THE UNBOXING - JANUARY 2021

Boy, these Unboxings have become few and far between lately, huh? I haven't done one since... July?! I can't believe that's right, but apparently it is. Between last summer and now, I bought no physical books. I have picked up some digital items here and there, but they've been so few and far between that they really weren't worth posting about. And this dearth of new purchases isn't for lack of trying on my part, mind you -- but rather, as I've mentioned once or twice before, Marvel and DC just aren't putting out as much of the classic material I personally want. (Or, more accurately, they aren't filling in the gaps that remain, because they've released a ton of classic stuff and I've bought it all already!)

Nonetheless, January always brings something, so let's see what we have this time. First, from Marvel as usual, it's two hardcovers: first is the MOON KNIGHT OMNIBUS, collecting many of the original stories written by his creator, Doug Moench, and drawn by several artists, most notably Bill Sienkiewicz. This will be replacing my MOON KNIGHT Epic Collections on the bookcase.

And the second item from Marvel is the THANOS: INFINITY SAGA OMNIBUS, which collects all of Jim Starlin's latter-day stories of the Mad Titan, released as various annuals, mini-series, and graphic novels throughout the past ten years or so. Since Starlin has sworn off working for Marvel ever again, this will close the book on Thanos as far as I'm concerned, and I look forward to reading it someday.

For Christmas, my wife gave me her custumary gift of one of the newest CARL BARKS DISNEY LIBRARY books, THE TWENTY-FOUR CARAT MOON.

And then there's digital. To close out the year, Marvel and DC both had sales, as they always do. I have a bunch of Marvel Epic Collections on my digital shopping list, but I was a little bummed that there wasn't a big five dollar a pop Epic sale like they ran last year. Instead, there was a sale on Marvel Masterworks, at only 99 cents to two dollars each -- which is great in theory, except that I already have nearly all the digital Masterworks I want, or digital Epic Collections containing the same contents. Nonetheless, I did pick up a few of the books which I simply couldn't pass up for the price: DAZZLER MASTERWORKS vol. 1, DEATHLOK MASTERWORKS vol. 1, KILLRAVEN MASTERWORKS vol. 1, and SPIDER-WOMAN MASTERWORKS vol. 1.

And in the DC sale, I grabbed a few items as well: that old standby, BATMAN: TALES OF THE DEMON (which factored heavily into my look at Batman in the Seventies a couple years ago), NEW TEEN TITANS vol. 11 (which will hopefully someday factor into a continuation of my NEW TEEN TITANS reviews from a number of years ago), SUPERMAN SMASHES THE KLAN (which I've been eyeballing for months and seriously cannot wait to read), and WONDER WOMAN BY GEORGE PEREZ vol. 4 (which, again, may someday down the line be used to continue the WONDER WOMAN by George Perez reviews I did in 2018).

And that about covers it! I don't know when the next Unboxing will be; in fact I may change it from a monthly feature (which it clearly has not been at all recently, with only four installments in 2020) to something I do on an "as warranted" basis. But I guess we'll find out going foward. I do know that I have two Marvel Omnibuses on order, which should release in February and March, respectively (meaning they would make the Unboxings for March and April), but after that I don't think there's much on the horizon at the moment...

THE UNBOXING - NOVEMBER 2018

I meant to have this up this past Sunday, but the Thanksgiving holiday weekend kept me busy, so here it is in an unprecedented midweek Unboxing!

Everything is digital this month, thanks to Amazon/Comixology Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales. First, from DC, I grabbed BATMAN AND ROBIN ADVENTURES vol. 3, NEW TEEN TITANS vol. 9 (which picks up where the Omnibuses I reviewed a few years back ended), TALES OF THE BATMAN: GERRY CONWAY vol. 2, and WONDER WOMAN: EARTH ONE vol. 1 and vol. 2. (Yes, I've gone out of my way to note more than once how much I dislike a lot of Grant Morrison's writing. I bought these books strictly for the artwork!)

