Deathstroke, Vol. 2: The Gospel of Slade

Deathstroke (2016)

by Christopher J. Priest (Writer), Larry Hama (Breakdowns), Carlo Pagulayan (Illustrator)

After the events of The Professional, Deathstroke's family has been shattered. One of the most lethal and hardened antiheroes in the DC Universe is now a man without a mission and without something propelling him forward. He must look to his past for meaning. In an attempt to understand how he's gotten to the turning point he now faces, Slade recalls the first time he and Wintergreen worked together--on a mission that changed both of their lives forever.

Written by Christopher Priest (Black Panther) and featuring stunning illustrations by special guest artist Cary Nord.

Collecting: Deathstroke 6-11

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

176 pages, Paperback

First published July 5, 2017

About the author

Formerly (before 1993) known as James or Jim Owsley.

Christopher James Priest is a critically acclaimed novelist and comic book writer. Priest is the first African-American writer and editor for Marvel and DC Comics. His groundbreaking Black Panther series was lauded by Entertainment Weekly and The Village Voice and will serve as the basis for the 2018 Marvel Cinematic Universe adaption.

Besides Black Panther, Priest has written comics for Conan, Steel, Green Lantern, The Crew and edited The Amazing Spider-Man. He also co-created Quantum & Woody along with Mark Bright and co-founded Milestone Media.

After a decade long hiatus he is currently writing comic books again and recently concluded a stint writing the comic book Deathstroke (2016-2019).

In addition to being a writer, Christopher J. Priest is also a baptist minister.

Reviews

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 3 issues finish up The Professional storyline from volume 1. Slade takes on Superman and it's more of a fight than you'd think. Carlos Pagulayen's art is phenomenal. I like that he actually draws Rose as half Asian. She's typically drawn as a white girl. Then we get two issues by Cary Nord in a story detailing how Slade and Wintergreen met. Finally we get an issue by Denys Cowan featuring The Creeper that tackles gun violence in Chicago. Christopher Priest's writing is fantastic. For the first time DC's actually publishing a Deathstroke series worth reading.

[J · Rating 4 out of 5]

One of the best books by DC right now, writer Priest weaves a complicated tale of family, love, betrayal, trust, friendship, and vengeance. The meandering timeline can be a bit confusing, but it's worth it to see it all come together.

[James DeSantis · Rating 3 out of 5]

The numbering is very very wrong on Goodreads. Volume 2 collects up to issue 11. Also the style of the story is a bit jumbled. I had a bit of a hard time following. However, after Superman stuff is finished we get a Deathstroke in prison, his kids doing some bad shit, and then a single shot issue that has something to do with Deathstroke but very very different style and the ending twist to give it a whole new feeling.

What I liked: Art is still top notch. Like damn good. I also thought the second half started picking up. That single one shot story is fucking amazing. It tracking down a killer, deathstroke, going after gangbangers and such. The ending is so sad but the twist is even better.

What I didn't like: It was really messy first few issues. Superman coming in was fun but the rest? Confusing to say the least.

Overall it was still fun and energy filled volume but not as good as volume 1 for me. The single issue alone though is worth reading. A 3 out of 5.

[B. P. Rinehart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This continues to be one of the most fascinating and well-written comicbook coming out, period. Written by a man who spent over a decade doing anything, but writing comics. If you like good story-telling and not reading anything by this legend, you only hurting yourself.

[Wing Kee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Just like the first arc, if you can pick through the jumbled mess there are some jewels here.

World: The art has been find so far, I like the style but I hate the constant artist changes, but that's what readers have to expect from the release schedule that DC is committed to. The world building much like the rest of the book and is Priest's style is in fits and starts and chopped up into pieces that feel jammed together but if you can put it back in the right order does serve the story well. I like how this world is much more international but at the same time contained to Deathstroke and his cast of characters. That being said the biggest issue I had with this arc is the portrayal of Superman and Priest's lack of understanding (maybe it was intentional just to serve the story but then that's just bad writing) for Superman, especially the Rebirth Superman. This is not Superman and yeah it's wrong.

Story: Convoluted as all hell as before but this is Priest's style. I don't know what purpose it serves other than to make readers angry and confused. I like non linear storytelling when it's done well, but no matter what people tell me, this is not an example of it, this is just a mess. I did like the pieces individually and it does paint a brooding tone that I think a Slade story needs cause he all "badass yo". I especially liked the Rose stuff cause I love that she was going back to look at her her Hmong heritage. In the end, this is a really messed up story that is essentially trying to paint a picture of how deep down Slade does care and doesn't care for his family...why so convoluted?

