Slade Wilson: Contract Journal - Part 1

 Introduction

This project has the goal of documenting and organizing every major aparrence of the fictional character know as Deathstroke the Terminator, with some behind the scenes info where i can find anything relevant. Also, I just want to have some fun re reading some of my favorite comics and sharing the experience. 
Today, we explore Slade first ever appearance , The New Teen Titans #2. 

The story thus far

Before The New Teen Titans #2, Wolfman's & Pérez Titans began on DC Comics Presents #26, think of that as a pilot episode and New Teen Titans as a TV show. There, Robin(Dick Grayson) goes through something that he interpreted as a dream, but in reality, was a vision from the future, the New Teen Titans. He sees his old and future friends, with the mysterious Raven hinting at a dark future ahead. The Teen Titans where a group created in the 60's(1964 to be exact), first debuting in Brave and the Bold #54, one year later they gained their own title. They lasted 53 issues with the last issue showing the team going their separate ways. 

That bring us to 1980, writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, two legends of the comic book industry, had the task of reviving the team(is somewhat worth remembering that Wolfman had worked on Teen Titans, issue 20 of that run was written originally by him). After DC Comics Presents #26, issue 1 of New Teen Titans begins with Starfire, Princess Koriand'r or Kory Anders if you will, running away from the Citadel, meanwhile, Raven assembles the New Teen Titans in order to help Starfire and prepare for an upcoming menace, Trigon.

Dick Grayson(Robin), Wally West(Kid Flash), Raven(Rachel Roth), Victor Stone(Cyborg), Garfield Logan(Beast Boy), Donna Troy(Wonder Girl) and Starfire form DC's newest group. Issue 1 also sees a smaller character called Grant Wilson, is made clear for the reader this is someone with anger issues and toxic behavior. That lead us  to... 

The New Teen Titans #2: Today...  The Terminator! 

Writer, Co - Creators, Layouts: Marv Wolfman and George Pérez.

Finisher: Romeo Tanghal

Letterer:  Ben Oda

Colorist: Adrienne Roy

Editor: Len Wein 

Let's start with the cover, what a image to start, all of the Titans defeated, expect for Raven, with a character proclaiming he killed them all. However, a figure in the darkness, says that he was the one who killed them. And there we have it, Deathstroke the Terminator. What an awesome cover, it's bombastic but mysterious at the same time. The cover also takes place in a location from the comic book, and as we'll see, it's pretty much a preview for a scene that actually happens. I miss when comic books used to do this for covers. In a interview from Comics Feature #19, in 1982, Pérez talks about an idea from a cover he never got into doing it but we can see some of his ideas on this cover.

"I thought of one cover idea where the scene is a cemetery – you know, gnarled trees and twisted decay – and, on the tombstones scattered about, are the names of all the Titans save Robin. And Robin is standing totally in tatters at this point, and standing in the distance – like the opening scenes in GUNSMOKE – you can see the arm and the leg of the Terminator, saying, “Okay, Robin, I’ve terminated the others. You’re the last one."

And just for the sake of it, the opening from Gunsmoke, the western TV show. 

The comic opens already showing us who the Terminator is and we get a masterclass about how to introduce characters. In two and a half pages we get all we need to know for now very naturally. The Terminator is a gun for hire, he's the best, he's straightforward, he has his own rules, he has dealt with the worst of the worst and is casual about it, he's also very strong and agile. In two and a half pages this guy already feels like a threat. We're also introduced to the H.I.V.E. and their plan of having someone like the Terminator working for them. 

During that time, Grant Wilson was having a conversation with his girlfriend, scared of Grant's behavior, she wants to break up with him. Grant tries holding her by the arm while saying that that they are not done, luckly for the girl the Teen Titans show up to check on her and Starfire blasts Grant, not killing him of course. He leaves and proclaims they're not done one more time. We also got some clues about who he is, about his father and a brother we'll see much later. 

After that, the group  faces a bunch of thugs and we get an idea about how they are operating. Due to how the scene is written we get clear spotlights on each member and their dynamics. And of course, the Terminator is spying on the team.

Now he understands why the H.I.V.E wants the Titans taken out, we also get more about him. His current base of operations and his "Alfred", Billy Wintergreen. We also get to know more about what makes him the best, he's meticulous, he studies everyone in his surroundings. In the meanwhile, Grant takes part in a procedure to make him like the Terminator. We also get a quick scene showing Raven trying to talk with a mysterious being and Wally trying to understand why he joined the Titans.

Then, we're taken to East Hampton, the team is hanging out at Gar's mansion, or Gar's step dad mension i must say. Except for Cyborg who still is having problems about how he feels towards his father. Out of the sudden, Victor is attacked by a figure dressed like Deathstroke, and he calls himself the Ravager.

 Of course, he's Grant Wilson, now with powers similar to the Terminator. They fight and when Cyborg gets the upper hand, Slade shows up and stuns him. Slade then takes Grant away after that. 

We cut back to the Teen Titans and see a little bit more about Starfire, until Cyborg shows up and tells the group about what just happened to him. But the comic takes us to Deathstroke's perspective now, we see he and Wintergreen talking with Grant and trying to warn him about the dangers of his powers. The boy ignores them and goes after the Titans again. We cut immediately to that, Grant goes after the team and Deathstroke goes in to help. We get a really nice fight scene, with the two beating the Teen Titans. 

However, Grant's powers have a price, the boy burns from his insides as he fights and that ends up being his end. We get a really good emotional scene as well, Deathstroke is clearly affected by the boy's death. Raven creates an illusion for Grant, he sees the Titans defeated so he can go in peace. She lets Slade leave with Ravager's body and there, a rivalry is born. We then get an epilogue that shows Deathstroke's face and it's revealed that he is Grant Wilson's father, Slade Wilson.

Since Grant died trying to complete a contract for the H.I.V.E, that contract being defeating the Teen Titans, Slade takes the contract so that his son can rest with honor. 

What a first appearance!

Closing thoughts

What a great issue, we get decent if not great time and information about the main cast, new intriguing threats and some nice text about the dangers of hatred and vengeance.

Slade just stands out, the way he acts feels different from everything else in the comic book. The way he looks and talks when Grant dies is genuinely emocional, it just lands with the reader. His motivation is simply as solid as you can expect. Wolfman claims that the idea for Slade came in an instant and he knew he had something special. He said the best characters are the ones that you can think in an instant, that can be seen and felt here. The pacing of the comic helps a lot too. How fast things happens just feels right, the amount of things happening also feels very appropriate. Even tho it looks like an 80's comic, it feels modern enough due to how mature the text is. The themes talked about here still relevant especially for young readers, With Grant, we have a tale about getting with the wrong people, letting anger and hatred consume you. How dangerous that is. Just smart, as you expect from Wolfman. The art and colours are great as well, it's a delight to look at it.

I plan on giving scores for each comic we'll explore on this series. Here's how my score works:

1 - bad 

2- mediocre 

3-  good 

4 - great 

5- outstanding  

With that in mind, I have to give this issue a 5/5. That's it for today. Next week, i'll be taking a look at New Teen Titans #9 and #10. Have a good one.