REVIEW: Teen Titans: A Pretty Girl Is Like Maladi

There's only a few touching stories that stand out from Marv Wolfman's run on The New Teen Titans. One of them involves heartbreak and death.  The classic story "A Pretty Girl Is Like Maladi" featured in issue number 18, involved our heroes battling one of their own members to protect a young lady. The tragic ending will truly stun you.

The dynamic team of Marv Wolfman and George Perez left their mark with the Judas Contract storyline when both were the creative team on the Teen Titans. It was the definitive arc of the entire series and portrayed and generated more emotion than any typical super villain could ever lay upon the team.  Again, there are rare stories from the Wolfman and Perez that really stand out other than this storyline though. However, they left their mark with the young team earlier in the series with a standalone story mainly dealing with love as the subject matter.

Red Star (real name Leonid Kovar) was literally a distant member of the Teen Titans.  He obtained his superpowers when he came into with an alien spaceship. Initially, he went under the moniker "Starfire" but after discovering the Titans already had a member named Starfire, Kovar changed his superhero name.

Years later, a young woman named Maladi meets with a Russian official in a office. There she is asked to go on a mission to deliver a envelope. The official informs her, that it will be a month before she returns back. However, the official knowingly grins afterwards, because the package is contaminated and meant to kill Maladi and others who come in contact with her.  The Russian official seeks revenge for past indiscretions against him throughout his life.

[SPOILERS AHEAD]

The scene then cuts to present day New York, where the Titans have been informed that Red Star is presently in the country. The team is then asked to monitor his activities as they think Kovar is in the United States delivering the secret package. Kovar is then being observed in a airport when he suddenly discovers the first effects of Maladi's contaminated package and body. He quickly attempts to confront to her but is repelled back by the Titans. He then later explains some portions of his mission in New York after he is stopped in their ensuing battle by Raven.

The Titans and Redstar make one last stand

Redstar reveals the truth to a battle-weary Kid Flash

Feeling ill and looking gravely sick since the beginning of her journey, Maladi continually infects everyone around her. After being subdued briefly by the Titans, Redstar finally closes in and confronts Maladi.  However, the Titans arrive in time and are able to make a final stand against Redstar and have her taken to the nearest hospital. Unfortunately, Maladi passes away from the effects of the contaminated package. After being confronted again by Kid Flash on his mission, Redstar finally reveals to the Titans that Maladi was his fiancee and on this particular day she died, they were to be married.



Images courtesy DC Comics; DC Wikia; Titans Tower