Deathstroke #2 Review

Wintergreen Of Our Discontent

Written by: Christopher Priest
Art by: Larry Hama, Carlo Pagulayan, Jason Paz, Jeromy Cox and Willie Shubert
Cover Price: $2.99
Release Date: September 14, 2016

Deathstroke is one of those books that I am having a problem putting my finger on.  I like it, but am not really sure why.  The story has been more confusing that satisfying yet the way Christopher Priest winds in and out of time and space really intrigues me.  The art has also been really solid, but again, when I'm done reading it, I move along and don't really think about it again until the next issue arrives.  Well, it's arrived and I'm back to review it.  Does this issue give me a little more to chew on or did it leave me confused and wanting more?  Let's find out...


The issue opens up with Slade's son, Joey, playing video games until his mother tells him she is off to find his father.  Yep, Adeline is looking for Slade which only causes more problems.  Problems like having your son kidnapped by someone calling himself...Deathstroke?!?

We then get a quick, but funny look at Slade's "Gang" in happier (?) times and then cut to now where things aren't so frosty.  Wintergreen and Slade are looking for who messed up Wintergreen's retirement and it's a short list of who it can be.

First stop is an Edinburgh bar where they meet up with their old pal, Fredric.  The old friends have a drink and start trying to figure out who sold Wintergreen out.  We start with Rax and find out quickly it probably wasn't him.  It's a brutal and exciting scene that ends in a dead men tell no tales sort of way.  Yea, you can check him off the list.

We then get a flashback of Fredric in Cambodia and it's another mission gone wrong or right depending on your point of view.  While I am kind of confused about what exactly is going down, it does lead to a pretty kick ass cameo of a little girl with silver hair.  Nice!

Back in the present, things start making a little more sense.  We find out that Fredric sold Wintergreen out, but that's not really what Deathstroke was looking for afterall.  He disappears to go see the "Canuck" which sends us off to Windsor, Canada.  I hope this book is collecting frequent flier miles!

When Slade confronts the Canuck, it's a superpowered Dr. Ikon and while we don't get much new information, it is cool to see the two of them together.  They trade insults and threats, but are interrupted by Wintergreen.  He has been in contact with Hosun and together, they have gone through some of Slade's old messages, one of which just happens to be very, very personal.  No, it's not a dick pick...it's even more exciting if that's possible!

This book is getting less and less intriguing and while I'm reading it I find myself wanting to work a little less for my entertainment.  I'm not Sammy the Seal here and really want to enjoy this, but I have to say that I'm not having any fun whatsoever.  We just haven't gotten a whole lot so far and what we have feels like a lot of smoke and mirrors.

Larry Hama's art is okay.  There really isn't much for him to do as most of the issue involves guys standing around talking.  The best thing I can say about the art is it doesn't mess anything up.  Take that for what it's worth.

Bits and Pieces:

This book wants to come across as mysterious and intriguing, but I am actually just getting bored with it.  The story is moving at a snails pace and while Christopher Priest tries to make it feel bigger, it feels very small.  Everything here is middle of the road and if it doesn't improve soon I may have to check out.  The cliffhanger does hold some promise...I just hope it happens soon!

5.5/10