| KGBeast | |
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KGBeast as depicted in Who's Who in the DC Universe #4 (November 1990). Art by Jim Aparo.
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| Publication information | |
| Publisher | DC Comics |
| First appearance | Batman #417 (March 1988) |
| Created by | Jim Starlin (writer) Jim Aparo (artist) |
| In-story information | |
| Alter ego | Anatoli Knyazev |
| Species | Human Cyborg |
| Team affiliations | KGB Black Lantern Corps Suicide Squad USSR |
| Notable aliases | The Beast |
| Abilities |
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KGBeast (Anatoli Knyazev) is a supervillain appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. Created by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo, the character first appeared as an adversary of Batman.[1]
KGBeast has appeared in numerous series and films. Anatoli appeared in his first live adaptation as a recurring cast member on The CW Arrowverse television series Arrow played by David Nykl. Anatoli also appeared as a secondary antagonist and a henchman for Lex Luthor in the DC Extended Universe film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice played by Callan Mulvey.
KGBeast first appeared in Batman #417 (March 1988) and was created by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo.[2]
Anatoli Knyazev (Russian: Анато́лий Кня́зев, Anatoliy Knyazev), code-named "The Beast", and known to the C.I.A. as the "KGBeast" is trained as an assassin by "The Hammer", a top secret cell of the KGB. In addition to being the master of several martial arts, his strength is cybernetically enhanced, and he also masters the use of every known deadly weapon. At the time of his first appearance, he is rumored to have killed at least 200 people.
The Beast made his first appearance in the storyline, "Ten Nights of The Beast" Batman #417 (March 1988), which was later reprinted as a trade paperback of the same name. It was written by Jim Starlin and drawn by Jim Aparo and Mike DeCarlo.[3]
The Hammer's general, angry that the Soviet government is working to better relations with the United States, sends Knyazev on a mission to kill 10 high-ranking U.S. officials in an attempt to cripple the Strategic Defense Initiative program. These include scientists, civilian administrators, military figures, and politicians, the last of whom being then-U.S. President Ronald Reagan, scheduled to visit Gotham City.
Despite Batman's best efforts, the Beast eliminates nearly all of his targets. In particular, he showcases his ruthlessness by poisoning an entire banquet, killing over 100 people, just to ensure that his target dies.
When Batman finally faces the Beast in hand-to-hand combat, the Beast quickly gains the upper hand, at the time, proves himself better than Batman in both tactical planning and engagement. However, failing to realize that he had advantages over Batman in abilities, the Beast flees because he thinks Batman has contingencies based on the hero's reputation, loses his opportunity to kill Batman as the Dark Knight later improved his skills since then.
During the rematch between the two, Batman snares the Beast's left wrist with the Batrope. Rather than be captured, the Beast grabs a nearby axe and chops off the restrained hand. The Beast quickly has the limb replaced with a cybernetic gun, made by one of Gotham's top weapons dealers.
Before the final confrontation between Batman and the Beast, C.I.A. Agent Ralph Bundy reminds Batman that, if the Beast is captured alive, he will have to be handed over to the Soviets, and likely escape justice. Knowing this, Batman, after thwarting the Beast's assassination attempt on Reagan, destroys the Beast's gun-arm, lures him into the sewers, and then corners him in an underground room. The Beast invites Batman to fight him to the death, but instead Batman locks the room, effectively burying the assassin alive.
In the later story, Batman: Year Three, Batman notes that he then contacted the police to pick up the subdued villain.
However, the Beast escapes and goes into hiding, from where he sees the Soviet Union dissolve. His protégé, the NKVDemon, surfaces in Russia, but is killed by Batman's ally, Soviet police detective Nikita Krakov.[4] The Beast becomes a traditional supervillain, engaging in a counterfeiting scheme and having additional cybernetic implants inserted into his body. He fights Robin and the Huntress, but is ultimately defeated by King Snake. He later acquires a small nuclear bomb that he uses to threaten Gotham City. He is defeated by Robin and ultimately locked up in Blackgate Penitentiary.[5]
In the No Man's Land storyline, the Beast appears as a henchman of Lock-Up, during the latter's tenure as the unofficial warden of Blackgate.
One year after the events of Infinite Crisis, the Beast is thrown from a roof by a man thought to be Two-Face, after the Beast botches an assassination. His lifeless body is later found by the police, his death caused by two gunshots to the head. Two-Face appears to be innocent of the murder; the killer seems to be the Tally Man, hired by the Great White Shark.[6] The Beast's body is later stolen by a mysterious group who are reanimating corpses and turning them into zombie-like soldiers.[7] His head is shown floating in a tank with several life support devices, indicating that he will return at some point in the future.[8]
As part of the Blackest Night story arc, KGBeast's corpse is reanimated by a black power ring and recruited to the Black Lantern Corps during the Blackest Night: Batman miniseries. He uses his ring to form a black energy construct of his gun arm.[9]
As part of the New 52, the character gets a new backstory on the New Suicide Squad #2 (October 2014). KGBeast/Commander Anatoli Knyazev is a citizen of the USSR until it dissolves. He is trained by Boris Ulyanov/Hammer, as well as others like Kanto,[10] and masters several forms of martial arts. In addition, he gains cybernetic abilities which increase his strength.[citation needed] He fights against the Suicide Squad as a Russian military soldier. After losing many times, he becomes a member of Suicide Squad.[volume & issue needed]
InDC Rebirth KGBeast is now simply The Beast. He is described as one of the world's best contract killers, who formerly worked for the U.S. government and typically is exclusive to Washington D.C. His logo is a 666 symbol. He has his own private island constructed for the purposes of taking his captured enemies there and engaging them in a hunt to the death, free from any national jurisdictions. He is hired by the Penguin, Black Mask, and Great White to kill Batman and Two-Face after the latter threatens to release his collection of blackmail data to the world.[11] Anatoli is last seen when, to stop him killing a group of rioting civilians, Batman lunges into him and over a cliff. Only Batman is saved by Duke Thomas, leaving Beast's fate uncertain.
He is hired by Bane to break Batman by assassinating his protege Nightwing.[12] He is cornered by Batman after he murdered his father at the cabin. He's been hit in the neck, and Batman decides to walk away, leaving his fate unknown once again.[volume & issue needed] It is later revealed that KGBeast was saved by government agents who had been watching their fight from a distance.[volume & issue needed]
In the alternate timeline of the Flashpoint event, KGBeast is imprisoned in military Doom prison. During the prison break, KGBeast is shot with a blast by corrections officer Amazo.[13]
KGBeast appears as an NPC in the NES version of Batman: The Video Game.[14] This version is a ninja who wields a sword and shuriken.
Using the Cold War as their backdrop, writer Jim Starlin and artist Jim Aparo crafted the four-part storyline 'Ten Nights of the Beast'.
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