Review: Deathstroke #31 “Deathstroke Vs. Batman” Part Two

“Deathstroke Vs. Batman” – Part Two
Writer: Priest
Artists: Larry Hama, Carlo Pagulayan, Roberto Villacara & Jason Paz
Review by Steve J. Ray

 It’s the second chapter of Deathstroke Vs. Batman. The opening shots have been fired, but it’s still anybody’s game. Who will stand victorious, the Dark Knight, or the Terminator?
At the end of part one both combatants laid down their ultimatums, firm in their beliefs of superiority over their foe. I don’t like giving away spoilers, nor having them forced on me, but these opening six pages clearly show that Batman means business!
I warned you–Deathstroke is closed.
Powerful words, from someone who can back them up.

Terminator Vs. Dark Knight

Batman has received evidence that Damian is not his son, but is in fact the offspring of master assassin Slade Wilson. While neither man believes it, they have both taken the bait and declared war on each other. The premise is simple, but in the hands of a lesser writer could have come across as contrived.
Priest is a pro.
The dialogue, the action and the pacing of this issue are all faultless. If Hollywood is looking for a story to use pitting Batman against Deathstroke The Terminator, then they need look no further than these pages. This arc is cinematic, action packed and great entertainment.
The art department isn’t slacking either. Having three pencillers on one issue could have been a nightmare, and led to a mish-mash of styles, but I’m happy to report that this hasn’t happened here. Legendary writer/artist/letterer/actor Larry Hama’s breakdowns have been fleshed out by pencillers Carlo Pagulayan and Roberto Viacara beautifully. Check out the six pages above if you have any doubts.
Then you have Jason Paz’ flawless inks creating one cohesive comic book, with the terrific color art of Jeromy Cox. The monochrome flashbacks, the fiery explosions, the action, combat… and a killer cliffhanger. This is vintage comic-book storytelling.

Conclusion

We’re a third of the way in, and I’m loving it. It’s great when a team of creators gets two of the best characters in DC Comics today, and gives them a story worthy of their status. The stakes are high, the emotions real, and the action high octane. As for that cliffhanger…. Things are going to get REAL in chapter three.
Images Courtesy Of DC Entertainment
(This review was originally published on the Dark Knight News website on May 4th 2018)

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