quote:Originally posted by Blacula: They're all fantastic! As all of Perez's Titans covers were. He was absolutely at the top of his game during this period (and that game is already streets ahead of most of the other artists out there).
I think Marv Wolfman is a vastly underrated writer actually. Sure, everyone remembers how well the NTT sold back in the day but no one really seems to talk about just how damn good it was. Same with Crisis. I don't think a single "event" that has come out since then can hold a candle to the original. And they both still hold up IMO.
It's a shame Wolfman eventually seemed to lose his mojo though - because some of his later Titans stories really paled in comparison to this era.
Have to agree COMPLETELY. Crisis was a wonderful stand-alone story. When I read it, I don't care that it ruined continuity and messed up Wonder Woman's history and all that.
I especially like Raven's cloak effect on the last cover.
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I can only speak for myself, but I read the "everyone has their own criteria" post as different strokes* for different folks/it's all good.
The only BAD here is NOT commenting on these covers!! Bah!!
*Remember when Nancy Reagan (semi-sponsor of the Titans drug issues) was on Diff'rent Strokes to promote Just Say No?
Registered: Jul 2003
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Set
There's not a word yet, for old friends who've just met.
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I love that second cover. It totally 'spoils' what goes on in the story, but it doesn't matter, since the real story is how those scenes came to pass. The colors are cool, and I like how even the fact that Nightwing is 'last man standing' is foreshadowed.
It's been, oh, how many years?, and I can still see Slade standing over Garfield saying 'vainglorious dolt.'
So much little background stuff in that issue, too. The maid worried that Garfield was going to jump out of nowhere and scare her, Victor fretting over his grandparents coming to town, Kory's visible excitement over getting a present from (she thought) Dick, etc.
I've blocked out Donna, probably because she was thinking about her wedding to He Who Must Not Be Named...
I haven't seen those comics for decades, but that cover brings it all back. (I'd say 'like yesterday,' I'm old and don't remember yesterday that clearly....)
The first cover does much the same. Among the scenes, we see Victor proving to himself that he can improve and is not limited to being 'just a machine,' a mini-storyline of personal growth that was later used in the Teen Titans cartoon as the focus for an episode. What, in that run, was probably handled in a page or so, became fodder for a 30 minute cartoon episode, and a powerful bit of characterization for Victor.
[ May 11, 2012, 07:13 AM: Message edited by: Set ]
Registered: Aug 2006
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I loved how Dick was the last one standing ...
The other amazing thing is that the Teen Titans and Uncanny X-Men were number 1 and 2 for years!! because of the stories and art!
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
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JUDAS CONTRACT COVERS SO GOOD I BROKE ALL MY FURNITURE!!
All right, maybe not, but I cut the second post short because I knocked over a glass of soda while typing and had to grab a mop. I've also realized I want to double-check a few things in the issues before really getting into it --- and I have a LOT to say.
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He had officially left the team a few issues earlier.
The shift from the New Teen Titans v.1 to the team post-JC always stood out for me in terms of colors. The loss of Kid Flash & Robin was a major loss of red & yellows; while the addition of Nightwing & Jericho saw a lot more blues & blacks.
A foreshadowing of what was to come thereafter in the 80's, as the colorful heroes of the 70's gave way to more mature, darker storytelling?
From: If you don't want my peaches, honey... | Registered: Sep 2003
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1-3 have the logo in a box, which is not seen on other NTT/Tales issues (except 53, partially)
The "3D trail" (is there a term for that?) on the word Titans is shorter now, as it had been for a few issues (and had been on a few earlier covers presumably when the art needed a little more space)
Logo color combo is red/yellow on 1, 2, & 4; this was a popular choice throughout NTT/Tales
For 1 & 2, the 3 page-top elements (Titans logo, "The Judas Contract", the box) are the three primary colors, one per element (not counting the secondary logo color). Although 4 does not have a box -- probably due to the ANNUAL logo -- if you count the cloak as a de facto box, that fits too.
Most (but certainly not all) NTT/Tales covers were single action scenes. 1-3 have either 3 or 6 distinct scenes, which seems to work well with the title boxes more than a typical action scene.
The "compartments" of the first three fit, as the contents tell multiple pieces of the same story. (1: documents before the curtain. 2: assembling the players 3: backstory on what set everything in motion and then plans to go forward). 4 is EVERYONE IN THE POOL.
BOOK 1
The turquoise-y blue title box looks really sharp with the black background of the rest of the cover. I wish the logo had a different color/combo though...I don't care for red+yellow all that much.
I really like "The Eyes of Tara Markov!" as a title (lose the ! though) even if it is a tossed-off reference to a movie (which I haven't seen, and from the summary I read doesn't match closely to this?)
The contact lens camera and surveillance scenes were first seen in NTT 39.
Scenes on a bank of surveillance monitors (figurative bank, as in 39 and 42 Slade & Tara look at a single screen) --- yes! Black and white, slightly wavy/grainy, like security cameras were and maybe still are?
Six Titans in five scenes...and SLADE in the last one. Yes! (Also, check 39 to see the continuity of the scene. If you can tear your eyes away from the chick on the beanbag, that is.)
BOOK 2
I wonder what this would look like with a title box in another color... either not yellow or a different shade of it
This cover is somewhat like NTT 8...except this is an exceptionally badDay in the Life of the Titans
The 4 Titans who are taken down indirectly share the 2 quarters to the sides. Those who are confronted directly get the "hourglass".
I too like the colors of the pieces. The womenfolk get the hot colors: red, pink, orange/yellow; the guys get the cool: green, lighter blue, blue indigo. Hot/cool alternated.
