Terra.  Quite the turnaround here... just a couple of issues back she had to be dragged to Titans Tower, kicking and screaming... and now, she's petitioning for team membership.  This is part of why this era is so incredible... usually, when a team comes across a potential new member, it's the team that initiates the potential draft.  Here, however... it's the exact opposite... the would-be draftee is actively campaigning to be added to the team.  Despite the cover's proclamation, I don't think there was anything official about Terra's inclusion here... which is fine... I like her being more of an "outsider" at this point.  I really like how, outside of Gar, Terra isn't yet privy to the civvies (names).

One question remains... just why is Terra pushing so hard to join up?  What is it about the Titans that makes her want to be one... and why so suddenly?  Don't worry... we'll get there... but, I'm not telling you anything you don't already know...

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Brooke Shields reads Superman... and you should too!

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New Teen Titans #28 (1983)

New Teen Titans #28 (February, 1983)

"Terra in the Night"

Writer/Co-Creator - Marv Wolfman

Artist/Co-Creator - George Perez
Inker - Romeo Tanghal
Letterer - John Costanza
Colorist - Adrienne Roy
Editor - Len Wein
Cover Price: $0.60

On next week's Cosmic Treadmill segment on the Weird Science DC Comics Podcast, Reggie and I are gonna break down the Judas Contract.  Figure I'd try and work a little sorta-kinda comics-blog-synergy by covering some Terra-centric issues of New Teen Titans. 

So, let's roll on with more of the "Life and Times of Tara Markov".

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We open with Terra fleeing from the Bank of Greater New York with several bags of cash.  No worries though, a flirtatious  Changeling is hot on her trail.  This is really a cute scene... Terra's unflinchingly serious about her caper, while Gar is... for lack of a better term, picking her up.  Just as in her first appearance, Terra claims that she not acting of her own volition.  She expands on that here... if she doesn't commit these crimes, her parents will be killed.

We shift scenes to Brother Blood's Cathedral of Death... it's hard to believe that people ever willingly followed a fella who went by the name "Brother Blood"... it's like getting your prostate checked by a "Doctor Doom".  Inside, Sister Sade, follower and occasional lover of da Brudda envisions herself wrapped in snakes... scaring herself literally to death.  

Another follower gets a bug up his ass and starts shooting up the rest of the crew.  Luckily, a few other followers enter and are able to take him out.  They struggle to wrap their minds around what's brought about this sudden fear attack... and the Brotherhood of Evil present themselves.  What follows is a decent exhibition of powers by the baddies.

We shift scenes to the penthouse apartment of Wonder Girl and Starfire.  Following a rather tasteful Donna Troy in the shower scene, Dick Grayson arrives for his date with Kory.  Donna eludes to the fact that her teammates are perhaps about to get it on, and excuses herself to have her own date with... Terry Long.

Meanwhile, at the Central Park Zoo Terra is still fleeing.  Terra uses her powers and winds up accidentally freeing all of the lions.  Lucky for her, Changeling in the form of an elephant is in the vicinity, and he neutralizes the feline threat.  Amid the distraction, he bops Terra on the head and, taking the form of a large bird, flies off with her.

So much for the afterglow... back at Kory's apartment, Dick is lamenting the fact that reporter Bethany Snow is always on their case.  He even goes so far as to say he'd like to pop her in the nose.  This all plays in with the ongoing Brother Blood plot, and it appears that Dick will check in with the Titans on-again off-again associate Adrian Chase to follow up.

Back at Titans Tower, Raven's meditation is interrupted by one Wallace West.  He's upset that, by all appearances, his buddy Dick's got it all together... if only he could see him now, eh?  They hear a frantic Changeling call for assistance, and hop to attention.  He's brought Terra to the Tower, in hopes that the Titans may help her locate her missing parents.

Terra, feisty thing she is, socks Gar in the gut and attempts to flee.  Wally uses his super speed to make a vortex of air around her head, which robs her of oxygen.  This is a neat way to use his powers, I don't think I've seen it since.  Terra continues to run her mouth as she hits the ground... right at the feet of Cyborg.  

