This review contains minor spoilers.
The finale of “The Lazarus Contract” has arrived in Teen Titans: The Lazarus Contract Special #1, and what a fitting conclusion it is to the best arc of 2017 so far. In fact, it’s so good that this issue will surely end up on many ‘best of’ lists by the end of the year.
As Deathstroke rips through time to save his son Grant from death, the Titans teams go back to the past to stop Slade. Unfortunately, Damian Wayne doesn’t play well with others and decides to stop the past Wally’s heart in an attempt to cut Deathstroke’s speed power at the source. Yes, the little douche actually did that, can you believe it? Credit where credit’s due, though, because the plan does work.
With Deathstroke trapped inside the Speed Force, there’s a moment of celebration for the heroes, since this means the villain is gone forever. Kid Flash refuses to allow it, however, believing this outcome only makes them as bad as Slade, and he decides to go into the Speed Force to save their enemy. Realizing that he’s right, the Titans hatch a plan to save everyone. The two Wallys end up saving Slade, who drops the bomb that he’s done with the Deathstroke moniker.
The epilogues of the issue show us how Robin fires Kid Flash from the Teen Titans, and Wally West is advised to give up being the Flash due to the damage done to his heart by Damian. These are two huge events that will undoubtedly shape the futures of both teams and characters in arcs to come.
There’s no other way to describe this book other than phenomenal. It contains absolutely everything that you would’ve wanted from a finale and changes the course of several of its main characters. Between Priest, Benjamin Percy, and Dan Abnett, they’ve scripted a modern classic here. Years from now, we’ll be referencing “The Lazarus Contract” in much the same way that we discuss “The Judas Contract.” It’s just that good.
This arc is also responsible for making a real star out of Kid Flash. The character has been a lost soul in Rebirth, struggling in the shadows of Barry Allen and the older Wally West. Yet, here, he’s the one who truly understands what being a hero is all about. While it would’ve been far easier to let Slade perish in the Speed Force, he understands that this action would only make the heroes as bad as the villain. He’s prepared to sacrifice himself for someone who probably wouldn’t do the same for him. That’s the mark of a true hero.
Paul Pelletier handles all the penciling – bar the epilogues – and he produces a gorgeous issue. Action aside, Pelletier expertly captures the emotional undertone of the issue, with more than a few panels that hit you right in the feels. This is the sort of art that will live on in your memory when you recall this storyline down the line.
Overall, Teen Titans: The Lazarus Contract Special #1 is everything you want it to be, concluding a major arc in style. Priest, Percy, Abnett, and the art team need to take a bow. “The Lazarus Contract” is an instant classic.
