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Description

Of all the characters from Batman’s Universe, Floyd Lawton - a.k.a. Deadshot - is one I’ve actually neglected to talk much about. While by no means one of the all-time classic Batman Villains, Deadshot has garnered a MAJOR boost in popularity over the past few years. Several people I know are perfectly ready to call him among their top ten favorite DC characters of all time; there’s an undeniable appeal to a character like this - a highly cynical assassin who never misses his target, and has been, at times, just as much a hero (or at least anti-hero) as a villain.
I can’t lie and say I love Deadshot as much as those fans I know - I placed him relatively low on a list of my favorite Batman Villains - but I do like the concept of the character; like many great Batman Villains, I think you could make the argument that Deadshot is, once again, a dark parallel to Batman himself. The Dark Knight, at least in MOST incarnations, has a very basic rule: he doesn’t use a gun. Now, why he has this rule has been tooled and retooled over time; in many cases, it’s a sort of trigger reaction (no pun intended) because a gun was the weapon that killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. In others, it’s more a matter of him thinking his own weapons are mightier, seeing guns as the coward’s tool, loud and clumsy. It depends, ultimately, on how fatalistic the portrayal is, and what the writers are trying to accomplish. But, whatever the case, the point still stands.

Deadshot, in contrast, is essentially the living embodiment of a gun: a crack shot with practically any firearm, who has built-in weapons on his costume, and will stop at nothing to get his prize. Speaking of said costume, while I’ve admittedly never been this guy’s biggest fan, I will concede he has a cool design - the armored suit and mask, special eyepiece, and wrist-mounted guns are just a great combo altogether, and it’s always fun to see just how new adaptations and artists will rework the fundamentals. Therefore, I think it’s high time I give the Assassin Who Never Misses (no, not Scaramanga, the other one) his time in the spotlight. Without further ado, here are My Top 5 Favorite Deadshot Designs!

5. The Version from “Gotham Knight.”
In “Gotham Knight,” the creators of the film decided to use Deadshot, but reworked him in a fun way. Here, the parallels to Batman and Bruce Wayne are really exaggerated and played with; Floyd Lawton, much like Bruce Wayne, is depicted as a man who lives the high life, but has a secret “night life” he keeps hidden. However, while Batman’s nightly escapades are meant to save lives, Lawton destroys them; a gun for hire who seems to do what he does less for the money, and more for the thrill of the hunt. While the actual portrayal is one that leaves me a little torn, I have to admit, the design they give Deadshot is a winner. While he does wear an armored-and-masked costume like most portrayals, the key defining feature of THIS take is that he wears much more elegant clothing over this costume, mirroring his more dapper portrayal; the red trenchcoat and fedora are eye-catching indeed. It’s a simple but very classic look; I suspect Carmen Sandiego and Alucard from “Hellsing” approve most highly of this deadly gentleman’s manner of dress...his methods, however, are another story. The comparison I made to Scaramanga is perhaps most fitting to this depiction; Scaramanga was essentially a thrillseeking assassin who wanted to be perceived as a gentleman. Deadshot, in this case, seems much the same; again, a parallel to Batman himself.

4. The Second Arrow Design.
When Deadshot first appeared in “Arrow,” he had a sort of...clunky design. Yeah, I never really liked his first appearance, in terms of costume, that much...HOWEVER, when Deadshot returned later in the series, he was given an overhaul, and while the silhouette of the outfit remained much the same, it actually changed quite a bit. This was a stripped-down, much more slick-looking take on the character, designed more to look like a soldier in uniform than a comic-book-style assassin. Such designs tend to be hit or miss; sometimes by working too much into practicality, you can lose what was loved about the character. However, the character is still identifiable as Deadshot, and it worked for the universe of the show. It also worked for the character, as this take on Deadshot was a former military sniper, essentially driven mad by the horrors he saw and the deeds he did. It’s not as flashy as some other takes on the character, nor is it as slapped-together as the first design and a few others; it sits right in the middle, and in my opinion, it’s just right.

