The mercenary business has a few basic rules, and Slade Wilson literally wrote the book on them. But in Deathstroke: The Terminator #3, the hunter becomes the prey. Tony Fleecs and Carmine Di Giandomenico put a massive target on Slade’s back for breaking his own code, and while the issue looks absolutely gorgeous, it leaves some serious meat on the bone when it comes to the actual action and emotional stakes.
Title: Deathstroke the Terminator #3
Creatives: Tony Fleecs (Writer), Carmine Di Giandomenico (Artist), Ivan Placencia (Colorist), Wes Abbott (Letterer)
Characters: Deathstroke (Slade Wilson), Adeline Kane, Wintergreen, Joseph Wilson
Villain: Deadshot (Floyd Lawton), Deathblow, Ra’s al Ghul, Cheshire, KGBeast, Black Spider, Merlyn, Constantine Drakon, Captain Boomerang
Format: Ongoing Series
Our Rating: 7/10 Stars
What Are the 5 Rules of the DC Mercenary Code?
This issue gives us a front-row seat to the actual code that keeps DC’s underground contract killers from tearing each other apart. It’s a simple, logical set of rules. Rule number one is just to follow orders and give the client what they want, because happy clients pay on time. Rule number two says family is totally off-limits. You don’t hunt a target’s kids to get to them, which hits close to home since we get a nod to Slade’s son Joseph getting his throat cut by the Jackal and ending up mute. Rule number three is no freebies, meaning killers are service providers who expect to get paid. Rule number four keeps assassins from turning into greedy bounty hunters, stating that once a contract is yours, nobody else can touch it for a specific window of time. Then there is the golden rule, rule number five: no snitching. Client information stays a secret, period. Slade broke that golden rule, and now everyone is out for blood.
Deathstroke vs Deadshot and Deathblow: The Hunt Begins
Right after dropping his Deathstroke-copter directly onto a crowd of mercenaries, Slade Wilson finds himself fighting for his life against top-tier killers like Deadshot and Deathblow. He’s actively losing his mind, hearing the ghost of his dead buddy Wintergreen talking to him while dodging bullets. The action dives into the past, starting with a flashback where Slade pitches his mercenary rules to a room full of assassin heavy hitters like Cheshire, KGBeast, Black Spider, with even Captain Boomerang there for giggles.
We also get our first real introduction to Slade’s ex-wife, Adeline Kane, who is rightfully furious at him for being a total disaster of a father and husband. She drops a massive bombshell about their shared past, confirming what a lot of fans already suspected. When she shot Slade in the head all those years ago, blinding him wasn’t the goal. She was aiming to kill him. Now, she might actually finish the job.
The Art Team Crushes the Visuals and Lettering
Carmine Di Giandomenico and colorist Ivan Placencia continue to absolutely crush the artwork here. The opening fight is a beautiful mess of deep, aggressive reds. When the story jumps to the flashback with Ra’s Al Ghul, Placencia switches things up with that classic, sickly green color you always associate with the Lazarus pits. Seeing a whole swarm of ninjas drop out of the ceiling onto the villains looks incredible. The lettering by Wes Abbott also does a ton of heavy lifting. The book feels loud, giving you the specific sounds of rifles clicking, grenades popping, swords clashing, and ninjas screaming.
Weak Fight Choreography Limits the Action
The actual fight choreography is where things slow down. Deadshot knows he can’t take Deathstroke one-on-one in a fistfight. Floyd is a rifle guy, not a super-soldier, so he brings Deathblow along for backup since the WildStorm veteran actually has abilities.
This three-way brawl between Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Deathblow should’ve been a brutal bloodbath. Instead, it lacks a certain bite. Slade has accelerated healing and obvious plot armor, so the creative team had a free pass to get incredibly violent without permanent consequences. You don’t get that. What you get is just three elite killers wrestling around on the floor, seemingly trying not to hurt each other too badly. It feels like a major missed opportunity to show why these guys sit at the top of their field.
Deadshot’s Out-of-Character Dialogue Drops the Tension
I do appreciate that Fleecs throws in a few fun lines, like Floyd’s hilarious in-universe joke about Deadman when Slade starts talking to the voices in his head. However, Deadshot’s voice feels off here. Floyd sounds way too jokey and whimsical, sounding more like Grifter than the cold, serious assassin we know. You could argue Floyd’s just in a great mood because he gets to watch his biggest competitor take a massive loss, but the goofy tone still feels out of place and pulls you out of the story a bit.
Why the Emotional Stakes Fall Short in This Issue
However, the real issue for Deathstroke: The Terminator #3 is that the emotional core lands flat. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a solid comic, but I just didn’t feel much of anything by the end. Slade is miserable over losing Wintergreen, but that grief does not feel earned yet. As long-time fans, we know Wintergreen is Slade’s ride-or-die partner, but Fleecs hasn’t baked that cake long enough in this specific series for the emotional payoff to work.
Ultimately, this issue is a fast, beautiful piece of setup for a bigger mystery, even if the action between Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Deathblow should have hit a whole lot harder.
‘Deathstroke: The Terminator’ #3 Review: This One Hurts to Watch, But Not for the Reasons You Think
Ultimately, this issue is a fast, beautiful piece of setup for a bigger mystery, even if the action between Deathstroke, Deadshot, and Deathblow should have hit a whole lot harder.
