Earth’s heroes must harness the power of a god if they hope to stop Darkseid from consuming their planet and the universe. Their only hope is to enter a tournament held by the Heart of Apokolips in a series of no mercy matches. Batman is among the heroes standing side by side as they run headfirst into the unknown dangers.
Creative Team: Joshua Williamson (WRITER), Dan Mora (ARTIST and COVER), Triona Farrell (COLORS), and Tom Napolitano (LETTERS).
This is a joint review by Megan of Vigilante Vibes and Matt of Hops ‘Geek’ News! Spoilers Ahead!
Catch up with DC K.O. #1 here!
The Story:
Matt: Wow! Joshua Williamson picks up where the first issue of K.O. left off, immersing us in a beautiful and vibrant Gotham City, while also leaving us with more questions about what is actually going on. The dynamic Bruce has with Dick and the Robins in the beginning of the story is a touching and heartwarming side that we don’t normally see from Bruce. He is praising Dick Grayson and in awe of him.
As we all thought, Batman had died, it seems Apokolips had other plans, and as always prep time, Batman is undefeated. Williamson pits Dick as Batman in an alternate Gotham and in a world where Robins are in every city against our Batman in an epic fight. This issue leaves clues and builds anticipation excellently. I’m eager to see where this takes us!
Megan: DC K.O. Knightfight #1 is all gas and absolutely no breaks. Joshua Williamson pulled not a single punch when he wrote this. If you checked out DC K.O. #1, then you know that Batman was the first to fall. However, Batman, being the usual genius he is, created a failsafe that transported him back to Gotham iif he became inactive for too long. It should be a relief to be back in Gotham, but something just isn’t right and Batman can’t put his finger on it. It’s not until he’s attacked by a group of Robins when he realizes things are a lot more strange than they seem.
What I loved so much about DC K.O. Knightfight #1 was the pure love Batman had for his sons, and it showed throughout the comic. Dick, Damien, Jason, and Tim make him overwhelmingly proud time and time again, to the point Batman questions if he’s even needed in Gotham anymore. The love Batman has for his family is only part of the comic, as there’s so much more in this action-packed story. Joshua Williamson absolutely nailed the high energy, the high emotions, and the fantastic action throughout the comic.
The Art and Letters:
Matt: Mora and Farrell bring life to this action forward issue in a vibrant and violent way. The differences in Bat suits have various details to them making them unique and each have color tones setting them apart while keeping the spirit of Batman alive at the same time. I love the various ways they portray the Robins as well in familiar ways and again it is the subtle differences keeping them apart. While Dick and Bruce are fighting Tom letters in the exposition making each word Bruce speaks take effort as he fight meticulously compared to Dicks swift style. Gotham has life in a colorful way which is a departure from how we typically see it keeping it in line with both this K.O. world and the current Batman run. It’s these details that culminate in amazing fashion with a splash page of both Batman’s launching at one another kicking off the action.
Megan – Dan Mora creates the comic’s artwork that matches the quality of the story, and that’s saying a lot. With Triona Farrell handling the colors, these two were a match made in Heaven for this comic. In DC K.O. Knightfight #1, there’s quite a few different tone changes when it comes to the art. The beginning is very classic Batman-esque, the tournament is brief but powerful in the art, and back in Gotham, it’s vibrancy and commanding. Each page will keep your eyes glued to it, not wanting to take them off. Triona Farrell dominates every panel with their work in juxtaposing colors, highlighting the fantastic detail work of Dan Mora.
Alongside Mora and Farrell is Tom Napolitano, who always delivers high quality work. That becomes very clear in DC K.O. Knightfight #1 with his intricate work on the letters as he delivers power to the dialogue. Together, these three artists knocked it out of the park.
Final Thoughts:
Matt 10/10: Knightfight really undersells the fight aspect, as this is an issue that is boiling over with intense fight sequences crafted around a picturesque Gotham City, while Williamson is leaving clues as to what is really going on. This issue rocks incredibly hard, and I instantly need more.
For more from Matt head on over to http://linktr.ee/hopsgeeknews
Megan: 10/10: I cannot say enough great things about DC K.O. Knightfight #1! This was made with the Batman fans in mind, and it’s very appreciated. The creative team has me counting the days until the next issue!
For more from Megan, click here! https://linktr.ee/vigilantevibespodcast
Overall Grade: 10/10
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