TITANS’ “Family Reunions” storyline kicked off last week in #28. The issue gives us a peek into Deathstroke’s ultimate plan for the team, as well as revelations about the promise he made to each member. But what’s it like writing Slade and the gang? TITANS writer Eric Wallace has his answer: "For my approach, I let Slade's own wants and desires shape him, which in turn shapes what I write. Everything Deathstroke does relates to the big thing he wants, i.e. his mission. We've already gotten a few clues as to what that is, but it's still a mystery. That's going to change over the next few issues as we peel back the layers and finally reveal what Slade is really up to. The first of these new clues turns up big time in, of all places, Arkham Asylum in TITANS #28. Again, no spoilers here -- but let's just say a certain Arkham inmate has a crucial role to play in Slade's ultimate plan. In regards to writing for this particular group of characters, these initial TITANS storylines are all about family. So, honestly, parenthood is a big inspiration for writing Slade (and the others). Slade is a dysfunctional father to these "children" (Osiris, Mark, Cinder, Cheshire, and Arsenal). So I often find myself drawing on the lessons of childhood and parenthood when shaping how and why the characters act or react in a particular situation. And what kind of dad is Slade? Well, there are many kinds of fathers out there. A father can be good, bad, selfish, honest, dangerous, self-destructive, loving, homicidal, stressed out, kind, gentle, or pure evil. Slade is all of these and more. It's what makes him, and all fathers, human. Throw in extreme, intense, or "grand guignol" situations (stories with high stakes, over-the-top violence, but grounded in real emotions) and you have the ingredients for good stories."