In this series we spotlight comic book stories that are likely best left forgotten. Here is an archive of past installments.
Today, we take a look at how Batman just tried to starve one of his villains to death...
Few writers in the late 1980s were quite as influenced by Frank Miller's take on Batman than Jim Starlin, who seemed to really enjoy the energy that Miller brought to the character, as well as the more "adult" take on the character. This was present in Starlin's Batman work before he even took over writing the regular series, as he did the series The Cult with artist Berni Wrightson that was practically an ode to Dark Knight Returns.
When Starlin was given the ongoing series, one of the ideas he had that worked really well was the notion of "mini-series within a series," as he did the four-part story "Ten Nights of the Beast" from Batman #417-420 with artists Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo. The trade dress made the story feel like it was its own mini-series. Mike Zeck drew the covers (the whole "mini-series within a series" idea was almost certainly inspired by Kraven's Last Hunt, which Zeck drew the year earlier for Marvel)...
The story was about a Russian assassin named the KGBeast who is in Gotham to kill a bunch of high-ranking American officials, including President Ronald Reagan, who is in town for a visit. Batman must work with the CIA to stop him.
Early on, we see how vicious and good at killing the Beast is...
Throughout the story, Starlin really lays it on that the Beast is one scary dude...
At the end of Batman #418, Batman even remarks that the Beast is BETTER than him...
In the following issue, we see even MORE how much of a badass the KGBeast is! The dude CHOPS HIS OWN HAND OFF! And he does this even though the rope is right there. But nope, he's in trouble so off goes the hand.
Dude then gets a freakin' GUN HAND! With a blade, too, to boot!
This sets up the final confrontation at the end of Batman #420, which you can check out on the next page...
Soon before their final battle, Batman has an interesting conversation with a CIA agent...
This clearly informs the final battle between Batman and KGBeast.
Their final combat took place in a sewer in Gotham City. The Beast thought that this was going to be their dramatic final battle. Batman, knowing the sewers of Gotham better than most, had other plans (note that KGBeast's gunhand has malfunctioned and is therefore not working at this point)...
Hardcore.
Anyhow, while I'm not opposed to Batman killing under certain circumstances, I think that Starlin cops out a bit by making THIS the circumstance where Batman kills. I don't think he quite sells this as "Batman HAS to kill him here, he has no other choice." The guy is trapped and has no gun, it is too much to presume that there is no other way out of this but to kill him.
Obviously others disagreed, as well, since the very next writer on the series, Marv Wolfman, went back and reversed that ending.
I was struck by this story recently when thinking about how, when characters last long enough, you can always find a story to point to to support a certain position. If you want to say, "Batman kills sometimes just because it's easier," then, well, you have a comic book story to back that position up. There probably shouldn't be such a story, though.
If you have a suggestion for another comic book plot that is probably best forgotten, drop me a line at bcronin@comicbookresources.com