Deathstroke (2016)

[Frontier]

Wolfman's silly obsession with whitewashing Slade is one of the reasons why I feel that Tara should be retooled as an antihero.

I think animated Terra's are the only ones you could pull off as antiheroes. Comic Terra would be anti-villain at best.

[king81992]

I think animated Terra's are the only ones you could pull off as antiheroes. Comic Terra would be anti-villain at best.

If DC somehow managed to shift Harley into an antihero(though she's more of a villain who gets a free pass from everyone because LOL RANDUMB + MEMES), they could pull something off with Terra.

[Frontier]

If DC somehow managed to shift Harley into an antihero(though she's more of a villain who gets a free pass from everyone because LOL RANDUMB + MEMES), they could pull something off with Terra.

It would come off as jarring as it is with Harley to me.

[millernumber1]

Hopefully to get things back to the topic at hand - the Rebirth run of Deathstroke - I think it's fascinating how central all these kids Slade collects, chews up, and spits out are. Because a threat as powerful as Slade having his enemies be primarily children? That's something that's hard to figure out, and something that Priest spent nearly his whole run trying to make sense of.

[Frontier]

Hopefully to get things back to the topic at hand - the Rebirth run of Deathstroke - I think it's fascinating how central all these kids Slade collects, chews up, and spits out are. Because a threat as powerful as Slade having his enemies be primarily children? That's something that's hard to figure out, and something that Priest spent nearly his whole run trying to make sense of.

I guess it comes back to the fact that his main enemies have always been the Titans (when it wasn't himself or his family). The Titans represent youthful idealism and hope, even in-spite of flawed backgrounds, which is in direct contrast to Slade so he could never truly understand them.

Not to mention he inevitably lost all his kids to the Titans in one way or another.

[millernumber1]

I guess it comes back to the fact that his main enemies have always been the Titans (when it wasn't himself or his family). The Titans represent youthful idealism and hope, even in-spite of flawed backgrounds, which is in direct contrast to Slade so he could never truly understand them.

Not to mention he inevitably lost all his kids to the Titans in one way or another.

It's mostly that last, to me. He's the world's most dangerous killer. Yet he keeps getting beaten by kids. I think that contradiction is what Priest was really exploring for most of his run. And his answer was that Slade can't defeat the Titans because he finds himself loving too many of them.

And I love it.

[ZeroBG82]

Also that part about Terra and child prostitutes gets dangerously close to victim blaming. When discussing sexual predation the behaviour of a 12 year old is the least important part of the conversation.

While your statement is 100% true I think it also misses the mark on what Priest is getting at.

Yes, Slade's actions are reprehensible and unjustifiable. His abuse of Terra shouldn't be wiped away or ignored. And we should recognize that Terra was abused, used, and have that in mind when we look at her. But being abused does not, in any way shape or form absolve Terra of her own multitude of other sins. It's too easy to blame Slade for the fact that Terra was also a monster.

Which is Priest's point. Yes, Terra was abused by Slade. But that doesn't excuse her own actions and choices outside of that relationship. And while we can and should be horrified by what Slade did to her, you also can't hide her true self behind those actions. What happened to her is horrifying. But Terra would have been a villain anyway.

[Skullkid]

I do not get Priest's fixation with making Damian Deathstroke's son.
It comes off as him just trying to do something different for the sake of doing something different regardless of whether or not it actually makes sense, but even then it's not really doing that since it just gives Damian another evil relative and Slade another kid who hates him, stuff we've already seen before, it's not adding anything to either character it's just taking something away from the Batman mythos.
Heck if Priest wants to take someone's kid sidekick he should take NuWally from Flash, unlike Damian, no one is going to miss him if that happened, Flash fans don't want him and Deathstroke is the only book he was somewhat likable in.

[king81992]

I do not get Priest's fixation with making Damian Deathstroke's son.
It comes off as him just trying to do something different for the sake of doing something different regardless of whether or not it actually makes sense, but even then it's not really doing that since it just gives Damian another evil relative and Slade another kid who hates him, stuff we've already seen before, it's not adding anything to either character it's just taking something away from the Batman mythos.
Heck if Priest wants to take someone's kid sidekick he should take NuWally from Flash, unlike Damian, no one is going to miss him if that happened, Flash fans don't want him and Deathstroke is the only book he was somewhat likable in.

Wallace is the only likable character in the current Teen Titans book.

[Hypestyle]

Wallace is the only likable character in the current Teen Titans book.

solo series featuring Wallace written by Priest would be good.

[Superlad93]

I really want Priest to write more stuff for DC, man. I'm personally a heavy advocate for him getting a longer shot at Justice League come 5G, or the Batman/Superman book.

Anyways more on topic, I respect Priest so much for being so uncompromising in his vision for Deathstroke. He's a writer that really goes out of his way to write the character and the character alone with an almost religious enthusiasm. It's inspiring.