Characters: I don't like this new armor and how it's a cheat for everything, the fact that it can make Superman bleed is idiotic cause if this armor existed in the greater DCU Batman would have had it anyways. Making him that powerful serves no purpose and actually in my opinion takes away on Slade as a character at it's core (much like the stupid Iron Man made Spidey suit from Homecoming). Rose is great, this Rose is much more complex and layered than the badass female Slade that has a love hate relationship with slade from previous runs and I want more time with her until she JOINS THE TITANS (but someone needs to fix that book first). The rest of the cast serve their purpose and I will say that in the jumble of the story there are good character moments throughout the book.

A jumbled mess just like before and a huge Superman misstep makes this book still very flawed.

Onward to the next book!

*read individual issues*

[Higor Hebert · Rating 5 out of 5]

i really appreciate how this volume, how this take on the character, isn't afraid to talk about laws, how an individual like Deathstroke uses the law in favor of himself and how the comic points out flaws in the law system and the difference between justice and vigilantism. plus, the confront with Superman is not about brawls it's about different ideologies and world views, this makes Slade more tridimensional as a human being, he feels like a(evil)person, not just a piece of paper.
The comic also explains the origin of Slade's group of mercenaries and the origin of his sword, which is appreciated
but my favorite part is the criticism of gun violence, this is actually a deep and thoughtful look into the problem, taking no sides, only the facts and lefiting to the reader to decide what to think

[Chris Lemmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deathstroke's first adventure comes to a close in the first three issues of this volume, as The Professional which began in volume 1 concludes. These three issues pit Slade up against Superman, which is a match-up you wouldn't think would work, but really, really does.

There's also the subplots regarding Joey and Rose as they deal with the effect that their father has on their lives, which are almost more fun than the Deathstroke story directly.

Then comes a two issue story, Four Rooms, which gives us another look back at Slade's life before Deathstroke, as well as the origin of where he got the name from.

And then finally is a very poignant, very relevant, very fucked up story called Chicago that has Slade dealing with gun crime, and the Creeper, with art by Denys Cowan and Bill Sienkiewicz that's just unbelievable. The fact that we still need comics like this astounds me.

What I like the most about this series is that Christopher Priest doesn't care if you're confused. There are so many characters and moving parts that sometimes you won't know who's doing what or why, but Priest barrels on without spoonfeeding you, allowing you to work it all out for yourself. He doesn't talk down to the reader, or make it impossible to follow, but he's telling his story and he doesn't have time for a recap every issue.

Deathstroke is an unapologetic series that's doing something very different with both the character and comics in general that really makes it stand out from the (already excellent) Rebirth crowd.

[Brendan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn't care a lot for the first volume or issues as I reviewed them, but this volume ramps up the story and character. I don't know how to view Deathstroke as a character, villain or anti hero. This volume has good character moments and sets the stage for future issues. I'm new to this character but it won't be the last volume to read, good series with some fresh arc for going forward.

[Will Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

A solid finale to Vol. 1’s story (so much so that I wish Vol. 1 had been an oversized book to include these issues). The inclusion of Patricia Trayce, one of Slade’s old flames, is a surprisingly deep cut reference that builds on Deathstroke’s mythology and helps highlight the moral that obsessing over work is almost always detrimental to the people around you.

I also really enjoyed the brief clash between Deathstroke and Superman. The idea that assassins like Slade are a necessary evil is an interesting concept that sounds incredibly weird coming from Superman, but loved seeing The Man of Steel figuring out a way for everyone to get their just deserts and for justice to be served.

I’m not sure we really needed a story explaining Deathstroke’s namesake (or his fancy sword), but the story following it with Jack Ryder investigating assassinations carried out by Slade is a real treat, with wonderfully moody art, clever twists, and clear explanations of the issues revolving around gun violence in America. Plus, the stories in this volume don’t constantly bounce back and forth through time, making it much easier to digest and enjoy. If you read the previous volume and found it lacking, give this one a shot. It’s an improvement in every regard.

[Quentin Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

I'm enjoying this series, but I always feel like I'm a half step behind and missing something. It was cool to see Deathstroke vs. Superman, and there's a Creeper appearance that was really cool, but overall I always feel like there's parts of the story I'm not getting. The art isn't bad and fits the story, and I still enjoy it but I would prefer more straight ahead stories rather than the meandering that's been going on so far.

