By Dustin Cabeal

This fucking book. I say that in the nicest possible way. If you had asked me two or even five years ago, if Deathstroke would ever be this good, I would have laughed and probably said something about DC not having the balls to make a good Deathstroke title. Well apparently, someone has the balls or ovaries, I don’t pay attention to who edits this book.

This review will likely be my last for a few issues. As much as I love talking about Deathstroke, there’s only so many times you can say “ Best title DC is publishing” or “Priest is putting on a clinic for the superhero genre.” I can add that Deathstroke is slowly running the genre for me. I can’t stomach the rest of the superhero titles I try to read, and I used to at least be able to finish the issue. Now, it’s like, yeah they’re punching stuff… still punching stuff… of narration that gives heartfelt insight to why they’re punching stuff… more punching.

Don’t get me wrong, Deathstroke has action and fighting, but there’s always a purpose to it. Slade is a killer after all, and so him coming into conflict with people is just part of the job. For instance, the target that Slade’s sent after in this issue after striking a deal of sorts with the guy he filled a lawsuit against last time. I’m getting ahead of myself, because the cliffhanger from the last issue plays out more and it’s just, ah it’s too good to mention. That’s the great and terrible thing about this issue, in particular; I can’t tell you the best part because I’m still deciding myself. There is a guest character, Power Girl, who I had never read up until this point. I think she might be one of my favorite DC characters now. Her half explaining why she was bulletproof, but knowing that she was wasting her scientific explanation on a person that would shoot at a giant woman was one of the best scenes in comics I’ve read all year. It only got better when she decided to help Slade and analyzed every aspect of his costume and his powers. Even still… the opening scene dealing with last issue's cliffhanger was really good too.

Staying with that as I work on talking about the art, the four panels that focus on the two character’s hands gripping each other was incredible. It’s simple, almost pointless, but you get so much emotion out of that because anyone that’s held hands like that knows the feeling and the sensation from seeing the art.  Four panels, but they are so powerful that I had mentally clapped for Joe Bennett. The other part of the art that was sick as hell was Slade in a business suit. Stone cold killer that dude, but I loved the look. I hope they make an action figure for it. Hell, I hope they make action figures for this entire series (honestly if DC/WB were smarter they’d do that for all their top selling books) because I would buy the hell out of them.

Deathstroke #14 is the best comic I’ve read this week, hell in the last two weeks. It’s the best comic I’ve read since reading the last issue of Deathstroke. Even if I don’t come back to review it next time, I’ll be reading it. I’ll be lying in wait for it because as I’ve stated numerous times, this is the best title that DC is publishing.

Score: 5/5

Deathstroke #14
Writer: Priest
Pencils: Joe Bennett
Inker: Norm Rapmund
Colorist: Jeromy Cox
Letterer: Willie Schubert
Publisher: DC Comics