Deathstroke, Volume 2: God Killer

Deathstroke (2014)

by Tony S. Daniel (Writer/Illustrator), James Bonny (Writer), Tyler Kirkham (Illustrator)

The world's deadliest assassin faces the fight of his life.

If it can be killed, Slade Wilson, a.k.a. Deathstroke the Terminator, assassin for hire, will find a way to kill it. At least, that's what he tells his employers. But this next contract may be too much for even Deathstroke to handle.

Slade's newest assignment comes from Hephaestus himself, armorer to the gods of Olympus. In order to reach his target Lapetus, the imprisoned god of mortality, Slade will have to travel through the gates of Tartarus on the Amazon homeland of Themyscira.

To protect her home and fellow Amazons, Wonder Woman will do whatever it takes to stop Slade on his fool's errand, and Superman is right by her side. With the Man of Steel, the God of War and an army of the undead out for his blood, this final fight might just be a dead end for Deathstroke!

DEATHSTROKE VOL. 2: GOD KILLER joins acclaimed writer and artist Tony S. Daniel (DETECTIVE COMICS), along with writer James Bonny (THE SAVAGE HAWKMAN) and artists including Tyler Kirkham (TEEN TITANS) and Sandu Florea (BATMAN).

Collecting: Deathstroke #7-10, Annual #1 and DC Sneak Peek: Deathstroke #1.

Genres: Comics, Dc Comics, Graphic Novels, Superheroes, Crime, Mystery, Comic Book

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2016

About the author

Tony Salvador Daniel is a comic book author and illustrator. He is sometimes credited with is full name as Antonio Salvador Daniel.

For the science fiction writer, see Tony Daniel.

Tony S. Daniel decided to become a comic book artist in the 4th grade and has never looked back. He made his professional comics debut in 1993 on Comico's The Elementals and went on to illustrate X-Force for Marvel Comics and Spawn: Bloodfeud for Image Comics as well as writing and illustrating several creator-owned titles of his own: Silke, The Tenth, Adrenalynn and F5 — the last two of which led him, for a time, into the alternate reality known as Hollywood.

After being lured back into comics in 2005 to work with writer Geoff Johns on TEEN TITANS for DC Comics, Daniel landed his dream job in 2007 penciling the adventures of DC's Dark Knight Detective in BATMAN where he first collaborated with writer Grant Morrison and then went on to write and draw the book himself. In 2011 he re-launched DETECTIVE COMICS for DC’s New 52, writing and drawing most of the first year of the historic series. In 2012 Daniel moved from one icon to another when he began illustrating the adventures of Superman in ACTION COMICS.

Reviews

[Jayson · Rating 3 out of 5]

(B) 73% | More than Satisfactory
Notes: A slew of stakeless sizzle, it's all lazy, lax and leaden: no payoff's earned, just clash-concerned, generic Armageddon.

[Jeff · Rating 3 out of 5]

If any character could be the poster boy for DC’s New 52 editorial indifference, why not Deathstroke (aka Slade Wilson). Deathstroke, Vol. 1: Legacy was a slice and dice fest, but at least it stayed true to the unrepentant assassin schtick that he’s generally known for and was fun if you dig decapitations every other page (I do). In Deathstroke, Vol. 2: Lobo Hunt, Rob Liefeld took over, threw in Lobo, Hawkman, some growed-up Deathstroke kids, some weird back story stuff and promptly got the book canceled.

I assume, Mr. Liefeld, residuals for your jeans commercial dried up years ago. Pity.

In this volume, Deathstroke is now young and has two eyes.

Why? Not sure, I haven’t read Volume One, but let’s just say: Magic. Yeah, magic.

Nothing else has changed, he’s still a psycho-ass, he still has adult kids and he still kills for Benjamins or sacks of gold or whatever. So let’s equip him with a sword forged by the gods and send him to Therm Thyms, the island where Wonder Woman lives so he can slay a god, but in actuality he’ll screw stuff up.



Insert conflict between the two characters because Diana’s angry and Wilson has the reputation for killing and blowing stuff up.



Misunderstandings lead to a conflict with Superman because Superman is kind of dense.



Warning: The last page is not for the squeamish.

Bottom line: Surprisingly, this collection contains a linear story that’s actually kind of fun. Shocking, I know. If you like Deathstroke, check it out. If you aren’t a fan of the character, YMMV.

For Trish. It’s not Skottie Young, but it’s “cute”.

[Chad · Rating 2 out of 5]

Basically just a book of nonstop limbs being cut off with very little story. In this volume, Deathstroke goes to Themyscira to kill a Titan. He inadvertently sets the Titan free, then fights Wonder Woman and Superman until they have to team up to stop the Titan.