Courtesy of Dark Horse, I grabbed USAGI YOJIMBO/TEENAGE MUTANT NINJA TURTLES: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION, which I somehow missed during the last Dark Horse sale, when I stocked up on Usagi books.

From Random House, of all publishers, I grabbed PELLUCIDAR: AT THE EARTH'S CORE, a comic I must assume was originally published at some point by DC, considering it's by Dennis O'Neil and Michael William Kaluta.

And from Marvel, I picked up WEREWOLF BY NIGHT: THE COMPLETE COLLECTION vol. 3. (This was actually part of a Halloween sale last month, but it missed the cutoff for the October Unboxing.)

That's it for November, for Black Friday, and for Cyber Monday. Next month we'll be back to physical volumes for a couple of books to close out the year!

THE NEW TEEN TITANS (VOLUME 2) #6

"TITANSMANIA"
Writer-Editor-Co-Plot: Marv Wolfman | Co-Plot: George Pérez | Layouts: Daniel Jurgens
Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal | Letterer: John Costanza | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: New York honors the Titans with a parade and a presentation of the Key to the City. Wally West and his family, with Frances Kane, watch the parade on TV while elsewhere, the winged alien pines for Lilith and Jericho recovers in the hospital after the Titans' encounter with Trigon. Later, the Titans assess damage to their tower and then attempt to adjust to life as celebrities, while Arella heads out to search for Raven. Eventually, when he realizes that something is troubling Donna, Terry suggests a Titans' holiday in the Grand Canyon. There, the group discusses their experiences with their dark sides and eventually reaffirms their status as a team.

My Thoughts: I just had to give it one more issue, didn't I? Based on the cover and then the splash page, I figured this would be a feel good "quiet" issue in the aftermath of the Trigon saga. Well, it's definitely the latter, but in no way is it the former. It seems the Titans' fame has made them all suddenly realize how laughably careless they've been with their secret identities since the series began, as they suddenly can't get a moment's peace with the press and fans hounding them. Besides that, they're all disturbed by the visions Trigon showed them, in which their dark sides did terrible things to their loved ones, which led to the Titans giving in to the darkness and killing those evil versions of themselves.

So, to cope with this trauma, the group spends the final nine pages of the issue moping about their feelings to each other. The entire Grand Canyon scene is a slog, as the Titans pour out all their emotions in a way that just doesn't feel real to me. I like my super heroes to keep their angst bottled up, to soliloquize about their feelings through thought balloons, and to express their emotions by screaming and punching teammates who say the wrong thing at the wrong time. Seeing this group sit around and yak about what's eating them rubs me the wrong way.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS (VOLUME 2) #3, #4, & #5

"SOULS AS WHITE AS HEAVEN...AS BLACK AS HELL!"
"TORMENT!" | "THE TERROR OF TRIGON!"
Co-Creators: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Co-Artist: Romeo Tanghal
Letterers: Bob Lappan (#3), Todd Klein (#4), John Costanza (#5)
Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: (issue 3) The Titans and Arella return from Azarath to Earth, to find Manhattan being remade in Trigon's image. Raven confronts the group and sends them separately into struggles against their own dark sides and their deepest fears. One by one, the Titans are overcome or give in to their anger.

(issue 4) One at a time, the Titans kill their dark sides, thus losing their souls to Trigon. But when Raven summons them back to Earth to serve her father, Lilith reveals that the Titans actually serve her. She then sets them against Raven, and the dark Titans kill their former teammate. Then, their task complete, the Titans return to normal just as Trigon appears to avenge his daughter.

(issue 5) The Titans assault Trigon but are easily defeated. Then, as Trigon prepares to destroy Earth and return to his dimension, Lilith reveals to Arella that she has been possessed by Azar, Raven's mentor, this entire time. Azar directs the Titans to attack Trigon again, while she and Arella restore Raven's body to life. Raven acts as a conduit for all the deceased souls of Azarath, which unite to destroy Trigon once and for all.

