NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (1989) NEW TEEN TITANS: THE JUDAS CONTRACT (Mar 2003)

Re: Jericho « Reply #1 on: 08/23/04 at 01:50am » posted by Todd Sturner You need to read Marv Wolfman's introduction in "The New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract" trade paperback. Because Jericho was mute, George had to draw Jericho signing and did not allow Marv to use "thought balloons" when writing the character. Here are some other facts about Jericho (Joe Wilson):

Joe is Slade Wilson's second son. Slade, as you know, is Deathstroke and is appearing in books at DC currently, including Teen Titans and Identity Crisis. His brother was Grant (the Ravager from NTT vol. 1, issue 2) and his sister is Rose (the new Ravager in the current Teen Titans series). His mother was Adeline (killed by Starfire as her immortal blood was being harvested by Vandal Savage - The Titans, issue 10 or 11, I think).

Joe became mute when his father (as Deathstroke) tried to rescue him from kidnappers who were going to slit his throat. Slade thought he was faster - but not by much as the kidnapper successfully started the process and severed Joe's vocal cords. Joe's mother, Adeline, tried to kill Slade later for the incident, but only succeeded in premanently damaging his left eye (as told in "The Judas Contract").

Joe was later possessed by the lost spirits of Azarath (the infamous "Titans Hunt" storyline) and, after attempting to destroy the Titans, was killed by Slade (IMHO, pretty gruesome panel for a Titans issue).

His powers are a mutation from Slade's chemically-enhanced genes. Best line of "The Judas Contract" is when Dick Grayson (as Nightwing) tells Joe (as Jericho), "Besides, I hear you mutants aren't that bad." (I may have the quote wrong - I'm recounting this from memory; obviously a comment referring to the X-Men, of whom the Titans were compared to more than once in the 80s)

Hope this helps!