Deathstroke #12

Has Liefeld been given the go ahead to kill Deathstroke? Because Lobo isn't going to die in this fight.

Last issue, Deathstroke was ready to die. I should probably just let him retell it in his Diary.

I'm going to guess that since Deathstroke is alive to write this Diary entry, he's going to survive the battle with Lobo.

Since Deathstroke is narrating current action in his diary, I guess he's writing it as he goes. So maybe he will die!

Deathstroke kicks Lobo in the balls which causes Lobo to let go of him. I think Slade found his weakness! Two thermal detonators barely fazed him but a kick in the nuts staggers him! Deathstroke gets away and jumps into the hole that leads to the center of the Earth where Lobo is going to drop the bomb. I think. Anyway, here's a picture of Lobo's fat face.

Lobo doesn't pursue Deathstroke since the whole world will be blown up in a few minutes anyway. But finally Tigorr of the Omega Men attacks Lobo! Don't you think a coordinated effort would have been better? I don't think Liefeld should be allowed to draw a team comic. He should have just stuck to Deathstroke and not added the Omega Men in the mix. Especially since it was already set up that Deathstroke doesn't like to work with anyone. But now that he is working with a team, the team is just standing back and waiting in line to attack Lobo.

So Lobo defeats Tigorr because even the Omega Men can't work together. Also, the inker has no idea that Lobo's beard and sideburns are the same color as his hair. So Lobo's face just looks furry and fat.

That's about the best hand Liefeld can do.

After Tigorr is defeated, it's Primus's turn!

Liefeld's horrible art and writing side by side!

I'm only a few pages in and this comic is painful. I think I should concentrate on scanning a lot of bad Liefeld art and throwing down a synopsis since I'm not in the mood for delving into this shit mine.

Primus used his telekinesis to break Lobo out of prison. After that, they were able to track Lobo to The Starpoint which Primus is going to use to escape Earth. Right after he, you know, makes Lobo's head explode. But Zealot isn't very happy that Primus helped Lobo escape.

Liefeld really took a risk here and drew one sword without a guard! Maybe he only adds the guard after fucking up the hand. Plus he really nailed the female body shape!

Lobo knocks out Primus while Zealot attacks. And then Deathstroke reappears from wherever he went. I guess he went down to Lobo's motorcycle garage.

How is a spike through Lobo's chest better than blowing off half of his face (which didn't work)?

Deathstork Deathstroke takes the cycle high up into the atmosphere with Lobo on the front. Lobo finally climbs off the front and they punch each other a few times. Deathstroke begins writing in his journal again (unless he's just Narration Boxing (possibly simply thinking but the tenses are all wrong and fucked up)) describing how difficult this last maneuver is going to be. The last maneuver is simply sticking his last thermal detonator on the hog. Deathstroke made it much more difficult than it needed to be. But he does have his mask on as he plants the detonator and drops off the hog. Only to have lost his mask for no reason except to show his gritting teeth a few panels later.

All the gritting teeth for the first 14 pages. I haven't read the final 6 yet but I'm sure I'd be able to add at least half a dozen more.

Once Deathstroke begins free falling to safety, Lobo's hog (and Lobo!) blow up! Even though two detonators couldn't totally destroy Lobo, Deathstroke is counting on the super premium alien diesel fuel loaded in the Space Hog to finish the job and make a hell of an explosion. Or maybe the hog runs on nuclear fuel! That's even better. Whatever the process, it's a big explosion and Deathstroke believes that Lobo's healing factor won't be a factor since he's now scattered all over the Earth. Oh, Slade. So naive!

Slade has a jetpack to enable him to get to the ground safely. While he's flying down, he thinks about how he beat Lobo.

Oh, that's interesting! I seem to recall Deathstroke believing something else last issue:

I think Deathstroke just outwitted himself!

I love it when old assassins quote The A-Team!

Deathstroke is a little pissed off that Primus was the one to release Lobo. He intends for Primus to pay for his part in Lobo's murder spree. But Deathstroke also agrees that Primus had every right to want to escape the control of The Company. Deathstroke meets with Maxim, the leader of The Company and has a few words with him. After punching him in the jaw, of course.

Kyle Higgins was setting Deathstroke up to be a fairly amoral mercenary. But Liefeld seems to want Deathstroke to be a little more heroic.

Or maybe Deathstroke is just horny and wants to impress the lady!

How much more? Details!

Deathstroke's Alfred, Lord Peabody, is waiting nearby to take him home. I guess Slade must have a GPS tracer on him at all times and Peabody drives around the country in his limousine waiting for Slade in case he needs a lift home.

He means Zealot's vagina!

And then the epilogue which is kind of disappointing because I wanted Sheba to be the Czarnian Red Lantern. I'm beginning to think the Red Lantern Czarnian was an artist's mistake and she'll just disappear eventually. Oh well, here's the big surprise epilogue money shot.

Now that would be a somewhat decent Reboot of Lobo for The New 52. Leave the male Czarnian dead and keep Sheba around as DC's new big bad-ass. But please give her a different personality and don't just make her Lobo with ovaries.

Deathstroke #12 Rating: -2 Ranking. I've got to drop this comic two ranks. One for the horrible writing and one for the horrible art. Although I really wouldn't mind if Lobo were actually dead and Sheba takes over his role. Not his personality though! I'm afraid that's all that's going to happen. "Feetal's gizz, my tits itch!"