Deathstroke July 2019 Solicitation

We already know about an appearance in Batman Universe this summer, let's see what's going on in Deathstroke's own title.

Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by FERNANDO PASARIN
Cover by ED BENES and RICHARD FRIEND
Variant cover by DAVID FINCH 

In the wake of Slade Wilson’s death, a new Deathstroke has vowed to complete his last, unfinished assignment. But the master assassin Shado has plans of her own, looking to step in for the late, great World’s Greatest Assassin and usurp his place in villainous hierarchy. 

Meanwhile, Rose Wilson discovers the identity of the person responsible for her father’s death. Can her brother, Jericho, stop her from seeking vengeance? 

Also in this issue, Slade Wilson’s son Jericho accepts Lex Luthor’s offer of power—but he’s determined to use it as a force for good…so why is Lex smiling? 

ON SALE 07.03.19
$3.99 US | 32 PAGES
CARD STOCK VARIANT COVER $4.99
FC | RATED T+

Lots going on there...

So Shado, eh? There's a name I didn't expect to read. I don't recall any connection between the two of even if they've ever met. I'm only vaguely familiar with her so let's get a breif bio, courtesy of the DC Fandom Data Base.

Shado is an enemy, ally, and lover to Green Arrow. Her father was a member of the Yakuza, and she became a bow-wielding assassin to avenge her parents. Despite her selfish motivations, she has teamed up with Green Arrow and encouraged him to execute his targets. She is also known to have raped Green Arrow while he was delirious from fever. This allowed her to conceive a son, Robert Queen.

Sounds like sweetheart with similar parenting skills to Slade. Hope she stick around a while.

Our Ravager Is Confirmed

Chelsea Zhang it is. So unless they start casting for Adeline or Grant Wilson (mum and brother to Joseph/Jericho, as you probably know) we have our Wilson family.

The character bio for Ravager:

“Daughter of the deadly assassin, Deathstroke, Rose Wilson was forced to undergo the same procedure that granted her father nearly superhuman abilities, becoming a weapon known as Ravager. Ever resentful, she seeks out the Titans not only for their protection but to get back at her father. Knowing how dangerous it is to be the offspring of their deadliest foe, the Titans take her in but that doesn’t necessarily mean they trust her.”

Again, this was reported by Deadline first, I believe.

Dark Nights: Metal #3 Variant (and one of his own)

This book came out on October 11th with several covers. Though he does not seem to play a huge role in what is a large cast for a single issue, Deathstroke did get the John Romita Jr. variant cover treatment. Check that out, if you missed it.

And while we're on the subject of variants, check out this beauty from Shane Davis for issue #23 of Deathstroke's current book. Just gorgeous.

Oh my...Deathstroke #21 solicitation

I have a feeling this will get a negative reaction because it will be taken a little too literally and/or seriously.

DEATHSTROKE #21
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by DIOGENES NEVES
Cover by RYAN SOOK
Variant cover by SHANE DAVIS

*Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue. 

“DEFIANCE” part one! A new day has dawned for Deathstroke. Having emerged from the Speed Force a changed man, Slade Wilson takes aim at living a better life—a life in service of justice. But when the world refuses to accept the new Deathstroke, Slade recruits a group of young heroes to join him including including former Teen Titans Kid Flash and Power Girl, his children, Rose and Jericho, and the bombastic Terra! 

But has Slade truly shed his villainous past? And what other shadowy forces are working against him? Find out as Deathstroke’s bold new direction begins here! 

On sale JULY 5 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+#

The resemblance to the oft-copied cover Justice League International #1 can hardly be a coincidence.

And like very other time he has led a team, this will be short-lived, if he even truly "leads" them. Even the solicitation text questions Deathstroke's sincerity. It wouldn't be the first time he's had an agenda.

The thing of it is though...That's a pretty cool looking bunch right there. I'd buy the hell out of that book. Since Deathstroke's own title is being reduced from being published twice a month to only once, maybe that team could complement it. Unlikely, since most of the characters are unknown but perhaps if the premise is good...

Dreaming, I know. But while the image does pack a jolt at first sight for a long-time Deathstroke fan, with a few minutes to take it in, it certainly has me curious.

Cover image and solicitation text first spotted on bleedingcool.

DC Drops a Bombshell!

When DC Comics ran its Bombshells (World War 2 versions of their female characters) variant cover theme a couple of years ago, the lovely Rose Wilson was featured on issue 9 of dear ol' dad's ongoing series issue that month (volume 3).

I believed, at the time, that this was just a pin-up and nothing more. But that's not the case! The 73rd chapter of the Bombshells title came out earlier today and our favourite Ravager is a participant. There she is at bottom left.

