REVIEW: ‘DC K.O. Knightfight’ Issue 1

DC KO Knightfight Issue 1 is published by DC Comics and written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Dan Mora, colors by Tríona Farrell, and letters by Tom Napolitano.

This is part of the DC K.O. event. Seemingly killed by the Joker and prevented from entering the cosmic tournament, Batman finds himself in a world where those he trained have moved on from him.

Even as Batman is removed from the cosmic tournament, he has been taken into a story entirely of his own. A failsafe in his suit had brought him into a very different Gotham, with an entirely different sequence of events. There is a terrific beginning to DC KO Knightfight Issue 1, starting a question that is answered by the works around him. The opening takes place in regular Gotham, where Batman is feeling slow and almost irrelevant, as the rest of the Bat Family can do just what he can.

The plot transitions between three locations, unfolding the story as seamlessly as possible, while linking the three beautifully and connecting Batman to the wider event. However, this new world is very self-contained within the Batman section of the DC Universe. The pace fluctuates, energizing the issue with multiple fights that spread across the rooftops of Gotham. There’s a hidden history, too – things the Batman of this alternate timeline has done that have made him persona non grata within his friends and family now.

DC KO Knightfight Issue 1 raises many questions about Bruce and what he can still bring to both a city and a comic. In the first pages, he’s feeling his age, as the younger heroes he’s trained are doing what he does faster and more coordinated. Then he doesn’t make it into the tournament. And it’s even exaggerated in the alternate timeline, where someone else has taken over as Batman and continues to operate in a manner even better than Bruce does. It presents Bruce as obsolete, old news. So it’s interesting to see how Batman responds.

The narration is fascinating because it’s filled with so much pride. Pride in what Bruce has crafted, but also in how his sons have carried on. The Robins and other members of the Bat Family are crucial to this story because they’re a generation that is growing. Especially Nightwing. He’s now on a level that can match Bruce, as a leader and a hero. It’s his ascension that makes Batman feel both in awe and slightly threatened.

The art is phenomenal. Batman’s influence has been felt throughout the entire city. Mora creates a Gotham that’s almost identical to the main version, but with some subtle differences. This city is not a dystopia; in fact, it’s closer to a utopia. It’s got flocks of Robins, which are all beautifully designed. These are new adopters of the mantle, influenced by multiple Robins over the years. The capes, masks, and weapons are all different.

Then there is the new Batman. There’s a significant variation with a single change that merges it with the character that wears the cowl. Our Batman is also supporting upgrades, due to coming straight from the opening of the tournament. This means he looks tatty and more technologically enhanced than usual. The fight scene is magnificent. It pits two Batmen against each other. At first, Bruce is defensive, not wanting to cause harm. But by the end of DC KO Knightfight Issue 1, there is an unrelenting desire to prove which Batman is superior.

The colors are essential for both the beauty of the comic and for identification. Gotham is well-lit by a multitude of neon signs, with so many screens that it makes Times Square look barren. The red/green/gold combo of the Robin costumes is very prevalent because there are so many of them, and there’s a depressing amount of stone-cold gray statues of those who have died in the opening flickers of the conflict.

One Batman has a light blue cowl, while the other is jet black, making it easier to pick them out when they’re fighting. The lettering is fantastic, with a terrific caption box color that makes it effortless to read.

DC KO Knightfight Issue 1 makes sure Batman is still fighting someone. Since he’s out of the primary tournament before it begins, it was looking like the Dark Knight wasn’t going to have any presence in the event. Instead, he has a book of his own. His battle is just as existential, too, but in more ways than one. Williamson pits Batman against his own legacy, fixing him to question whether he has any use in this world anymore. It’s ferocious, thoughtful, and encapsulates all of Bruce’s family that he has fought so hard to teach, but now may wish to fight without him.

DC KO Knightfight Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.