The Judas Contract a look back

[chrisco37]

Yeah - I'll hold up Daredevil vol 2 # 16-87 against anyone who says "modern books suck" or "modern superhero books" don't cut it.

 

I've read nearly every issue of Daredevil through 2007, and that unbroken run easily surpasses both of Frank Miller's.

 

But # 26-40 fit the frame here because it's essentially one continuous story, albeit told over two story arcs:

 

The Kingpin discovers Matt's identity, reveals it to the world, and Matt, Foggy, & everyone else deal with the fall-out.

 

And here, "everyone else" includes Spider-Man, Luke Cage, Iron Fist, Jessica Jones, Elektra, & White Tiger.

 

Yep. During that time, I was getting a lot of new books every month (probably15+ titles). Daredevil was almost always at the top of the reading pile.

 

I liked it just as much as the Miller stuff.

[Jeffro.]

I think Judas Contact is due for a re-read

[chrisco37]

I think Judas Contact is due for a re-read

 

Agree. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

[Jeffro.]

For those of you talking about Daredevil, exactly which series are you referring to? I see Daredevil Vol 2 mentioned. That's the one started in 1998 correct?

 

Stupid questions, I know but with all the reboots Marvel has done in the last 15 or so years, it's hard to keep up. And if there's one thing I have not kept up with, it's moderns.

[chrisco37]

That's the one. It was part of the "Marvel Knights" line which, I think, was aimed at more "mature" readers. Initially Kevin Smith was the writer, but Bendis took over pretty early on.

 

Also, it wasn't a true "reboot". Just a renumbering scheme. It kept the continuity from the original series.

 

[Jeffro.]

Thanks. Might have to look into it.

[chrisco37]

The Bendis/Maleev run is available in TPB. If you liked the Netflix show, you'll probably like the run. I felt like the show tried to emulate the feel of this run (and did a good job at it).

[Gatsby77]

Agreed - the Daredevil TV show owes far more to the Bendis/Maleev run of Daredevil vol. 2 than it does to Miller's runs.

 

And I'm excited that they could fairly easily adapt # 26-40 with the characters (sans Spider-Man) that Netflix has already introduced.

[Logan510]

Agreed - the Daredevil TV show owes far more to the Bendis/Maleev run of Daredevil vol. 2 than it does to Miller's runs.

 

And I'm excited that they could fairly easily adapt # 26-40 with the characters (sans Spider-Man) that Netflix has already introduced.

 

 

 

[Martin Sinescu]

Agreed - the Daredevil TV show owes far more to the Bendis/Maleev run of Daredevil vol. 2 than it does to Miller's runs.

 

And I'm excited that they could fairly easily adapt # 26-40 with the characters (sans Spider-Man) that Netflix has already introduced.

 

Weird. I would say it's more a case of Miller begat Bendis begat Netflix. I never did finish the Bendis run, but it felt pretty derivative of Miller to me. It was good enough, and maybe it gets better later on, but it just wasn't rockin' my world like I thought.

[RockMyAmadeus]

It is a great story, the best that Perez and Wolfman ever told. And it took them almost two years to develop (from #26 to Annual #3.)

 

It is absolutely one of the best of the age. DC was firing on all cylinders during those years.

 

Exactly. I always thought Titans was better then the X-Men. Not even close, really. And I wish you'd change your Spoilers thing. I enjoy your posts and would rather not have to extra-click to see them.

 

 

I really appreciate that, but there are people who complain about my posts...a lot...instead of just ignoring me. Since I am "the most moderated person on the board who isn't (yet) banned" (as Architecht says), and since moderation responds to quantity of complaints, rather than merit, I have to keep those complaints to a minimum. I figure, if people really want to read what I have to say, they'll take the effort, and those who have a problem with me won't bother.

 

It's actually worked out pretty well so far.

 

[chrisco37]

It is a great story, the best that Perez and Wolfman ever told. And it took them almost two years to develop (from #26 to Annual #3.)

 

It is absolutely one of the best of the age. DC was firing on all cylinders during those years.

 

Exactly. I always thought Titans was better then the X-Men. Not even close, really. And I wish you'd change your Spoilers thing. I enjoy your posts and would rather not have to extra-click to see them.

