REVIEW: ‘Knight Terrors: Superman’ Issue #2

Knight Terrors: Superman #2 is published by DC Comics, written by Joshua Williamson, art by Tom Reilly, colors by Nathan Fairbain and letters by Ariana Maher. This is part of the Knight Terrors event. Supergirl has broken into Superman’s dream, teaming up with her cousin to try and escape the nightmare.

This is a tie-in that tries to throw off the shackles that have been set elsewhere. Supergirl is breaking through into other peoples’ dreams, fighting her way to Superman for reinforcements. Anything Insomnia throws at the Kryptonians is shrugged off. This rids the comic of any sense of horror, but fills it with energy. This is helped by what is happening in the real world, where Aquaman and the Atlanteans have joined the fight. Unaffected by the powers of Insomnia whilst under the water, Arthur has taken it upon himself to protect the sleeping body of Superman, and it provides more awareness of who has been protecting the planet whilst the rest of the heroes have been slumbering.

This is made difficult when creatures start attacking in that realm as well the nightmare. The action is intense, a release of all of the nerves and tension across the whole event. There is a great sense of adventure as we move across several dreams, exploring the various possibilities for characters within the Super Family. The whole comic is filled with the type of hope that is a prerequisite for a Superman comic.

Knight Terrors: Superman #2 contains a much bigger cast than just the Man of Steel, telling a vast story for several characters. Supergirl, Aquaman, Lois and many more are included, giving the book a variety of voices. For many of them, there is an example of what they are fearful of, which can be bizarre considering how incredibly powerful they are. It is interesting to see how easily both Clark and Kara sussed out the deception, able to find clarity quickly within the confusion. I was not expecting the inclusion of Aquaman, Mera and an entire crew of the heroes of Atlantis. They are the anchor this comic needs to connect with the waking world. It leads to a great final moment at the end of the book, which details the way in which friends and family want to help each other.

The fight scenes embody creepy fun through the intriguing artwork. One of the immediate set pieces is Supergirl against a swarm of zombified versions of herself. Each one has a different amount of detail on them, not just a copy-and-paste affair. It’s surprisingly gruesome, with the damage the super-strong heroes cause to the zombies making them squelch and liquify.  The locations change repeatedly during the issue, but there is a great sense of place even within the distinct art style that Reilly brings in. The creature that Aquaman has to fight may be the best of the selection, although it has competition. It’s truly unnerving, even scarier when you realise that it actually exists, not just a figment of a twisted imagination. The action just gets better and better, with even more creatures and visages that Superman and his family must face. 

The colors are also terrific. What is fascinating is the fact that red, blue, and gold are only really worn by Kara. Superman’s clothes have been torn, and he wasn’t in his uniform anyway. He does have the full colors on in the waking world, however. The creature that attacks Aquaman is visually striking, with the rich red close nearly overpowering. The lettering is easy to read, even when the colors of the word balloons change.

Knight Terrors: Superman #2 concludes one of the event’s most important tie-ins. Whilst it isn’t scary, it’s integral in telling parts of the wider crossover that the main book hasn’t. Sharing the same writer as the flagship book has meant that it can be used to fill gaps, whilst also being fantastic at telling stories for the individual characters. It still feels inherently like a Superman comic but it reminds us that Superman is magnified by those he is surrounded by.

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