It is apropos that the phrase, "there is nothing new under the sun," has appeared in a myriad of different sources. One source feeding off of a prior one, changing the wording to fit specific circumstances, but leaving the general meaning intact. This concept can also be applied to works of art, be they visual art, music, literature, or even comic books. Do we have Superman without Hercules or Doc Savage? Does Batman exist in a world without the Scarlet Pimpernel or Zorro? Is there a Darth Vader without Doctor Doom or Darkseid? Jack Kirby didn't think so (Lookin' at you, George Lucas).
Deathstroke is no exception to this phenomenon. Many people point out the similarities between Deathstroke and Marvel Comics' Taskmaster. Given their occupations, color scheme, and George Pérez as a co-creator it seems reasonable that the Taskmaster may have influenced the creation of Deathstroke, though the time between their debuts probably rules that out. I personally see more similarities to
Takao Saito's Golgo 13 than the Taskmaster, but that post has already been written.
What can be argued is the Deathstroke has inspired his share of...we'll be diplomatic and call them homages, some of which we will examine here. For the purposes of this post, an homage will have the following characteristics. One, the homage must be a "badass" mercenary that is a master of both melee weapons and firearms regardless of their personality. Two, the homage must have a mostly-full body costume with a completely covered face. And three, a really, really ominous codename that evokes impending death.
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| This image just about sums it up. |
The second and most obvious (and ridiculously successful) example is Deadpool. Created by Fabian Nicieza and Rob Liefeld in 1991 for Marvel Comics' New Mutants (1983) #98. Though Liefeld still denies it, Nicieza has pretty well confirmed that Deadpool, in his original form, was indeed an homage to Deathstroke, who was a favorite character of the pair (I mean Wade Wilson, really?). Deadpool would eventually morph into his the lunatic, fourth-wall breaking, "merc with the mouth" form we all know today through the subsequent work of writers Joe Casey and Christopher Priest. While I have to admit, I did enjoy both of the Deadpool films, the character itself doesn't really appeal to me. I feel the image to the left accurately captures my take on Deadpool in the form of an old school SAT-style analogy. With that being said, let's move on to the next Deathstroke homage.
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| Art by Dan Norton and Karl Kesel |
Next up is a Deathstroke homage from Homage Studios' Jim Lee and Bandon Choi. Debuting in the pages of WildCATS: Covert Action Teams (1992) #1 was a Kherubim half-breed that threw his lot in with the Daemonite Helspont, the sworn enemy his own people. Pike was Helspont's number one agent of death and destruction against Lord Emp's WildC.A.T.S. team.
The visual and thematic similarities to Deathstroke are more than obvious. Mercenary? Check. Master of firearms? Check. As comfortable killing you with swords as he is with guns? Check. Battlesuit with a full-face mask? Check. Use of an energy battle staff that can be separated into two smaller staves? Check. Threatening name? Pike, as in "your head on a!" Check. Pike is a stone cold brutal killer that is not beyond turning his back on a lover if she failed to follow his orders. After Flashpoint, Pike found himself in conflict with Katar Hol, the Savage Hawkman. Let's just say that Pike has more than just a passing resemblance to Deathstroke and move on.
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Deathtrap
Art by Juan Ferreyra |
Jim Lee and Brandon Choi were not done "homaging" Deathstroke when they created Pike. No, they had one more menacing merc for us in the form of the dastardly Deathtrap. First appearing in Stormwatch (1993) #1, Deathtrap, aka Seamus O'Brienn, was once affiliated with a Northern Irish separatist group during the ethnic and religious conflict from the 1980s and 90s known colloquially as "the Troubles." Deathtrap later became a thorn in the side of Stormwatch, and Stormwatch member Backlash specifically. After Flashpoint, Deathtrap found himself both up against and later aligned with the New Suicide Squad.
Unlike other Deathstroke homages, Deathtrap had some unusual powers. Not only was Deathtrap a highly skilled mercenary with guns and melee weapons, but Deathtrap could also instantly fashion firearms out of whatever materials were at his disposal. As apparent from the image to the left, he once created a gun made from wood and another one from, of all things, floor tiles. Deathtrap is without a doubt one of the stranger Deathstroke homages.
One of the newest Deathstroke homages came to us from Rob Liefeld (there's that guy again), Joshua Williamson, and Eduardo Pansica and is the only one on this list that has actually faced Deathstroke in combat. In
Deathstroke (2011) #13 the assassin Deadborn was hired to take out Deathstroke himself. Deadborn was created in a government lab that attempted to create another super soldier after they created Deathstroke. Deadborn was considerably larger and stronger than Deathstroke and highly durable causing him great difficulty when engaging him one-on-one. But Deathstroke, with the aid of Zealot, got the upper-hand on Deadborn ending the conflict by cutting off his arm.
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Dearborn vs. Deathstroke
Art by Eduardo Pansica |
If anyone looks hard enough, it's possible to examine almost anything to the point that the inspirations that spurred it into being become apparent. Deathstroke the Terminator has undoubtedly inspired a number of creators to come up with their own badass assassins. Death-Stroke, Deadpool, Pike, Deathtrap, and Deadborn are just the ones that came to my mind first. It's even getting to the point that Deathstroke's homages have homages (Red Tool? Death Masque? anyone?). In any event, if there truly is nothing new under the sun, then I suppose (Deathstroke) imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery. Deathstroke...often imitated; never duplicated.