Follow the Suicide Squad on their first mission—directly after the events of the Bombshells Annual—as Vampire Batgirl, Enchantress, Ravager, Killer Croc and Frankie go to rescue Vampire Batgirl’s long-lost lover, Luc!

She may have appeared previously, but if so it wasn't immediately obvious from the covers, and I've found no evidence to confirm it. If someone is indeed aware of Ravager awesomeness in these books, feel free to share the knowledge.

And while we're tacking on to previous posts, the one last from just last night displayed what is believed to be a variant cover for issue #8 of the current book.

Well, for those who might have missed it, comicbookdb.com has an entry for issue 7 which includes that variant. That's it below.

Nice touch of paying tribute to the Death Of Superman story from the early 90s.

Deathstroke #3 Variant Cover by Shane Davis

Combined with the variant cover Davis did for issues #1 and #2 (see posts from August 1st and August 17th), I hope he's tapped to continue creating these for this series for a while. They are outstanding.

The image below was copied from Newsarama. Not sure if they had it first, but that's where I saw it first.

Deathstroke September 2016 Solicitations

Boy it's nice to see Deathstroke appear twice a month...

DEATHSTROKE #2
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by CARLO PAGULAYAN and JASON PAZ
Cover by ACO
Variant cover by SHANE DAVIS  

“The Professional” part 2! Deathstroke investigates a connection between Wintergreen’s kidnapping and their old special ops unit to find out which of Slade’s trusted inner circle has betrayed him!  

On sale SEPTEMBER 14 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ 

DEATHSTROKE #3
Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST
Art by JOE BENNETT and BELARDINO BRABO
Cover by ACO
Variant cover by SHANE DAVIS

“The Professional” part 3! After Slade discovers that someone has put a contract out on his daughter, Rose Wilson—a.k.a. The Ravager— reluctantly travels to New York City to save her from a deadly ambush. 

On sale SEPTEMBER 28 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+

Suspiciously, no cover was displayed for #2. Is there something DC doesn't want us to see quite yet?

And the new design for Rose did not include an eye patch, but that cover seems to indicate she's going to look a bit more like her old man before long.

Rebirth Designs by Aco

I admit to not being particularly familiar with the artist known simply as "Aco" but I became familiar with him yesterday when Comic Book Resources shone a spotlight on some of his recent work.

Aco started a Facebook folder of covers and designs for the upcoming Deathstroke book following Rebirth. Let's see...




Hmmm...I wasn't crazy about that at first. There's some good and some not-so-good.

Upside: They didn't mess with the mask much and he's back to using a sword similar to his original one as opposed to the Samurai style sword he'd been using of late.

On the other hand, the customary navy blue is gone from his colour scheme and that white sleeve makes no sense to me. Also, I would have hoped that a redesign would include his battle staff but no such luck, apparently.

I thought the negatives outweighed the positives slightly but Aco posted a cover as well (by Carlo Pagulayan, presumably a variant to issue #1) and the whole thing seems to work a little better "in action".

Damn, that's gorgeous...And if you've been a fan for a while, you have to be encouraged by all the good "traditional" stuff going on there. You have to assume that's (ex?) wife Adeline, sons Grant and Joey at right and (hopefully) Wintergreen at two o'clock. Rose's design has swung back towards dad's look too, as opposed to looking like she escaped from Captain Harlock's Arcadia.

Oh, and another thing...

He's got some years on him again! Making Slade Wilson young never sat right with me. I find that having him be in his late 40's or early 50's sets him apart from most of the characters of the DCU.

Back to Rose...




Love the mask, love the hair...in fact, love everything until I reach the pants. I don't really care to see Rose wearing Lululemon merchandise and Reeboks. But she's young, athletic...It probably makes sense.

I might be making stuff up here, but do you detect an Asian influence on the mug shot? I wonder if Sweet Lilly will be restored as her mother? In volume two, she referred to Adeline Wilson as her mom. I initially assumed that she meant her adoptive mother but that was never confirmed.

We're all tired of events and reboots but the more this one rolls along, the more encouraged I become that we're going to get the Deathstroke we haven't had since the second-to-last year of volume one in the mid 90's. With a sleeker outfit, mind you.

Triple 'Stroke This Fall!

DC has been teasing a "Rebirth" even for what seems like weeks and weeks.  Naturally, that raised some question as how another relaunch, reboot, or whatever other "re" word you want to use, would affect our favourite badass. It was revealed today.

First things first though. Let's  check out the May solicitations.

