Marvel will celebrate 50 years of Deathlok this September with a special that will include contributions from Christopher Priest, Justina Ireland, Denys Cowan, Dale Eaglesham, Matthew Waite, Luke Ross and more.
“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 said. “So I’m excited to dig into the emotional core of what makes Deathlok so unique, while also having some fun.”
Ireland, the writer of Dread Nation, Deathless Divide, Ophie’s Ghosts and several Star Wars books, served as an Arabic linguistics expert in the U.S. Army. In addition to writing, she works as a supervisor in logistics for the Department of the Navy.
The original Deathlok, Luther Manning, debuted in Astonishing Tales #25 back in August 1974. Created by Rich Buckler, Manning’s story was set in a post-apocalyptic future (in 1990!) and it sounds like this new story will focus on him:
Travel back to the ruins of Manhattan for an action-packed, laser-blasting, building-smashing, explosive adventure uncovering secrets of a world that will excite new and longtime fans. Witness the world of tomorrow where everything went horribly wrong, filled with danger around every corner, brutal villains, as the reluctant half-man, half-machine’s latest mission culminates in an ending designed to shock your technology-tormented brain!
Several other versions of the character have been introduced over the years, including the Michael Collins version who appeared in an ongoing series by Dwayne McDuffie, Greg Wright and Cowan in the early 1990s. That series was set in the modern Marvel universe.
Here’s a look at Nick Bradshaw’s variant cover for the special:
Deathlok 50th Anniversary Special arrives in stores Sept. 18.