Deathblow: Byblows
DC · 1999–2000 · 3 issues
About the series
In 1999 and 2000, DC Comics released the three-issue miniseries Deathblow: Byblows, a gritty, offbeat spin on the action genre written by Alan Moore and illustrated by Jim Baikie. The story follows a washed-up, alcoholic mercenary who becomes entangled with a group of super-powered, genetically-engineered children on the run from a shadowy government agency. Moore and Baikie bring a visceral, character-driven intensity to this short, self-contained tale, exploring themes of redemption and the cost of violence. It stands as a distinctive, often-overlooked chapter in the wider DC universe of the late 1990s, showcasing Moore’s talent for subverting superhero tropes within a mature-readers context.