Issue Batman 417 Subtitle Ten Nights of the Beast part 1 Date March 1988 Writer(s) Jim Starlin Artist(s) Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo storyline On a beach south of Gotham City, DEA agents awaited their prey: drug smugglers. Instead, they got two men carrying large boxes. The men killed the DEA agents. Batman and Robin (Jason) listened from afar: Russian informants were speaking with Gordon and US Officials. A renegade agent, Anatoli Knyazev - the KGBeast, was in Gotham City hoping to destroy the US Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI). Not only was the assassin master of several martial arts, he was also cybernetically enhanced. He'd already killed two people on his list (in addition to the eight on the beach): Michael Roberts, a senior administrator of SDI projects in Gotham City; and Terry Cavanaugh, who was working on producing a particle beam. The FBI made it clear they did not want Batman involved in the case. Batman left Robin to continue listening while he went to visit a friend in the SDI to put together a list of possible targets. He was too late. When he arrived at the building, he saw a figure throwing his informant from the roof. Batman was able to catch the man, but he was already dead. Gordon and a CIA agent, Ralph Bundy, met with Batman and Robin - the CIA was not against using them on the case. Batman gave them a copy of the list he'd put together of targets, including the President. Each would be placed under heavy guard. Bundy gave them the identity of the man who was helping the KGBeast - an Iranian terrorist named Nabih Salari.

Issue Batman 418 Subtitle Ten Nights of the Beast part 2 Date April 1988 Writer(s) Jim Starlin Artist(s) Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo storyline Batman sat down and went over the facts. So far, 12 people were dead. Gordon called him: 14. They'd found a mathematician who was assigned to the project dead with her boyfriend. That morning, 80 more were killed at a Republican fundraiser - the KGBeast's partner infiltrated the kitchen as a chef and poisoned everyone. Batman gave chase, but the two bailed from their getaway vehicle forcing Batman to maneuver it away from oncoming traffic (a school bus). Robin picked him up in the Batmobile. While driving away, Batman realized they must have someone on the inside - the location of the dinner had been a secret until just before the event. He shook down some of his informants and found out the KGBeast had been sold a bazooka. He staked out a likely location. The assassin struck, but it was a setup - he destroyed only a hotel room and a decoy. Batman gave chase, but the man escaped him.

Issue Batman 419 Subtitle Ten Nights of the Beast part 3 Date May 1988 Writer(s) Jim Starlin Artist(s) Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo storyline KGBeast shot down a plane leaving a Gotham airport. Agent Bundy and General Brian Ridwell were onboard. A bomb in a hotel killed Congressman Burns and his aide. As the authorities (and Batman, now out of disguise) attempted to leave, Agent Perry was killed by a cinderblock dropped into the elevator shaft. Batman spotted the Beast and gave chase. He took a bullet in the shoulder. The Beast killed several police officers who were called in on Gordon's orders. Batman continued to chase him. He got a line around his arm, effectively pining the assassin to a rooftop, but the KGBeast lopped off his own hand to escape. On the ground below, Agent Bundy reported to Gordon - the plane earlier was a decoy, remote controlled. Both him and General Ridwell (who returned to Washington by train) were fine. Only one person on the list remained - the President. The KGBeast had three days to plan his assault.

Issue Batman 420 Subtitle Ten Nights of the Beast part 4 Date June 1988 Writer(s) Jim Starlin Artist(s) Jim Aparo, Mike DeCarlo storyline Batman found a local "custom arms" dealer dead. It appeared he'd made some sort of replacement for the KGBeast's hand. Batman and Agent Bundy kidnapped the President as soon as he arrived in town. They spoke, with Gordon and the FBI, the President wanted to follow through with Batman's plans. As soon as the rest left, Batman let the President know his true plan - he knew who the leak was. Robin took down Salari, who was making a suicide bombing run on the "President" (actually Gordon). The man exploded on a hang-glider on his way down from the failed attempt. No one (other than the bomber) was injured. The KGBeast (and his informant) struck Batman and the President (another decoy - Alfred). Batman took another bullet in the same shoulder he'd wounded previously. He gave chase to the assassin by following a blood trail into the sewers (Batman was able to throw something and poke out the Beast's left eye). Batman, after a huge struggle and chase, was able to lock the Beast into a small room. He left the assassin there and reported to Bundy that it was all over - the President was safe.