[Tom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to re-read the first three issues to make sure I understood what was happening, and was very glad I did. The background on Slade and Wintergreen was good to know as well. The standout issue though comes at the end of the volume in "Chicago", which is no less relevant today than when it was written. Outstanding writing and art. Definitely looking forward to continuing the series.

[Ezma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Didn't really care for the Four Rooms arc? Felt a little too confusing and didn't really go anywhere. But the conclusion to The Professional and Chicago were both solid, so hoping this series can stay on that track.

[RG · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was too jumbled for me

[The Spooky Jedi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Better than the first volume.

[Joey Amorim · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to like this series, but the storytelling is so jumbled and convoluted that I just can’t get into it. I tried at least two volumes to give it a chance, but I think I’m ready to tap out.

[Jake Nap · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story is still building, Priest is clearly playing the long game. Really liked both Cary Nord and the Denys Cowan issues.

3.5 stars

[Sarospice · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought Priest understood this character in the first volume after REBIRTH but this book is so confusing here with the back and forth time line, so much so that you don't care any more. I mean IS Jericho gay and killing his lover to marry a woman? What is the IKON suit able to do? Does Deathstroke have one or not? The saving grace here is the last story about gun violence, Chicago, and The Creeper. No really, the last story was interesting.

[Sacha Valero · Rating 2 out of 5]

I want to give this a higher rating because the first three-quarters were really good, but the last threw me completely off.

We start off with Deathstroke rescuing Ja Zaki from his own people. Rose is in Los Angeles meeting with her half brother who also happens to be Jericho.

Then we see the government attempting to get Superman to capture Deathstroke. He seems very unwilling to do so, but later on a mission to kill a drug lord on a refurbished aircraft carrier in international waters, Superman shows up. He can't overpower Deathstroke while he's wearing the Ikon suit. He's betrayed by Jericho who shuts the suit down.

Rose and Jericho's fiance' Etiene trade some barbs and it's clear they don't like each other. Rose snoops around her house and finds some secret recordings disguised as a bleach tablet in the toilet. No idea who Eiene works for at this moment, but I'm leaning towards Adeline, Slade's ex-wife who hired “Robert” to spy on Rose.

All well and good so far, but then Rose takes off for Vietnam and is followed, by people that turn out to be her family, then next thing you know she's in Minneapolis with relatives of her mother.

Slade is broken out of Supermax prison by Ja Zaki as a tit-for-tat, then the story does a completely bizarre turn on a contract that Deathstroke may or may not have taken by mothers in Chicago for gang violence that has been killing their children. It just didn't work for me.

[Ffcharade · Rating 5 out of 5]

A continuation of the previous arc that ends with a great deal of intrigue. It's followed up by a flashback arc that fills more details of Deathstroke's backstory, while bringing more light to the tangled web that is Slade Wilson's family. The big highlight is a one-off that deals with gun violence, and all the contributory factors. No side is left blameless, and the story itself invites a nuanced discussion on a volatile subject.

[Paul Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gospel of Slade is a solid second volume that continues to delve into the fractured, toxic world of Slade Wilson and his family life. After having saved his old ally Billy Wintergreen and fended off an assassination attempt on his daughter Rose (that Slade himself seemingly set up to draw her closer to him), the deadliest mercenary in DC comics has a new series of adventures that bring him toe to toe with a series of deadly new enemies ranging from his ex wife to the Man of Steel.

Using the advanced tech Ikon suit he picked up at the end of the previous volume, Slade is stronger than ever and able to take on Superman in a fight though he prefers to use his wits to keep Supes busy putting out brush fires while Slade fulfills his contracts. However, while Slade is pin-balling off of his new enemies and an attempt by the US government to finally put him behind bars, a whole host of other problems are rising up. Disillusioned by her recent team up with Slade, Rose takes off to find the other half of her family on her birth mother's side. Meanwhile, her half brother Jericho is back in the Rebirth era using another Ikon suit and his powers of possession to attempt to build his own new brand as a superhero.

