Deadshot

Deadshot
Deadshot as depicted in Detective Comics #1027 (September 2020). Art by Brad Walker.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Batman #59 (June 1950)
Created by	David Vern Reed (writer) Lew Sayre Schwartz (artist) Bob Kane (concept)
In-story information
Alter ego	Floyd Lawton
Species	Human
Team affiliations	Suicide Squad Secret Society of Super Villains Secret Six
Abilities	Master marksman Expert hand-to-hand combatant Skilled gunsmith Expert strategist and tactician Demolitions expert Expert in stealth and escape artistry Bilingualism Customized wrist-mounted weapons Specialized bullet-resistant body armor Mask provides targeting assistance, infra-red vision, and other features

Deadshot (Floyd Lawton) is a character appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics. Created by David Vern Reed and Lew Schwartz, based on a concept from Batman co-creator Bob Kane, the character made his first appearance in Batman #59 (June 1950). The introduction story features Deadshot using standard firearms while wearing a tuxedo, top hat, and simple domino mask.^[1][2] The character was not seen again until twenty-nine years later when writer Steve Englehart along with artists Marshall Rogers and Terry Austin retooled him in Detective Comics (vol.1) #474 (1979), now presenting him with customized wrist-mounted guns and a unique mask featuring a multi-use lens over his right eye.^[3] Since then, he has been a recurring character in Batman comics. Since 1986, Deadshot has also been frequently portrayed in comics books featuring the Suicide Squad.^[4]

Deadshot is an expert in firearms and an excellent sniper who regularly boasts of never missing a shot. He is often considered one of the deadliest assassins in the DC Universe. Lawton is eventually brought to justice by the superhero Batman, who becomes Lawton's most recurring enemy over the years (though he also occasionally comes into conflict with other heroes). While typically portrayed as a supervillain, he is also sometimes depicted as an antihero as a member of the Suicide Squad where he fights more dangerous villains and threats, his need to protect those he regards as family, and his occasional efforts to hold himself accountable to a personal code of ethics.

The character has been substantially adapted from the comics into various forms of media, including television series, feature films and video games. Deadshot was portrayed by Bradley Stryker in the final season of Smallville, by Michael Rowe in the live-action Arrowverse franchise, and by Will Smith in the DC Extended Universe film Suicide Squad (2016).