DC Comics and Shadow War Alpha #1 Spoilers and Review follows.
Ra’s Al Ghul Killed By Deathstroke…
…In Front Of Batman and Robin, But…
…All Is NOT As It Seems?!
The promise of the issue can be gleaned from its solicitation.
SHADOW WAR: ALPHA #1
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
Cover by JONBOY MEYERS
Variant cover by VIKTOR BOGDANOVIC
1:25 variant cover by DAN MORA
$5.99 US | 48 pages | Variant $6.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 3/29/22When Deathstroke assassinates Ra’s al Ghul, Talia al Ghul demands revenge and sends her League of Shadows to kill Deathstroke and Deathstroke Inc.! Batman and Robin must team up to track down Deathstroke and bring him to justice…but do they? Expect over-the-top fights, action, mystery, and betrayal as this crossover event creates a major impact on the DCU!
The action continues in April with Batman #122!
Ra’s Al Ghul’s mother Mother Soul, who is also Damian Wayne’s Great Grandmother, warned the Demon’s Head that resurrection from the Lazarus Pits come with a cost.
It seems Ra’s is dying and has seemingly a clear head with his plan to turn himself over to authorities and confess to his laundry list of crimes over the centuries; he convinces a reluctant and angry daughter Talia Al Ghul, also Damian Wayne Robin’s mother, to join him.
We see former Batman and the Outsiders member Geo-Force, Prince Brion Markov of Markovia, also infamous Teen Titan Terra aka Tara Markov’s brother, tell the media that he looks forward to the Ghuls’ day in court after what Leviathan put his country through; seemingly unaware of Mark Shaw aka Manhunter aka Leviathan’s hand in all that during recent comic book issues including in the pages of the Checkmate limited series.
Son reunites with father as…
…Ra’s Al Ghul makes a statement before his arrest…
…attempting to explain his now forward looking approach, but…
…he’s killed as cameras and smartphones roll by…
…Deathstroke in his OG Terminator costume?!
Talia is injured and Deathstroke threatens to explode Ra’s Al Ghul’s body so no Lazarus Pit resurrection can occur this time.
Damian races to save his grandfather, but…
…the timing won’t work so Batman saves Robin at the expense of the Demon’s Head.
A touching father-son moment quickly descends into Batman telling Robin that if he had been with Alfred Pennyworth instead of him that he’d still be alive!
Despite an apology, Damian doesn’t accept it and plans to take Deathstroke down alone dead or alive.
Talia Al Ghul forgoes the Lazarus Pit healing to quickly…
…amass her forces, in a group she calls the Demon’s Shadow, to…
…hunt down and kill Deathstroke and his family and allies.
Deathstroke, meanwhile, has been sparring with his “son” ReSpawn when his Secret Society of Super-Villains aka Deathstroke Inc. colleague tells him what has happened; he denies it was him as…
…Talia Al Ghul’s Demon’s Shadow descends on Deathstroke Inc.!
The Pulse:
An action-packed kick-off with lost of featured moments of the literal Batman Family with Deathstroke part of the book’s climax. Solid art throughout. An entertaining and intriguing issue. 8 out of 10.
