Review: Deathstroke Vol. 1- The Professional

Quick Summary

Pros: Tactics and planning are written very well and explained in detail. Deathstroke ends up being an incredibly compelling main character. The writing is top-notch and makes the story read even better. The artwork helps in bringing the narrative to life.

Cons: Nothing significant.

Overall: This is a fantastic volume and an incredible beginning for a new series. It shows off Deathstroke in some of the best ways possible, giving his character more depth and making him seem more impressive than ever before. Plus, the story and writing make the entire book addicting and hard to put down. Anyone with an interest in superhero comics should give this volume a try.

Story

Christopher Priest’s return to DC Comics heralds the beginning of what is shaping up to be the best Deathstroke storyline in recent memory. Deathstroke Vol. 1: The Professional cuts to the core of the world’s deadliest assassin, emphasizing his unparalleled successes as a warrior and his dramatic failures as a father and husband. It also gives a unique view on how Deathstroke is able to be so consistently successful and dives into the tactics that run through his head. All of this is brought to life with writing that is so detail-oriented and realistic that the story feels like it could have actually happened. All in all, this is a great comic book and a promising way to jump-start a new series.

(spoilers start here)

About half of The Professional focuses on Deathstroke as an assassin. In most Deathstroke comics, a focus like this leads to storylines showcasing augmented abilities or flashy combat skills. However, in this volume, it allows for a fascinating display of Deathstroke’s tactical mind. Priest writes, in great detail, about exactly what Deathstroke does to ensure he is able to overcome enemies both expected and unexpected. Sometimes this means counting the number of cars in the parking lot, other times it means rigging a car with propulsion jets and explosive bolts. Either way, the result leaves the reader more in awe of Deathstroke than ever before.

Going right along with Deathstroke’s tactical mind is the way in which he is able to accomplish his personal goals while upholding his unwavering dedication to the job. He follows the letter of each contract he accepts but is often able to twist the wording so that he can do what he wants. In this way, Deathstroke is able to kill Clock King and undo his support of a genocidal maniac, despite previously making deals with both characters. Priest’s writing makes Deathstroke feel like the personification of a Monkey’s Paw, giving him an awesome level of unpredictability that makes for some great twists and turns.

The other half of The Professional focuses on Deathstroke’s numerous broken relationships. This volume shows how cruel and unforgiving he was in the past and how these actions continue into the future. This piece of his life feels incredibly realistic and gives him a great deal of depth as a character. It also helps that Rose is such a compelling character on her own, since her presence adds a lot to the overall story. All of this then provides a solid set-up for future volumes.

In addition, this half of the volume is also interesting in that it is not a blanket condemnation of Slade Wilson’s actions. At no point does he seem like a good person, though readers can constantly see that he is approaching things in the only way he knows how. This is especially evident in Wintergreen’s conversation with Rose, which is full of both humor and insight. All of this makes Deathstroke a more compelling character, one whom fans will leave this volume wanting more of.

(spoilers end here)

Art

Much like the story, the artwork in The Professional is consistently good throughout. Pencils from Carlo Pagulayan and inks from Jason Paz depict Deathstroke wonderfully and give a nice level of detail to everything that he does. These visuals extend to the surroundings as well, which can look completely desolate or beautifully lush depending on what the story calls for.

The final few chapters, penciled by Joe Bennett, are the real highlight of the collection. The structure perfectly accommodates Batman’s presence in the story and works well with the narrative being told. It allows the reader to view the entire situation on their own and form their own opinions on what is happening. Then, readers can read the narration and see all of the small details they missed that Deathstroke saw. This style works in telling the story and in showcasing Deathstroke’s abilities even more.

Continuity

Deathstroke Vol. 1: The Professional starts a new Deathstroke series. Though it is technically a successor to the previous series, which ended in Deathstroke Vol. 4: Family Business (Review), the two series have very little to do with each other.

The story here continues in Deathstroke Vol. 2: The Gospel of Slade.

This volume also makes references to other comic books, detailed below:

• Rose Wilson claims she has been training with Nightwing. Since this training has not been shown in this continuity, it is likely a reference to her time training under him in the pre-Flashpoint DC Universe. Her training with him began in Nightwing #112, which is currently uncollected.
• Robin mentions a past interaction he had with Deathstroke. This happened in Robin: Son of Batman #4 and is collected in Robin: Son of Batman Vol. 1: Year of Blood (Review).
• Aspects of Deathstroke’s pre-Flashpoint history return in this volume. This includes the way in which Deathstroke lost his eye and Joseph Wilson’s throat being slit by the Jackal. The story detailing these events can be found in Tales of the Teen Titans #44, which is collected in New Teen Titans Vol. 7, New Teen Titans Omnibus Vol. 3 (New Edition), or New Teen Titans: The Judas Contract Deluxe Edition.