With Trigon's death, Raven's soul moves on to another plane and the world is restord to normal -- with the exception of Titans' Tower, which was destroyed by Trigon during his fight with the Titans.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS (VOLUME 2) #1 & #2

"SHADOWS IN THE DARK!" | "THE SEARCH FOR RAVEN!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Letterer: Todd Klein | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: The Titans conduct "war games" but are interrupted when a troubled Raven returns. Jericho briefly touches her mind and realizes she needs help. That night, as Raven sleeps, Jericho enters her body and finds himself in the nether-realm inhabited by Trigon and Raven's mother, Arella. Trigon briefly tortures Jericho before Raven awakens, forcing him from her body. She departs, leaving Jericho to tell the Titans that Raven needs their help.

My Thoughts: First and foremost -- and I know I said this before the last time Pérez inked himself, but -- this is, without a doubt, the best the Titans have ever looked. George Pérez has, for my money, at last completed his evolution into the George Pérez, legend among comic book artists. Working here on a series with higher production values, Pérez is free to experiment and really up the dynamism of his work. The issue is filled with breathtaking full-bleed art and exciting panel layouts, and, thanks to Pérez's own inks, it looks absolutely magnificent -- better than even the best of Pérez's previous collaborators could've made it.

TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #56, 57, & 58

"FEARSOME FIVE MINUS ONE!"
"A: THE END OF CYBORG! | B: NEW YORK KNIGHTMARE! | C: NONE OF THE ABOVE!"*
"VICTOR VICTORIOUS!"
Writer/Editor: Marv Wolfman | Penciler: Chuck Patton
Inkers: Mike DeCarlo (#56) & Romeo Tanghal (#57-58)
Letterers: Albert De Guzman (#56-57) & Bob Lappan (#58) | Colorist: Adrienne Roy
* Issue 57 features "multiple choice titles".

The Plot: (issue 56) A more-vicious-than-normal Raven attempts to stop a kidnapping from S.T.A.R. Labs, but fails. Meanwhile, Jericho and his mother return to the United States to be greeted by an apologetic Changeling. Elsewhere, the Fearsome Five (less Doctor Light), employers of the men who raided S.T.A.R., arrive at Tri-State Prison to liberate a prisoner named Jinx. The Titans (Nightwing, Starfire, and Wonder Girl) attempt to stop them but are defeated and the villains escape with their prize. Meanwhile, Cyborg undergoes surgery at S.T.A.R. to replace his metal parts with human-looking plastics.

(issue 57) Cyborg's operation is a success and he begins physical rehabilitation. Meanwhile, Changeling and Jericho are reunited with the the other Titans at Titans' Tower. Elsewhere, the Fearsome Five awaken Jinx but are unable to free their other new ally, Tryon, from S.T.A.R.'s pod. Days pass, during which the Titans train, and then the Five attack S.T.A.R. once more, kidnapping the facility's chief, Dr. Klyburn, along with Cyborg, posing as her assistant. The Titans spend two days searching for the kidnappers while the pair works to open the pod for the Five. They succeed, but Cyborg rigs the pod to explode as it opens. As he and Klyburn run for safety, Cyborg's new plastic parts begin to melt.

(issue 58) Tryon, a.k.a. Neutron, an enemy of Superman's, emerges from his pod and joins the Fearsome Five. They proceed to Manhattan to wreak havoc, but the Titans show up to challenge them. Meanwhile, Cyborg is rushed to S.T.A.R. Labs with Dr. Klyburn, who begins the process of restoring his cybernetic parts. During the battle, Psimon is abducted into outer space by the mysterious Monitor, who announces that the Crisis on Infinite Earths will begin in three months. On Earth, the Titans defeat the Fearsome Five thanks mainly to Jericho's aid. The group later visits the restored Cyborg at S.T.A.R., and then, back at Titans' Tower, inducts Jericho formally into their ranks.

THE UNBOXING - MAY 2015

Four books comprise my haul this month, beginning with AVENGERS: ULTRON UNBOUND, a trade from Marvel which collects a few issues of the Roy Thomas AVENGERS WEST COAST run featuring Ultron, star of this month's summer blockbuster, AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON.

