Comic Info
Comic Name: Deathstroke
Publisher: DC Comics
Writer: Kyle Higgins
Artist: Joe Bennett/Eduardo Pansica
# of Issues: 8
Release Date: 2012
Deathstroke #4
Reprints Deathstroke #1-8 (November 2011-June 2012). Deathstroke is one of the world’s premiere assassins, but now finds that many are considering him a has-been. Setting out to prove his worth, he takes an assignment which proves to reveal that Deathstroke’s past might come back to haunt him. Now a target himself, Slade Wilson finds himself pushed to the edge both physically and mentally by returning attackers called Legacy. As Deathstroke battles more and more Legacy agents, he begins to question who is backing the attack and why it is personal.
Written by Kyle Higgins, Deathstroke Volume 1: Legacy was part of DC Comics New 52 relaunch after the events of Flashpoint. With illustrations by Joe Bennett and Eduardo Pansica, the series was met with average reviews.
Deathstroke first appeared in New Teen Titans (1) #2 (December 1980) and quickly became a fan favorite. In the ’80s he turned from cold-blooded mercenary to almost a hero along the lines of Marvel’s Punisher. Over the past few years, there has been a fight to turn Deathstroke the Terminator back into the killer that put him on the comic map, and Higgins’ Deathstroke is much more in line.
Deathstroke #6
Deathstroke is almost one of those unapologetic comics that just enjoys being blood and guts. In this eight issue storyline, there wasn’t a ton of content, but a lot of action and flying blood. I have to say that it was kind of refreshing to have and out-and-out killer as seen in Deathstroke #1 (November 2011), but as the series progressed and brought back his son Grant, I lost interest.
The fighting also seemed rather repetitive. The first issue was rather shocking with the deaths of the young team Deathstroke had been paired with, but the following issues just had Slade almost living up to the Arnold Schwarzenegger Terminator rather than the Terminator of his past. Nothing seemed to hurt Slade, and I felt that it should have been more of a progressive challenge. This series really needed a cameo or crossover with one of DC’s other New 52 titles to jumpstart Slade into the mainstream DC Universe.
I can’t see where Deathstroke can go from here. The character’s interest is maxed out in this story and now he’s just a cliche broken guy with Daddy issues. The series took too big of an emotional stretch for the whole collection, but didn’t have enough story to fill the eight issues that it covered (though I do love the Simon Bisley covers). Deathstroke Volume 1: Legacy is followed by Deathstroke Volume 2: Lobo Hunt.
