REVIEW: KNIGHT TERRORS BATMAN #1 (OF 2)

The DC Knight Terror event kicks off in earnest with Knight Terrors: Batman #1. With all the world in a state of perpetual sleep and forced into the nightmare realm, what will DC’s greatest heroes and villains face? And it’s only right the first character to explore this dark dream state is The Batman.

Yes, the dark mind of the Dark Knight Bruce is well-worn territory. If there is a character synonymous with fear it’s Batman, a character created from one man’s fears to strike fear in the hearts of evil doers everywhere. This could have easily been a by-the-numbers rehash where Bruce simply relives the deaths of his parents as a child. But thankfully, writer Joshua Williams puts a unique spin on this nightmarish origin story. The issue starts in the shoes of baby Bruce but with adult Bats behind the wheel. And he is physically fighting his worst fears (including roundhouse kicking the dream version of his mother). It’s kinda wild to see Bruce as a child speaking and acting like the man and the hero he is destined to become. The entity that has induced this nightmare, Insomnia, is along for the ride as Bruce continues to morph and change alongside the nightmare he is himself is guiding. He is not being tricked or manipulated, everything that he sees and experiences is coming from his own mind, And there’s some creepy stuff going on in there.

But no matter how horrific it sounds, a nightmare can only be as scary as it looks and feels. And here, the nightmare motif is set off by some outstanding art. Beautifully brutal, the tone is dark but the colors are vivid. The character designs stand out for their creepiness as well. The child Bruce Wayne has a design that makes him both creepy and sympathetic. Insomnia as Robin as another memorable look. The issue also contains one of the more grotesque and memorable series of panels in any Batman comic ever. No spoilers, but you’ll definitely know it when you see it.

The issue also includes a Damian Wayne side story also written by Joshua Williams with art by David Lafuente. The art style is completely different and is less dark but fits in with the story of Damien on a mystic trip trying to learn how to control his sleep and dreams just before Insomnia’s attack that starts the entire event. Can he navigate through his nightmares to help his father and the rest of DC’s heroes? The story sets the stage for Knight Terrors #3 coming up.

Knight Terrors: Batman #1 is a highly recommended read. The art and the writing mesh in this issue in a truly special way. To portray The Batman’s nightmares in a way that is refreshing and stunning is no easy feat. And the reveal of Batman’s truest fear is as shocking as they come. There are things at play here that can change the psyche of Batman forever. It will be very interesting to see how this story continues to play out through the Knight Terrors event.

Writing – 5 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 5 Stars

Overall – 5 Stars

(W) Joshua Williamson
(A) Guillem March, David Lafuente
(CA) Guillem March

Author Profile

Christopher R. Ford

Writer, author, and blogger. Published author of three children's books and also writes for the boy Creators For The Culture. Part-time sneaker head, full time nerd.