Teen Tittans - The Judas Contract.

 

The last Teen Titans movie wisely focused on Damian Wayne, our favorite bratty ten year old Robin and his introduction into the Teen Titans, DC Comics' underage superhero team. I used to love that comic and was one I collected monthly. Over the run of that book there were many team up changes and additions and one of them was Tara Markov. She, like her elder brother had the power to move the Earth which made her very useful in fight and also very powerful. Tara also came with a lot of baggage that fully was on display during the Titan's greatest story, The Judas Contract where Slade Wilson manipulated her to gain advantage over the Titans.

Because of Tara's treachery she was able to give Slade Wilson information about the team that allowed Wilson to defeat all of them one by one except for Robin (Dick Grayson) who escaped. If the betrayal wasn't enough these four issues introduced a new character in JERICO and a new identity for the first Robin, Dick Grayson. He from then on was known as NIGHTWING. This was HUGE stuff back in the 80s and when I heard that this was the latest from DC Animation, I was looking forward to it. All in all I was pleased at what I saw despite some changes that had to be made. I just wish they had found a way to work this discoriffic Nightwing costume into the story. And Jerico (who is not in the film) also looks ready for some early 80s clubbing.

Liberties had to be taken with the cast to reflect 20 years of change but some things stay intact. It's Tara's story and that has to include Beast Boy who is in love with her. It's got Robin having an adult relationship with Starfire as the two move in together. It's got betrayal and heroism and teamwork and all the things that made the comic story such a hit.

Damian is wisely out of the picture as he gets captured early on but that is a good thing. Nightwing is the star here and this is as much his story as it is Tara's. I enjoyed this one despite the fact that Brother Blood is a pretty lame villain with a pretty goofy plan. It serviced the story but just barely. I much more enjoyed all the character/teamwork stuff which was always the best thing about the Teen Titans.

 

Tara story is a sad one filled with pain. In the comic her and Slade had a sexual affair even with her looking all of 15. That relationship is alluded to here but not explored further. After the whole Batman and Batgirl sex debacle from Killing Joke they tried to avoid the whole issue but couldn't so the creators just mentioned it and moved on. That relationship is what allowed Slade to control Tara and make her dependant on him and that answers the may question from the story - WHY DID SHE BETRAY HER TEAMMATES?  Made him more of a creep back then as opposed to the anti-hero that he has become these days.

I you are fan of the original story by George Perez and Marv Wolfman, then give this one a try. Another solid effort by DC Animation.