COMIC BOOK OF THE WEEK – “The New Titans” #83 (February 1992)

The New Titans #83 (February 1992)

This week’s “Comic Book of the Week” is “The New Titans” #83, which was published by DC Comics in February 1992. This comic was titled “A Thousand Souls,” and it was the second part in a three-part series called “The Jericho Gambit.” This issue's creative team included Marv Wolfman, writer; Tom Grummett, penciller; Al Vey, inker; John Costanza, letterer; Adrienne Roy, colorist; and Jonathan Peterson, editor.  Grummett and Vey were the cover artists, and the issue sold for $1.75 at newsstands.

“The New Titans” #83 was a 28-page issue that begins on the ruined planted of Azarath, which was destroyed by Trigon, with Pantha, Phantasm, Troia, Red Star, Arella and Deathstroke standing outside a large, metallic building. Arella says she senses hundreds of angry souls in turmoil. That scene ends with Pantha ambushing a lone, patrolling Wildebeest sentry.

Inside, Jericho releases Nightwing and the original Wildebeest from a holding cell and a few panels later Jericho disintegrates the Wildebeest with an energy blast.

Back outside, the Titans have split up into two groups, and Deathstroke and Phantasm have partnered up to get inside the alien structure through an air conduit. The others – Arella, Red Star, Pantha and Troia – have entered through another route and eventually get into a one-sided fight with a bunch of Wildebeests. After their fight, they enter a large room, where they find several other Titans unconscious and hooked up to a menacing-looking machine. Nightwing, who’s hooked up to a machine, tells them not to damage the machinery.

Elsewhere in the building, Deathstroke and Phantasm find a lab containing a large canister housing some sort of weird experiment. While they’re in there trying to wrap their minds around what they’re seeing, a Wildebeest shows up and zaps Phantasm with a blast of energy. Deathstroke then turns around and blasts the Wildebeest with his energy lance. Phantasm tells Deathstroke to go warn the others about what they’ve found in the lab.

The other Titans have now freed Nightwing from his bonds and are trying to get him back to the surface when they figure out that something’s not right. Jericho’s “Soul Self” is actually hiding inside Nightwing and comes out to attack the Titans out in the hallway. Deathstroke shows up around that time, but Jericho, who is actually Deathstroke’s son, knocks them all out.

Later, the Titans wake up connected to Jericho’s ominous machine. In true super-villain fashion, Jericho then begins to ramble at length and reveals that his body is now the vessel of the souls of the former residents of Azarath. These souls, which were poisoned by Trigon’s evil, can now only survive by inhabiting physical bodies, and not just any ol' regular bodies. Superhero bodies, like those of the Titans and Superman, work best because of their superhuman composition.

No body lasts forever though, and Jericho’s body is beginning to wear out. While Jericho is going on and on, Deathstroke manages to escape from his bonds. While Deathstroke is fighting it out with some Wildebeests, Jericho flips on his “Transference Machine” and the “Souls of Azarath” begin leaving Jericho’s body and entering the bodies of the captured Titans.

Deathstroke outs with his sword, kills a bespectacled henchman running the machine and determines that he only has one choice if he’s going to stop this madness. The last page of the issue, which is teased to on the front cover, shows Deathstroke running his own son, Jericho, through the back with his sword and screaming, “I – have to do this… I HAVE TO! OH, SWEET GOD – I HAVE NO CHOICE!!” The issue ends with the words – “NEXT MONTH: A Grand Finale So Stunning, So Earth-Shaking, It Will Change The Titans FOREVER!”

This comic (unless I’ve sold it) and others are available for purchase through Peacock’s Books on Amazon.com. If you’re interested in buying it, search for it there by title, issue number and date of publication.