Also from Marvel is the pulp-influenced SKULL THE SLAYER, a series which lasted eight issues in the seventies but somehow had three writers across that span. I've always wanted to read this short-lived series, given its influences from the likes of Doc Savage and Conan the Barbarian.

TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #54 & 55

"BLIND JUSTICE!"
Writer: Marv Wolfman | Penciler: Rich Buckler
Finishers: Dick Giordano & Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: John Costanza | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: Slade Wilson's trial plays out over the course of a few days. Changeling attacks him in the courtroom and is kicked out, but this seems to be part of his plan. Later, the Titans question Deathstroke's ally, Wintergreen, about the false Terminator who attacked Lilith, and are attacked by that same imposter, who escapes.

Meanwhile, Cyborg prepares to undergo a procedure which will replace his metallic parts with plastic replicating the appearance of human flesh. Lilith berates the Titans for scaring away the winged alien and reveals that she's developed new powers which turn her skin red hot. And Wilson is ultimately acquitted due to insufficient evidence, though Judge Chase rules that he will be bound over for trial regarding the illegal firearms found in his apartment by authorities.

At the Dayton Estate, Changeling reveals that he's been using Steve Dayton's Mento helmet to impersonate Deathstroke in hopes of getting Wilson off completely so he can kill the Terminator himself.

TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #53

"ANGEL DEVIL ON THE WING!"
Writer: Marv Wolfman | Penciler: Rich Buckler | Finisher: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Phil Felix | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: Lilith is attacked outside Titans' Tower by Deathstroke, who then promptly disappears. The Titans head to S.T.A.R. Labs because Lilith senses a bond with the winged alien who was defrosted during their last trip there. Lilith radiates heat and frees the alien, who escapes.

Meanwhile, Slade "Deathstroke" Wilson is on trial as Changeling sits in the gallery watch. The Titans show up to testify against the villain, whose defense counsel's strategy is to suggest anyone could be under Deathstroke's mask and Slade Wilson is not actually the man the Titans have fought. When Samuel Abrams, the banker who Deathstroke kidnapped months earlier, takes the stand, he admits that Wilson might not be the man who abducted him.

My Thoughts: This story is basically one long chase scene with a few other bits and pieces thrown in -- the tennis game advertised on the cover, a mixed doubles match between Robin & Starfire and Wonder Girl & Terry, makes up the first few pages -- and along the way we learn that Lilith is developing a new, involuntary heat-generation power which the other Titans misattribute to the alien; and that Changeling has some sort of plan in place to make sure Deathstroke pays for his crimes if the law goes too lightly on him. Oh, and Cyborg has fixed up Titans' Tower with a holodeck.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #50

"WE ARE GATHERED HERE TODAY......."
A DC Comics Production
Marv Wolfman: Writer/Co-Plotter | George Pérez: Penciler/Co-Plotter
Dick Giordano: Embellisher (Special Thanks to Mike DeCarlo)
Lettered by John Costanza | Colored by Adrienne Roy
Edited by Marv Wolfman & George Pérez

The Plot: Surrounded by their family and friends, Donna Troy and Terry Long are married.

My Thoughts: Usually the double-sized anniversary issue of a comic features a big fight or a shake-up to the status quo or the culmination of a long-running plotline. TALES #50 doesn't really contain any of those things. There's no fight whatsoever, and Wonder Girl getting married is more of a change to the "window dressing" than an actual modification of any status quo. I suppose the nuptials are the culmination of her engagement, which dates back to issue 30, but that's really just the end to a minor sub-plot, rather than the conclusion of some big, ongoing story.

All that said, this is mostly a very nice little issue. Things like this would become commonplace within a decade or so, but at this point in time, dedicating a full issue of a superhero comic to a wedding is extremely unusual, and something of a bold move. Fortunately, Wolfman and Pérez have spent so much time getting us to care about the Titans as people that the idea doesn't backfire.

