Father Doesn’t Know Best — Reviewing ‘DC K.O.: Knightfight’ #1

A good parent’s dream for their children is for them to not only succeed, but surpass their parents’ successes. What happens, though, when they become something akin to that parent in grander, but worse, ways?

That’s the possibility Batman must witness and wrestle with as DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 kicks off the Dark Knight’s true part of the apocalyptic event. A big-time tie-in miniseries comes from Joshua Williamson, Dan Mora, Tríona Farrell, and Tom Napolitano.

I have to say, I love me some proud papa Batman stuff.

Sure, the grim knight that uses fear and superstition while being a bit of a stick in the mud has some fun to it. But damn if seeing him really working with his children and watching as they surpass any expectations he had for them isn’t just heartwarming in a way. A bunch of characters come together through various traumas and losses, building a found family centered on an idea, rising above their trauma to help others anyway they can.

There is a nice contrast here as Williamson twists that idea on its head. He presents a future where Batman went wrong and now most of his sons are gone, the one left a twisted mirror of themselves and their father.

This is a neat way to deal with Batman being taken off the board in the main DC K.O. series. Of course he would have a tool prepped in case he lost. Except, that tool goes wrong and he isn’t prepared for what he finds instead.

Again, I love this. My favorite Batman type is prepared but not so prepared that he feels like a powered god being. He’s still able to be caught off guard while having to work hard to actually discern and detect things to save the day. Williamson gets that with what we’re having here, seeing the Dark Knight stumble through this off-putting potential future. Really delving into the whole question about whether the world always needs a Batman, and why it’s maybe not in the cards for his kids to replace him.

There’s no time that seeing Mora’s artwork doesn’t give me a smile so big the Joker would be jealous. Just a truly dynamic artist who makes everything feel so grand, sometimes grander than it probably has a right to be. Every bit on the page is so dense and detailed, really feeling alive and kinetic. Even when the backgrounds are scaled back, everything there has the right level of tangible presence.

Emotional depth is important for stories and in comics we have to see it to feel it. Never be surprised that Mora can bring that energy and then some. Hitting home what these characters are going through at any given moment.

Big bold artwork needs big bold colors and that is what Farrell always brings. Pages slip and slide from darker heavier toned down colors to palette styles that are vividly vibrant at every turn. Sharp reds, blues, purples, greens, and other colors that remind us of the over-the-top fantastical nature of any superhero realm.

These are paired expertly with the aforementioned toned down or more natural palette choices, creating a space that is familiar in most respects, but also beyond our natural at the same time.

Characters go back and forth as quips, threats, and exposition are leveled. Batman goes over the unexpected in his head while dropping his deductive thoughts for our eyes. Napolitano makes all of it flow so smoothly and slickly while adding the greatest levels of power to these voices. Small modifications make sure we’re allowed to hear each voice crystal clearly in our mind.

Not to mention all the grand SFX work that is being pulled off in this issue. Some of it being as big as the action and overall plotline in energy.

DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 is now available from DC Comics.