Deathstroke Inc. #4 Review

 

It's Your Destiny

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Howard Porter, Hi-Fi, and Steve Wands

Cover Price: $3.99

Release Date: December 28, 2021

Deathstroke Inc. is an odd book.  Joshua Williamson started it feeling more like a goofy scavenger hunt that got real big at the end of the last issue. Seeing hints of it tying into Darkseid and the other stuff that Williamson is writing felt big and suddenly upped my interest.  So, does Deathstroke Inc. #4 keep the momentum going?  Let's find out...

The issue opens with Williamson reminding the reader that while Dinah and Slade have a past, they hate each other's guts.  That's all well and good, but it doesn't, for one second, make me believe that Dinah is going to die after the last issue's cliffhanger!  However, it's not just about that.

After a bit of a stretched-out fight (which was satisfying as a Canary fan), Slade and Dinah get on the same page and decide to go after a common enemy... T.R.U.S.T.  What, did you think it would be anyone else?!?

While I was yelling at how relaxed the two were in saying their plans out loud (I yell at the comics a lot), we find out that Julliette, the head of T.R.U.S.T., is bright and, ironically, doesn't trust Canary or Deathstroke.  That sets up a huge fight that lasts most of the remainder of the issue.  It's action-packed (Peewee), and the amount of awesome characters involved is through the roof! Unfortunately, it also doesn't matter much by the end, and that's my biggest problem with this issue.  It's all wow moments with little substance.  The cliffhanger tries to play off as being significant as well, but it felt a bit too silly overall to make me care too much.

This issue felt like the middle section of a summer popcorn action movie. There are explosions, gunshots, and fists flying everywhere!  I usually love that shit, but after the last issue's cliffhanger, I was hoping this issue would continue to connect things to Williamson's bigger picture.  Howard Porter's art gives everything a balls-to-the-wall frenetic feel which fits the story, but overall, this one was a step backward for me.

Bits and Pieces:

Deathstroke Inc. #4 has an over-the-top, crazy action movie feel, which makes for a fun read, but I expected more after four issues and the last issue's cliffhanger.  After hinting that this book ties into the big things going on in Infinite Frontier, Joshua Williamson takes a step back, which is a shame.  It still looks good thanks to Howard Porter's art, but I end up needing more from each issue of this series.

6.5/10