I do find it odd that the story goes through every single stage of the wedding day, however. We start with Changeling overseeing final preparations, then we see hair being done and guests arriving, followed by the ceremony and even the introduction of the bridal party to the reception, the first dance, the cutting of the cake, etc. as I read through all these things, I kept thinking, "Yup... this is what happens at a wedding." I'm not sure why the decision was made to commit all of it to paper, however.

A TEEN TITANS ANNOUCEMENT

As I understand it, in 1985, DC launched a second Teen Titans series. As we've seen, THE NEW TEEN TITANS was renamed to TALES OF TEEN TITANS around issue 45. Subsequently, DC created a second volume of THE NEW TEEN TITANS. The idea was that volume 2, available exclusively through comic shops and telling all-new stories with higher production values, would run alongside TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS, still for sale on the newsstand. These stories would then be reprinted a few months later for general consumption in TALES.

But first THE NEW TEEN TITANS would need to accumulate a backlog of material for the reprint series. So, for eight issues, TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS would feature ongoing original stories by Marv Wolfman and a handful of fill-in artists while the first six issues of THE NEW TEEN TITANS, by Wolfman and Pérez, would be distributed to comic shops concurrently, but take place subsequently to issue 58 of TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS.

I've seen varying opinions on these eight issues. Some seem to think they're inconsequential filler while others believe that some of them, at least, are pretty important (apparently there's a trial for Deathstroke taking up part of the run). But, at any rate, they were left out of the NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 3, since George Pérez didn't work on them.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #48 & #49

"THE RECOMBATANTS!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Writer: Marv Wolfman
Guest Penciler: Steve Rude | Guest Inker: Al Gordon
Penciler (epilogues): George Pérez | Inker (epilogues): Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Todd Klein | Letterer (epilogues): Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: A group of genetically engineered artificial teenagers named the Recombatants escape from a Dayton Industries facility near Las Vegas. In New York, Cyborg mulls over some new procedure S.T.A.R. Labs is developing which could change his life, but is soon summoned to Titans' Tower.

Nightwing, Starfire, Cyborg, Wonder Girl, and Jericho head to Nevada to round the Recombatants up. The Titans bring the Recombatants back to the lab, where the scientists who created them explain their intention to destroy these "prototypes". The Recombatants make a run for it and the Titans pursue, but the teenagers choose to take their own lives, destroying the power core that would have allowed the Dayton scientists to create more Recombatants, in the process.

Back in New York, Changeling shows Jillian around Dayton Manor and is reprimanded by his stepfather over his offering Donna and Terry the use of the house for their wedding. Meanwhile, Terry receives word that his ex-wife wants to speak with him and worries about her intentions. At Titans' Tower, Jericho attempts to visit Raven but she forces him to leave.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #46 & #47

"SHOWDOWN!" | "FINAL CONFLICT!"
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Finisher: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Bob Lappan | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

The Plot: (issue 46) The Titans, along with Aqualad and Aquagirl, attack the H.I.V.E.'s undersea base and break inside. Raven briefly succumbs to Trigon's influence during the fight, but regains her self-control.

Meanwhile, Cyborg returns to his apartment late at night following a fruitless search for Changeling, to find his grandparents waiting for him. He chastises them for missing his father's funeral, but ultimately the family makes peace. Elsewhere in the city, a woman reports to the authorities that a man who attempted to mug her was brutally assaulted by a green lion.

Back under the sea, the Titans infiltrate the H.I.V.E. base, but the organization's leader has them lured into a trap and jettisoned into the water aboard a pod which subsequently explodes.

(issue 47) Raven's soul self rescues the Titans and they re-enter the H.I.V.E.'s base. Too weak to continue the fight, Raven teleports away. Meanwhile, at Titans' Tower, Cyborg tries to level with Changeling when Changeling's ex-girlfriend, Jillian, shows up.

Underwater, the Titans split up. While Nightwing and Aqualad stop a torpedo from destroying Atlantis, Wonder Girl, Starfire, Jericho, and Aquagirl go for the H.I.V.E.'s leadership. But upon their arrival they find the full H.I.V.E. council dead, their leader having killed them and then herself to avoid capture.

