REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: Ravager,’ Issue #2

Knight Terrors: Ravager #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Ed Brisson, art by Dexter Soy, colors by Veronica Candini, and letters by Troy Peteri. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. Ravager faces a monstrous, younger version of herself and other creatures as her nightmare reaches its conclusion.

The horror has transformed in this comic. The first issue was sinister and slow, allowing the monsters to stalk their prey as the mystery grew. But that is not the case for Knight Terrors: Ravager #2. The pace is much faster, and the chaos rises. There is no longer a devotion to protecting someone, so now Rose can fight. Those first instances of potential weaknesses or soft targets are moved to the side, though they are extremely dramatic and disturbing. The purpose of this dream world appears to be shock and destruction, but that becomes manipulation. The fight is violent and ruthless, taking multiple shifts and alterations.

What’s brilliant about Knight Terrors is that it is incredibly difficult to know the reality, whether what is being said is due to Insomnia or something deeper. This issue’s structure also begins to break away from the nightmare, with those in Ravager’s real-life beginning to try and save her. The notion of both worlds colliding and not being completely separate makes it worrying for Ravager and every hero and villain currently locked in their slumber.

The manipulation within this issue is peculiar, as it is difficult to know who is driving it. Insomnia has impersonated people in dreams to get what he wants. However, Ravager’s nightmare contains a pull to a cause that isn’t his. It’s a story threat that relates to her father, Deathstroke. So it creates an interesting quandary about the origin of that insecurity. The lead villain, this younger version of herself, causes some introspection and reflection on the past. It gives Rose a chance to detail how much she has grown from the little girl she once was. The villains of the comic are beautifully written. They are gloriously malicious and descriptive in the damage they will do as they revel in causing pain.

The art in Knight Terrors: Ravager #2 is superb. The imagery of the creatures and the violence may be even better than the first half of this tie-in. The opening pages have transformations and violence, horrifying and instantly setting the tone again. From there, the issue becomes more settled in its location, but that does not make it any calmer. Ravager goes on the offensive, and the fight itself is fantastic. The monsters are great, especially the young Rose’s new form. Even though Ravager’s mask covers most of her face, Soy captures her emotions wonderfully. The fight moves at speed, and you can feel the impact of the blows. It’s a battle that evolves in its visuals, with a reveal that makes the monsters even more horrifying than they already did.

The colors are brilliant but vastly different from what they were like in the first issue. I noticed that the shadows overlooked by the deep red featured a lot less due to moving the location to a barn elsewhere on the property, where the sky was obscured for much of the issue. But it also becomes apparent just how much more of a presence Ravager has on the page, with the bright orange of uniform standing out and highlighting her strength. The lettering for the monsters and other creatures could be challenging to read.

Knight Terrors: Ravager #2 evolves the horror in the tie-in. There is more urgency and all-out action on this issue, diluting the tension and trepidation of the previous chapter. There is more noise and more chaos, but that has sparked the comic to life and provided it with frantic energy. It has allowed Ravager to stand up and lead her comic, taking control of her nightmare and fighting back. And from the final part of the comic, it appears like it could have lasting consequences.

Knight Terrors: Ravager #2 is available now wherever comics are sold.