[kurenai24]

Wow, the 2nd part of the interview was just as good as the 1st part.

I could read Priest's thoughts on things forever.

I do not get Priest's fixation with making Damian Deathstroke's son.
It comes off as him just trying to do something different for the sake of doing something different regardless of whether or not it actually makes sense, but even then it's not really doing that since it just gives Damian another evil relative and Slade another kid who hates him, stuff we've already seen before, it's not adding anything to either character it's just taking something away from the Batman mythos.
Heck if Priest wants to take someone's kid sidekick he should take NuWally from Flash, unlike Damian, no one is going to miss him if that happened, Flash fans don't want him and Deathstroke is the only book he was somewhat likable in.

You know what, I have no problem with people being like I'm glad DC didn't listen to Priest or I prefer Damian staying Bruce's kid but this whole Priest has an ulterior motive that both Dick and Damian fans have paraded for a multitude of reasons is such a juvenile take and something I expect from people who can't stop being over protective of a character that DC is frankly doing nothing with.

Priest isn't simple enough to change something for the sake of change or leaving a footprint in the dc universe, he has thoughts about certain things and he sticks with it, just b/c you don't like it, does not mean there is some sinister motive, people have to get over that and realize people see characters differently and have different ideas for them, once you do, you can join us at the adult table for some mature conversation.

And what part of Priest doesn't want to write a comic based solely on a black character don't people understand, stop suggesting black characters.

[Skullkid]

What are you on about?
I never said anything about ulterior motives, I just said making a change like this that really makes no sense and does really nothing for the characters besides retread old ground just sounds like a change for the sake of change.
I don't know what plans he may have had but that is always what it's gonna look like to me.
And as far I know Priest has never said he doesn't want a comic based a black character he's only said he doesn't want to only write black characters.

[lemonpeace]

Wow, the 2nd part of the interview was just as good as the 1st part.

I could read Priest's thoughts on things forever.



You know what, I have no problem with people being like I'm glad DC didn't listen to Priest or I prefer Damian staying Bruce's kid but this whole Priest has an ulterior motive that both Dick and Damian fans have paraded for a multitude of reasons is such a juvenile take and something I expect from people who can't stop being over protective of a character that DC is frankly doing nothing with.

Priest isn't simple enough to change something for the sake of change or leaving a footprint in the dc universe, he has thoughts about certain things and he sticks with it, just b/c you don't like it, does not mean there is some sinister motive, people have to get over that and realize people see characters differently and have different ideas for them, once you do, you can join us at the adult table for some mature conversation.

And what part of Priest doesn't want to write a comic based solely on a black character don't people understand, stop suggesting black characters.

I was rocking with you until this part. Preist said he didn't want to be pigeonholed as just the "black writer" considering he used to be able write any book and that's the reason he picked Deathstroke; "because he's not black and DC was offering him characters like Cyborg (who, while I personally appreciate, has become the designated token of DC). Priest has an aversion to being limited not to black characters, and characters like Wallace are very much a possibility for Priest to end up writing for one day because Priest himself has expressed personal interest in Wallace and has said he would like to do more with him.

everything else I largely agree with in a general fandom sense

[Frontier]

It's mostly that last, to me. He's the world's most dangerous killer. Yet he keeps getting beaten by kids. I think that contradiction is what Priest was really exploring for most of his run. And his answer was that Slade can't defeat the Titans because he finds himself loving too many of them.

And I love it.

Eh...I'm not sure if I can read it that way, if only because I don't think Slade loves most of the Titans other then his own kids. I mean, he hates Dick's guts for sure.

Maybe if on a sub-conscious level he feels he cares about all children even if he can't express it in a positive way at all. But I don't think he loves the Titans.

I do not get Priest's fixation with making Damian Deathstroke's son.
It comes off as him just trying to do something different for the sake of doing something different regardless of whether or not it actually makes sense, but even then it's not really doing that since it just gives Damian another evil relative and Slade another kid who hates him, stuff we've already seen before, it's not adding anything to either character it's just taking something away from the Batman mythos.
Heck if Priest wants to take someone's kid sidekick he should take NuWally from Flash, unlike Damian, no one is going to miss him if that happened, Flash fans don't want him and Deathstroke is the only book he was somewhat likable in.

It does come off to me like his plan to make Damian Slade's kid would be more to serve Slade's story and the Deathstroke "universe" then Damian or his overall place in the DCU. Or just to give him an excuse to write Damian more.

Maybe he had a plan to really address Damian's reaction and what that means for his character, but it really would just over-complicate things in my opinion.

Wallace is the only likable character in the current Teen Titans book.

Djinn's nice. By Damian standards he also comes off pretty well in my opinion.