Batman / Deathblow Deluxe Edition

In 2013, DC Comics collected Brian Azzarello and Lee Bermejo's grim, one-shot prestige story into a deluxe hardcover. This team-up pits Batman against the violent, morally ambiguous military operative Deathblow, forcing them into an uneasy alliance that tests the dark knight's code against a soldier's brutal pragmatism. Bermejo's visceral, photorealistic art and Azzarello's hard-boiled scripting make this a standout, adult-oriented tale from DC's more mature line.