3. The Injustice Design.
Like many designs in the Injustice series, this take on Deadshot really upped the ante in terms of the armor on his costume; the look of this design is much more mechanical and almost robotic, with glistening metal bits set up all over the place. It’s somehow both practical and yet “comic-book-ish” at the same time, colored predominantly in blood red and stark white. This Deadshot design is interesting in that it seems to suppress his humanity completely; while other designs on this list leave at least a little bit of that humanity on full display - an eye, a portion of the face, maybe even the WHOLE face, a hand - this one buries everything under kevlar, cloth, and steel. When it comes to the idea of “a living gun,” this is about as literal as it gets; even the holes on his mask sort of remind one of the barrel of a military-grade gun. The overall result feels more like Boba Fett or the Terminator than the Deadshot we usually see, at least outside of the comics. It’s imposing and cold and yet with a fiery sort of color scheme; in short, it’s a shot in the right direction, plain and simple.

2. The Arkham Origins Design.
I’ve said it multiple times now, but I suppose I must say it again: the Arkham games are interesting in how they interpret the outfits of the characters, ESPECIALLY the villains, because they give everything a patchwork kind of look. Now, as Deadshot’s first appearance in Arrow proves, normally I don’t like that too much, but the Arkham games managed...most especially Origins. Origins, in general, tended to interpret that “slapped-together” sensibility with a strange sort of smoothness. On top of that, the story of the game takes place around Christmastime, so the looks of many characters had to be made with the winter weather in mind. In Deadshot’s case, this meant a thick, padded jacket that was designed to be reminiscient of his armor from the comics, on top of said armor on his arms and legs. The mask was redesigned, too, once again looking more militaristic than something for your typical supervillain to wear. It once again suppressed his humanity; Arkham City’s look had shown much more skin, but in this case, all we got was his left eye, the right covered by that famous eyepiece. The wrist guns were back in place, and the white or silver of the usual look was replaced by gray and black, giving this version a much more stealthy sort of feeling. Once again, this Deadshot felt almost more like a soldier, and acted in a somewhat militaristic manner, too; all in all, it was an improvement to his earlier game appearance, and if another Arkham game ever DOES get made, and Deadshot pops up, I hope this is the look they turn to for reference.

But as much as I like the look from Origins, there’s one Deadshot design I enjoy even more...and the choice may surprise you...

1. The Version from “War of Jokes & Riddles.”
I’ll come right out and say it: I DON’T like this miniseries. People seem to either love it or hate it, and unfortunately, I’m more in the latter category. It has a lot of interesting concepts, granted, but when friggin’ KITE MAN - in my opinion THE WORST BATMAN VILLAIN EVER - is the BEST part of the story? A story that touts itself as a battle between my top two FAVORITE Batman Villains, no less?! You know your execution is seriously lacking. However, one thing I will grant this series is that the artwork (at least for the most part) is pretty good. The series was pencilled and inked by Mikel Janin, with the duty of colourist handled by June Chung. Now, Deadshot, like most of the villains who appear in this story, is pretty much just a cameo character; throughout the series, there’s a subplot of him gadding it out with Deathstroke, with the pair trying to determine who is the World’s Greatest Assassin. Again, an interesting concept, but it doesn’t get much “screentime,” so to speak; honestly, that idea could be a whole story in and of itself, and probably should be! But while Deadshot’s role is minor, the design the artists give him IMMEDIATELY grabs my attention. I know it’s weird giving the number one slot to such a little-used Deadshot, but I’m sorry, this look just hits me perfectly! If I had to choose one word to describe this design, I’d choose “smooth.” There’s a smoothness, a slickness, a slipperiness to this design that virtually all other takes on Deadshot - in and out of the mainstream comic canon - seem to lack. It almost feels like the costume is a second skin; he’s fast, he’s agile, and every time we do see him, he’s always in action, and looking great while doing it. Is it cheating? I guess, but I’ve probably made stranger choices before, and considering I keep hoping we’ll get to see more of this look in the DC Rebirth line soon? It’s clearly made a positive impact. The people I know who are Deadshot fans often seem to agree; as minor as the role he plays is, the look is definitely a winner! It’s a small bit of absolute perfection to come out of an otherwise extremely flawed miniseries; a weird status, a weird choice, but the only one I can conceive for My Favorite Deadshot Design.

