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Warning
The following contains major spoilers for Batman #157, available now from DC Comics.
Taking out Gotham City’s self-proclaimed savior could have seriously damaged Batman's reputation as its top hero. In Batman #157, all the tension that's been brewing over the last few months finally boils over, culminating in a showdown between Batman and the city's new star-spangled vigilante, Commander Star. By this point, Batman has already figured out that Commander Star is actually the notorious KGBeast. This realization allows the Dark Knight to go all out when he finally confronts “Commander Star,” but delivering a brutal beatdown in full view of the public may have played right into KGBeast’s hands.
Batman #157
• Written by CHIP ZDARSKY
• Art by JORGE JIMÉNEZ & TONY S. DANIEL
• Colors by TOMEU MOREY
• Letters by CLAYTON COWLES
• Main cover art by JORGE JIMÉNEZ & TOMEU MOREY
• Variant covers by JORGE JIMÉNEZ & TOMEU MOREY, TONY S. DANIEL & TOMEU MOREY, TONY HARRIS & JEREMY CLARK, MITCH GERADS, JEROME OPEÑA & TOMEU MOREY, and RAFAEL GRASSETTI
Anatoli Knyazev, better known as the KGBeast, was first introduced in 1988’s Batman #417 by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo. Once a skilled assassin for the Russian government, he has since been transformed into a cybernetically enhanced superhuman mercenary. As one of the world’s most feared fighters, Anatoli quickly built up a terrifying reputation under his new name. Over the years, the KGBeast has been a central figure in numerous storylines, often posing a threat to Batman and occasionally on behalf of even darker forces. Recently, he has managed to establish himself as what seemed like Gotham City’s most patriotic and heavily armed vigilante. In his guise as Commander Star, KGBeast exploited the fears and patriotic enthusiasm of Gotham's citizens, which made it easier for him to create various tragedies that elevated his superhero image while allowing him to tighten his grip on the city without worrying about any pushback from the Dark Knight.
The KGBeast’s role as Commander Star is just one of several shocking developments that have rocked Batman and Gotham recently. Alongside all the chaos and destruction instigated by KGBeast, Gotham has been reeling from the shocking murder of its Mayor, Christopher Nakano, at the hands of former Gotham City Police Commissioner James Gordon. It turned out that Gordon and Nakano had a confrontation over Gordon’s newfound relationship with Nakano's wife. However, it was revealed that Gordon wasn’t acting on his own when he shot the former mayor; he was actually under the sway of the Riddler through mind control technology used by the Mat Hatter, which cleared him of any blame.
Batman #157 is on sale now from DC Comics.
Source: DC Comics
BATMAN
Created by
Bill Finger, Bob Kane
First Film
Batman: The Movie
Latest Film
The Batman
Upcoming Films
The Batman – Part II
First TV Show
Batman
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Batman: Caped Crusader