REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: The Flash,’ Issue #1

Knight Terrors: The Flash #1 is published by DC Comics, written by Alex Paknadel, art by Daniel Bayliss, colors by Igor Monti, and letters by Simon Bowland. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. One of the Flash Family is hurt beyond saving, and Barry must find out how it happened and how to save him.

These nightmares would always be dark, but the one The Flash faces is something different and perhaps even more heartbreaking. It starts with a tragedy, the aftermath of a brutal fight. And what initially seems like a fatality turns into something worse. It starts gloomy and negative, something that isn’t common within Flash comics lately, which amplifies the shock. From there, the issue becomes a thriller as Barry tries to discover what happened. There’s a mystery within the Speed Force. But because it’s not reality, these peculiar moments are unnerving. This comic implements a different aspect of horror. It’s unsettling and strange rather than outright terrifying, with a perplexing final page.

It makes complete sense that Barry’s worse nightmare would involve someone else being hurt. The tragedy within Knight Terrors: The Flash #1 unlocks a terrifying part of the Flash. There is the anger and the lashing out; that’s normal. Even when it is towards people Barry cares about, it’s understandable. But he does not stop until he finds the answers to a mystery. There is a point in this issue where he puts himself through extreme pain to get to the bottom of a mystery. The dialogue brilliantly sets this mindset up as the issue opens with a crime scene, and the conversations are heartbreaking. Seeing such a beloved character in such a precarious, hopeless scenario is horrifying, and the different figures coming to try and do something to help are full of love and anguish. One of the best conversations is between Flash and the comic villain. Even if it is thought up in a horrible nightmare, it’s a sign of the relationships Flash has built over years of interacting with criminals. But Barry is willing to go even further when a life hangs in the balance.

The art is excellent. This is a comic rife with emotion and heartache, and Bayliss captures that perfectly. The anguish that Barry, Jay, and others feel is gut-wrenching and incredibly specific. When Jay first delivers the news, he hides his face, barely able to look at Barry. These quiet, intimate moments are superbly illustrated. But so are the scenes at high speed or those with extreme action. This is also a nightmare comic, and the moments of horror are haunting, imprinting images into my memories.

The colors are pivotal to the storytelling of the book. The sensation of speed comes from the colors, using red, orange, and yellows as lines around Flash to show his movement. It creates striking panels and often draws the eyes right to Barry. The colors are gorgeous elsewhere. When Flash visits Iron Heights, the scarlet sky is daunting yet pretty, with flecks of snow also coming down. There are these flash images of brutality and gore, covered in red as well. The whole comic might have the best colors of any book this week. The lettering beautifully balances dynamism and legibility.

Knight Terrors: The Flash #1 is a fantastic exploration of emotions. One of the greatest tie-ins to Knight Terrors so far, Paknadel perfectly toes the line of understanding what a dreamworld is like. This gut-wrenching story seems like the worst possible scenario in The Flash’s life. But then there are strange moments that are curious asides, like glimpses into something deeper. And the art team is phenomenal, making this horrific story look solemnly beautiful. 

Knight Terrors: The Flash #1 is available now wherever comics are sold.