KGBeast (English)

Nightwing (DC, 2016 series) #76 January 2021

Disambiguation: Anatoli Knyazev First Published in: 1988 Keywords: New 52; New Earth; Prime Earth Creator List Creator Name List Issue List Cover List Series List Feature List Characters Appeared With Group List Sequences List External Links: Wikipedia Name: KGBeast

Description:

KGBeast, whose secret identity is Anatoli Knyazev, is a villainous assassin who got his training from "The Hammer", a top-secret KGB cell. KGBeast's strength has been enhanced cybernetically, so in addition to mastering numerous martial arts, he is proficient in the use of every existing deadly weapon. Throughout his time in Gotham, KGBeast has fought heroes like Batman, Robin, Huntress, and Suicide Squad. During Blackest Night he is resurrected and recruited into the Black Lantern Corps, and after Flashpoint he joins the Suicide Squad (realizing he can't beat them), so at times he also goes toe-to-toe with other villainous characters.

When DC relaunched their characters for the New 52 in 2011, KGBeast got a new backstory, and he was recreated once again as "The Beast" for DC Rebirth in 2016.

Notes:

KGBeast (Anatoni Knyazev) was created by Jim Starlin and Jim Aparo.

First appearance of the New Earth KGBeast in Batman (DC, 1940 series) #417 (March 1988). He died in Detective Comics (DC, 1937 series) #817 (May 2006). First appearance of the New 52 Commander Knyazev (with a new backstory) in New Suicide Squad (DC, 2014 series) #2 (October 2014) by Sean Ryan and Tom Derenick. The DC Rebirth Anatoli Knyazev first appeared as The Beast (with a new backstory) in All Star Batman (DC, 2016 series) #2 (November 2016) by Scott Snyder and John Romita Jr. (see separate record). The KGBeast died and was revived as a zombie in Task Force Z (DC, 2021 series) #6 (May 2022).