The genius behind the Knight Terrors event is the built-in interest of the reader to find out what exactly scares the selected heroes and villains that get tie-in specials. When it comes to Knight Terrors: Detective Comics, it’s up to Dan Watters and Riccardo Federici to show us what James Gordon truly fears. In what might be the most nightmarish tie-in yet, we witness a Gordon who is literally falling apart as he tries to save Gotham without a Batman to protect it.
The creatures in Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1 are truly haunting. These beasts are straight out of a high-production value horror movie. It’s the kind of monster you linger on and think about. Where are they from? What’s their day like? I’d liken the experience to the Cenobites as they look fleshed out–pardon the pun–and with a whole back story ready to be unveiled. The design regarding a Batman monster with which Gordon comes into contact is also excellent. There are creatures here that lean into the theme of this event and may haunt your dreams.
Watters eases us into this story and a larger nightmare world well. In some of these tie-ins, the main characters figure out they’re in a nightmare fairly easily, but Gordon is completely unaware. The reader is aware, more or less, but even you’ll question what is real and what is going on. There’s a deft hand manipulating his point of view and his experience, making for a creepy reading experience.
This story has some intense visuals.
Credit: DC Comics
There are interesting themes exploring Gordon here as well. That goes for his deep sorrow and desire to quit in dark times, though Barbara pulls him out of it. This is a man who puts a lot of pressure on himself. Watters also has Gordon remind us he was Batman and in some way a superhero himself, even though he has no super suit anymore.
The latter detail about Gordon being Batman once plays a part in the larger story at work here. Currently just a cop trying to do his best, one can see the idea of a superhero rearing his head and possibly being of interest to the beasts that were called forth to empower a select few criminals.
My only gripe with this issue is it’s a bit slow. It feels repetitive at one point too, as it reminds us Gordon was Batman more than once. I can only imagine Watters was giving Federici all the room he needed to disgust and disturb us with his visionary style and ideas.
I couldn’t help but be scared and unnerved by Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1. It’s truly a horror story by all accounts, which isn’t always the case with all of the tie-ins so far. If you’re up for a late-night peering at the darkness in the corner of your bedroom, pickup Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1.
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