I’ll be honest here. I forgot that Knight Terrors: Detective Comics was coming out. That should lead you far enough on this review to know where I am going. Dan Watters concludes his misguided James Gordon tale, while a trio of artists is brought together for the illustrations — Riccardo Federici, Mike Perkins and Stefano Raffaele.
This book, this story, it had promise. The “Knightmares” of Jim Gordon, the All-American police officer in the badest town in the DCU. There is a story there that can be told, but that is not this story. No, here we get a Gordon whose biggest fears were barely touched upon. Watters teased me with Jim Gordon Jr., then I had to sit through a slog of a book until I got some amazing Jim and Babs. The potential is all there in these two books, that is just not what was delivered. All readers got was maybe six pages of true fear, a man fearing the worst for his family.
The trio of artists does some amazing work in this book. I can’t tell you who did what page but each one is worth studying before you turn the page. From a fragile as fine China Jim Gordon to these mythical monsters that would make GDT proud. My only grip from an art standpoint in this book is that Venom-looking Batman. Compared to the other monsters that were in the book Batman did not look scary or frightening. The artwork is easily the best part of this story but even then, it’s not strong enough to hold the dead weight of this tale on three backs.
Like most of these Knight Terror tie-ins, it is going to be hit or miss. I’ve read most of the Bat-related tie-ins for The Batman Book Club and this is at the bottom of the pile. The Detective Comics name has hit a bad streak as of late. Let’s hope that Ram V has a great rebound to his previous arc. I need the detective back in Detective.