The H.I.V.E. defeated, the Titans head home. In outer space, the mysterious Monitor updates his files to list the H.I.V.E. as inactive.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #45

"H.I.V.E." a.k.a. "OLD TIMES, OLD FRIENDS"*
Co-Creators/Co-Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Finisher: Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

*Note: This story has no title listed with its credits in the NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 3. The DC Wiki and Comics.org both list the title as "H.I.V.E." while the Omnibus table of contents lists it as "Old Times, Old Friends".

The Plot: A dehydrated Aqualad and Aquagirl, on the verge of death, arrive at Titans' Tower to find no one home. Meanwhile, Changeling breaks up an arms deal but nearly kills the criminals present before Cyborg stops him. Elsewhere, Cyborg's grandparents arrive at his apartment and pick the lock to let themselves in.

On Long Island, Terry Long's brother hosts his bachelor party with Dick Grayson in attendance, while on Paradise Island, Wonder Girl (accompanied by Starfire) requests Queen Hyppolyte's permission to marry Terry. At Manhattan College, Raven finishes class and brushes off her would-be suitor, Steven, before being picked up by Jericho. But when she senses trouble at the Tower, Raven teleports ahead.

At Titans' Tower, Aqualad and Aquagirl are in a water tank, having been discovered by the visiting Wally West and Francis Kane. After Nightwing cures them, Aqualad explains that the pair was out swimming when they found a H.I.V.E. base and came under attack. They were poisoned and retreated to Titans' Tower.

Nightwing declares that it's time to finish the H.I.V.E. and leads Wonder Girl, Starfire, Raven, Jericho, Aqualad, and Aquagirl out in the Titans' submarine.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS ANNUAL #3

"THE JUDAS CONTRACT BOOK 4: FINALE"
Co-Creators/Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Embellishers: Dick Giordano w/Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Ben Oda | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Note: This issue does not have credits in THE NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 2. The above credits are pulled from the DC wiki.

The Plot: At the H.I.V.E.'s base in the Rocky Mountains, the captive Titans are hooked into a machine which will drain their powers for the H.I.V.E.'s use. Deathstroke observes and reveals to the Titans that Terra is on his side. Elsewhere, Adeline confronts Wintergreen, who describes to her the day Slade Wilson became Deathstroke, rescuing him.

Meanwhile, Nightwing and Jericho break into the complex and find their way to the Titans in disguise. But they're forced to reveal themselves and are defeated by Terra; however Jericho soon possesses his father and frees the Titans. A battle ensues in which the majority of the H.I.V.E. operatives are defeated, Deathstroke is captured, and Terra is killed.

Later, the Titans and Outsiders hold a funeral for Terra, and the Titans keep her villainy a secret from the world at large.

My Thoughts: I said before that "The Judas Contract" was an intentionally created classic, and I think, having finished the storyline, that it's safe to stand by that assessment. The saga of the H.I.V.E. and Deathstroke's contract with them dates all the way back to the series' earliest issues, and it finally comes to a conclusion here. Deathstroke is at last captured and the H.I.V.E. suffers what is almost certainly a crippling blow.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #44

"THE JUDAS CONTRACT BOOK 3: THERE SHALL COME A TITAN!"
Co-Creators/Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Embellishers: Dick Giordano w/Mike DeCarlo
Letterer: Todd Klein | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Note: This issue does not have credits in THE NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 2. The above credits are pulled from the DC wiki.

The Plot: Deathstroke's ex-wife, Adeline, introduces herself and her son Joseph to Dick Grayson and explains the history of Slade Wilson, the man who would become Deathstroke the Terminator.

Slade was an army hero who joined the Special Forces and was trained by Adeline, among others. They fell in love during his training, married, and had a child named Grant. Slade later volunteered for a special procedure to boost his physical and mental capabilities, but instead it left him unstable. Later, Slade's old friend, Wintergreen, was kidnapped. Slade rescued him and soon after became a professional globe-trotting big game hunter. During this time, he and Adeline had their second child, Joseph.

