Possibly the scariest Knight Terrors tie-in wraps up today in Knight Terrors: Detective Comics. Dan Watters and Riccardo Federici focus on Jim Gordon, but also truly disturbing nightmares that give wishes. Those wishes are cursed, and in the second issue, Gordon attempts to stop a man who has become a nightmare Batman – or die trying.
Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #2 opens with a letter. Watters takes us into the mind of one of the three people who brought forth three entities called the Pentapriests. We learn she wished for wealth, and they gave it to her in the form of diamonds she wouldn’t stop throwing up. They cut her insides. It’s a great way to open and frame the story as Gordon realizes he’s up against something magical, or worse. Now with the knowledge that something supernatural is afoot — and with his skin turned to glass — Gordon rushes to the remaining third person to stop them from killing innocent folks.
That person is now in an all-powerful Batman suit, which is incredibly freakish thanks to Federici’s art. This version of Batman is inspired by eyes in the wrong places and tentacles galore. Honestly, if McFarlane Toys doesn’t make an action figure of this pronto, we’re all losing. The Pentapriests are also grotesque, with flesh twisted and their stature impossibly tall. The atmosphere is exceptional as well, from an exploded car to the cold, snowy night.
Love these freaky beasts.
Credit: DC Comics
After the confrontation with Batman, Gordon’s story moves to his family. Watters mines Gordon’s relationship with his daughter, further exploring what Gordon’s greatest nightmare is, which is a suitable second nightmare since his first was toying with his time as Batman.
This leads to the conclusion, which is enticing, albeit quick. The conflict ends, but by doing so, Watters seems to suggest there is more to the Pentapriests story. That’s exciting since most of the tie-ins feature nightmares we won’t see again, and yet here we see they’ve grown a bit tired of torturing Gordon and want to move on.
This story is also successful and pulls out some symbology in the gifts the characters receive. Clearly cursed, it’s interesting to think about what Watters is saying in regard to their perspectives. It’s explained fully concerning Gordon and Barbara late in the issue and may even tie into what is going on in the Batman books.
My only gripe is how all this wraps up, as it’s slower, less exciting, and hints at more to come. Setting up a future story is well and good, but taking up three pages to quietly close the door on the story rather than trying to excite with what could be coming would have made for a more invigorating end.
Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #2 may be the scariest tie-in of the event with its horror visuals and disturbing antagonists. Throw in the fact the enemy appears to be less a figment and more of an introduction to something truly nightmarish, and this tie-in feels worthy of a reread.
Join the AIPT Patreon
Want to take our relationship to the next level? Become a patron today to gain access to exclusive perks, such as:
- ❌ Remove all ads on the website
- 💬 Join our Discord community, where we chat about the latest news and releases from everything we cover on AIPT
- 📗 Access to our monthly book club
- 📦 Get a physical trade paperback shipped to you every month
- 💥 And more!
You must be logged in to post a comment.