REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy,’ Issue #1

Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1 is published by DC Comics, written by G. Willow Wilson, pencils by Atagun Ilhan, inks by Mark Morales, colors by Arif Prianto, and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. Poison Ivy’s dream places her in the suburbs with Harley and other members of the superhero community.

This plot is intensely creepy and brilliantly written. Transitioning from the main Poison Ivy book into this works nicely but suddenly. It uses the American Dream, a suburban location other horror stories have, but with its own spin. The confusion from Ivy places the book on shaky ground, and with it being a nightmare, there isn’t an area of safety. The horror in Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1 is a slow but unrelenting build, getting more intense and constructive towards the end. Wilson introduces a subplot within the same dreamscape. But what was potentially a lifeline gets derailed, pushed down by the evil forces that control the nightmare. The issue deviates from the suburbs and turns into a terrifying, panic-inducing piece of claustrophobia. 

What is interesting about the characters in this issue is that the initial setting is something so alien to Ivy. That notion of suburbia and Americana is frightening and uncomfortable for a woman that prefers isolation and freedom. But it is more of a dream for Harley. She adores this kind of thing, creating conflict for Ivy as she must try and stomach the discomfort for the sake of her love. The subjects of the nightmares are clearly not aware they are in one, so they are forced to cooperate. It is both sweet and disheartening to see Ivy have to go through something so unsettling because she thinks it makes Harley happy. The dialogue shifts once the other character is introduced, which is where the quiet creepiness turns into frantic, demented terror. 

The art is amazing. The setting of this nightmare is a pretty little town, but like a doll’s house, with a freaky face in the sun. The dresses and suits are gorgeous, but instantly the designs of the characters are disturbing. Harley’s beaming face, when she appears, is in shadow, and the wide eyes are extremely disconcerting. Again, she looks like a doll from a horror movie or a marionette that influenced her whole existence. The backyard is more floral, but there is no place of comfort or even sanity within the pages of Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1.

Then come the other designs for the characters, which are hilarious. They are heroes and villains from the Batman corner of DC. But they wear casual suits and beautiful dresses; however, their masks stay on. It’s a brilliant example of blending quirky humor with horror. As the issue gets deeper, the faces twist, and the freakiness intensifies.

The colors are beautiful and are crucial to the storytelling. The pastel tones are referenced within the dialogue, generating a Candyland feel to the surroundings. But that is tempered by the inclusion of shadows and heavy shading on some of the characters. Harley, in particular, is grey and obscured, constantly showing her as fake and unsafe. And Ivy is always placed in those shadows, too, suggesting that she is now part of the murky world. The lettering is interesting as Ivy’s word balloons all have a custom green background, but it is never difficult to read.

Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1 is a fantastic adventure in discomfort. Wilson places the main character in a situation where she would be unsettled anyway before it gets transformed into a nightmarish hellscape. The visuals are stunning in controlling the narrative and instilling fear through subtle details. It’s a twisted fairytale that uses the unnatural nature of the entire landscape to make Ivy seem completely alone.

Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1 is available where comics are sold.