Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: October 22, 2014
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Extreme to the Max
Like Hansel, Deathstroke is so hot right now. New Suicide Squad, Arrow and now (or again), his own monthly. You can't seem to walk downtown nowadays without running into the anti-hero and his guns and swords and healing factor. Tony S. Daniel gets the job of bringing him to the comic book masses and while I love his art, this is my first time reading a monthly by him. I was worried how I would feel about it and my fears were realized. The art is as great as expected, but the story itself is straight forward to a fault and really does nothing to impress or surprise. If you are a fan of Slade, you will probably find something here to like. If you aren't already, I don't think this issue will do anything to change your mind.
Tony S. Daniel gets right to business letting everyone know what this book is going to focus on. Violence, blood, violence, a little more blood all wrapped up in violence...and blood. I may be joking a bit, but only a bit. The story in this premiere issue is pretty standard fare. Slade agrees to a hit, sees his female informant, gets busy and then gets bloody. Throw in an attack by the Villain (the forgettable Possum) that has Deathstroke babbling like a human numbers station and some over-the-top violence against a female and if you close your eyes you might just believe you are in the extreme 90's. When Slade utters a catchy one liner, I almost wanted to stay. That was until Daniel got back to the ultra violence.
Slade gets the job done, but not before almost being beheaded. He makes his way to his mentor and lets his healing factor take over. The issue ends with a cliffhanger that is bloody...bloody confusing. As a first issue, you get a clear sense of what this book is all about. Unfortunately, it's not my cup of meat. I will be reading and reviewing it going forward, but as of now I'm not looking forward to it.
It's a shame because I do like Daniel's art. It may be a bit more red tinged than I prefer, but Daniel always impresses with his detailed style.
Bits and Pieces:
Deasthstroke #1 wears it's heart on it's sleeve. It's a bloody and violent book that's heavy on style, but lite on story. Nothing in this issue surprised me and in the end I can't say I'm looking forward to seeing more. It seems like a book trying desperately to find a time when ultra violence and being extreme was all the rage. Unfortunately, that time may have passed it by.
5.0/10
Tony Daniel has written several monthly books including being the writter and artist on the first dozen Detective Comics. Believe or not, that Detective Comic run was almost as good as Snyder's Batman and Tomasi's Batman and Robin (where do you think the Joker cutting off his face comes from). If you take a look back he also wrote Battle for the Cowl after R.I.P and a Batman after that.
ReplyDeleteFrom my experience, Tony Daniel it can be a hit and miss with the writing. However I have enjoyed more of his writing than hated it . You should check out those Detective Comics. And I don't know if you had a chance, but check out Kyle Higgin's Deathstroke. Now that's how you write that character...just stay clear from the Liefeld Stuff.
Thanks for clearing that up...I was not aware he was on those books and must have misread something when this book was announced. Actually, I don't know why it slipped my mind because I read his Detective Comics run! I'm losing my mind in my old age.
DeleteI did like Higgins' Deathstroke, but I usually like all of Higgins stuff. I haven't read Liefeld's stuff, but I try to avoid that as much as I can.
Now I only read Liefeld's Deathstroke because he had to go and do a crossover when he was doing Hawkman too. Even though it was only Deathstroke #14 that I read, I wasn't into it.
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