Don’t worry. Next time I do one of these lists, the top choice will probably be more obvious.

Honorable Mentions Include…
The DCAU Design.
Reference: i.pinimg.com/originals/90/21/9…
This was my introduction to Deadshot, and often seems to be a version people forget...which I find a little strange, since it literally involves Lex Luthor imitating Lex Luthor as the voice! (By which I mean, Michael Rosenbaum doing an impersonation of Kevin Spacey. LUTHOR-CEPTION.) It’s a pretty simple look, completely colored in red and silver, and has a sort of sci-fi quality to it, as well as a very mechanical one. Much like with Injustice, it covers up Deadshot’s humanity completely; as a kid, I honestly thought Deadshot was an android, or something. But I digress; I like this look a lot, but ultimately, I just thought Gotham Knight was more unique. Speaking of unique...

The Version from “Smallville.”
Reference 1: i.pinimg.com/236x/5c/ae/45/5ca…
AND
Reference 2: i.pinimg.com/originals/91/53/b…
The final season of “Smallville” was...deservingly so...but one cool thing I found in it was Bradley Stryker’s version of Deadshot. While he only appeared in two episodes, they were two of the best for that season, and the redesign for the character was pretty cool. The series completely forewent the typical look of the character, and instead garbed Deadshot in Western-themed clothes. The wrist guns were eliminated, and though he occasionally wore the eyepiece, it was really the only part of his classic outfit that remained. While fitting to the character’s personality and even his gimmick (let’s face it, Deadshot IS, essentially, the grandson of so many classic Western Outlaw characters), I wish we could have gotten something a TINY bit closer to the comics...something Smallville, in general, seemed often AFRAID to do. Give “Gotham” some credit, at least the Riddler LOOKS LIKE THE RIDDLER. But I digress; a fun reimagining, but just not enough to get onto the top five.

Description

Of all the characters from Batman’s Universe, Floyd Lawton - a.k.a. Deadshot - is one I’ve actually neglected to talk much about. While by no means one of the all-time classic Batman Villains, Deadshot has garnered a MAJOR boost in popularity over the past few years. Several people I know are perfectly ready to call him among their top ten favorite DC characters of all time; there’s an undeniable appeal to a character like this - a highly cynical assassin who never misses his target, and has been, at times, just as much a hero (or at least anti-hero) as a villain.
I can’t lie and say I love Deadshot as much as those fans I know - I placed him relatively low on a list of my favorite Batman Villains - but I do like the concept of the character; like many great Batman Villains, I think you could make the argument that Deadshot is, once again, a dark parallel to Batman himself. The Dark Knight, at least in MOST incarnations, has a very basic rule: he doesn’t use a gun. Now, why he has this rule has been tooled and retooled over time; in many cases, it’s a sort of trigger reaction (no pun intended) because a gun was the weapon that killed Bruce Wayne’s parents. In others, it’s more a matter of him thinking his own weapons are mightier, seeing guns as the coward’s tool, loud and clumsy. It depends, ultimately, on how fatalistic the portrayal is, and what the writers are trying to accomplish. But, whatever the case, the point still stands.

Deadshot, in contrast, is essentially the living embodiment of a gun: a crack shot with practically any firearm, who has built-in weapons on his costume, and will stop at nothing to get his prize. Speaking of said costume, while I’ve admittedly never been this guy’s biggest fan, I will concede he has a cool design - the armored suit and mask, special eyepiece, and wrist-mounted guns are just a great combo altogether, and it’s always fun to see just how new adaptations and artists will rework the fundamentals. Therefore, I think it’s high time I give the Assassin Who Never Misses (no, not Scaramanga, the other one) his time in the spotlight. Without further ado, here are My Top 5 Favorite Deadshot Designs!