All in all, Priest remains one of the best recent Deathstroke writers thanks to his focus on the character's family dynamic and his use of flashbacks and nonlinear narrative to weave a complex and intriguing story. At times the jumps between time lines and and the introduction (or reintroduction) of various characters may be a bit confusing. Certainly this story is more suited for die hard fans of Deathstroke than casual newcomers, but the book works well all the same. Priest also provides new takes on these characters that are wonderfully fun. Whether it be Jericho willing to murder an old lover to prevent his father from learning about his bisexuality or Slade and his wife's toxic hostility towards one another (even while her new husband passively watches) this is a great read.

Probably the weakest element of the book is the final chapter that sees Jack Ryder aka the Creeper investigating a series of murders in Chicago presumably carried out by Deathstroke in retaliation for the spike in gangland shootings. The attempt to weave real world politics and gun control debate into the comic is appreciated, but the story is too far removed from the rest of the series and thus feels like a cheap attempt to spark a conversation about gun politics. But hey, at least Creeper is back, don't remember the last time I saw him.

[Krzysztof Grabowski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Drugi tom spod pióra Priesta jest nieco lepszy od poprzedniego, ale to ponownie nie zasługa samego antybohatera, a gościnnego występu Supermana, który został de facto napuszczony na Slade'a oraz tego co robią dzieci Deathstroke'a, zwłaszcza Jericho.

Slade niby to szuka sensu życia, wracając często do sylwetki Wintergreena. Znów mamy sporo retrospekcji, które jednak nie są już tak mącące jak poprzednio, choć i tak taka konwencja jest daleka od ideału. Niemniej zmusza do myślenia, bowiem z całości wynika konkretny kawał fabuły, zwłaszcza kiedy Slade schodzi z głównego planu i pierwsze skrzypce odgrywa jego rodzina. Stanowi to zwiastun poważniejszych kłopotów w przyszłości.

Ostatnie zeszyty to wizyta w Chicago i parę zaskoczeń, które nadają smaczku wcześniejszym wydarzeniom. Historia zaskakuje też kilkoma momentami z Jericho, który uzyskał tutaj dostęp do pewnych mocy, a że nie darzy ojca szczerą miłością...

Kreska. Mamy tu kilku autorów. Początek należy do Carlo Pagulayan i trzeba przyznać, że jego kreska jest tym najlepszym aspektem, jaki mógł trafić się tej serii. Dalej jest trochę gorzej, choć kreski Cary'iego Norda czy Denys Cowan nadal dają radochę z czytania. Najsłabiej było w momencie, kiedy na stronie pojawiało się dziewięć okienek równej wielkości czy ten czarne z napisem. Nie jara mnie takie coś (co innego w serii o Jessice Jones!).

The Gospel of Slade jest porządny, ale brak mu iskierki, aby być czymś więcej. Nie wiem czy to taki okres z nawałem pracy, ale nie za bardzo chciało mi się rozważać nad głębszym sensem niektórych sekwencji. Dla tych co to zrobili pewnie całość zasługuje na gwiazdkę więcej.

[Alex E · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this better than the first volume... but just barely.

Ill tell you what I liked:

The art - awesome. I loved the style that all the artists have on this book. They are all similar, gritty yet made with clean lines, the art reminds of a precision instrument wielded in the dark. All the artists are good but Pagulayan is probably my favorite from the book, the guy is a beast.

The story with Superman - the fact that Deathstroke wasn't apprehended or dead in 5 seconds shows you his ingenuity and the threat that he poses.

The overall story - I'm starting to see the bigger overall picture of what Priest is painting. Its a complex tale of family betrayal as well as the past coming back to haunt you.

But...

The style of Priest's writing is a lot of times very burdensome. I found myself having to slog through parts just to finish the book. Priest jumps from points in time to another and locations to other locations without much context and without any narrative hand holding. This makes for a frustrating read to be honest. I understand writing a complex story where you are rewarded for "putting together all the pieces" but at the same time, just give me the fuckin story you know?

Recommended for the detail oriented and meticulous comic reader.

[Shannon Appelcline · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not quite as good as Priest's first Deathstroke volume.

That's in part because of DC's awful mapping: we start up with part six of the story from the previous volume, then move on to a two-part conclusion, then have a new two-part story that's not conclusive, then get a one-off that's not set in the same time period. What a mess! There's no beginning and ending. It's just a wild mash of storytelling that might read better with the first volume in hand, but doesn't as it's presented.

And this volume is also simpler. There's still some wonderful backstory here and there, especially as we learn how Slade came by his name and his sword. But it's not as constant as it was in the first volume.

Still, this volume has lots of good story, particularly in the aforementioned flashbacks and the focus on Slade's family. And we get some great interactions with Supes.

