WARNING: The next accommodates spoilers for Nightwing #90, now on sale from DC Comics
Nightwing may not have the huge private rogues gallery that his mentor Batman boasts, although the younger hero has additionally gained a notable handful of villains to cope with through the years. However there’s one which’s solely actually been highlighted over the past half-decade that would make a case for changing into one among Nightwing’s most constant foes.
KGBeast’s newest confrontation with Nightwing in Nightwing #90 by Tom Taylor, Geraldo Borges, Adriano Lucas, and Wes Abbott helps solidify the concept the C-list villain may really be an ideal private antagonist for the unique Robin.
Debuting within the Submit-Crisis DC Universe, KGBeast has endured as a vicious mercenary character to bedevil any variety of heroes through the years. Anatoli Knyazev discovered renewed significance within the fashionable DC Universe, nonetheless, significantly after the occasions of DC Rebirth. Throughout Tom King’s run on Batman, KGBeast was recruited by Bane to take part in a brand new plan to interrupt Batman. For his half, the KGBeast was capable of lie in anticipate Batman and Nightwing to reach on the Bat-Sign after which shoot the latter within the head. The harm virtually killed Dick Grayson and left him with superior amnesia for an prolonged interval (setting off his Ric Grayson storyline). Since then, the prolonged Bat-Household and different heroes have harbored deep-seated hate for the KGBeast.
Notably, he is additionally come up in opposition to Nightwing repeatedly in brief order — going through off with Nightwing shortly after the latter recovered his reminiscence, and now threatening Grayson’s secret id straight in Bludhaven in Nightwing #90. It is all been quietly positioning KGBeast as maybe Nightwing’s most private antagonist. Over time, the unique Robin has had a handful of notable enemies; incomes very deep private animosities for villains like Two-Face, Deathstroke, and Blockbuster. However KGBeast gives an attention-grabbing distinction to Nightwing as a heroic character that makes him stand out as a devoted enemy for the unique Robin and is one thing DC ought to proceed to play with.
Each Nightwing and KGBeast are common people in a world of ridiculous powers, forcing them to depend on expertise, techniques, and weapons to outlive. Each have been highly-trained in fight however, whereas Nightwing is a hero who by no means kills, KGBeast is a blunt assassin who would not care about collateral harm. KGBeast is a brutal killer, whereas Nightwing is likely one of the most heroic members of the Bat-Household. As such, Nightwing by no means makes use of firearms — contrasted in opposition to KGBeast, who has affixed weaponry to his severed limbs and has a literal firearm. Whereas Nightwing would not permit the judgment of others to outline his actions, the mockery KGBeast confronted for failing to kill Nightwing resulted within the livid killer confronting him once more.
In essence, KGBeast’s informal angle in the direction of mayhem and homicide highlights Nightwing’s innate heroism and significance among the many remainder of the hero neighborhood — as KGBeast largely works alone or simply with minions in his assaults, Dick Grayson’s allies have more and more dropped something to assist their good friend. Even when going through off with each other, Nightwing makes positive to avoid wasting KGBeast’s life when he is fatally wounded within the battle. KGBeast being a frequent foe for Nightwing is a good idea and one that ought to proceed to be an element for Nightwing as he continues to reestablish himself in Bludhaven. KGBeast may seem to be a foolish idea in principle, however he might need discovered the right function going ahead as Nightwing’s main costumed enemy.