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

Knight Terrors: Robin #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Kenny Porter, art by Miguel Mendonça, colors by Adriano Lucas and letters by Tom Napolitano. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. Robin and Red Hood are trapped in their own nightmares, but it may take the two loners using each other to wake up again.

The plot of the issue takes place right where the previous chapter left off. Robin is stuck in his childhood home, forced to relive his father’s death over and over. Red Hood is facing a seemingly endless army of Jokers. This takes place in separate corners of the same dreamscape. The pacing is similar to the first issue as well, if not a little slower to get more dialogue on. The theme of the tie-in finds itself more in this half as each Robin believes they will end up dying alone. This leads to a rare moment of self-reflection for both of them, almost smothered by the horror of their situations. The second half of Knight Terrors: Robin #2  leads to a really special set of moments, utterly captivating as the comic finds its strength. It becomes a feel-good comic with a satisfying ending.

The conclusion of this tie-in is magnified by the excellent dialogue. Porter brings the characters to their lowest, placing them at what they believe is the end of the road. And it is interesting that these two former Robins could be considered the biggest loners of the group, often found isolated and separated from the rest of the Bat Family. Although they were very different at the beginning of the comic, they find that they have more in common than they think. Those differences become useful, able to deliver on what the other lacks. The middle of the comic is a lengthy discussion between two figures that rarely get to establish a connection. Red Hood often finds himself alongside Batman or Nightwing, so it is nice to get a whole two issues establishing Jason and Tim’s relationship. For Jason, it might be slightly out of the character, but for Tim it makes so much sense as he is the Robin with the most light and positivity.

The art is fantastic. There is only a short amount of locations available due to the parameters set by the issue, but Mendonça is able to work with that and keep it exciting. Both dreamscapes are individual, but they quickly fall by the wayside as the nightmares encroach on the final moments of the lives of the heroes. The places become a void, leaving Tim and Jason stranded on small pieces of landscape. This is then a comic that is able to make such a restrictive conversation still look incredible and interesting. For characters with obscured eyes and other facial features, that feeling of hopelessness remains on their faces. The time that we spent in sedentary positions leads to a great finish. The last fight is still in restricted to small confines, but it’s explosive and displays the different fighting styles of the two martial artists.

The colors are beautiful. What I found amusing and impressive was the way that the individual hues that were covering the respective locations are still present when the larger nightmare falls away. The best example of this is the dull green that rests on Robin’s face. It keeps him gloomy and depressed, matching the mood of the comic at that point. There is a lot of dialogue, but the lettering is always easy to read and makes the flow of the conversations seamless.

Knight Terrors: Robin #2 delivers a superb ending. Where the first issue was genuinely scary and action-packed, this chapter is the opposite. It loses the fear factor with a genuine feeling of sadness and pity for the characters. The dialogue becomes about them and their failures. It quietens down, which actually makes the sadness more impactful. The action included is still terrific, with terrifying imagery and manipulation, but there are more long-term problems to account for. It is a comic that plays with theatrical form with an emphasis on dialogue and characters rather than pacing and fighting. It will be interesting to see if the impact of Red Hood and Robin’s experience in this tie-in will have a lasting impact on their relationship beyond the conclusion of the book.

Knight Terrors: Robin #2 is available where comics are sold.