REVIEW: ‘Justice League: Knight Vision Special’ Issue 1

Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Mark Waid and Joshua Williamson, art by Miguel Mendonça, colors by Romular Fajardo Jr and letters by Steve Wands.

In Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1, Batman and Lex Luthor must reluctantly work together to escape the clutches of Prometheus. This special spins out of the pages of Justice League Unlimited, and has a lot of features that require understanding.

Luckily, Williamson and Waid do a great job of capturing the basics and keeping them in mind as Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 begins. The key thing to know is: Batman and Luthor are on the same side. After DC K.O., some villains were granted amnesty and became part of the Justice League; that’s all you need to know, because the rest of the comic is neatly self-contained, focusing on Batman and Luthor’s teamwork as they enter Prometheus’s tower.

There is a smooth pacing and structure to the comic, isolating the two geniuses from any backup. It’s a house full of unexpected traps and weapons, appearing from. It’s intense and scary, frightening both Lex and Batman at multiple points. Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 is an extended comic, and the pacing makes it feel full and rewarding. The ending stitches back into the main storyline without again being too invasive.

The key dynamic within Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 is the chemistry between Batman and Luthor. The bald villain usually fights Superman, so it is interesting to have him paired with Bruce Wayne and to have them work together. They are both extremely intelligent people, but with different approaches.

Lex begins Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 almost bored, feeling that the arms deal they intrude upon is beyond him. But as the story progresses, he gets more fascinated by how things work. Bruce is better at thinking on the fly, strategizing a way out, and actively solving problems.

One’s an inventor, the other is a detective, and the two aren’t too dissimilar. It’s also worth noticing that Lex knows who Batman is, yet doesn’t seek to dwell on that fact. Despite neither hero being particularly funny, there is humour in the resentment between the figures.

As for the villain, Prometheus is a great choice because he matches the intellect of those who have entered their tower. He is just as clever, with a terrific tenacity and ability to adapt to fighting styles and tactics. It provides the combined brains of Batman and Luthor the chance to test themselves against someone who is genuinely a threat.

The art is gorgeous and so pivotal to the storytelling. Luthor and Batman swoop into Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 with an air of confidence, or arrogance in Luthor’s case. When he arrives, his arms are folded, with him barely breaking a sweat. But then he witnesses things that stretch his mind and understanding of physics, and you can see his jaw drop. The warping within the book is excellent as the tower shifts to Prometheus’ command. The tower can contort and twist, with trap doors and collapsing walls extending the size even further.

There is an incredible contrast between the fighting styles of Luthor and Batman, helping showcase the difference between the characters. Batman is quick and athletic, with very precise batarangs. Luthor is bulky and almost entirely uses his battlesuit, firing huge energy blasts. There is a small piece of body horror too, as the initial arms dealers that appear at the beginning quickly become fused and attached to the weapons, similar to that of the Reavers in X-Men comics.

The colors are very interesting. When put together, the color schemes between Lex and Batman are very separate, and it looks tremendous. Bruce has the blue and grey; Lex is green and purple. There is also a fascinating shade transition in Lex’s energy blasts. When fired, they are tinged with green, but they change into a more yellow outline by the time they impact.

The brightness of the blasts is intense, and there is an abundance of white light at times. But there are also large swathes of the comic spent in darkness, with shadows and dusty castle-like hallways. The lettering is both easy to read and creative. Wands brilliantly plays with the word balloons when Batman and Luthor are disoriented or whispering, and it helps convey the tone.

Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 uses resentment to craft a really fun story. Luthor and Batman are very different extremes and are forced together. In some ways, their dual intelligence means that they can work well together. But throughout the book, there is a reminder of how much they revile each other.

It is the chemistry and the dialogue that build a brilliant friction that makes the comic intriguing, whilst the return of Prometheus is an exciting use of an iconic villain. Trapping them within inescapable walls places all the focus on the three characters, exploring the huge personalities all of them have. 

Justice League: Knight Vision Special Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.