Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire # 1 2002 NM-

Batman/Deathblow: After the Fire #1, published by DC Comics / WildStorm in March 2002, launches a three-issue crossover miniseries written by Brian Azzarello with gritty, hyper-detailed artwork by Lee Bermejo and Tim Bradstreet.

The defining twist of this "crossover" is that Batman and Deathblow never actually meet. Instead, the comic operates as a parallel noir espionage thriller, weaving together two timelines separated by a decade. 

The Parallel Plotlines

• The Past (10 Years Ago): The narrative follows Michael Cray (Deathblow), a lethal, bulked-up government black-ops soldier. He is dispatched to Gotham City alongside another secret agent named Scott Floyd. Their mission is to silence and execute a rogue intelligence agent named Falcon, who is actively selling sensitive organizational secrets. During the operation, they encounter a terrifying pyrotechnic terrorist who possesses the supernatural ability to manifest lethal fire out of thin air. The mission goes horribly wrong and ends in a fiery disaster. 
• The Present: In modern-day Gotham, Michael Cray is dead. Scott Floyd, now an old friend of Bruce Wayne, is brutally targeted and murdered by the very same pyrotechnic hitman from his black-ops past.
• Batman Steps In: Realizing that his friend was caught in a web of international espionage, Batmaninherits the case. The Dark Knight is forced to reconstruct Cray’s decades-old movements, navigating a complex post-9/11 counter-plot involving secret agencies, double agents, and an elusive arsonist.

Artistic & Historic Impact

• Lee Bermejo's Breakthrough: This miniseries is historically significant for being the project that shot superstar artist Lee Bermejo into major comic book industry stardom. His signature, ultra-realistic rendering of Gotham's urban grime, detailed machinery, and heavily textured environments debuted here.
• Format: The comic was originally released in DC's high-quality, spine-bound Prestige Format.