REVIEW: Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1

Nightwing is trapped in a madhouse turned even madder in Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1. What has he done to get here? And can the one-time sidekick turned grown man hero escape and clear his name?

First off, being the closest disciple to Bruce Wayne, having a similarly tragic family backstory, being Bruce’s first trainee and the OG Robin, gives Dick Grayson a unique comic book lineage. He eventually strikes out on his own but his relationship to The Batman is symbiotic, so it’s no surprise they share similar nightmares. Nightwing finds himself in Arkham Asylum surrounded by the Bat Family’s infamous rogue’s gallery. He’s accused of murder but can’t remember a thing. He just knows he needs to escape, ASAP. It’s predictable (he “murdered” who you think he did), but it’s a testament to the writing of Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad that the issue is still completely enthralling. The why and how, not the who are at the center of this nightmarish mystery.

Equally important is the art here. Artist, Daniele Di Nicuolo, takes this issue in a different direction from anything else in the Knight Terrors collection. There is definitely an anime inspired vibe to the art and the way the action is conveyed and the characters emote. It looks kind of fun minus the insane asylum setting, the torture, and all of the blood of course. And combined with the bold coloring from Adriano Lucas, the art balances out some of that dark mood, making things just as thrilling as macabre. With the exception of Nightwing’s cellmate, whose re-design is straight nightmare fuel. The issue is easily one of the most visually interesting in the Knight Terrors series.

Being trapped in Arkham Asylum is a problem in the real world, so a nightmare version is even worse. But the fact that that isn’t even his worst fear says a lot. The mystery/thriller vibe of the issue is well done with nearly perfect pacing. In addition, there are some great villain cameos and a nod to the character’s very origins. Lastly, Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1 sets a dramatic stage for the entire Bat clan within this nightmare realm. Nightwing really goes through it in this issue but he is intent on fixing everything. And the final bombshell at the end sets up an explosive conclusion for issue #2.

Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 4 Stars
Coloring – 4 Stars

Overall – 4 Stars

Written by; Becky Cloonan and Michael W. Conrad
Art by; Daniele Di Nicuolo
Colors by; Adriano Lucas
Letters by; Wes Abbott

Published by; DC Comics

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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.