The Good
Tony S. Daniel's DEATHSTROKE debuted with a ton of violence and a wee bit of story. Since then, we've seen the story slowly expanding as it delivers one twist after another, but before things get too complex, this issue spends a majority of its time explaining the narrative and introducing the key players. It's a critical step that most stories need to take and while it isn't handled poorly in this case, it doesn't quite make a big impact, either. It's pretty much taking standard steps to unveiling more of the story in a way that's never really gripping or jaw-dropping. It's important to get all of this info out there and it does succeed in making me interested in what's to come. That''s the thing with this issue, though. It doesn't often pull me into what's going on now and tends to have me more excited about what will eventually happen. Still, that's critical because we're reaching the point where people will decide whether they want to keep this on their pull list. They've given it four issues -- more than enough time to see what it offers -- and I'm happy to say it still feels worthy of a mere $2.99 every month. It may not be the most captivating issue, but it'll more than likely keep you invested in the story and make you want to see how everything will play out now that the stage has been set.
After the last issue's cliffhanger, I was pretty skeptical about how Harley Quinn would be handled. Her dialogue just seemed out of character and it wasn't funny. Thankfully, her introduction in this one gave me a good laugh! She has an organic fit into the story and her inclusion should make the next issue especially entertaining. I'm afraid it may take away from the seriousness of what's about to happen, but we'll just have to wait and see.
Yes, Tony S. Daniel's artwork (along with Sandu Florea's inks and Tomeu Morey's colors) is still awesome and easily the series' biggest selling point. That's not to say the story is bad, but man, these pages are more than worthy of your focus.The final page is pure fan service and everything from static conversations to a break display of bloodshed looks great. There's a few artists that would be a perfect fit for Deathstroke's world and Daniel is absolutely one of them.
The Bad
The first three issues have done an able job mixing plot and action together, but this one is pretty much pure buildup (one small scene aside). It aims to answer a few questions, say who's involved and explains what needs to happen next. I'm not saying an issue needs action to make an impact, but this one is all about explaining the narrative so everyone knows what's going on before moving forward and getting to the really compelling stuff. It's a pretty calm yet necessary issue. Odds are it'll function better in the trade (aside from one line at the cliffhanger).
I'm left with mixed feelings about the cliffhanger. On one hand, it really is pure fan service. If you follow solicitations or even Tony S. Daniel on social media, then you know there's a huge fight heading our way -- one that many of us will more than happily pay to see. So, the way the double-page spread is set up has me excited to read the next issue. However, despite being anxious to read it, I can't help but feel like this development was awkwardly handled. The way it's brought about feels like it's rushing into the fight just for the sake of fighting. You can't help but feel like the character is smarter than that and wouldn't approach the situation like this. You can tell it's going to be a savage encounter until they realize they're fighting for no good reason and then they'll talk it out. I'm thrilled to see how it'll go down, but it does feel rushed.
Minor criticisms: Harley breaking the fourth wall feels out of place in this book. Her personality was handled well enough, but that minor bit didn't fit the tone well. Also, Slade's emotions seem to fluctuate. I get he had his head messed with, but he went from not wanting to kill his dad to explaining the violent way he'll do it.
The Verdict
DEATHSTROKE #4 takes some time to slow things down and focuses on story. It isn't the most absorbing issue, but it gets plenty of mandatory information out there and does a solid job building up the hype for what's to come. It should come as no surprise by now that it's an issue filled with visuals that match the tone perfectly and there's even a good laugh thrown into the mix. Now it's a matter of seeing if all of this buildup will be worth the wait! Considering what the next chapter will contain, I'm seriously looking forward to DEATHSTROKE #5. Here's hoping it's better than Deathstroke vs. Bronze Tiger!