Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1 variant cover, via DC Comics.
Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1 — Becky Cloonan/Michael W. Conrad, Writers; Daniele Di Nicuolo, Artist; Adriano Lucas, Colorist
Ray — 8/10
Ray: Most of the Knight Terrors minis have taken our main heroes through a cavalcade of their worst fears, usually skipping quickly from one to another as the heroes become increasingly aware that something’s wrong. This title, which features a guest creative team as Tom Taylor takes a few months off before resuming his run, takes a very different approach. It immerses Dick Grayson in a singular nightmare — one that’s all too familiar. He’s been wrongly accused of a crime, and has found himself in the worst place in Gotham… Arkham Asylum. Sure, there are plenty of pieces of evidence here that something is very wrong with this illusion. Why are all the police and staff members in Gotham suddenly wearing animal faces for one thing? But one thing is for sure — whatever Dick has been accused of is so serious that everyone in Gotham seems to hate him. That is, besides the villains, who all seem rather happy to see him.
Trapped. Via DC Comics.
It doesn’t take too long to realize exactly what Dick is supposedly guilty of — it’s the only reveal that’s shocking enough to be worth the buildup — but given the history there, it works nicely as a reference to Dick’s past anger and his inability to let go of some of those old issues. The presence of Scarecrow, which is revealed in a particularly fun and creepy way, series as a false lead as to the source of the crisis, but some jump-scares through the issue hint at the true nature of the threat. By immersing us in Dick’s perspective so thoroughly here, this issue feels a little distanced from the overall event and is definitely the slowest-paced of the tie-in — especially given the oversized length of the issue. But the reveal at the end has a nice, creepy touch that hints Dick’s not the only person trapped in his own nightmare here. Overall, it’s good but doesn’t hit the highs of some of the other tie-ins.
To find reviews of all the DC issues, visit DC This Week.
GeekDad received this comic for review purposes.
