Deathblow #1: Of all the Wildstorm launches, this one is the grittiest. Although not carrying a ‘Mature’ rating, is definitely more mature than any of its counterparts. Not even Midnighter with his kickassiness is competition enough. As expected (being the first), this issue is a setup for the man who is Deathblow. In fact, it is not until the last few pages that DB actually appears. Along the way, a few other players are introduced, with a couple of them slated to be kick off the next issue too. The artwork is a perfect match to the writing and has just enough ‘darkness’ to set the mystery without going overboard.

Conclusion: Definitely on my pull list.

RATING: 9/10