DEATHSTROKE #18
Written by JAMES BONNY
Art by TYLER KIRKHAM
Cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
On sale MAY 25 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ 

After a bitter betrayal by a trusted comrade, Slade Wilson finds reluctant allies in his estranged children, Rose and Jericho. But as an all out battle looms, he must also join forces with the one and only Ra’s al Ghul…who may have his own hidden agenda. Could this uneasy family reunion spell doom for Deathstroke?

Love seeing Rose on the cover, even if it's in that odd Captain Harlock style outfit.

I'm as tired of "fresh starts" as anyone but may find myself welcoming this one. Deathstroke's origin and family life was already inconsistent within the New 52 books themselves, never mind all the material that took place beforehand. And Rose was unrecognizable.

Now Rebirth begins the following month, in June, with the following books:

AQUAMAN REBIRTH #1
BATMAN REBIRTH #1
THE FLASH REBIRTH #1
GREEN ARROW REBIRTH #1
GREEN LANTERNS REBIRTH #1
SUPERMAN REBIRTH #1
TITANS REBIRTH #1
WONDER WOMAN REBIRTH #1 

New #1 Issues (Shipping twice monthly):
AQUAMAN #1
BATMAN #1
THE FLASH #1
GREEN ARROW #1
GREEN LANTERNS #1
SUPERMAN #1
WONDER WOMAN #1 

New Issues (Shipping twice monthly):
ACTION COMICS #957
DETECTIVE COMICS #934

So...No 'stroke, unless volume three continues while these books are published. You wouldn't think so, but that only would account for 26 issues that month. Seems low.

Deathstroke does not reappear until the fall (month unspecified).

BATMAN BEYOND REBIRTH #1
BLUE BEETLE REBIRTH #1
CYBORG REBIRTH #1
DEATHSTROKE REBIRTH #1
EARTH 2 REBIRTH #1
SUICIDE SQUAD REBIRTH #1
SUPERGIRL REBIRTH #1
TEEN TITANS REBIRTH #1
TRINITY REBIRTH #1 

New #1 Issues (Shipping twice monthly):
CYBORG #1
DEATHSTROKE #1
HARLEY QUINN #1
JUSTICE LEAGUE AMERICA #1
SUICIDE SQUAD #1 

New #1 Issues (Shipping monthly):
BATMAN BEYOND #1
BLUE BEETLE #1
EARTH 2 #1
GOTHAM ACADEMY: NEXT SEMESTER #1
SUPERGIRL #1
SUPERWOMAN #1
SUPER SONS #1
TEEN TITANS #1
TRINITY #1

So not only does Slade warrant a rebirth special, his ongoing book will be published twice a month. That's pretty good news for fans of the world's best mercenary.

Also can't help but notice that there's a Titans book and a Teen Titans book. Slade once led a Titans team and he certainly has plenty of history with the various versions of that group over the years. Could he be involved there as well?

For that matter, he's spent some time on The Suicide Squad as well so perhaps he'll have a presence with that bunch.

Tired as hell of reboots, relaunches, etc, but this one may prove to be worthwhile.

Editorial Interference Is Not a New Thing

I recently took advantage of a Halloween sale by Mile High Comics to close some gaps in my collection and that little bundle of joy arrived this afternoon.

I bought ten books in total, including issues 116 and 117 of Nightwing. Those issues close out the "Renegade" storyline that began in number 112 of the series. In that story, Dick Grayson pretends to be a villain operating under that new name. Complicating best laid plans, Deathstroke comes by for a visit to convince Nightwing to train his loopy (well, to be fair, she's probably still being drugged by old dad at this point...) daughter Rose.

A trade paperback of the storyline came out in late 2006. The cover to that book is at right but it is basically a slightly reworked version of the cover to issue #113.

Here's where the editorial interference appears to come in: DC was in the midst of its Infinite Crisis event at that point. The story is humming along just fine from issues 112 to issues 114. And as is often the case, 114 concludes with a teaser for the following issue, which reads...

Dick Grayson keeps on keeping his enemies closer when Lex Luthor comes into play! And now that all of his actions as Renegade have gotten Oracle's attention, you can be sure Dick's ex is going to be on the scene as well.

And the cover displayed with that blurb appears on the left.

All sounds pretty cool, but none of it happens. Not even close. Luthor is nowhere to be seen, although we do get Deathstroke's attempt to use Rose and Nightwing to take down Superman for Villains Inc.  No sign of Barbara "Oracle" (at the time) Gordon, either.

That group of villains, incidentally, dropped a chemical explosive on Nightwing's then-home of Bludhaven during the Infinite Crisis events. This took place between issues 115 and 116 of Nightwing.

