Comic Review "Batman #157" – The End of an Era, But a Satisfying One?

 

Chip Zdarsky concludes his Batman run with Batman #157, the final chapter of the Dying City storyline. This issue attempts to tie together all the scattered threads from previous installments—Russian spies, a fake superhero, Riddler's schemes, and Bruce Wayne's mysterious "brother." Unfortunately, while it has its exciting moments, this finale feels uneven, full of loose ends and odd narrative choices that leave a sense of disappointment.

"The Grand Finale" – But Is It Really Grand?

Zdarsky tries to deliver a spectacular conclusion, and in some ways, he succeeds. The plane chase sequence, where Batman rips off its wings to crash-land on a Gotham street before using the momentum to launch himself at KGBeast, is absurd yet undeniably epic. It’s a moment reminiscent of Failsafe's best action beats, though it lacks the same gravitational (both literal and metaphorical) weight.

The showdown between Batman and Commander Star (aka KGBeast in disguise) has its strong points, including one particularly brutal moment ("I gotta HAND it to Chip"—yes, literally) that calls back to Bat-Man of Gotham. Unfortunately, the fight ends rather abruptly, and the entire political thriller subplot, which was meant to be a cornerstone of this arc, gets resolved in a way that feels… superficial.

"The Forgotten Brother" and Other Abandoned Threads

One of the biggest issues with this issue (and Zdarsky’s run as a whole) is how it handles its plot threads. The supposed "brother" of Bruce Wayne, introduced earlier, turns out to be completely irrelevant—not only do we barely remember his name, but his role mostly amounts to complaining that Bruce isn’t spending enough money.

The same goes for:

    Vandal Savage as commissioner – Why was this even a thing?

    Court of Owls as Russian agents – An interesting idea, but never fleshed out.

    Nakano’s death – A character who went through development dies suddenly and pointlessly.

All of this makes the finale feel rushed, as if Zdarsky had to hastily wrap everything up before the next writer took over.

"Zdarsky’s Batman – An Era of Big Ideas, But Also Big Chaos"

Chip Zdarsky’s entire Batman run has been… weird. On one hand, there were brilliant moments (Failsafe, Mindbomb); on the other, there were stories that completely missed the mark (Gotham War). This finale fits that pattern—it has great action scenes, a few strong character beats (like Gordon grappling with his actions), but also a lot of unresolved threads and questionable decisions.

The biggest problem is the political angle—Zdarsky tried to tackle corruption, disinformation, Cold War intrigue, and even cryptocurrency, but it’s all so overstuffed that none of it carries real weight. Worse, both Bruce and Gordon get "cleared" of wrongdoing (because they were mind-controlled), which completely undercuts the moral stakes of the story.

Pros:

+ Epic action scenes – The plane crash and fight with KGBeast are pure comic book fun.

+ A few strong character moments – Gordon and Batman have interactions that remind us why their dynamic works.

+ KGBeast as Commander Star – A clever modernization of the character as a propaganda allegory.

Cons:

- Too many abandoned plot threads – Bruce’s "brother," Savage as commissioner, the Court of Owls none get satisfying conclusions.

- Overloaded political themes – Zdarsky tried to say too much and ended up saying nothing substantial.

- An undercooked ending – Feels like the story had to wrap up too quickly, leaving many things unresolved.

Verdict: 6.5/10

Batman #157 is an uneven finale to an uneven run. There are moments that work brilliantly (the action, some dialogue), but also many that feel incomplete. If you’ve been following Dying City, this provides closure—just not the kind this story deserved.

What’s next? Now it’s time for Hush 2 and a new chapter in Batman’s history. Here’s hoping the next writer gets more creative freedom—and less editorial interference.