[Sud666 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Eh? This must be the "Newer than the New 52" retcon. I tend to read comics in no particular order, but rather by story or story arc, thus am never "current" with which version of events they are peddling (who's dead, who's not dead, who's been dead-but decided not to be anymore, etc). That's fine. I'll check out the story. Um..well..meh. Yeah that's my unreserved final judgement. Meh. I'm not trying to hard for this one.

As far as retconning- Slade Wilson is 20 something and has his eye back. Something to do with I-Ching (who knows?). Anyways..Hephaestus..yeah the Greek god, gives Deathstroke a god-killing sword. Along the way Deathstroke causes an old Titan named Lapetus to break loose. Lapetus rampages around Paradise Island. This pisses off Wonder Woman. She fights Deathstroke. Then they both fight Lapetus and his minions. Then Superman shows up. Fights Deathstroke. Then teams up with Wonder Woman and Deathstroke to fight Lapetus. Yep. Totally. Bet you didn't see that coming? So uh yeah..there you have it. 20 year old Deathsroke with a Godsword frees a Titan fights/teams up with Wonder Woman/Superman. Some nice action. That's the only thing this has going for it. Nice art too. Don't expect much. Oh..and about the eye (Deathstroke's)...yeah...dum dum dum....

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

This one actually includes Deathstroke 7-10 and Annual 1.

I enjoyed this volume more than the first simply because it's more coherent. Deathstroke has taken on a contract to kill a "God", and has been equipped with a sword to do just that. To complicate matters, he has to journey to Themyscira to complete the contract. Then Superman shows up as well.

I don't really like this new "young" Deathstroke, but this storyline was good and the art was above average. It was pretty cool to see Deathstroke interacting with Superman and Wonder Woman (and Wonder Woman looks so very good in this volume.)

Overall a good volume I'd recommend to any Deathstroke fan, and really even Superman and Wonder Woman fans would probably like this one.

[Stewart Tame · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. This didn't do much for me. It looks pretty, but the story is all but nonexistent. We open on a fight scene that isn't what it seems so that Slade can indulge in an inner monologue while showing off his moves. Whatever myriad faults this graphic novel has, each issue does begin with a fairly decent recap, which is good because I don't think I've read Deathstroke Volume 1. Oh, sure, I’ve read A Deathstroke Volume 1, but I’m pretty sure it wasn't the one that was supposed to come before this one. Confused? Welcome to the wonderful world of comics continuity, where the phrase “Volume 1” is about as meaningful as a character dying …

Anyway, apparently in Volume 1, Deathstroke was subjected to mystic powers which made him younger and restored his missing eye, which has to be one of the dumbest things I’ve ever heard. Hs original appearance, with the white hair and the eyepatch, was distinctive. Now he just looks generic …

Anyway, as the back cover promises, Deathstroke is tasked with killing a god. Well, a titan actually. But if they put that in the back cover description, people familiar with Slade’s history might jump to the wrong conclusion (“In This Volume, One of the Titans Dies at the Hands of Deathstroke! Not A Hoax! Not An Imaginary Tale!”) Anyway, it's not a bad plot, I suppose, but it just doesn't feel very exciting. There are lots of speed lines and explosions and closeups of shouting people, but it all feels like it's trying too hard. I don't care about any of the characters, not even Wonder Woman and Superman. Just about literally everyone in this book has appeared in better stories elsewhere. By shouting and waving its hands, this story tries to distract us from the fact that it's really quite boring and pedestrian. I, for one, am not fooled. Not recommended.

[David Dalton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tons of action! Picked up Vol 1 a few weeks ago and got hooked again on standard comics. I have been reading independent titles for the last couple of years. But the extreme action & good art of Deathstroke has brought me back to mainstream comics. So I picked up Vols 1 & 2, and started collecting Deathstroke starting with issue #11. Somewhere in my large collection of comics, I have the 1st appearance of Deathstroke way back in the Teen Titans (drawn by George Perez back then). Story: B, but the art is A+. Also branching off to Batman: Arkham City and even the reboot of Daredevil. Probably give Suicide Squad a shot as well.

[Mitchell Nemeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Definitely different than the normal expected Slade Wilson story arc. I give the writing 4/5 simply due to how well it captures the characters and their motives. HAS LOADS OF INTENSE ACTION. The artwork was 12/10. Down right superb. I'm really starting enjoy this series and I hope it continues to get better even after Daniel stops writing/drawing it.

