Batman and Deathstroke's First Fight Revealed in New DC Comic

Though plenty of villains have a more storied history with Batman, you wouldn't be laughed at for thinking of Deathstroke as one of his biggest rivals in all of DC Comics. The pair have fought a number of times in the DCU but the publisher has confirmed that their very first meeting will finally be told in an upcoming storyline. This coming March will see DC begin publishing the "Shadow War" event which brings together comics Batman, Robin, and Deathstroke Inc. for a three-month crossover which has the League of Shadows out to kill the mercenary, and included in this event will be the first fabled fight between dark knight and terminator.

Announced by DC Comics in their April 2022 solicitations is news of Batman #122, the second part of the Shadow War event. Though the bulk of the issue will be focused on the story at hand, DC's solicits confirm that a backup story "showing the secret first fight between Batman and Deathstroke" will be revealed. Artist Trevor Hairsine will draw the backup with crossover architect Joshua Williamson penning the story.

You can find the full solicitation for the issue along with the cover art below.

BATMAN #122
"SHADOW WAR PART 2"
Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON
Art and cover by HOWARD PORTER
Backup art by TREVOR HAIRSINE
Variant cover by GABRIELE DELL'OTTO
Linking 1:25 variant cover by ROGER CRUZ and VICTOR OLAZABA
1:50 variant cover by JOCK
$4.99 US | 40 pages | Variant $5.99 US (card stock)
ON SALE 4/5/22

Ra's al Ghul is dead, and Talia is out for revenge! Batman is on the case to find Deathstroke before Talia's elite killers do! But Batman starts to piece together that not everything is what it seems in Ra's's death...and knows whom he must interrogate to get answers...Talia herself! Can the two former lovers ever work together again? Plus, a backup tale showing the secret first fight between Batman and Deathstroke!Ra's al Ghul is dead, and Talia is out for revenge! Batman is on the case to find Deathstroke before Talia's elite killers do! But Batman starts to piece together that not everything is what it seems in Ra's's death...and knows whom he must interrogate to get answers...Talia herself! Can the two former lovers ever work together again? Plus, a backup tale showing the secret first fight between Batman and Deathstroke!

(H/T CBR)