I was already excited about Batman, but DC just blew my mind by introducing four more Dark Knights! Things have been really rough in the DC Universe lately – Darkseid made a comeback and basically wiped out the future. Now, everyone – heroes and even some villains – is fighting in this crazy tournament to get powerful enough to stand up to him. Batman joined, of course, but I was shocked when the Joker actually beat him, and it was a really underhanded move! But honestly, it turned out to be a good thing because it led Bruce down a way more fascinating road.
The miniseries DC K.O. Knightfight showed Batman attempting to rejoin the competition after being eliminated, even resorting to using special armor to cheat. But the Heart of Apokolips stopped him, punishing Bruce by trapping him in simulations where each of his former Robins had become Batman. Bruce has been trying to guide these new Batmen, but the Heart’s strict rules have made it challenging. Now, Batman believes he’s found a way to help them all succeed.
Batman’s Last Act in Knightfight Was to Save His Boys
In issue #4 of DC K.O. Knightfight, written by Joshua Williamson with art by Dan Mora, colors by Triona Farrell, and lettering by Tom Napolitano, Bruce Wayne spends a significant amount of time in this simulated world. He witnesses the positive changes Damian has made to the city and gets to know his grandson, Alfred Wayne. Despite enjoying this reality, Batman understands that the Heart of Apokolips requires a confrontation, and that’s the only way to return home. Preparing for the coming battle, Bruce enlists the help of the Bat-Family, who agree to both protect this world and find a path back to their own.
Understanding the immense pressure, Batman dedicates the next few days to intense physical and mental preparation, pushing himself to be ready for the challenge. Meanwhile, Bruce secretly works on a new invention. Using advanced technology obtained by Damian, Batman builds a device he calls the Bat-Box. He keeps its function a secret, but it utilizes the same principles as the armor he cleverly brought into the original competition featured in DC K.O.. With the Bat-Box finished, Bruce and Damian are finally ready to face the Heart in the battle it craves.
The fight starts cautiously, with both Batman and Damian testing each other. Eventually, they unleash their full power, and after a long battle, Damian defeats Batman. However, the true goal wasn’t victory, but to see if Bruce would acknowledge defeat. The entity known as the Heart pulls Batman into a strange emptiness, but not before Bruce instructs Damian to open the Bat-Box. As Bruce prepares to return to the fight, sounds – ‘pings’ – echo from the four alternate realities he experienced in DC K.O. Knightfight, suggesting he managed to save the four other versions of Batman.
When Will We See the New Batmen Again?
To be honest, I wasn’t sure what the point of this miniseries was until now. I initially thought it was just a harsh training exercise for Bruce, a consequence for his actions in the first tournament. However, seeing Batman genuinely care for these worlds and want to protect them makes sense. Thankfully, using technology from Apokolips and help from Damian, Bruce seems to have managed to save these simulated realities.
The bigger question is whether we’ll ever see those alternate Batmans again. Their departures felt very sudden, and honestly, it’s unclear where they ended up. I imagine they might be similar to the Flashpoint universe – separate, stable worlds that Batman is monitoring. While we technically have a few new Batmen now, don’t expect them to show up in the main DC Universe anytime soon. Even though Batman is DC’s most popular character, there simply isn’t space for four more versions of him.
Don’t expect these alternate Batmen to be gone for good. Now that Batman is back in the tournament, they could reappear as surprise fighters in DC K.O., or perhaps a future series will delve deeper into their unique worlds and unresolved storylines. Either way, the four new Batmen are currently safe, and it wouldn’t be surprising if DC Comics found a way to bring them back later on.
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2026-02-07 18:14