Deathstroke: Family Business (Comics) | Review

After the explosive conclusion of Suicide Run, writer James Bonny (Savage Hawkman: Wanted, Superman: Hopes and Fears) takes over Family Business with a creative team shift while maintaining New 52 continuity. He delivers a storyline examining Slade Wilson's relationship with his children and legacy through raw action.

This isn't about contracts or revenge. It's about Slade confronting damage his choices inflicted on his family while dealing with threats. Bonny uses family dynamics as conflict, forcing Slade to question whether being Deathstroke makes protecting his loved ones impossible.

The storyline follows after the previous arc's events, dealing with fallout from Slade's actions while introducing new threats. Jericho and Rose Wilson play significant roles as the arc explores whether the Wilson family can function normally or if Slade's lifestyle destroyed bonds.

What makes Family Business compelling is how it weaponizes Slade's children against him. The arc presents villains who understand that attacking Slade directly won't work, so they target what little humanity he has left. This creates personal stakes that hit harder than typical mercenary mission or superhero confrontations.

The story opens with Slade attempting normal family interaction with Jericho and Rose after a while. He wants to repair relationships damaged by years of violence and absence. However, things get complicated when enemies from Slade's past resurface with very specific agendas.

A new threat emerges targeting the Wilson family, someone who's studied Slade's methods and knows his weaknesses. This antagonist doesn't want to kill Slade outright. They want to destroy everything he cares about first, making him watch as his family suffers consequences.

Bonny structures this as a siege storyline where the Wilson family gets isolated and attacked from multiple angles. Jericho and Rose aren't just victims waiting for rescue. They're capable fighters with their own skills and agendas, creating complex dynamics where family members don't always agree on their strategy or priorities.

The emotional core focuses on whether Slade can be a father or not. His children have serious grievances about an absent, violent parent who prioritized contracts over family. The arc forces these issues into the open through circumstances that demand cooperation for survival.

Family Business explores Rose's development as a character separate from Slade's shadow. She's not content being Ravager, the daughter of Deathstroke. The storyline gives her agency, showing her struggling with whether she wants to be like Slade or forge her own identity.

Jericho gets significant focus as the most conflicted Wilson family member, caught between wanting connection with his father and recognizing the toxicity Slade brings. Bonny uses Jericho effectively as the emotional anchor, representing redemption versus the reality of their dysfunctional family history that can't be ignored.

The villain's plan involves forcing Slade into impossible choices between protecting Jericho, saving Rose or completing objectives that prevent wider catastrophe. Every decision costs something and Bonny doesn't provide easy solutions where Slade can save everyone.

Action sequences throughout the arc emphasize teamwork and family dynamics rather than just Slade operating solo. The Wilsons fight together, argue during battles and demonstrate how their individual skills complement or clash. These moments feel earned rather than manufactured, building on past characterization.

Betrayal and trust become recurring themes as family members keep secrets. The arc examines whether the Wilsons can trust one another or if years of dysfunction created permanent damage. Bonny handles this complexity without making anyone purely heroic or villainous.

The climax brings everything to a head with confrontations that test whether family bonds matter more than individual survival. Slade faces the ultimate question of what he's willing to sacrifice for his children versus what he's willing to let them sacrifice for him. The resolution doesn't provide closure or fix core issues entirely.

Family Business functions as a transition point connecting to future New 52 storylines while wrapping up threads from earlier arcs. The arc sets up new status quo for Slade's relationship with his children while acknowledging that damage can't be repaired through good intentions.

Tyler Kirkham (Green Lantern Corps: The Weaponer, X-Men: Phoenix Warsong) and Paolo Pantalena (Red Hood/Arsenal: Open for Business, Red Hood and the Outlaws: Unspoken Truths) share art duties on Family Business, creating visual consistency. The artwork maintains the gritty aesthetic established during the early run.

Kirkham's action choreography emphasizes brutality and impact, showing the toll combat takes rather than glamorizing violence. Pantalena's work on character expressions adds emotional depth, particularly during scenes where the Wilsons argue or attempt connection.

James Bonny's writing keeps consistent momentum while exploring deeper emotional territory than typical action comic-books attempt. Dialogue feels natural for these damaged characters, revealing personality through conversations that serve multiple purposes simultaneously.

Panel layouts vary effectively to convey different emotional states and action intensity. Family arguments use tighter compositions creating claustrophobia, while action sequences employ dynamic angles. The visual storytelling supports the story's themes about family dysfunction and the clear impossibility of escaping the past.

Family Business delivers a character-focused follow-up to Suicide Run that shifts emphasis from larger-than-life threats to personal consequences. James Bonny examines what family means to Slade Wilson, exploring whether redemption is possible or if damage remains permanent.

Character work elevates this beyond typical action plotting. The complicated dynamics between Slade, Rose and Jericho provide emotional grounding while the threat creates legitimate stakes. Bonny handles the ensemble effectively, giving each family member development and agency.

The artwork and writing maintain quality established during Tony Daniel's run while adapting to Family Business's different requirements. Visuals balance brutal action with quieter character moments effectively, while the script explores complex family dysfunction. The creative team delivers a cohesive vision despite their transition.

Worth reading if you want Deathstroke stories prioritizing character development and family dynamics. Family Business proves that exploring Slade's relationship with his children creates drama, examining whether monsters can be fathers or if violence becomes all that remains.

Deathstroke: Family Business is collected in the trade paperback Deathstroke Vol. 4: Family Business, gathering Deathstroke (2014) #17-20 plus Deathstroke Annual #2. Digital editions are also available on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology, DC Universe Infinite and other e-Book platforms.