The threads started in this oneshot that will play out in the main four-issue limited series and various tir-in is packed with mystery and intrigue peppered with nostalgic call backs and easter eggs for both longtime readers and plenty of background for new DCU fans. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 is a strong contender for the best first issue of an event in the last five years. It introduces the villain, captures the horror atmosphere well, and sets up the exciting idea that the dream and nightmare realms have some development that'll change things forever. Knight Terrors is on the right track, as this opening salvo fully understands and utilizes the horror aesthetic with big superhero ramifications. Read Full Review

How good this overall event is will depend on how the tie-ins play out, with around 25 creative teams across the event, but Williamson and Porter have gotten the horrors off to a strong start. Read Full Review

Major events that affect entire comic book universes are always exciting, During Knight Terrors readers will visit the deepest darkest corners of the minds of many of DC's most famous and infamous characters. And even though it's nightmare/horror themed, thanks to the writing in this first issue, it's also giving a fun summer blockbuster movie feel. Issue #1 is as fun as it is terrifying so this storyline could be a roller-coaster ride all the way through. It's certainly off to an entertaining and intriguing start. Read Full Review

A solid foundation for this new horror event that also leads into this new villain attacking superheroes and villains to show that they mean business, much like the creative team behind this issue. Read Full Review

Anderson delivers some great art in the issue. The art has a fluid, other-worldly feel to it and that works perfectly for the ethereal nature of the story and its characters. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 is a pretty solid start that delivers more than enough to get readers to want to see what's next. with five other tie-ins also released this week, there's more than enough to check out. This is an event that's sure to have a twist based on that title, but we'll have to wait and see what nightmares await. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood lives up to its game perfectly. A tantalising opening gambit in DC's ambitious two-month event. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors doesn't seem like the kind of story that needs to play out across the majority of the DC books for the next two months, but First Blood suggests it could have worked more effectively as a mostly self-contained mini-series. Based on the premise, this might be a two month event that could be worth following based on the creative teams on the respective titles. This was a promising start. Read Full Review

Nightmares of characters have been done quite a lot before, but that doesnt mean that they cant be made interesting again. With any luck, the writers involved with the crossover might turn the idea in fun new directions. Full issues exploring nightmares for all DC heroes and villains sounds like a lot of fun. However, it's been done quite a lot before, and it's going to be difficult finding new life in the premise.  Read Full Review

First Blood is fittingly a perfect place to start and in more ways than one. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood is but only the first chapter of this mad event. There're a whole lot more spooky shenanigans to come, and while this should have really been released around Halloween time, I think we can all just agree that we should be happy it exists. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 is a bland beginning to the newest DC crossover, with the DC Universe being attacked by a nightmarish villain. Deadman has some great moments and the mystery of the villains past is intriguing, but overall, the book fails to generate any excitement for the other tie-in books. Read Full Review

It's not quite up to the level of some of Wilson's best Poison Ivy stories, but it builds nicely on the character work she's done with Harley and Ivy over the last year. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 is a comic written like it has job to do rather than a story to tell. In many ways that's because it does. It primarily consists of big set pieces that include as much of the DC universe as possible, strung together with exposition and mixed attempts at humor. If you're looking for a prologue for the dozens of tie-ins to come, this adequately delivers on that promise but not much else. Read Full Review

Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 is a rough and frustrating start to an event taking over the DC line of books for the next two months.  After reading this, I still wonder why DC is giving us a spooky summer event and why they have Joshua Williamson writing it. Read Full Review

A fantastic start to an event I couldn't be more excited about. This book had perfect pacing as the story developed. The concepts are fantastic and I found myself really absorbing the story. I was so bummed when I got to the last page as I didn't want it to end

Art was magnificent, and the story is surprised me a lot, this is way better than I expected

I enjoyed this start quite a bit, almost wish it was its own epic miniseries in the style of DC vs Vampires, not sure how the rest will go but I will proceed with caution!

very good art and interesting premise. Let's see where this goes. I like the engaging story as well

Better than expected. Holding most of my judgment till the next chapter. Give this a go, as it gives you an idea of where several of the nightmares will go and at least the concept is cool. That being said, why make it in the summer when it is clearly a Halloween event?

Rating would’ve been higher but I didn’t like the art as much.

It was better than I expected

Can't believe DC is stopping everything over this

Halloween in July? With a story by Joshua Williamson and art by Howard Porter, Knight Terrors: First Blood #1 kicks off DC’s two-month, horror-themed, universe-spanning event. I’m not sure who had the idea to run this darker themed event in the middle of summer, so soon after Dawn of DC launched, but the horror-based tone likely would have been better suited for a fall release. Unless DC was making commentary on the state of the country with a July 4th release? I digress, back to this one-shot…

Williamson’s story does a lot of stage-setting for the story arcs that will play out across the various tie-ins, which takes away from the overall pacing of this book. We spend time early on rehashing recent events in the DC Universe to catch readers up on the current status quo (e.g. the Justice League disbanding, Superman working with Lex Luthor, etc.). The initial table stakes for the event are laid bare with Dr. Destiny & his lost Dreamstone setting up the context for what will likely take all two-months to conclude. Deadman is introduced as a main voice & player, while the Trinity are unable to address the situation fast enough in the Halls of Justice. A lot of the initial interactions came off as forced, cringe-worthy humor, most notably Batman’s “No sleep till Gotham” line.

The horror-motif shines through via Porter’s art. The line work creates an unhinged/unstable motif that fits the general tone of the story where our characters are meant to be succumbing to their worst nightmares. There are moments of true gore that are done in a way that I can only describe as beautiful. Suffice it to say that at least DC nailed the visuals for a horror story.

I’m interested to see how the upcoming tie-ins kick off, as First Blood didn’t really do anything to introduce those individual stories. Other than each character dealing with their own nightmares, I’d bet good money that this one-shot will have more of a connection to the Knight Terrors main limited series which kicks off next week (July 11th), rather than the character-focused tie-ins. Which for me, takes something away from it all. Perhaps I’ll look back on this and think First Blood was a necessary prelude to the entire event, but I left this title thinking it was more of a mandatory pre-read so you know why DC is taking a pause on actual stories and pumping out a bunch of loosely-related tie-ins for the next two months.

Rating: 6/10 more

Such a shame. DC had built up some great momentum with Dawn of DC, and this event is in danger of derailing it

Why?

Harley calling Batman.

lol. fuck off.

Not a good start to something that will shut down most of the DC books for the summer!