Deathstroke #41
Cody White
Recap
In the aftermath of "Arkham", Slade is a fugitive once more and is taking contracts once again. Only this time, the contracts don't make sense. Why a contract killing on an elderly grandmother? As Slade and Rose investigate the hiring, Slade runs afoul of the Electrocutioner (twice!). In the end, though, taking a contract is bond for Deathstroke and he executes regardless of his misgivings.
As we build towards this week's 6 issue crossover event, "The Terminus Agenda", Robin and the Teen Titans attempt to recruit Jericho to help take down Deathstroke once and for all.
Review
Through 40 issues, Priest has been constantly exploring Deathstroke’s moral compass. Although said compass hardly conforms to social norms, it does exist and Priest has gone to great lengths to illustrate how it functions. Now, however, in the wake of a possible (but perhaps not) psychotic break, Slade Wilson seems to be questioning his own ethics. Killing Billie fits into the previously established code (take a contract, execute a contract) but not neatly as things have in the past. He is forced to examine why he took the contract in the first place, a move that he likely would not have made prior to the previous arc.
Knowing that “The Other”– a mysterious villain ringleader that has been lurking just out of sight in Teen Titans— adds yet another wrinkle to the upcoming arc. Who is intelligent enough to out-maneuver a master tactician such as Wilson?
Pasarin’s art continues to be stellar, particularly in the splash pages and his layouts do an excellent job of controlling the pacing of the narrative. I would be remiss to not include the astonishing variant cover by the always excellent Dave Johnson for this issue. Both covers this month were truly terrific.
Final Thoughts
Deathstroke #41 - "Presumed Innocent" is the prologue to "The Terminus Agenda", a six-part crossover event with Teen Titans penned by Priest. It would appear that years of careful planning and execution have all come to this arc! Don't miss out!
Deathstroke #41: Broken Compass
- Writing - 9/109/10
- Storyline - 8/108/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 10/1010/10
