REVIEW: Knight Terrors: Punchline #2

Punchline delves deeper into her digital nightmare in Knight Terrors: Punchline #2. Can Joker’s #1 henchwoman survive her worst fear and…defeat the internet?

Fresh of the heels of successfully killing Batgirl, Punchline quickly descends into a wild nightmare and is being hunted by a new monstrous version of Barbra Gordon as issue #2 kicks off. The curveball comes as the scene of the chase changes from the rooftops and back alleys of Gotham to the cold, dark expanse of the internet. The internet as a wasteland of terribleness has been done before but writer Danny Lore does an excellent job of representing it nonetheless. Here it is a place where trolls in the comments literally pop out of their blank profile pics to attack Punchline. The tension is well paced and there is a balance between Punchline being unbothered and fighting back with moments where she is actually terrified. This issue also includes one of the best appearances of Insomnia in a character’s nightmare.

Equally important is the style of this comic The art of issue #1 is some of the best in the Knight Terrors series and this issue brings the same energy. Punchline still is drawn and colored amazingly and Monster Batgirl is just as terrifying as ever. The art team was also very clever with its depiction of the internet as the true villain. The nightmares are message boards and the YouTube comment section. Things that are terrifying in real life in their own ways. Traversing the web looks cool as well as frightening thanks to Artist Lucas Meyers and colorist Alex Guimaraes. Plus, Insomnia’s introduction in this issue is quite the memorable image. Things are so intriguing visually you might not want Punchline to get back to the real world.

Being the one to replace Harley Quinn comes with haters. In Gotham and in the real world of comic book fandom. Knight Terrors: Punchline #2 is a fascinating look at how those two worlds can collide. How does anyone react to a constant barrage of online hate and what happens when the trolls become real? In the first issue, Punchline was upset that she had no audience for her crowning moment of killing Batgirl, but in this issue she learns the old adage, be careful what you wish for. Overall, this is a gorgeous nightmare and it’s two-episode journey brings out a bit more of one of DC’s newer characters. And who knows. She might just have a bigger role to play in the finale of the Knight Terrors saga.

Writing – 4 Stars
Art – 5 Stars
Coloring – 4.5 Stars

Overall
4.5 Stars

Written by; Danny Lore
Art by; Lucas Meyers
Colors by; Alex Guimaraes
Letters by; Steve Wands
Published by; DC Comics

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.