So rather than continue the story of Deathstroke's manipulation and Rose's training, in #116 we instead get an issue of Nightwing running around town trying to ensure that his supporting cast is safe and feeling responsible for the situation. Deathstroke and Rose don't appear at all yet once again the cover is somewhat misleading in regards to their involvement.

So clearly plans were changed at the last minute.

'Stroke and Rose return in issue 117 for the conclusion. Nightwing proves to Rose that Deathstroke is a shit dad (and that the sun rises in the East, I suppose), even though he had pretty well done that at the end of 115, and she bails on her pops as a result.

The expected skirmish between Deathstroke and Nightwing is a good one in this book as 'wing uses his acrobatics and agility to dodge blows more so than to deliver them. Pretty consistent with past battle, in my opinion.

The following month was DC's "One Year Later" event in which every book was "fast forwarded" to, well, a year later. Not sure if the Renegade story had to be wrapped up quicker than intended as a result but obviously the Infinite Crisis event and the destruction to Bludhaven that came with it forced changes onto the Renegade storyline.

So what happened to Rose a year after running out on her crap dad and telling him she hates him? Why at some point she became a member of the New Teen Titans!

With some exceptions, she was a regular in the series until its conclusion at issue 100 (October 2011).

As for Deathstroke, he went on to the Green Arrow book to give that character a hard time in a story called Crawling Through The Wreckage. More on that later.

Deathstroke #14 solicitation

Fresh off his scrap against the Suicide Squad, let's see what's in store for our favourite merc.

Written by JAMES BONNY
Art and cover by TYLER KIRKHAM
Adult Coloring Book Variant cover by EMANUELA LUPACCHINO
On sale JANUARY 27 • 32 pg, FC, $2.99 US • RATED T+ 

Slade Wilson would move heaven and Earth to get his daughter back—and not even LexCorp will stand in his way! But after barely surviving a tussle with the Suicide Squad, how can a battle-ravaged Deathstroke take on Lex Luthor’s forces?

Bonny had been named as co-writer for a few months but now gets sole billing. For DC, he's also worked on The Savage Hawkman before Rob Liefeld took over that book. Tony Daniels is no longer involved with Deathstroke, at least for this issue.

Interesting, seems Rose will continue to appear in the book, even if she sounds like something of a victim.

Strange variant theme this month; colouring book style. That's it below.

A Little Ravager Art from Secret Origins #7

Just a brief post today. I was again filling some gaps on the (New)(Teen) Titans, Volume 1 and Rose Wilson pages and came across an image I thought I should share, in case some people missed it.

The art below is by Robson Rocha (pencils), Oclair Albert (inks) and Mike Atiyeh (colour). As stated in the subject line, it is copied from issue #7 of Secret Origins, which came out late last November.

One of the three back-filling stories included in the book continues Superboy's habit of whining about who he really is, his purpose for being created, etc. Since the delightful Rose Wilson was a supporting character for much of his ongoing series, she makes a cameo appearance in flashback form.

Saying that she wanted to "help" might be quite kind, if my memory is sound, but that's neither here nor there...

Too bad Rose wasn't used a bit more in this story. However, one of the (many) frustrating things about the Superboy series was that Rose's appearances were often limited to about a page an issue, if that. So while her inclusion in SO7 is not at all impactful, it's at least appropriate in its brevity.

Deathstroke 9 Bombshell variant

For the second year in a row, DC Comics has "bombshell"-themed variant covers planned for August. While some of the male characters, such as Aquaman and Green Lantern, are displayed in 40's propaganda poster style in their respective variants, several of them give way to female supporting characters in order to fit the theme. And Deathstroke is among those stepping aside.

The art is by Emanuella Luppachino and Tomeu Morey.

That's pretty neat. I haven't found the current version of Rose Wilson particularly appealing but if this Rose was to appear in the Bombshells series that is planned for that month as well, I'd certainly give that a look.

Rose Takes a Brief Step Forward, Then Back Again

There are very few books I buy on their actual release dates. I prefer trades and Comixology digital versions. As a result, I'm often a few months behind the ongoing DC Comics storylines.

I recently picked up issues 33 and 34 of Superboy (August and September cover dates, respectively. Rose Wilson has appeared frequently in that book, but usually for only a page or two at a time and frankly, she's not particularly appealing.

Those issues had a pleasant, albeit brief, surprise though. A Rose Wilson that is much closer in appearance to the one that existed in the pre-Flashpoint DC Universe.

