It stars Terror, an ancient, immortal being with a patchwork body. Terror is constantly decomposing, replacing his failing limbs and organs with those taken from others. He's also a professional assassin, a job that provides ample opportunity to obtain new supplies.
This version of the character is presented with a slightly different appearance, background, and powers to the version seen in St. George and the Marvel Universe version who starred in the original Terror Inc., although he initially shares the same supporting cast.
The miniseries was followed by a sequel, Terror, Inc. - Apocalypse Soon.
Terror Inc. provides examples of:
- Adaptational Badass: Terror. This version seems almost completely immortal and can swap out all parts of his body, including his head - even an acid bath can't kill him, as the sludge simply possesses a frog once it's flushed down a drain and reaches a river.
- Adaptation Title Change: An extremely minor example. The original Marvel series was Terror Inc. - the MAX version decided to add a comma, becoming Terror, Inc..
- An Arm and a Leg: There are many, many violent dismemberments. Terror loses a lot of limbs, as do his opponents. But this trope comes into play when Terror loses his armored arm, the preserved limb of his old love Talita. Without it he starts to lose his sense of self - the personalities associated with his acquired body parts start to overwhelm his own identity.
- Big Bad: Talita, Terror's old love. Although he tried to bury her with appropriate rituals, it seems she never truly slipped into death. Exhumed and alive, but bedbound, she now wants Terror's regeneration and immortality. She also wants her arm back.
- Bloodier and Gorier: As is typical of MAX titles, the series uses its mature readers and "Explicit Content" warnings to show the many dismemberments and decapitations in more detail.
- Came Back Wrong: After being buried immobile, but aware, for centuries, Talita's become murderously nihilistic.
- Death by Adaptation: Terror's associate Miss Boneyard is murdered by Talita's men. It's almost directly stated that they raped her first.
- Omnicidal Maniac: Talita was trapped between life and death in a void of blackness for 800 years. She went completely mad and came to love the Void. After she was resurrected, she feared her commitment to the Void: "I feel... a strength coursing through me... yes... yes... I worried I might lose faith as the pain left me. I feel joy, strength, lust all raging through me... ALL PALE BEFORE THE EMPTINESS". Before she ends the world, she wants to taste life followed by nothing.
- Stop Hitting Yourself: Talita reclaims her armored arm from Terror, but he's been wearing it for a lot longer than she has, and retains mental control. Her minions have to stop her from strangling herself.