 

 

I really appreciate that, but there are people who complain about my posts...a lot...instead of just ignoring me. Since I am "the most moderated person on the board who isn't (yet) banned" (as Architecht says), and since moderation responds to quantity of complaints, rather than merit, I have to keep those complaints to a minimum. I figure, if people really want to read what I have to say, they'll take the effort, and those who have a problem with me won't bother.

 

It's actually worked out pretty well so far.

 

It is a pain, but it's usually worth the "click". It has seemed to cut down (nay, eliminate) the battles.

 

It was actually a brilliant move on your part.

[RockMyAmadeus]

It is a great story, the best that Perez and Wolfman ever told. And it took them almost two years to develop (from #26 to Annual #3.)

 

It is absolutely one of the best of the age. DC was firing on all cylinders during those years.

 

Exactly. I always thought Titans was better then the X-Men. Not even close, really. And I wish you'd change your Spoilers thing. I enjoy your posts and would rather not have to extra-click to see them.

 

 

I really appreciate that, but there are people who complain about my posts...a lot...instead of just ignoring me. Since I am "the most moderated person on the board who isn't (yet) banned" (as Architecht says), and since moderation responds to quantity of complaints, rather than merit, I have to keep those complaints to a minimum. I figure, if people really want to read what I have to say, they'll take the effort, and those who have a problem with me won't bother.

 

It's actually worked out pretty well so far.

 

It is a pain, but it's usually worth the "click". It has seemed to cut down (nay, eliminate) the battles.

 

It was actually a brilliant move on your part.

 

 

And I haven't changed my "tone", approach, or anything else about "how I post" that Architecht has complained at great length about. The people who are easily offended and stomp around the board throwing temper tantrums because someone challenges what they say are usually too lazy to bother to click. Janet said it best: "won't put me on ignore? Here, let me facilitate that for you." And you know what...? Much fewer complaints.

 

But I digress, and we're derailing this thread.

 

[fastballspecial]

I think Judas Contact is due for a re-read

 

Agree. Thanks to the OP for starting this thread.

 

Really its just overlooked in the great scheme of stories. The Great Darkness Saga is another one we should have a thread for.

 

I wont go as far as to say the Judas Contract was better then Dark Phoenix, but it was in the ballpark.

 

The difference for me was I don't remember any letters coming in to Teen Titans crying about how upset their younger siblings were because Terra died. I didn't see the outcry like DP had. There was no editor scandal either which I think played into it as well.

 

It wasn't on a Universe scale like DP was. It had the same slow build and even much longer I think then X-men, but was more methodically I think.

 

[Point Five]

I'm quite envious of those who read it off the shelves -- it seems a story of this drama and quality would've been earth-shattering back in 1984.

As a monthly reader at the time, issue 34 was just a mind blower.

 

And then... they made you wait. For months. You knew Terra was a traitor. But when would the payoff come...? And would she REALLY betray the Titans? This teenage girl that all we fanboys had come to love vicariously...

Meant to respond to this thread. Belatedly:

 

I read NTT #28 to #44 as they were released, and the suspense was unreal. I loved the character of Terra, and absolutely, issue #34 completely blew my young mind. I can still remember every detail of the moment of reading it for the first time and being absolutely astonished when I got to the last page.

 

Then the WAIT for each issue after that was unbearable. If memory serves, there was a skip month before issue #35 FINALLY came out, and I was checking the local stands every single week (no shipping info back then, either you caught an issue when it happened to reach the newsstand or you missed it completely). When #35 hit I couldn't believe there was no advancement of the Terra/Deathstroke plot. The same with #36... #37... #38. A slow tease the likes of which is rarely done by writers today.

 

#39 was an excellent 'Titans at home' issue and still a personal fave. #40 and #41 were treading water a bit with Brother Blood. But then #42... wow. The beginning of an absolute masterpiece. Even down to the final few pages of Annual #3, I was rooting for Terra to survive. Heartbreaking when she didn't.

 

If there's a downside to that excellent storyline, it's that I've found it nearly impossible to enjoy later work with the Titans. Modern versions of the characters feel lobotomized. It set an incredibly high standard that other Titans writers can't even come close to.

 

Still love those books today. Great reading.

 

 

[500Club]

Just recently, I read a Pro2Pro interview with Wolfman and Perez in Back Issue, where they recalled plotting the Judas Contract, and the demise of Terra.

 

Wolfman said only in New York could two men sit in a deli and discuss the killing off of a teenage girl without drawing a sideways look.