Knight Terrors #1 // Review
Bruce Wayne is running at a window a ridiculous number of stories above the streets of Gotham City. He’s going to jump through a plate glass window. And he’s going to land on his feet. He might have found a better departure, but he’s not the one in charge. Deadman is possessing him, and he’s doing it for a reason in Knight Terrors #1. Writer Joshua Williamson continues the big summer 2023 crossover series with the “first” issue of the title strategically scheduled to come out the...second week of the crossover. (Ugh.) The issue features artwork by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Stefano Nesi, and Caspar Wijngaard. Color assists come courtesy of Frank Martin.
Deadman had been hanging out in Batman for a little while before he considered the possibility of simply taking possession of the villain. Insomnia claimed to be a god, but he wasn’t. That didn’t mean that he was going to have an easy ride inside Insomnia. Luckily enough, he learned what he needed to learn from the villain and promptly vacated the building in the most dramatic way possible. Just for old time’s sake. He was, after all, a circus performer before he died. It’s always nice to get back to the death-defying stuff on your way to save the world. Maybe it helps you remember what you’re fighting for.
Williamson tells the entire story from the perspective of Deadman. He’s one of the few non-A.I.-related people who might manage to avoid being plunged into dreams, and since he’s got access to every mind of every person everywhere, he’s actually a really good choice for the best hero to investigate just what the hell Insomnia is and to figure out how best to defeat him. The narrative from within Deadman’s mind is a fun one. Williamson has a classy sense of language and a sharp wit that deftly launches the issue through what could have easily been a pretty dull procedural trek from a prison to a graveyard.
The art team keeps everything cool and shadowy throughout the issue except for a few panels here and there outlining more cheery memories that are pretty far removed from the immediate surroundings of the crossover. The supernatural forces at work have some cleverly overwhelming visual elements to them. Deadman’s power seems a lot more intense and dangerous than it often does in the hands of the art team. It’s quite potent stuff.
The crossover enters its third week with a sharp little dive into the background of the big villain and a bit of a closer look at a character who is between series of his own. The crossover has had its ups and downs throughout the first two weeks, but it’s honestly been one of the better DC crossovers of the past couple of years. Some of DC’s better writers have worked on it, and they’ve all been pretty well integrated in the course of the series. There are still a couple of weeks to go, but the crossover has been a lot of fun going into the third week.