The Superboy series is, in my opinion, a confusing, bloated mess of alternate realities, time travel, etc. Perhaps it is easier to follow when read in large chunks in one sitting, but when grabbing an issue or two from time to time, there is just too much bending of natural laws to follow with confidence.

So what's going on here? In a N.O.W.H.E.R.E. facility (Rose's employer), one of the Superboys is in the position of fighting alternate versions of himself. Rose is defending the facility and in order to improve their odds, Superboy changes her into an apparently more successful version from a different reality.

Much more dad-inspired. Maybe Slade's not as shitty a father in that reality. But then again, she DID take him down, according to the text bubble, so...

Of course, it was not meant to last. All the characters involved return to their usual appearance, then there's the question as to whether it ever really happened, and so on and so forth.

But for a moment it was a cool to see Rose as, I believe, most fans prefer to see her. Granted, if she hates her dad so much, it may not make sense to base her appearance around his anyway. Based on the second volume of Deathstroke, she does still seem to have a hate-on for him, but with that volume apparently being ignored now, who knows any more?

Her outfit gets changed yet again when she showed up in Red Hood And The Outlaws this past February.

My understanding (I have yet to read the book) is that the story deals with addictions. In light of Rose's pre-flashpoint background, her inclusion in such a storyline would make sense. But again, with DC, who knows anymore whether her past drug addiction (thanks again, dad!) even took place?

Also, based on reviews, Rose has some history with Jason Todd. That could be interesting, but I suspect we won't be told a whole lot in the one issue. Although you know, I would buy the hell out of a book featuring those two as a couple, like a Green Arrow/Black Canary or Grifter/Zealot combo.

Oddly, once again we have a cover switch. The original solicitation featured the cover below:

Both are said to be by artist R.B. Silva so I wonder why the change? Did he just want to make life easier for himself and feature a less complex uniform?

In any event, Rose is also included in the following, and final, issue of the series.

Rose, We Hardly Knew Ye

You may have noticed a page specific to Deathstroke 's daughter, Rose Wilson, under the banner image. It had been built a few days ago but I've just now begun to add material to it, including her first appearance, inauspicious as it was.

Rose was first seen in Deathstroke's first volume, issue  #15, the fourth part (of nine) of a Teen Titans events appropriately named Total Chaos. Somewhat oddly, regardless of his long-time connection to the Titans team, the event started in Deathstroke's previous issue, was continued in New Titans #90 and the third part took place in the big launch issue of Team Titans (which fizzled, but that's not our problem).

Slade's been under the weather since his encounter with Batman some time earlier (the City of Assassins storyline). He was being drugged during an interrogation and the serum reacted badly with his modified biology from the experiments that gave him his enhancements years earlier. He's on the run from the law (more on that later) and prone to weakness and fainting spells.

In the midst of passing out while looking for an escape route through the sewers, Slade seems to randomly tell Wintergreen about an adventure from several years past. While in Cambodia, he had been hired to rescue a "local princess" and bring her to Thailand.

Of course, it all went to pot, but Slade Wilson being the player that he is, it didn't prevent him from engaging in a little jungle lovin'.

The man always completes a mission!

Lili had since set up shop in New York and that was where 'stroke was headed to hide. Wintergreen and some now long-forgotten sewer-dwelling buds helped him get over to Lili's entirely different type of sweat shop. And there, Wintergreen connects a few dots when he lays eyes on Lili's daughter.

That dude behind the curtain is not creepy at all.

I still, to this day, wonder how anyone could think that Deathstroke's daughter would have "naturally white" hair. It was established long before (by the same writer, no less, Marv Wolfman) that Slade Wilson had blond hair when he was younger. I'm going gray too, doesn't mean that if I have a kid now he or she will have "naturally gray" hair. Did she risk being born with a goatee, too? I know you wanted to seed a mystery there, but come on, Marv!

Anyway, for all the questions that the above page raised, she wouldn't be seen again for quite some time but would eventually take on the Ravager name and join the Titans.

DC new 52 reboot from late 2011 muddled her history quite a bit, changed her appearance and at least to this point made her far less likable, in my opinion. At one point in Deathstroke's book that resulted from that reboot (the 20-issue second volume) she refers to Adeline Wilson, Deathstroke's ex-wife, as her mother, essentially erasing all of the above background material. There are other signs that volume two is basically being ignored going forward, which totally defeats the purpose of the relaunch in the first place.

I'll still be keeping an eye on her though. I understand that she appears in the current Deathstroke book (which I'm waiting to read in trade paperback format) and I believe some of the details will be laid out then. Hope so, but I admit that while I was open to a New 52 when it took place, I miss the "old" Rose Wilson.