
Since the launch of DC's New 52, one of the most consistently fun reads for me has been Deathstroke. Right out of the gate, this book was action-packed. The storylines are straightforward the art has been consistently good, and the guest stars have all been interesting/
It's been a while since Rob Liefeld left the book, but this issue still bears his name, as he provided the plot. It's a crossover with another book Liefeld was working on, Savage Hawkman, and the script by Josh Williamson does a nice job of tying into the crossover but still managing to work on its own.
In the issue, Deathstroke catches wind of a contract on Hawkman, but he doesn't sign up for it. Instead, he's intrigued by the fact that Hawkman's armor is made of the same Nth Metal that his own is made of. He decides to play the role of protector instead, keping other assassins off of Hawkman until he can get some more answers about Nth Metal and his armor. As you might imagine, this brings him into the crosshairs of the same people trying to kill Hawkman.
There's a nice punch-up between Deathstroke and Hawkman in this issue, and I learned more about Nth Metal in a few pages than I had in my previous years reading comics. The art Eduardo Pansica (pencils), Mariah Benes (inks) and Juan Fernandez (colors) is great, especially when it comes to the rooftop fight scenes, which are a joy to look at.
As I said, Deathdtroke has been fun from the get go. My fear is that it won't last much longer, as I know sales numbers have dropped with Liefeld's departure. In any case, I'm enjoying this one as long as it lasts.
4 out of 5 Popcorn Comics