One night, terrorists invaded the Wilsons' home, demanding to see Deathstroke, and kidnapped Joseph. Slade revealed to Adeline that he was not a hunter but a mercenary. He and Adeline went to rescue Joseph, but Deathstroke's ego led to the boy being injured and rendered mute. Afterward Adeline attempted to kill Slade and when that failed, she left him.

Adeline tells Dick that she and Joseph know where Deathstroke took the Titans. Dick adopts the costumed identity of Nightwing and prepares to go after his friends, and Adeline insists that Joseph, under the codename Jericho, tag along. Jericho demonstrates his ability to possess others' bodies with eye contact, and Nightwing agrees to bring him on the mission.

TALES OF THE THE TEEN TITANS #42 & #43

"THE JUDAS CONTRACT BOOK 1: THE EYES OF TARA MARKOV!"
"THE JUDAS CONTRACT BOOK 2: BETRAYAL!"
Co-Creators/Editors: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez
Embellishers: Dick Giordano w/Mike DeCarlo
Letterers: John Costanza (#42) & Ben Oda (#43) | Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Note: These issues do not have credits in THE NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 2. The above credits are pulled from the DC wiki.

The Plot: (issue 42) Terra's photographic contact lenses allow her to document the Titans' civilian lives, including Starfire's modeling, Wonder Girl's photography and wedding plans, Dick Grayson's home, and Cyborg's friendship with Sarah Simms and her students. She also shares a kiss with Changeling. Only Raven refuses to open up to her.

The next day the Titans train: first Cyborg tests his strength, then Starfire and Wonder Girl spar. Finally Terra and Changeling test their powers against each other and Changeling provokes Terra to the point that she nearly kills him. She manages to convince the Titans that her actions were a form of post-traumatic stress after being held by terrorists for several months before joining the team.

Later, Deathstroke the Terminator, Terra, and Wintergreen, Deathstroke's manservant, depart the Terminator's chalet to put Terra's intelligence to work -- to defeat the Titans and fulfill Deathstroke's longstanding contract with the H.I.V.E. But unbeknownst to the group, they're observed by a mysterious woman and an equally mysterious man who have some hidden tie to Slade "Deathstroke" Wilson.

(issue 43) Deathstroke attacks Dick Grayson, but Dick escapes into the city. He goes in search of the other Titans but find that all have already been defeated and captured. Following Dick are the mystery woman from last issue and her son, Joseph. They eventually catch up with Dick at Titans' Tower, where the woman reveals that it was not Deathstroke alone who took out the Titans -- Raven was defeated by Terra. The woman then reveals that Slade Wilson is her ex-husband.

Meanwhile, Deathstroke arrives at H.I.V.E. headquarters to turn all the captured Titans over to the villainous organization.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #40 & TALES OF THE TEEN TITANS #41

"LIFEBLOOD" | "BAPTISM OF BLOOD!"
Co-Creators: Marv Wolfman & George Pérez | Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Letterers: Bob Lappan (#40) & John Costanza (#41) | Colorist: Adrienne Roy
Editor: Len Wein

Note: These issues do not have credits in THE NEW TEEN TITANS OMNIBUS volume 2. The above credits are pulled from the DC wiki.

The Plot: (issue 40) Brother Blood preaches to his flock. Meanwhile, Changeling and Terra are tutored by a teacher at Steve Dayton's estate before heading to Manhattan for an appearance with the other Titans (minus Dick Grayson) on Bethany Snow's news program. Wonder Girl debates a group of newly elected politicians over an arms shipment to Zandia, and Brother Blood joins the broadcast via satellite to assuage the public's concerns.

Later, Dick goes undercover as a reporter and meets with the three congresspeople who were voted out of office due to their connections with Blood. It turns out they were framed, so Dick offers to send them to Zandia as a fact finding committee. Soon after, accompanied by Bethany as well, the group heads to the island nation. But Dick is recognized in spite of his disguise, and Blood uses him to lure the Titans to his temple, where he captures them.

