Deathstroke Just Officially Became DC’s Evil Captain America

Warning! This article contains spoilers for Deathstroke Inc. #6

Slade Wilson aka Deathstroke has always been compared to Deadpool in terms of DC Comics’ superhero similarities with Marvel Comics characters as Deadpool was greatly inspired by the DC villain, but now Deathstroke has officially become DC’s evil Captain America. Steve Rogers became the hero Captain America after his body was enhanced with a Super Soldier Serum. What defines Captain America beyond his abilities, however, is his role as an all-American icon representing the best values of freedom and justice. In his latest comic, Deathstroke corrupts the aspect of Captain America that makes him an inspirational hero, effectively marking him as an evil version of the First Avenger. 

In Deathstroke Inc. #6 by Joshua Williamson and Paolo Pantalena, Deathstroke has created his own organization with an army of lesser-known villains who he will train to be deadly soldiers. Throughout the series, Deathstroke has been working with Black Canary as they went on a number of missions covertly taking down dangerous villains. After their objectives were completed, Deathstroke decided to keep every other villain in check by being the baddest of them all, and Black Canary knew she had to stop him. 

As Black Canary stands up to Deathstroke, Slade explains that he is forming this criminal organization to not only keep villains in check but also all superpowered people, stating his frustration with those who hold great amounts of power. Slade tells Canary, “Green Lantern has his ring. Flash, that speed. Don’t get me wrong. I know you’ve got your scream. But me? I’m just a good ol’ American super-soldier”. Deathstroke’s last statement along with his menacingly villainous overall point proves he has become DC’s evil Captain America. Steve Rogers is the American super soldier who stands for and defends all that is good in the world. Deathstroke, on the other hand, is also an American super soldier who cares only for supremacy with a moral compass that is near non-existent, making him the corruption of Captain America’s values incarnate. 

While sinister, Deathstroke’s comment is not unfounded as he literally is an American super soldier with origins that are nearly identical to Captain America. Before he was Deathstroke, Slade Wilson volunteered for the Enhanced Soldier Initiative, an experimental process that unlocked a dormant metagene in his brain granting him a number of superhuman abilities. Deathstroke gained super strength, durability, and speed along with accelerated healing and enhanced brain processing. 

Both Deathstroke and Captain America were soldiers who volunteered for experimental processes that made them super soldiers. However, Captain America uses his powers for the good of mankind while Deathstroke decided to throw himself into a world of crime and murder, with his current rise to power on the latest example of his villainy. After Deathstroke made his “American super-soldier” comment, he directly linked himself with Steve Rogers beyond their similar origins alone, and thereby officially becoming DC’s evil Captain America.

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