Comic Review: Deathstroke #4 (DC Comics)

Issue #4 begins with a disguised Slade and Rose heading to Gotham to find out who took out the hit on Rose.

It is still very much an overbearing dad and rebellious teen relationship they have together with Slade trying to get across the importance of the situation and Rose frustrated that he suddenly wants to ‘play dad’.

It’s only after a buck naked Slade has her check in with wintergreen that Rose realizes that he may just be trying to spend time with her and that in his own way he is trying to show he cares. Wintergreen explains that Slade is a supervillain no matter how it is wrapped up by calling him a mercenary or an anti-hero (like an inverse Rose by any other name gambit) and he just can’t process his emotions the same way as others.

After a quick flashback of Rose sparring with Nightwing,  we cut to a group of bikers surrounding their car and her precognition seeing her father take a bullet. Rose quickly switches into Ravager mode and pretty impressively takes out the whole gang, impressive that is unless you happen to be Deathstroke who highlights the fact that her precog could be self-fulfilling and only happen because she interferes. It turns out he had arranged to meet with the gang to avoid getting followed and goes on to deride Rose for wounding but not killing the gang.

Next, we see a deserted Street with Slade narrating the scene and his plan to ‘catch’ Batman. We see a paperboy cycle up and deliver a paper but Slade tells us it’s actually Robin and means his plan has failed. Or has it. Batman may be the greatest Detective but Deathstroke is amazing at what he does I won’t tell you what happens but it goes exactly as planned,Genius

Some pretty impressive scenes as Ravager takes on the gang of bikers and the artwork/colourings really make the images stand out and I love how the showdown between Deathstroke and Batman plays out!