[Higor Hebert · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quando saiu eu odiei a história.
Mas relendo agora, eu tentei ver com outros olhos e até que funciona.
É só ação mesmo com umas desculpas fracas mas tá aceitável.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poprzedni tom przygód najemnego mordercy, który lubi swoją pracę, przypadł mi do gustu, więc ochoczo sięgnąłem po kolejny tom. Nie zawiodłem się i nawet mam wrażenie, iż mimo, że Tony S. Daniel nie tworzy zbytnio lotnych historii, tak tutaj fabuła jest zaskakująco spójna przez większość czasu. A że dodano także świetnie wyglądającą Dianę, którą uwielbiam przez run Azzarello, więc tym bardziej zabrałem się za lekturę.

W drugim tomie latorośl Slade'a odsunięto na drugi plan. Zabieg udany, bowiem potrafiło mnie to ostatnio denerwować. Tutaj mamy krótką scenę z Rose, gdzie staruszek ewidentnie próbuje odkupić dawne winy, ale będzie trudno. Potem pojawiają się jako wspomnienia męczące bohatera, kiedy ten trafia do Tartaru... Tak, tu będzie troszkę nawiązań do mitologii greckiej, aczkolwiek nie w takich ilościach jak w tomach 1-6 Wonder Woman w ramach New 52 ( i nie tak kreatywnie).

Wilson przyjmuje zlecenie od samego Hefajstosa na zlikwidowanie pewnej persony wchodzącej w skład panteonu tytanów. Zlecenie na tyle nietypowe, że wymaga użycia specjalnego ostrza. Broń ta przybiera różne kształty (co moim zdaniem nie zostało w pełni wykorzystane) oraz ma "własną" inteligencję, niejako kierując częściowo użytkownikiem. Wyposażony w taki oręż Slade rusza na Themysica'e, czyli dom wspominanej Wonder Woman. Niestety na miejscu sprawy przybierają zły obrót i zamiast wykonać zlecenie, Deathstroke uwalnia swój cel, komplikując sobie zlecenie na tyle ile się da.

Znów mamy flaki i litry krwi. Znów autor wyciąga pewne rzeczy jak królika z rękawa, czego sztandarowym przykładem jest postać Supermana i jego udziału w całym zamieszaniu. Wygląda to fajnie, gdy Clark bierze Slade'a za fraki, ale stoi w sprzeczności z charakterem tej postaci. Z Supermana Daniel zrobił osiłka, który ma efektownie dostawać łupnia, albo zatkać wulkan...

Ponownie, potencjał był, ale zatracił się na rzecz akcji. Ta jest co prawda palce lizać, czemu ponownie towarzyszy świetna oprawa wizualna, ale dla tych, którzy szukają wyszukanych fabuł zwyczajnie nie ma tu po co zaglądać. To takie porównanie Transformers do Transformers: Zemsta Upadłych. Cała masa akcji, wybuchów i humoru niskich lotów, a mało jakiejkolwiek logiki. Mi to nie przeszkadzało, bo traktuję ten tytuł tak jak powinienem. Szybka lektura na część wieczoru, piękna wizualnie, ale bez głębi. Typowy akcyjniak, aczkolwiek delikatnie lepszy od pierwszego tomu. Tam było 3/5, to tu daję takie mocne 3.5/5.

[47Time · Rating 3 out of 5]

Slade must take any job he can get. He is armed by Hephaestus with a sword named the God Killer and tasked with killing the titan Lapetus. He unwittingly releases a force that can destroy Themyscira. He soon finds he must answer to Wonder Woman. Too bad it's a mediocre story. The artwork is still great even after the artist is changed.

The force is Lapetus's will. His body and will were imprisoned in multiple places on Themyscira. With his will free, he reconstitutes his body while Diana attacks Slade. Before the two kill each other, they are stopped by Hessia. They refocus their anger at Lapetus who tries to destroy their morale by showing them their gratest fears and regrets. Of course, they shake it off and then meet Superman who fights Slade until WW tells them they are on the same side.

Thanks to the good guys keeping themselves busy, Lapetus gets pretty much to full strength. Still, all it takes is Slade pissing him off to create an opening in his defense and striking him with the God Killer. I guess it works as a titan killer too. For killing the titan, Slade must make a personal sacrifice. He is offered to choose between his children, but willingly gives up his eye instead - the guy rips it out with his bare hand.

[Stavros Blackmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! Deathstroke springs yet another trap when the Olympian God Hephaestus makes him an offer he can't refuse. What he asks of him is naturally an assassination but not of your everyday target, since his assignment is to kill a god-like creature, namely the Titan Lapetus, who is imprisoned in Themiscyra, the home of the Amazons. The Forger of the Olympian Gods, however, does not just leave Slade Wilson helpless in the Herculean labor he took on. He gives him a sword that he himself made, a weapon that has a will of its own that bonds with the will of its wielder and together they're supposedly able to kill even gods. Of course, the deal Slade made with Hephaestus contains a catch that is not initially revealed.

