Writer: Joshua Williamson
Art: Guiseppe Camuncoli, Caspar Wijngaard, Stefano Nesi, Troy Peteri, Ivan Reis, Danny Miki, Brad Anderson, and Frank Martin
Publisher: DC Comics
Price: $3.99
Release Date: August 8th, 2023
Welcome back, ghouls and ghosts! Deadman here—Boston Brand, again! My horror adventure continues as the Sleepless Knights attack us. But now I have a new problem: Batman’s son Damian is furious and keeps trying to fight me! My only safe haven is…the House of Horror. Let’s dive into Knight Terrors #3 by Joshua Williamson to see if we get any closer to stopping Inxomnia and finding that Nightmare Stone before it’s too late.
If you’re interested in this comic, series, related trades, or any of the others mentioned, then simply click on the title/link to snag a copy through Amazon as you read the Knight Terrors #3 Review.
THE DISPATCH
The confusing nonsense of Knight Terrors continues this week as Deadman discovers a bit of a backstory on Insomnia…. but not too much to give readers a thorough understanding as to why this is happening. You see, Knight Terrors #3 ends with the premise that we’ll be experiencing the rest of that information in issue four. However, is it too little too late for Williamson’s story?
We are three issues into the main event book, as well as countless tie-ins, and we are only just finding out about who Insomnia is now. And fans, what Williamson gives you barely scratches the surfaces. It’s enough to merely wet your whistle and show readers that Insomnia has a vendetta out against the Justice League. But what they did and why is a mystery. Moreover, Damian Wayne joins the group of nobody’s to find the Nightmare Stone which does beef up the cast of the series immensely BUT the how and why he’s awake is brushed over. Fans get a reference to the Free Comic Book Day title and a quick phrase from Damian stating “He [Insomnia] went into my dreams… so I trained my mind to control my dreams.” but no tangible explanation. Gotcha, so it’s just that easy for Damian Wayne to do. Easier than any other hero on the planet including his father…
And if things weren’t already bad enough, Knight Terrors #3 becomes even more convoluted as to the whereabouts of the Nightmare Stone. This new team of Zombie Sandman, Deadman/ Batman, and Damian Wayne travel to a place between being awake and dreaming called hypnagogia. Oh… sorry… that’s what it’s really called in real life. Willaimson calls it the House of Horrors. And lucky for our heroes, Zombie Sandman created a gas that can get them there. Isn’t that just perfect time about something we’ve made absolutely no reference to in the plot or story to this point?
And readers, that’s the threshold that makes the story so confusing and uninteresting. Williamson has revealed very little. He’s shown fans practically nothing about the villain other than what he wants but reveals these nonsensical nuggets that lack any meaning to the reader. We actually don’t even know the true extent of Insomnia’s powers. What we now know is that he appears as though he was human at one point. A bit insane… but still human. However, the deeper connection to the hows and whys continues to allude readers. Moreover, after countless tie-ins and issues connecting Knight Terrors together, we just nonchalantly figure out where the Nightmare Stone is, and how to get it. Fans, that’s not good storytelling. Where’s the setup? Where’s the purpose? Where’s the motivation? Where’s the background? Ultimately, where are the actual foundations that make up a story?
FINAL THOUGHTS
Knight Terrors #3 doesn’t get any better. Fans do get an upgrade at the hero level with Damian joining the team. Nevertheless, it’s not very believable as to how and why nor is it thoroughly explained. Plus, the location of the Nightmare Stone is discovered. Hurray! Good thing too because it takes all but three pages to get their hands on it that took them countless issues to try to find (cough… cough… sarcasm). And in that statement lies the problem with Knight Terrors. What’s the point? Why did we spend all this time in all these tie-ins, as well as the main title, searching for something we just nonchalantly luck into and have a special gas that just magically gets our heroes there and back in three pages?
Ultimately readers, if you haven’t jump into this event yet, don’t bother. And if you already took the plunge into Nightmare on DC Street, you still have time to save the rest of your money before it’s too late. From missing plot threads, muddied viewpoints, emotionless character connections, and convoluted menageries, Knight Terrors #3 show fans almost every storytelling faux pas making this event harder and harder to get into. I think it’s time to cut and run people. Just bide your time until September at this point. Let me know what you think, have a great week, and God Bless!