5. The Version from “Gotham Knight.”
In “Gotham Knight,” the creators of the film decided to use Deadshot, but reworked him in a fun way. Here, the parallels to Batman and Bruce Wayne are really exaggerated and played with; Floyd Lawton, much like Bruce Wayne, is depicted as a man who lives the high life, but has a secret “night life” he keeps hidden. However, while Batman’s nightly escapades are meant to save lives, Lawton destroys them; a gun for hire who seems to do what he does less for the money, and more for the thrill of the hunt. While the actual portrayal is one that leaves me a little torn, I have to admit, the design they give Deadshot is a winner. While he does wear an armored-and-masked costume like most portrayals, the key defining feature of THIS take is that he wears much more elegant clothing over this costume, mirroring his more dapper portrayal; the red trenchcoat and fedora are eye-catching indeed. It’s a simple but very classic look; I suspect Carmen Sandiego and Alucard from “Hellsing” approve most highly of this deadly gentleman’s manner of dress...his methods, however, are another story. The comparison I made to Scaramanga is perhaps most fitting to this depiction; Scaramanga was essentially a thrillseeking assassin who wanted to be perceived as a gentleman. Deadshot, in this case, seems much the same; again, a parallel to Batman himself.

4. The Second Arrow Design.
When Deadshot first appeared in “Arrow,” he had a sort of...clunky design. Yeah, I never really liked his first appearance, in terms of costume, that much...HOWEVER, when Deadshot returned later in the series, he was given an overhaul, and while the silhouette of the outfit remained much the same, it actually changed quite a bit. This was a stripped-down, much more slick-looking take on the character, designed more to look like a soldier in uniform than a comic-book-style assassin. Such designs tend to be hit or miss; sometimes by working too much into practicality, you can lose what was loved about the character. However, the character is still identifiable as Deadshot, and it worked for the universe of the show. It also worked for the character, as this take on Deadshot was a former military sniper, essentially driven mad by the horrors he saw and the deeds he did. It’s not as flashy as some other takes on the character, nor is it as slapped-together as the first design and a few others; it sits right in the middle, and in my opinion, it’s just right.

3. The Injustice Design.
Like many designs in the Injustice series, this take on Deadshot really upped the ante in terms of the armor on his costume; the look of this design is much more mechanical and almost robotic, with glistening metal bits set up all over the place. It’s somehow both practical and yet “comic-book-ish” at the same time, colored predominantly in blood red and stark white. This Deadshot design is interesting in that it seems to suppress his humanity completely; while other designs on this list leave at least a little bit of that humanity on full display - an eye, a portion of the face, maybe even the WHOLE face, a hand - this one buries everything under kevlar, cloth, and steel. When it comes to the idea of “a living gun,” this is about as literal as it gets; even the holes on his mask sort of remind one of the barrel of a military-grade gun. The overall result feels more like Boba Fett or the Terminator than the Deadshot we usually see, at least outside of the comics. It’s imposing and cold and yet with a fiery sort of color scheme; in short, it’s a shot in the right direction, plain and simple.

2. The Arkham Origins Design.
I’ve said it multiple times now, but I suppose I must say it again: the Arkham games are interesting in how they interpret the outfits of the characters, ESPECIALLY the villains, because they give everything a patchwork kind of look. Now, as Deadshot’s first appearance in Arrow proves, normally I don’t like that too much, but the Arkham games managed...most especially Origins. Origins, in general, tended to interpret that “slapped-together” sensibility with a strange sort of smoothness. On top of that, the story of the game takes place around Christmastime, so the looks of many characters had to be made with the winter weather in mind. In Deadshot’s case, this meant a thick, padded jacket that was designed to be reminiscient of his armor from the comics, on top of said armor on his arms and legs. The mask was redesigned, too, once again looking more militaristic than something for your typical supervillain to wear. It once again suppressed his humanity; Arkham City’s look had shown much more skin, but in this case, all we got was his left eye, the right covered by that famous eyepiece. The wrist guns were back in place, and the white or silver of the usual look was replaced by gray and black, giving this version a much more stealthy sort of feeling. Once again, this Deadshot felt almost more like a soldier, and acted in a somewhat militaristic manner, too; all in all, it was an improvement to his earlier game appearance, and if another Arkham game ever DOES get made, and Deadshot pops up, I hope this is the look they turn to for reference.