But, it's impossible to rate this volume on its own, because it doesn't stand on its own in the least.

[Des Fox · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't be fooled by the rating, I'm really enjoying this run! But volume two has some problems that make it an inconsistent read. Priest's bigger-world set-up is awe inspiring, but it's also fairly convoluted, and while all the parts are there, a lot is being asked of the reader in between issues, keeping all of the moving pieces in mind. There are a lot of great moments, including a fantastic twist in the final issue, but a lot of the set-up gets in the way, and leaves me scratching my head when it comes to exactly what the implications of these cameos and sub-plots are meant to mean. This might be a work that reads best as a fatter collection, like much of Priest's backlog, but it's still one of the most solid, thought-provoking books in the rebirth line-up. Hopefully as the book presses on, these early moments of confusion pull back, and we can get into some really meaty storytelling.

[Cale · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea. Borderline incomprehensible - too many plots, not enough time with any of them, too much focus on style over substance, and the attempts at social issues really don't work for me (the stand-alone Chicago issue had at least two points that were actively offensive, including the last line). The art's workable, but the action doesn't play out very well anywhere. And the plot is too convoluted, with a random multi-page flashback that's relevant because of a '3 second passing' in a hallway. I'd almost say it's trying too hard to be edgy. And the Superman crossover feels very out of character for him. There's nothing here that would make me want to read more of the series. And I've put up with a lot of Rebirth garbage - this one just completely turns me off of reading more, though.

[Jadyn❀ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Still confusing and hard to follow. I guess I fail to see what makes Deathstroke a compelling enough character for people to want to see him as the protagonist. There’s nothing redeeming about him. He put out a hit on his daughter on the dark web just to make an excuse to spend time with her. That’s not cool, it’s incredibly pathetic. It’s nice to see Rose doing better, but being around family doesn’t mean she isn’t still getting hit on by every guy who sees her (her own cousin??). The stuff going on with Joey is a mess. I find it hard to feel bad for Dr Ikon when he’s a groomer. I mostly just feel bad for Joey, because his dad is always ruining his life. What do any of these women half his age see in Slade? I found Slade most interesting before they revealed it was actually an imposter Deathstroke. Because of course it was.

[Harley · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't finish this, too slow and change of location nearly every page with 24 hours or 12 hours before or after.

Pros
good artwork and colour choice
Cons
at the begging there was a different death stroke, to the one through out the book.
the 24 hours 12 hours before and after
way too slow for me, no action, even in the battle bewtween superman it was a boring battle.
Not a good storyline.
In Conclusion.

I didn't like this too slow for my personal taste i prefer comics with a lot of action or suspense or a good story you could follow with this i didn't get any of that other then good art and colour choice.

[David Worrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lower range four/high three. It's a little messy. Wasn't written for a trade, which I applaud and prefer, but the stories end up jumping around a bit. Deathstroke takes on Superman. I still don't buy it as plausible, but Priest makes a valiant try and not many people could do it as well. Then there's some stuff in prison and a little look at Slade's early years. Jericho and Rose's stories progress. It ends with a critically acclaimed story about gun violence in Chicago. It wasn't as lights out wonderful as you'd expect from the "critically acclaimed" tag, but I liked the appearance of the Creeper and Priest's take on him.

[Kevin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Este es más emocionante que el primer volumen. El conflicto de familia es más interesante que el conflicto internacional en el que Deathstroke está envuelto. La pelea contra Superman fue bien emocionante. El capítulo final me dejó con muchas dudas sobre lo que piensa Priest en cuanto a la legislación de las armas de fuego en Estados Unidos. El dibujo de Denys Cowan fue hermoso como siempre,

Los dibujos son anatómicamente correctos y las secuencias parece que lo desafían un poco pero lo logra. No hay mucho que decir, no tiene algo que me llegue tanto como otros libros han hecho pero lo estoy disfrutando y seguiré leyendo hasta el final.

[Hannah Stubbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

The writing and the art are absolutely amazing. There is nothing wrong with the story and creative team whatsoever. But the book is compiled really weirdly. Three of the issues fit with the first volumes story, two are the beginning of a new arc and the last is a random (although really great) issue about the Creeper tracking down Deathstroke. It's just not organised very well, whoever is in charge of the Deathstroke trades needs to actually start reading the comics before deciding which volume to put them in.

But overall, I highly recommend.