The New 52 Review: DEATHSTROKE #1

"The best at what he does... alone!"

DEATHSTROKE #1
DC COMICS

WRITER: Kyle Higgins
PENCILS: Joe Bennett
INKS: Art Thibert
COLORS: Jason Wright
LETTERS: Travis Lanham
COVER: Simon Bisley
32pp, Color, $2.99 U.S.

The DC Comics character known as Deathstroke first appeared in New Teen Titans #2 (cover date December 1980) and was originally introduced as “The Terminator.” Created by Marv Wolfman and George Perez, he was Slade Wilson, a mercenary who was completing the terms of a contract undertaken by his son, Ravager, to kill or capture the Teen Titans. The Terminator became Deathstroke the Terminator and eventually just Deathstroke, an assassin, mercenary, and anti-hero.

With the re-launch of DC Comics’ superhero line, “The New 52,” Deathstroke gets another title series. Deathstroke #1 (“Back to Basics”) opens with Deathstroke in Moscow on an assignment to kill. However, offers for employment tend to come from people who want him to be a bodyguard, rather than a mercenary.

Suddenly, his “agent,” Christoph, finds him an assignment that promises to be difficult and dangerous. Deathstroke has been hired to kill German scientist and engineer turned arms dealer, Jeffrey Bode, but in order to take the job, Deathstroke has to accept assistance in the form of three young mercenaries. Does this sound like bad news? It’s worse than that.

A ruthless badass, Deathstroke has always been a cool character. One could even consider him the DCU’s Wolverine or Punisher. What Deathstroke hasn’t had that Wolverine and The Punisher have had is a bunch of hit comic book series, miniseries, graphic novels, etc. Well, Deathstroke has a killer of a first issue. If you’ve forgotten what a great anti-hero/villain Deathstroke can be and was (see the classic New Teen Titans and Tales of the Teen Titans) or if you never knew, then, be prepared to be thrilled.

Kyle Higgins has written an edgy superhero, crime comic in which the violence comes in sudden spurts and unexpected twists. It’s explosive and sometimes harshly matter-of-fact. The art by Joe Bennett (pencils) and Art Thibert (inks) features meaty compositions and sturdy and smooth inking. However, the storytelling is big like an action movie, but also brutally intimate, which lets the reader in close to Slade Wilson. That’s scary. Deathstroke is a man to avoid, unless you’re a reader looking for a good read about a dangerous man.

A-

September 14th
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