Deathstroke is a fictional character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by writer Marv Wolfman and artist George Pérez, the character first appeared in The New Teen Titans #2 in December 1980, originally known as Deathstroke the Terminator.
The character's alter ego is Slade Joseph Wilson, a mercenary and former U.S. Army soldier who gains enhanced physical and mental abilities from an experimental super-soldier serum. Regarded as the greatest and deadliest assassin in the DC Universe, he serves as the archenemy of Dick Grayson and the Teen Titans, though he has also clashed with Batman, Green Arrow, and the Justice League. His iconic bicolored black-and-orange mask, which covers his missing right eye, has become his defining visual motif.
Deathstroke's vendetta against the Titans began when he swore revenge for the death of his eldest son Grant, who died during a mission. His other two children, Joseph and Rose, would later join the Titans to oppose him. The character's complex morality, tactical genius, and physical prowess have made him one of DC's most popular antiheroes, eventually earning his own solo comic series, Deathstroke: The Terminator, in 1991.
Over the decades, Deathstroke has evolved from a straightforward villain into a nuanced figure who sometimes operates as an antihero, taking on mercenary contracts while adhering to his own personal code. His longevity and popularity have cemented him as a staple of the DC Universe, appearing in numerous crossover events and headlining multiple ongoing series.
