What Does the Lazarus Contract Mean For The Titans, Teen Titans, and Deathstroke?
'The Lazarus Contract,' the three-series crossover between Titans, Teen Titans, and Deathstroke, [...]
"The Lazarus Contract," the three-series crossover between Titans, Teen Titans, and Deathstroke, wrapped up today in a special Annual issue of Teen Titans that was, for all intents and purposes, a Lazarus Contract One-Shot.
The story left the various groupings of characters altered or damaged, and not entirely surprisingly: it was, after all, a Deathstroke story at heart.
In the series, Deathstroke pursued (and obtained) Speed Force powers so that he could travel back in time and attempt to save the life of his son Grant, the original Ravager, who died after HIVE pumped him full of drugs to enhance his abilities and then pointed the unstable young man, who idolized Deathstroke, at the Teen Titans.
In Teen Titans Annual, out this week, Deathstroke successfully travels back in time, but is foiled when Damian Wayne uses a League of Assassins trick to stop the elder Wally West's heart in the past, "killing" him for just enough time to disrupt the timeline and mess with Slade's connection to the Speed Force.
There's fallout for Slade, who pledged to hang up his Deathstroke outfit after this, as well as for the Titans and Teen Titans, each of whom seems to be in danger of losing their own speedster.
What's the final word, and what do the next month or two hold for the series? Read on...!
TITANS
Titans is the hardest book for which to predict exactly what this means.
In the final issue of the crossover, a time-traveling Damian Wayne briefly "killed" the teenage Wally West. Apparently, even after they revived him, it caused long-term damage to his heart, and that's something currently playing out as Wally has been told by a doctor that he needs to stop being The Flash.
In case the physical toll wasn't enough, Wally isn't exactly thrilled that, following the events of DC Universe: Rebirth and its fallout, someone is messing with his timeline again.
As the series moves forward, solicitations doin't give us a good sense of what this means for Wally or the team, but it looks like they won't be dealing with it right away, as there are bigger and worse things looming...!
TITANS #12
Written by DAN ABNETT • Art and cover by KENNETH ROCAFORT • Variant cover by DAN MORA
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
"Bad Omen"! After the stunning events of "The Lazarus Contract" rocked the Titans to their core and called into question the team's leadership, Omen discovers the shocking truth about their future—that one of their very own is destined to betray them…and it could be anyone!
On sale JUNE 14 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
TEEN TITANS
There's a pretty clear sense of direction here -- and it's almost too bad, becuase the series still hasn't really come to a point where it has a stable lineup and a status quo, so this latest shakeup feels even bigger than it really is.
Again, we seem to have Damian Wayen against the rest of the team -- a theme that's been played with basically since the first issue of the series -- and it will be interesting to see what makes Wally actually listen to him and leave, since one would have thought that at some point the rest of the team would just get tired of Damian's attitude.
In any case, Kid Flash is going to depart the team -- and of course, we know where he will end up. What that means for his future with the Teen Titans, and with the rest of the heroes of the DC Universe in general, is anybody's guess.
You can check out the official solicitaiton text below.
TEEN TITANS #9
Written by BENJAMIN PERCY • Art by KHOI PHAM and WADE VON GRAWBADGER • Cover by KHOI PHAM • Variant cover by Paolo Pantalena
Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
"Blood of the Manta" part one! Still dealing with the consequences of "The Lazarus Contract," Kid Flash's status with the team is challenged by Damian…and the Teen Titans will never be the same. Meanwhile, Aqualad learns more about his powers and the truth about his lineage is revealed!
On sale JUNE 28 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T
DEATHSTROKE
This summer, Deathstroke the Terminator becomes Deathstroke the Hero as Christopher Priest's dangerous mercenary comic brings together a group of young superheroes to pursue justice at his side.
Following the events of "The Lazarus Contract" and a trip to the Speed Force, Deathstroke has dedicated himself to a new lifestyle -- which means a new direction for the series.
Among his allies are the post-Flashpoint Wally West, Power Girl, and his own kids, Rose and Jericho. Deathstroke, however, doesn't have the trust of teh superhero community or the world at large. Does he deserve it?
In spite of a cold, calculating Slade dominating the acclaimed series, the superhero team won't be the first time we've seen a more introspective take on the character. In February, Priest and Denys Cowan did an issue where Deathstroke had to deal with the fallout of gun violence.
"It gets into the realm of reality when you start dealing with violence and the consequences of violence, and the consequences of gun ownership, and the consequences of what happens in all those circumstances. That took us into a different realm," Cowan explained. "So, now we're talking about a meditation and asking questions about the very nature of this stuff. That's what separated this story for me from the stuff that we normally do in comics. This is much closer to what we would do at Milestone, frankly, than what we usually do in main stream comics. This comic is almost like a milestone prototype in terms of the approach and the talent involved. And, even the way it looks, and the way it feels, and the way it reads. It's much closer to those kinds of elements than normal comics."
You can check out the official synopsis below.
DEATHSTROKE #21
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST—Art by DIOGENES NEVES—Cover by RYAN SOOK—Variant cover by SHANE DAVIS
*Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.
"DEFIANCE" part one! A new day has dawned for Deathstroke. Having emerged from the Speed Force a changed man, Slade Wilson takes aim at living a better life—a life in service of justice. But when the world refuses to accept the new Deathstroke, Slade recruits a group of young heroes to join him including including former Teen Titans, Kid Flash and Power Girl, his children, Rose and Jericho, and the bombastic Terra! But has Slade truly shed his villainous past? And what other shadowy forces are working against him? Find out as Deathstroke's bold new direction begins here!
On sale JULY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+
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