Deathstroke #49 - "Deathstroke R.I.P. Book Six: The God-Man Syndrome"

[laughing_tree]

We had to constantly prove to other editors that Deathstroke was an actual threat, that he wasn’t just a bowling pin for their guy to knock down. So, for example, when the Superman people were having a fit about Deathstroke beating him, we - by which, of course, I mean Alex [Antone, editor] - had to educate them on who Deathstroke is. He’s not a stooge who brains you with a baseball bat.

And, speaking of bats, don’t get me started on the whole “Deathstroke can’t know Batman’s secret identity in spite of the fact he has traditionally always known Batman’s secret identify” thumb wrestle. Sheesh.

If Deathstroke is, more or less, a twisted dark mirror image of Batman to whatever extent, that would and should make him one of the most dangerous people in the DCU. I (by which of course I mean Alex) really shouldn’t have had to constantly explain that to other editors. It’s the core principle of the character: 'Cap Will Find A Way.' 'Deathstroke Can Kill Anybody In The G*d*mned DCU.'

-- Christopher J. Priest

Comments

[leahandillyana]

Deathstroke is good enough to capture a bunch of superpowered teenagers. Him winning against A-list heroes has always been absurdly OOC - only he's been OOC for so long that people think it is his proper characterisation.

[icon_uk]

In fairness, the teenagers he's most famour for capturing were one of the most powerful line-up of heroes going at the time and/or had been teenage heroes for a very long time and were good at it.

And he defeated them by subterfuge and misdirection, which was smart and clever. The only one he DID try a frontal assault on was Dick Grayson, and he got away and ultimately led to Slade's defeat.

Slade being a sneaky, ruthless and utterly amoral character who has no qualms about backstabbing or conniving to make his kill makes sense. It's when he confronts heroes head on (Something he said from his debut he's always avoided because who needs the hassle?) that's when I long for the sneak SOB again.

[matrix_dragon]

Deathstroke is a cunning mercenary with some minor powers and a lack of morals. That does not make him capable of killing anyone in the DCU. More than that, having him that overwhelming powerful is part of what makes him boring in most stories.

[jmacq1]

Batman is just a rich dude with a very non-traditional education and some fancy gadgets in his belt. Yet somehow that makes him capable of beating anyone in the DCU.

[matrix_dragon]

I have issues with Bat-God nonsense anyway. But at the same time, Batman's not an amoral serial killer, which makes it much easier to write around him.

[super_fly]

Yeah maybe that's also a problem?

[jmacq1]

Maybe, but the point is that it's not like this idea is unprecedented. It's baked right into the setting. If we start getting too logical about this Batman can't even exist for longer than a few weeks before someone gets in a lucky shot or three and he bleeds out in some Gotham back alley.

It's just weird to me that this is somehow the line for folks suspension of disbelief and yet they're comic fans in the first place.

[nyadnar17]

Gonna have to agree with Priest here. Stupid OP-ness of the Ikon suit or whatever it is aside, if Deathstroke isn't equally as dangerous as Batman or Black Panther I literally don't see the point of the character.

What if Batman and Captain America had a evil kid, that's Deathstroke. Without that why even bother?

[lordultimus]

Deathstroke being an A-List killer is fine.

Him standing still while his A-List targets flail around in the wake of his awesomeness is not.

[magicrubbish]

Geesh ! Christopher takes Deathstroke too much seriously . Like , chill dude !
Since when Deathstroke being powerful enough to take out anybody in the DC comicverse is a thing ?? Is he serious about Deathstroke being an equal to Batman , just darker in morality ?? The Batman ??
He's lost it.
And this is coming from a fan who's obsessed with Deathstroke .

[icon_uk]

Since when Deathstroke being powerful enough to take out anybody in the DC comicverse is a thing ?

Probably around "Identity Crisis", where he takes down the majority of the Justice League without a lot of effort or preparation, including the Flash, Green Lantern and Zatanna.

[magicrubbish]

Actually he couldn't take out any of the big trinity alone . He had been earlier repeatedly defeated by teenagers.
There is a saying goes , " Every dog has it's day. " An one off event like "Identity crisis" can not change the fact that the writer here is majorly delusional about Deathstroke's power and capabilities. Even C-tier criminals have taken down or captured Justice league repeatedly but that's an one off event . Up front they get their behinds handed to them by the fringe heroes .

[starwolf_oakley]

Deathstroke is an example of character popularity translating into character power. Deathstroke can take on A-list heroes and win because Teen Titans "The Judas Contract" was so popular.

This can also lead to "Wait, Deathstroke is a bad guy?" as it did with me.

[icon_uk]

I don't care if it makes more sense or is more realistic for Slade to be an abusive parent. I much preferred the Slade who had tried to be a good father, but wasn't very good at it. Who still loved his kids, but knew he was better out of their lives, and who still felt genuine guilt over what happened to Joey because of HIS arrogance.

This "You always were the weak one" just feels,,, wrong. (Though I don't think Jericho has ever recovered from Geoff John's narrative obsession that "evil is genetically predetemined")

[lego_joker]

Y'know, I've been wondering when some erstwhile adaptation would just go ahead and meld Deathstroke into David Cain... now that Cass is (nominally) a hot property again there's a higher chance than ever...

[arilou_skiff]

I don't think caring for your kids neccessarily prevents you from being abusive, but yeah, I agree.

[jaxjyls]

It's writing like Priest's that makes non/low powered humans beating superpowered demigods a massive pet peeve of fiction for me

[obsidianwolf]

This is prime example of the Bat problem Where writers and some subsets of Fans want Batman to just be the most awesome guy around using things like prep time to be able to hold off brainwashed justice league members.

Because Priest is right if Batman can hold his own against superman class threats then folks like Deathstroke and other Batman Tier villains have to be able to do the same thing.

I mean yeah it's shitty writing when Deathstroke can do it but it's just a symptom of the shitty writing when Batman can do it. But it's the same thing as presenting the Batman who laughs as a crossover level threat to the whole world.

The only real difference is that many of the fans who want Batman to be able to beat everyone don't like others doing it.

[shadowpsykie]

i am so very confused.... this is an alt deathstroke? our deathstroke is dead, but he isn't? and.... yeah no I am lost...

[laughing_tree]

It's an alternate Deathstroke. The real Deathstroke is assumed dead but actually in hiding. He comes out of hiding on that last page.