The New Teen Titans #34
Published and © by DC, August 1983
Title: “Endings … and Beginnings!”
Synopsis: The Terminator returns to execute the contract on the Titans lives – with help from a shocking ally.
Writer: Marv Wolfman
Artist (layouts): George Pérez
Embellisher: Romeo Tanghal
Review: This was one of the only comic books to make Little Me gasp aloud. The New Teen Titans often played up or down to the quality of a particular issue’s villain, so the return of the terrifying Terminator already made this issue a winner. But it is the shocking, post-fight revelation of a traitor in the Titans’ midst that sets off one of the Bronze Age’s classic storylines. In retrospect, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez had actually been fairly generous with the clues, but, damn, this one was a gut punch at the time. And it holds up well today.
Grade: A
Cool factor: “The Judas Contract” is on!
Not-so-cool factor: Oh, Terra. You broke Little Me’s heart.
Notable: The story continues in The New Teen Titans Annual #2 (see review).
Collector’s note: According to the Grand Comics Database, there is a 75¢ Canadian variant of this issue. … According to MyComicShop.com, there is also a Mark Jewelers variant.
Character quotable: “To success, old friend. It’s so much more pleasurable than failure.” – Slade Wilson, Terminator
Editor’s note: This review was written July 22, 2024.