(issue 41) Brother Blood prepares to execute the Titans, but Raven's soul self saves them. Blood tests the Titans with his monsters, then challenges them to a duel. Meanwhile, the visiting congresspeople observe evidence elsewhere in Zandia of Blood's benevolence and the current regime's cruelty.

Blood battles and defeats the Titans, then traps them in an energy field and orders the brainwashed Dick Grayson to kill them. But Stafire's love for Dick overcomes his programming and he turns on Blood even as the Zandian military assaults Blood's temple. Blood plummets into a deep pit with his machinery and the temple is destroyed. As the Titans head home, they watch Bethany Snow's report stating that the congresspeople will work to sanction Zandia, while nations around the world have opened their borders to Brother Blood's church.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #38 & #39

DC Comics presents a Wolfman/Pérez production
"WHO IS DONNA TROY?"
Script by Marv Wolfman | From a plot by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez
Art by George Pérez & Romeo Tanghal | Lettering by Ben Oda
Coloring by Adrienne Roy | Edited by Len Wein

The Plot: Through the framing device of a case summary recording, Robin explains that Terry Long asked him to investigate Wonder Girl's past since it was very important to her that she learn where she came from prior to their wedding.

Robin and Wonder Girl investigate the tenement where young Donna Troy was found by Wonder Woman, uncovering a long hidden doll. The doll leads Robin to a toymaker, and subsequently to the former owner of an orphanage. Eventually, after unwinding a long series of clues, Robin reunites Wonder Girl with her adoptive mother and her new family, and with the grave of her biological mother.

My Thoughts: The point of this story is to explain Wonder Girl's origin, a plot point dating way back to THE NEW TEEN TITANS' very first issue. As I understand it, Wonder Girl was originally created as the childhood version of Wonder Woman -- but, when the original TEEN TITANS series launched in the sixties, writer Bob Haney (apparently well known for such continuity gaffes) assumed she was Wonder Woman's sidekick and brought her onto the team. This led to Marv Wolfman later teasing an origin for Wonder Girl in the final days of the original TITANS series, and now he follows up on that here.

THE NEW TEEN TITANS #37 & BATMAN AND THE OUTSIDERS #5

"LIGHT'S OUT, EVERYONE!" | "PSIMON SAYS..."
Writers: Marv Wolfman (NTT #37) & Mike W. BARR (B&TO #5)
Artists: George Pérez & Romeo Tanghal (NTT #37) & Jim Aparo (B&TO #5)
Letterers: John Costanza (NTT #37) & Jim Aparo (B&TO #5)
Colorist: Adrienne Roy | Editor: Len Wein

The Plot: (NTT #37) At the order of Psimon, Gizmo breaks Shimmer and Mammoth out of prison. Dr. Light convinces them to spring him as well. At the suggestion of Shimmer and Mammoth, Psimon leads the Fearsome Five to kidnap Dr. Jace, a woman with a technique for imbuing normal humans with superpowers.

Later, Terra leaves a Titans' meeting when she receives an emergency signal from Dr. Jace, who gave her and her brother their abilities. Terra heads for Jace's lab, where she finds the Outsiders -- Metamorpho, Katana, Halo, and Black Lightning -- investigating the demolished facility. The Titans catch up and a fight breaks out, but when the Outsiders' fifth member -- Terra's brother, Geo-Force -- reveals himself, both sides make amends.

The teams' respective leaders, Robin and Batman, are summoned from Gotham City while Psimon mentally coerces Dr. Jace into working with the Fearsome Five. When the heroes investigate several recently transformed half-mud vagrants, their path leads them to Psimon's lab outside Gotham City. There, Dr. Jace's procedure has been perfected and the Fearsome Five have an army of mud monsters under their control.

After a brief skirmish, Psimon triggers explosives on his island lair which sink it into the sea with the Titans and Outsiders aboard, while the villains and their monsters escape.