Dates
- Cover date
- [Winter] 1988
- On sale
- September 29, 1988
- Pages
- 52
Editions and covers
- Original editionSource ↗
Creators
pencils: Bernie Wrightsoninks: Bernie Wrightsoncolors: Bernie Wrightson, Bill Wrayscript: Jim Starlinletters: John Costanza
Stories
- Book Four: Combat · 46 pages
Batman regains his fighting spirit as he realizes that he did not become the Batman to avenge his parent's deaths, but to deal with the fear. He and Robin return to Gotham for a showdown with Deacon Blackfire. Blackfire plans to embrace his death at the hands of Batman as a religious leader, but once Batman physically overpowers him and makes him beg for mercy, his followers lose their faith in Blackfire and tear him to pieces.
Reprinted in
Batman: The Cult (1991), Batman: The Cult (2024), Batman: The Cult: The Deluxe Edition (2024), DC Finest: Batman: A Death in the Family (2026)