Posted in: Comics, DC Comics | Tagged: christopher priest, dc comics, deathstroke, Defiance, Diogenes Neves, dr light, HRL, jericho, Kid Flash, power girl, ravager, rebirth, Slade Wilson, tara

Deathstroke #22 Review: The Return Of Doctor Arthur Light

Deathstroke's new team, Defiance, has invaded Chetland to stop an army of light constructs that are attacking and to save the U.S marines whom have been taken hostage. There is just one problem: Deathstroke is nowhere to be found. This is because Slade slipped off to meet with the leader and creator of the light constructs, Doctor Arthur Light, AKA Doctor Light.

Back in the U.S., the Grocer's death is being investigated, and the Grocer's heir is landing in New York to handle the consequences.

This is an action-packed issue as Defiance takes on the constructs of Doctor Light in Chetland. Each member gets to showcase their powers to some degree, and you get to see how this tentative team is struggling to learn how to collaborate.

Deathstroke himself remains as deliciously duplicitous as ever, having ulterior motives for wanting to hunt down Arthur Light.

Spoiler alert: it has something to do with the Society, meaning we will hopefully see a return of the Secret Society of Supervillains once again soon.

Admittedly, the light constructs aren't the most interesting flunkies to watch Defiance fight. They don't really have a personality, and their visual design is pretty lackluster.

The short bits about the Grocer and his killer are very nakedly setting up for a future story arc. They feel like non-sequiturs in this comic, because they have no connection whatsoever to what Deathstroke and Defiance are doing in Chetland.

That being said, the overall story is still engaging, and it's cool seeing this weird and wild team of outcasts in action while Deathstroke nakedly allows their struggle to test and even injure them.

All of this is brought to life very well by Diogenes Neves and his style, which loves an action scene. He's great at capturing the chaos and kinetic feel of a good fight scene. The costumes of Defiance still look really cool, and Deathstroke himself, of course, looks great. It's nice seeing Doctor Arthur Light come back (has he been seen since Forever Evil?). Jeromy Cox's color work is fantastic, and it's all brought together nicely by Jason Paz and Sean Parsons' inks.

Deathstroke is quickly becoming one of my favorite DC titles. It is interesting, the story is often layered very well, and Deathstroke is one of the more fascinating anti-heroes of either of the Big Two. The Defiance team genuinely has me guessing as to where Deathstroke and legendary writer Christopher Priest are going with this. Give this one a read.

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