But as much as I like the look from Origins, there’s one Deadshot design I enjoy even more...and the choice may surprise you...

1. The Version from “War of Jokes & Riddles.”
I’ll come right out and say it: I DON’T like this miniseries. People seem to either love it or hate it, and unfortunately, I’m more in the latter category. It has a lot of interesting concepts, granted, but when friggin’ KITE MAN - in my opinion THE WORST BATMAN VILLAIN EVER - is the BEST part of the story? A story that touts itself as a battle between my top two FAVORITE Batman Villains, no less?! You know your execution is seriously lacking. However, one thing I will grant this series is that the artwork (at least for the most part) is pretty good. The series was pencilled and inked by Mikel Janin, with the duty of colourist handled by June Chung. Now, Deadshot, like most of the villains who appear in this story, is pretty much just a cameo character; throughout the series, there’s a subplot of him gadding it out with Deathstroke, with the pair trying to determine who is the World’s Greatest Assassin. Again, an interesting concept, but it doesn’t get much “screentime,” so to speak; honestly, that idea could be a whole story in and of itself, and probably should be! But while Deadshot’s role is minor, the design the artists give him IMMEDIATELY grabs my attention. I know it’s weird giving the number one slot to such a little-used Deadshot, but I’m sorry, this look just hits me perfectly! If I had to choose one word to describe this design, I’d choose “smooth.” There’s a smoothness, a slickness, a slipperiness to this design that virtually all other takes on Deadshot - in and out of the mainstream comic canon - seem to lack. It almost feels like the costume is a second skin; he’s fast, he’s agile, and every time we do see him, he’s always in action, and looking great while doing it. Is it cheating? I guess, but I’ve probably made stranger choices before, and considering I keep hoping we’ll get to see more of this look in the DC Rebirth line soon? It’s clearly made a positive impact. The people I know who are Deadshot fans often seem to agree; as minor as the role he plays is, the look is definitely a winner! It’s a small bit of absolute perfection to come out of an otherwise extremely flawed miniseries; a weird status, a weird choice, but the only one I can conceive for My Favorite Deadshot Design.

Don’t worry. Next time I do one of these lists, the top choice will probably be more obvious.

Honorable Mentions Include…
The DCAU Design.
Reference: i.pinimg.com/originals/90/21/9…
This was my introduction to Deadshot, and often seems to be a version people forget...which I find a little strange, since it literally involves Lex Luthor imitating Lex Luthor as the voice! (By which I mean, Michael Rosenbaum doing an impersonation of Kevin Spacey. LUTHOR-CEPTION.) It’s a pretty simple look, completely colored in red and silver, and has a sort of sci-fi quality to it, as well as a very mechanical one. Much like with Injustice, it covers up Deadshot’s humanity completely; as a kid, I honestly thought Deadshot was an android, or something. But I digress; I like this look a lot, but ultimately, I just thought Gotham Knight was more unique. Speaking of unique...

The Version from “Smallville.”
Reference 1: i.pinimg.com/236x/5c/ae/45/5ca…
AND
Reference 2: i.pinimg.com/originals/91/53/b…
The final season of “Smallville” was...deservingly so...but one cool thing I found in it was Bradley Stryker’s version of Deadshot. While he only appeared in two episodes, they were two of the best for that season, and the redesign for the character was pretty cool. The series completely forewent the typical look of the character, and instead garbed Deadshot in Western-themed clothes. The wrist guns were eliminated, and though he occasionally wore the eyepiece, it was really the only part of his classic outfit that remained. While fitting to the character’s personality and even his gimmick (let’s face it, Deadshot IS, essentially, the grandson of so many classic Western Outlaw characters), I wish we could have gotten something a TINY bit closer to the comics...something Smallville, in general, seemed often AFRAID to do. Give “Gotham” some credit, at least the Riddler LOOKS LIKE THE RIDDLER. But I digress; a fun reimagining, but just not enough to get onto the top five.