When it comes to Hollywood's attempts to bring comic books to life, controversial casting is not an unusual side effect. (See: Ben Affleck as Daredevil). But there are plenty of cases of great casting as well, finding an actor that's so perfect for a role that it's almost embarrassing that we didn't think of it before. Such an occurrence has, uh, occurred for "Smallville," as Michael Hogan has been tapped to play Deathstroke for the series' tenth and final season.

Most famous for playing hard-drinking, filthy-mouthed and occasionally one-eyed executive officer Colonel Saul Tigh on "Battlestar Galactica," Hogan will step into another iconic character's shoes as Deathstroke in an upcoming "Smallville" episode titled "Patriot." IGN reports that Deathstroke will only be referred to by Slade, "but DC fans of course are aware that this is the man destined to become Deathstroke, an incredibly skilled and dangerous mercenary."

Needless to say, Hogan as Deathstroke really is a genius stroke of casting. Heck, he already has the eye patch taken care of! The only bit of bad news I can think of is that we won't see enough of Hogan as Deathstroke, since the series is about to leave the airwaves for good. With any luck - and if DC Entertainment and Warner Bros. have any common sense - we'll get an entire series devoted to Hogan playing Deathstroke to fill the "Smallville" gap next season. Really, if the choice is between a "Deathstroke" series starring Saul Tigh or a "Wonder Woman" series by the guy who created "Ally McBeal," I know which one I'm picking.

(Okay, so "Ally McBeal" is kind of a guilty pleasure. Good thing I confessed that in parenthesis, because nobody reads what's in parenthesis.)

[Via Topless Robot]