BOOK 3
Title/box is red/white/blue
In the image I've attached, it looks like the title box red is slightly more orangey-red closer to the price box, and also in Jericho's background. I have 3 copies, and one looks like that and two look uniformly red.
This is probably the most 'famous' of the covers (triple key?) due to the Nightwing identity and Jericho debuts + Deathstroke origin
Dick and Joe are just posing in their pictures...and though they are the active participants of the story inside, they are really framing the true central character: Slade.
Dick is backed up by the Titans, no surprise. Joe's background people, though, aren't all his allies (Tara, HIVE) but play a part in his story.
D & J are static, but Deathstroke fronts an action scene
"There Shall Come A Titan!" is a silly title
BOOK 4
I mentioned at the top of the thread that the blue "background" was very memorable for me, and I didn't remember it was Raven's cloak.
I think the yellow of the logo works nicely with the blue, but again...I wish the secondary logo color wasn't red!
Tara's head turning around was also memorable to me.
quote:Originally posted by Thriftshop Debutante: The only BAD here is NOT commenting on these covers!! Bah!!
Well, since you insist.
It's been, what, 30 years since I read these stories, so I barely remember them. As such, I can only judge the covers on their artistic (and entirely subjective) merits.
My favorite cover of the four is Part One because it takes chances: the black and white video images with the red eyes and nose superimposed convey mystery. This cover comes the closest to telling a story, which, I think, covers should do. The content of the black and white images almost doesn't matter, although the image of Slade staring into the camera gives me chills.
Part Two is a mess, although the colors are eye-catching. I have no idea what my eye is to focus on first, and the monochromatic colors dilute the impact of the images. The bottom image, for example, shows Deathstroke striking someone (Dick, I presume), but the emotional impact is blunted by the "cold" color. I have no interest in deciphering what's going on in the other images. This cover, I think, represents style over substance.
Part Three resembles a movie poster, which is fine if you're into movie posters. Personally, I think it's static and boring.
Part Four is my second favorite cover, because it, too, tells a story and conveys action. It's clear where my eye is supposed to go. Raven's stylistic cape adds to the originality of the piece without distracting from what's happening, as is the case with the diamond grid of Part Two.
-------------------- The Semi-Great Gildersleeve - writing, super-heroes, and this 'n' that
From: The Stasis Zone | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Thriftshop Debutante: I can only speak for myself, but I read the "everyone has their own criteria" post as different strokes* for different folks/it's all good.
Maybe so, but I'm not sure why it was felt that I needed reminding of that fact.
In my experience the only times a person is told that "everyone has their own opinions" is when either -
A) they are a child and are unsure of how human interactions work; or B) they are an adult on a message board who's just written something another person has taken offence to, so that person reminds them of A).
Anyway, I'm over it. Moving on...
Your level of analysis of these covers is amazing, TD.
I never noticed before that Part 2 is a twisted inversion of the 'Day in the Life' cover.
I love colourful old comics so all the different hues and tones on display here don't bother me. I wonder if Part 2's cover wouldn't have benefitted from a softer palette though - maybe just a light blue and red? The harsh and violent clash of colours does a good job of suggesting the shocking betrayal/violence that the book contains though.
I also agree that the Titans don't look concerned enough on the Part 4 cover. In fact, other than Gar, they don't look 'anything' enough. However, showing anger or whatever on the rest of the team's faces may have distracted from the fact that this was a Gar/Tara moment, and his betrayal was the worst.
Will you be examining any other old Perez Titans covers TD? There are so many good ones to choose from?
From: Australia | Registered: Dec 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Dev - Em: Everyone has their own criteria for what makes a cover 'good,' or even 'great.'
Gee, thanks for the condescending post.
I didn't realise these (still great) covers were off limits from mild criticism.
Blacula, you totally misread that. Not everyone likes the same stuff, and that's one of the things that makes life interesting and fun. It would be boring if everyone liked the exact same thing.
I wasn't trying to be condescending, but was trying to actually support your opinion of that cover. You have every right to like it or not, just like any of us.
Sorry if it came off the wrong way.
From: Turn around... | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Thriftshop Debutante: I can only speak for myself, but I read the "everyone has their own criteria" post as different strokes* for different folks/it's all good.
Maybe so, but I'm not sure why it was felt that I needed reminding of that fact.
In my experience the only times a person is told that "everyone has their own opinions" is when either -
A) they are a child and are unsure of how human interactions work; or B) they are an adult on a message board who's just written something another person has taken offence to, so that person reminds them of A).
Anyway, I'm over it. Moving on...
Saw this after I made the above post. Thanks...
You forgot another possibility. Maybe the person had just found out that the bones in their foot are collapsing in on itself the day before, and had been sent home from their job that day...possibly for the duration of the healing process. Maybe I was just trying to distract myself by coming on here and made a few random posts to get my mind off of things. Like the fact that if the treatment that they are doing on my foot does not work, I am looking at loosing it within a few years,
So sorry if it somehow offended you. This will be the last time I comment on it. It will also be the last time I say anything about one of your posts for a while.
What I wrote did not personally insult you. You crossed that line. So I will keep my childish responses and leave you the hell alone.
From: Turn around... | Registered: Jul 2003
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BAH!! Part 3 is ALL about the new and intricate costumes!!
Although I think GP missed the mark on Jericho's boots ... and Slades for that matter ... I'm not sure if I was a ninja assassin if I'd wear floppy boots that could catch on everything.
Look how cute Deathstroke looks ... showing off his gun and staff .... "Im a badass ... now I'm gonna go kill some kids!"
GP can draw some thighs!
From: Ninja Land | Registered: Nov 2004
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