Wolverine is not the only anti-hero Marvel Comics honors this year. 2024 also marks the 50th Anniversary of Deathlok, one of the most offbeat characters to come from the House of Ideas. Marvel will be recognizing this milestone with a giant-size special by an all-star creative team.
First appearing in Astonishing Tales #25, Deathlok the Demolisher was originally Colonel Luther Manning. The soldier was fatally injured, only to be revived as a cyborg in a post-apocalyptic future. He fought the corrupt corporate and military regimes running America before being sent back in time to the present.
There have been several Deathloks since Manning, each sharing the core concept of a cyborg soldier struggling to retain their humanity. Like Wolverine, the character was a darker hero than Marvel had previously published. His comics were notable for blending the science-fiction, horror, and war genres, as well as examining ethical and philosophical questions.
Deathlok 50th Anniversary Special Creative Team
The giant-size Deathlok one-shot will be written by legendary comic writer Christopher Priest and New York Times bestselling author Justina Ireland. Most comic readers are familiar with Priest’s work, but Ireland is no stranger to Marvel Comics. She recently wrote the Spider-Man: Blood Hunt special and Star Wars: Sana Starros.
“I’m always excited and humbled to write anything in the Marvel universe, but Deathlok as a character is especially important to me because as a U.S. Army veteran, his origin story really resonates in a horrifying way,” Ireland shared. “So I’m excited to dig into the emotional core of what makes Deathlok so unique, while also having some fun.”
The art team for the Deathlok 50th Anniversary Special is no less distinguished. Dale Eaglesham, Matthew Waite, and Luke Ross will handle the book’s interiors. The book will also feature covers by Ken Lashley, Nick Bradshaw, Frank Miller, and Deathlok co-creator Denys Cowan.
The Ken Lashley and Nick Bradshaw covers can be viewed below.
Deathlok 50th Anniversary Special #1 arrives in comic shops everywhere on September 18, 2024.
