Azrael: The Tears of God

{{DC Database:Storyline Template
 * Title                  = The Tears of God
 * Image                  = Azrael Michael Lane 0020.jpg
 * OfficialName           = The Tears of God
 * Aliases                =


 * Universe               = New Earth
 * Locations              = Gotham City


 * Heroes                 = Azrael, Order of Purity
 * Villains               = Brothers of the Sword, Fireball, Ra's al Ghul
 * Others                 = Batman, Batman Incorporated


 * Titles                 = Azrael
 * Collected              = Batman: Gotham Shall Be Judged
 * Creators               = David Hine; Cliff Richards
 * First                  = Azrael Vol 2 #17
 * Last                   = Azrael Vol 2 #18


 * Quotation              = I protected this city. I judged the wicked and I removed them like a cancer. Evil must be purged. I can't go on judging each soul on its own merits. I have a whole world to put right. I will judge this city! I am God's vengeance... his Angel of Death. I am AZRAEL.
 * Speaker                = Michael Lane
 * QuoteSource            = Azrael Vol 2 18


 * HistoryText            = The Tears of God is an Azrael storyline written by David Hine and illustrated by Cliff Richards. It's the conclusion to the Azrael series, following Hine's earlier storylines The Killer of Saints and Three Mysteries. Despite the series' cancelation, Hine would continue his work in the  Judgment on Gotham crossover event.

Synopsis
Father Day is shocked to see Azrael return from the dead, and Lane asks about the since it disproves Jesus Christ's resurrection but Lane himself just died on the cross and returned three days later. Batman enlists Azrael to go after a terrorist group called the Brothers of the Sword, as Batman Incorporated does not want to be seen as anti-Islamic. Azrael travels to Afghanistan in search of a metahuman named Fireball, a young boy with incredible powers involved in the Iraq War conflict. When he fights the terrorists he is more powerful than ever before as the Suit of Sorrows now empowers him instead of damaging his sanity, allowing him to use the fighting prowess of every warrior who has worn it. After slaying the guards and surviving a direct hit from a rocket launcher, Azrael is finally greeted by Fireball. Fireball confronts him and announces that it is their destiny to battle, although he insists on taking Azrael away from the innocent bystanders. Azrael suggests that they don't have to fight, but Fireball insists and they destroy the area although they are unable to kill each other. Ra's al Ghul arrives and reveals that he's been Fireball's mentor, testing Fireball to see if he's really the incarnation of death angel as his comrades believes. Their battle is also revealed to be a distraction as they left in time to avoid a helicopter strike from the U.S. Army, Fireball is forced to watch as the Brothers of the Sword are obliterated and his cousin is killed. Ra's announces that his Angels of Death will help him create a new world by burning down the old one, and they will start by helping him destroy Gotham City. Azrael returns to Gotham with the others and kisses Jenny Lane goodbye before starting his mission. His beliefs are affirmed as the ghost of Father Grieve tells him this is what he must do.


 * Issues                 =

}}
 * Notes                  =
 * Trivia                 =
 * RecommendedReading     =
 * Links                  =