DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 Review – Batman vs. Batman in a Brutal Family Feud
Batman Always Wins: How Batman Survived "Elimination"
If you read DC K.O. #1, you witnessed the shocking "elimination" of Batman. Impaled by the Joker, the Dark Knight was seemingly removed from the tournament and encased in stone.
But if you thought that was the end of the Bat, you don't know Bruce Wayne.
DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 immediately reveals Batman's ultimate contingency plan. His Justice Buster 2 armor (referred to as "Apokoliptian armor" in the issue) was outfitted with a secret boom tube. Its directive: teleport him "back home" if he became "inactive for too long."
Of course, Batman had a plan for losing. Even when he loses, he doesn't really lose. However, the "Gotham" he returns to is not the one he left behind.
Welcome to a New Gotham, Run by "Robin, Inc."
Batman arrives in a Gotham swarming with new, unknown Robins. These new heroes are well-trained but with a "flare for dramatics" that Bruce doesn't recognize. They're leading him somewhere, and he wants answers.
Those answers come in the form of a new Batman, one with a fluid, graceful fighting style and a Nightwing-inspired Batsuit. The man under this new cowl is none other than Dick Grayson.
In this reality, Dick has leveled up the Batman mission in a way Bruce never could. He created Robin, Inc., a global organization that turns trauma into heroism. With the help of the Titans (Cyborg, Starfire, Raven, and Roy Harper) and the rest of the Bat-family (Babs, Cass, Duke, and Steph), "Robin, Inc." has operators in every major city.
Dick, now an older man with "Mr. Terrific" gray sideburns, explains that he built this new world by doing the one thing Bruce couldn't: he trusted others.
The Dark Twist: Why Is Dick Grayson Batman?
This is where Knightfight delivers its brutal emotional punch. This world's Bruce Wayne is not a hero; he's the villain.
According to Dick, this reality's Bruce couldn't accept that his body was aging and failing him (a powerful parallel to Batman Beyond). Instead of retiring, this Bruce turned to the Lazarus Pit to restore his youth and power.
As the pit has done to Ra's, Talia, and Jason, it drove Bruce insane. When his family tried to stop him, he refused to give up the mantle. The chilling allegation that ends the issue comes from Dick himself:
"You said there could only be one Batman. There could only be you. They're not here because you killed them."
This universe's Batman allegedly murdered Jason Todd, Tim Drake, and Damian Wayne, all because his fear of being replaced drove him mad. Dick survived, took the mantle, and built a better world in spite of his fallen mentor.
The Realization: This Is the Tournament
As the main DC K.O. Batman processes this horrific story, his Apokoliptian armor's Mother Box begins to ping, receiving a signal. This is the "aha!" moment.
He's not just in a random alternate reality. This is the next stage of his tournament.
As DC K.O. #1 stated, each tournament is different, forcing heroes to do the unthinkable, even fighting and killing loved ones. Batman has just entered the "Nightfight," a gauntlet that will presumably pit him against different, corrupted versions of his own legacy. He isn't fighting a Batman; he's fighting his son as Batman.
To move on, he can't hold back. He has to fight. He has to win. This sets the stage for an incredible emotional conflict, as we know this version of Dick Grayson is not the one our Batman trained. This reality is just a prison, and Dick is its warden.
Our Verdict: Is Knightfight #1 a Worthy K.O. Tie-in?
Absolutely. 9/10.
This isn't just a throwaway tie-in; it's an essential companion piece that arguably has one of the coolest concepts in the entire event.
- The "What If?" is Brilliant: The idea of an older Dick Grayson creating "Robin, Inc." is fantastic and a concept fans would love to see explored as its own series.
- Deep Lore Connections: The story expertly weaves in Batman Beyond themes, the tragic history of the Lazarus Pit, and the long-debated question of "Who is the better Batman?"
- Emotional Stakes: Pitting Batman against a son who believes his mentor is a killer is heartbreaking. Bruce must defeat the legacy he built to save the future.
- Future Teases: We know from artist Dan Mora that a Red Hood Batman is also part of this series. This confirms Batman's tournament is a gauntlet, and after Dick, he'll likely have to face a twisted Jason Todd next.
DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 is a must-read, delivering a perfect blend of high-octane action, deep emotional conflict, and fascinating "what if" lore. This event is "killing it" across the board.