She still ain't done, however... she lets out one final earthy assault, before... unmasking and breaking down.  She shares the story of her parents.  They are heads of a foreign nation, and she also has a brother named Brion.  Hmm, I think there's an Outsider named Brion... with Earth powers... I wonder... Anyhoo, there's a gang who she's supposed to report to in order to keep her folks safe.

We shift scenes (I'm saying that a lot today) to the apartment of our main man... Terry Long.  Donna enters while Terr' is hashing things out with his ex-wife.  Donna, being ya know, a decent person offers to leave.  Terry, being a selfish twit, insists she stay.  Marcia, the ex-wife makes an offhand (but totally accurate) comment about how young Donna is in comparison to her milquetoast former hubby.

We also meet Terry's daughter, Jenny.  She hands her pop a drawing she made of him, which looks almost too good to be him, and inquires about the tall, dark Amazon standing in the living room.  They conclude that Donna is "daddy's friend", and Wondy takes that as her cue to jet.

Next stop, the subway... where the Titans are about to confront the gang threatening Terra's parents.  It's not a terribly long or difficult battle... one of the hoods claims that the parents have been... dead the whole time.  The whole deal ends with Terra using her powers to create a giant earthen fist to crush the baddies.

Gar hops to and gets Terra to cool her jets.  They embrace and she calms down.  The Titans seem to have too many questions to truly celebrate this victory... they all feel (Raven especially) as though something isn't quite right here...

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Another great issue from THE classic run on the Titans.  Just so many things done right here.  I used to think, coming from my X-Laden adolescence that nobody in comics could do superhero soap-opera better than Chris Claremont.  It wasn't until "discovering" this run that I began to think otherwise.  From the pacing and dialogue, to the dynamic art be it in civvies or spandex... this was such a great time for Titans fans... I lament the fact that I was barely 4-years old when this hit the racks.  Gotta wonder how my "comics upbringing" would have went had I been at the right age for a book like this.

I mentioned "soap opera" just now... and please don't take that as a slight.  I mean it in the best possible way.  Ya see, around the turn of the century, my girlfriend-now-wife introduced me to this wacky thing called Days of Our Lives.  Yeah, yeah, yeah... it's not that it's a great show... (please don't get it twisted, I'm not comparing Titans to Days on a quality basis) but there's a format to it... that is quite similar to the way New Teen Titans is paced.  It's almost completely comprised of vignettes... disparate scenes that advance individual plots, sometimes crossing over with others... sometimes not.  I guess that argument can be made for "most comics", but for whatever reason, I feel it most appropriate here.

Here we bounce from Gar and Terra's story, to Dick and Kory's, to Wally and Raven's, to Donna and... Terry's, before everything comes to a climax.  Masterfully done, none of the characters feel left out... and 23 pages later, you actually feel like progression has occurred.  I know I'm not communicating this as eloquently as a more talented writer would... but, hopefully you get the jist of what I'm trying to get across.

I mentioned yesterday that the Kory-Dick romance was the "one thing" missing from contemporary post-Rebirth Titans... it really didn't take me long to reconsider that!  Changeling is most definitely missing as well... and I know he'll be a TEEN Titan, but he really belongs with the Titans gang.  I'd also say I want Cyborg on the team... but, gotta face facts... at this point, we ain't never getting him back.

The Terra storyline progresses nicely here.  I really enjoy how all the pieces fall perfectly into place... You can tell that this arc was planned out well in advance.  Marv Wolfman himself said that he and George Perez had the Terra plot planned out to completion before even introducing the character.  That's truly amazing... I guess that's just something that could be done before the Internet took over.  These days, they'd spoil the whole thing months in advance.  If I could change one thing here... just one, I'd change the final panel where Raven senses "something" about Terra.  Or, maybe move her thoughts to a different page.  Having the issue end with those thoughts, I dunno, kinda gives something away... to be fair, I'm reading this three decades later... and for the skatey-eight hundredth time... so, it could be just me.

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