Comics

Batman #157 Review: Shadow and Light

Batman fights Commander Star for the fate of Gotham City in Batman #157.

Batman #157 marks two endings. First, it’s the end of Chip Zdarsky’s run, one that started almost three years ago with Batman #125 and took the titular hero on a wild journey as he ended up faced with a threat of his own creation. Second, and most significantly, however, Batman #157 marks the end of “The Dying City” arc and, while the issue sees Batman have a final showdown with Commander Star for the soul of Gotham, the finale is less about Gotham and more about Batman figuring out who he wants to be as a hero now for all he’s been through. It’s a lofty aim and one that’s well-executed, but one that will leave readers wondering if any of the lessons Batman — and Bruce Wayne — learn here will ever really stick, for both the hero and for Gotham.

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The issue picks up where Batman #156 leaves off. Batman is hot pursuit of Leonid and his plane as it takes off with Nygma’s code on board. If the Russians get control of that code, they can infiltrate, controlling Gotham and potentially kicking off World War III. Meanwhile, in Gotham, the police are dealing with the building explosion, Jervis Tetch, and Commander Star stirring up the citizens to start a riot and while the cops want to do things the way that they work in Gotham — aka work with Batman — Vandal Savage is notably not on the same page. The bulk of the story plays out in the air as Batman seeks to stop the Russians and retrieve the code. He does so, but in the process finds himself dealing with an out-of-control plane headed right for the city. Some quick-thinking keeps the plane from being a tragedy and sets the stage for a showdown between Commander Star, who is really KGBeast, and Batman.

There is a lot to unpack about the issue, not so much its dramatic fights, but the messages it attempts to convey. One of the major elements of this storyline thus far has been that as Bruce Wayne’s attempts to finally do something good with his wealth and in his public-facing persona and not just as Batman only to be met with pushback from the public in their “eat the rich” era. The issue leans into this — particularly the idea that performative acts are simply not enough — first in having Leonid reveal the reason why the Russians were conspiring to have Commander Star tear down all of Bruce’s efforts. The reason? As Leonid puts it, Gotham is a symbol of America, a place where the rich lead from the shadows. According to Leonid, Gotham is the boogeyman for their stories, the symbol “of everything wrong with your country”.

This is driven further home on the streets of Gotham where KGBeast, as Commander Star, is sacrificing the Wayne CEO to incite a revolution of the have nots rising up against the have. It’s never really made clear what the real aim for all of this is. One could argue that a revolution in Gotham where the people rise up against those oppressing them is actually a good thing as it would potentially lead to the sort of better Gotham Bruce is hoping to see. However, it seems that the real goal is, outside of just story, chaos and the end of Batman. And while chaos is something that we do get, Batman isn’t going anywhere. Instead, the issue wraps up with all the threats neutralized (save for the enduring situation of Vandal Savage being police commissioner) and both Batman and Bruce Wayne having to face themselves and what they’ve learned in all of this.

Functionally, this is a solid story. Even just for the single issue, Batman #157 is engaging, doesn’t lag, and leaves the reader with a lot to consider both about the story presented on the page and what applications it could have in real life. It’s also actually good to see at the end, Bruce deal with his own humanity and how he is going to move forward as a hero as it feels like he’s learning a real lesson, both about himself and the situation thanks to the journey he’s been on since the start of the Zdarsky run. The only real issue is that it almost feels flat. The issue ends with Batman telling Jim that all they can try to do is “to be good men” and with the creative team changing out with the next issue, how much of this big, self-searching and personal growth will get carried forward? Even Batman seems to be a little unconvinced about how much of what has transpired will stick with his “all we can try to do” comment. In some respects, it feels like a tidy clean-up for something that is — and should be — very messy.

Despite the lingering question of what this all will mean for Batman going forward, Batman #157 is a good read. Zdarsky wraps up the long story he started almost three years ago, and leaves the hero a little wiser, and maybe even a little changed. The book has solid art from Jorge Jimenez and Tony S. Daniel overall and between the art and the story we’re once again reminded that while Batman is in many respects very different from the rest of DC’s roster, he’s a hero with a lot of shades and nuance when he moves from the shadows to the light.

Published by DC Comics

On February 5, 2025

Written by Chip Zdarsky

Art by Jorge Jimenez and Tony S. Daniel

Colors by Tomeu Morey

Letters by Clayton Cowles