Consistent, full of action and starring two members of the Trinity, who were instrumental regarding the plot and not mere guest appearances! As for the art, I'm just gonna leave this here:

https://static.comicvine.com/uploads/...

[Victor Orozco · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow.

Haven't read much on Deathstroke but I have seen him portrayed on TV and find him to be an incredible presence. Its pretty hard seeing him as a protagonist - an anti-hero assassin. He will always be a cold, twisted villain. I know he's popular but he shouldn't be a protagonist. Maybe if he was in the Suicide Squad.

Still, this is a pretty awesome story. Slade is contacted to kill a Titan with a powerful weapon, a sword called The Godkiller that will help him do just that. Still, this does involve him fighting on Themiscyra, gaining the attention of Wonder Woman and her beau, Superman.

I still don't understand how the New 52 have changed him into a young man, but there are some things here and there that make New 52 bad.

This story was good, even if its main character was flawed. B-

[Zac · Rating 2 out of 5]

3.8/10 I think i was just disappointed because it was so highly rated on Goodreads.
The Good: The art. That's all i can say. The art is well done and gruesome. fun to look at

Teh Meh: The plot? The only good thing about the plot is the fact that its Apollo's contingency plan

The BAD: EVERYTHING ELSE. I should really put the plot in this section too. Deathstroke, a tactical genius whos been in the business for decades, duped into killing a god with a magic sword that he knows has control over him? why would he do that. Wonder Woman, teaming up with deathstroke and giving him the benefit of the doubt and then just letting him go after all is done even though hes a known mass murderer? why would she do that. If you havent read any wonderwoman, much of this makes no sense because we have no idea what Apollo's characterization is or why he has a contingency plan. Its just poor plot writing, poor characterization.

[Paweł · Rating 3 out of 5]

Koniec rodzinnych niesnasek. Tym razem Slade dostaje zlecenie z Olimpu żeby pozbyć się Tytana. Jak to z bogami greckimi bywa, nie doprecyzowali kilku istotnych szczegółów...
Jest to podręcznikowy akcyjniak bez głębszego zastanowienia, jednak tym razem brak ciągnących go na dno wad poprzednich części sprawia, że czyta się go przyjemniej.

[Edward Davies · Rating 4 out of 5]

Something of a mixed bag when it comes to artwork, though on the whole pretty solid. Good to see some cameos from some of the bigger stars, though it obviously feels like a way to try and sell more comics by plastering them all over the covers.

[Dean Simons · Rating 2 out of 5]

The art was nice, everything else was mediocre. Flip through but not worth sticking around.

The dialogue is awful and the story (while not a complete mess like the previous volume), is lacking much substance beyond its blockbuster appeal.

[Peter · Rating 3 out of 5]

I never thought I'd read about Deathstroke weilding a magic sword and taking on a God, but that's exactly what you get in God Killer. Daniel makes it work, but I didn't find this as compelling as his last volume of Deathstroke.

[Neurocomp · Rating 5 out of 5]

not really DC fan, but do like deathstroke , Harleyquinn and nightwing
Story line kept me intrigued, and definitely liked the art/graphics.

Thought i saw cover of green arrow but he didn't appear in this or vol#3.

[Ronnie Jones · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stop start, no real substance but great art. Read the full review here

[Marcela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not my favorite, but significantly better than the first volume.

[Justin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Much better than first, Slade gets hired to kill a titan with sword, teams up with WW and a little Sups.

[Will Cooper · Rating 3 out of 5]

Deathstroke gotta kill a god because contract but it harder than he thought and Wonder Woman is there and Superman is there and fights.

[Zackary · Rating 1 out of 5]

Devastatingly terrible writing.

[Minister Jane Trivigno · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun, badass deathstroke story

[Daniel Butcher · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the concept and the cast…but it really turned into a lot of hitting. Hitting which resolves in a snap.

[MR J D Astill · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEATHSTROKE AT HIS BEST!

Great artwork and storyline, where Deathstroke finds himself equal to Superman, Wonder Woman and the Gods! What more could you want?

[Paul · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just another story with Slade with an oversized sword… boring.

[luke skywalker ↜ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was really good I fucking loved it. It is so much better than the first volume, and Slade is an interesting character for sure.

[alejandro galvez · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was ok

Not the best or worst Death stroke story I have read. The art was amazing though. Pretty good in that department.