'Deathstroke vs. Batman' Begins in April

The epic showdown between Batman and Deathstroke will not take place in its own miniseries, as some had assumed based on DC's title treatment, but rather in the pages of Deathstroke.

The story, which launches in April, centers on a mysterious package that seemingly proves Batman's son Damian is actually not his own, but Deathstroke's.

Given how poorly most of Deathstroke's familial relationships work out, that seems like a net win for Damian, but we will leave that aside for now.

As the Dark Knight detective sets about getting to the bottom of it, the six-part story will unfold monthly in Deathstroke.

The new series will be handled by Deathstroke's Rebirth team of Christopher Priest and Carlo Pagulayan.

Under the direction of Priest and Pagulayan, not to mention the contributions of Joe Bennett, Deathstroke has been one of the best titles in the stacked line under DC's Rebirth. The series has revitalized the character as a misguided hero, exploring his roots as a great assassin and terrible father.

Bringing Batman into the mix will no doubt attract fans of DC's cinematic universe, who have been anticipating such a showdown since Ben Affleck teased Joe Manganiello's Deathstroke on Twitter as part of some test footage for The Batman.

Of course, Manganiello appeared in the post-credits scene in Justice League, meeting with Lex Luthor as part of a tease of the formation of a cabal of villains to go up against the newly formed superteam. It remains to be seen if that will actually pay off in a future film, considering the perpetually-in-flux state of Warner Bros.' plans for DC movies.

This epic confrontation was already portrayed in video games in recent years, with Deathstroke appearing as the main antagonist in Akrham Origins and then popping up later in Arkham Knight.

You can check out the official solicitation for the issue below.

DEATHSTROKE #30

Written by CHRISTOPHER PRIEST • Art by CARLO PAGULAYAN • Cover by LEE WEEKS • Variant cover by JEROME OPENA

Retailers: This issue will ship with two covers. Please see the order form for details. Includes a code for a free digital download of this issue.

"Deathstroke vs. Batman" part one! Beginning this month, a six-issue series-within-a-series featuring the ultimate showdown between DC's fiercest rivals! When Batman discovers a mysterious package containing DNA test results proving that he is not Damian Wayne's biological father, the Dark Knight sets his sights on his son's true father—Deathstroke! But Damian Wayne can't really be Slade Wilson's son—can he? And who sent the package—and why? The ultimate custody battle ensues as the World's Greatest Detective and the World's Deadliest Assassin clash in this instant classic!

On sale APRIL 4 • 32 pg, FC, $3.99 US • RATED T+