DC K.O. Knightfight #1 - DC Comics

DC K.O. KNIGHTFIGHT No. 1, April 2026

Considering that this was the fourth best-selling comic book of November 2025, it’s still somewhat difficult to imagine that all that many readers were completely won over by Joshua Williamson’s script for Issue One of “DC K.O. Knightfight”. Indeed, this tie-in title to the Burbank-based publisher’s 2025-2026 crossover event probably had many a Bat-fan scratching their heads in utter bemusement as a beaten Caped Crusader inexplicably finds himself “trapped within an alternative timeline/possible future – in which Dick Grayson replaced him as Batman.”

Admittedly, this disconcerting plot taps so wonderfully well into the ever-popular “Elseworlds” vibe that Bruce Wayne’s desire to discover more about the decidedly different Gotham City initially quite cleverly mirrors the wishes of this mini-series’ audience too. However, by the time the billionaire industrialist finally encounters the protégé who replaced him as his birth-place’s protector, so many ‘wibbly-wobbly timey-wimey’ events have been thrown at the reader that it’s debatably difficult to fully comprehend just how incredibly diverse this Robin Incorporated dominated world actually is; “I used the training you gave me and shared it with the world.” 

Furthermore, the Dark Knight which Nightwing previously usurped in this bizarre dimension is completely unrecognisable from the mainstream cowled vigilante - having apparently slaughtered the likes of Jason Todd, Tim Drake and Damian Wayne for daring to challenge him. However, for some reason that doesn’t apparently stop Grayson from repeatedly offering his former mentor an opportunity to simply stand down, and even leads to Dick going so far as to untie the supposedly homicidal Batman when they first meet so he can provide anyone listening with plenty of brain-bamboozling exposition.

Much more convincing than this comic’s penmanship is debatably its layouts with Dan Mora doing a top-job in imbuing all of the numerous Robins with the gracefulness one would expect from such acrobatic sidekicks. Of particular note has to be the artist’s ability to depict such a striking contrast between Grayson’s fighting style as opposed to that of Wayne, with Nightwing clearly appearing a much more fluid combatant over the older, and slightly slowing down crime-fighting veteran. In addition, Colorist Triona Farrell deserves a little kudos for making this publication’s futuristic metropolis such a vivid-looking concrete jungle, with the brightly-lit, neon-populated skyline appearing rather reminiscent of that seen in Joel Schumacher’s 1995 film “Batman Forever”.

Writer: Joshua Williamson, Artist: Dan Mora, and Colors: Triona Farrell

Nightwing #113 - DC Comics

NIGHTWING No. 113, June 2024

As landmark three hundredth issues go, Tom Taylor’s script for this particular twenty-two page comic probably struck many of its readers as being a bit too dialogue driven for such an impressive milestone. True, the book does start off with the exhilarating spectacle of the three Robins teaming up together so as to thwart an illegal armaments delivery at Gotham City docks. But the trio of Batman’s proteges understandably soon make short work of their opponents, and what then follows is an awful lot of talking; “Can you wrap up with the Police here? Oracle has been up all night directing some of the Titans in Bialya.”

Indeed, considering that “DC Comics” proudly proclaimed how the titular character had worked “alongside the universe’s most powerful heroes, against existence’s most sinister villains” in its solicitation synopsis, the Australian author’s decision to pen a simple story about Dick Grayson being publicly honoured for his good Samaritan work at a charity event instead of battling one of the foremost members of his Rogue’s Gallery, such as Blockbuster or Tarantula, is debatably a bit head-scratching.

Similarly as disappointing though has to be the decision to have Daniele Di Nicuolo pencil this publication’s layouts. The co-creator of Jeff the Land Shark’s somewhat cartoony art style works incredibly well for this comic’s aforementioned action-packed opening, with the heroes’ deadly, night-time arrests coming across as rapier-fast as a bibliophile would expect from such highly-skilled acrobatic crime-fighters. However, when it comes to Taylor’s much slower, word-heavy sequences, the Italian illustrator debatably seems to struggle to maintain any sense of pace with the scenes.

Impressively however, the same cannot be said for the speed at which “00:01” carries its audience along as this comic’s secondary tale. Penned by Michael W. Conrad and superbly sketched by Howard Porter, this tale of Nightwing desperately attempting to penetrate a gang of clown-faced goons intent on blowing up a tube train rolls along at a genuine breath-taking speed. In fact, some may well wish that this thrill-a-panel joyride had been expanded upon so as to become this book’s main yarn, whilst Grayson’s nostalgic trip to Marv and George’s Pizza place after his award ceremony was significantly truncated.

Writers: Tom Taylor & Marv Wolfman, and Artists: Daniele Di Nicuolo & Bruno Redondo

Task Force Z #8 - DC Comics

TASK FORCE Z No. 8, July 2022

Described in its pre-publication synopsis as comprising of an “All-new team! [with the] Same old problems!” Issue Eight of “Task Force Z” arguably gives the extended Bat-Family significantly more ‘screen time’ than Harvey Dent’s titular squad of undead felons and evil-doers. Indeed, such is the ever-pervading presence of the Dark Knight throughout Matthew Rosenberg’s scintillating script that its cataclysmic events read as if they're occurring within a Batman book rather than one focusing upon “a line-up of some of Gotham City’s worst criminals who’ve ever lived.” 

Admittedly, Bruce Wayne’s alter-ego doesn’t actually appear within this twenty-two-page periodical until its halfway stage, when he arrives to tackle a rampaging Solomon Grundy during a faked heist. But the Caped Crusader’s famous Batmobile is a persistent feature of the storyline straight from the start, and as a result everything which both Two Face and Red Hood do is in direct response to the cowled crimefighter’s night-time patrol; “Ha. You’re not going to fight him. He’d destroy you. You just have to look like you’re going to fight him.”

In addition, Jason Todd’s exhilarating battle against the likes of Nightwing, Red Robin and Batwoman is as a direct result of Batman ordering his proteges to take the crowbar-carrying vigilante into “custody”. This awesome smackdown really does demonstrate just how mercilessly violent ‘The Outlaw’ has become since he was “resurrected by Talia al Ghul using the Lazarus Pit, and then trained by both the League of Assassins and the All-Caste”, as he brutally batters his three opponents within an inch of their lives, especially Timothy Drake – who staggers away from the confrontation with both a broken nose and genuine sense of betrayal as to the behaviour of his mask-wearing predecessor.

Curiously however, perhaps this publication’s greatest asset lies in editor Dave Wielgosz’s decision to utilise the talents of Jesus Merino, Jack Herbert and Vicente Cifuentes as its artists. Obviously, there is some noticeable difference in pencilling styles between the three different illustrators. Yet that doesn’t stop Red Hood’s pulse-pounding punch-up with the Bat-Family, or the Dark Knight’s dynamically drawn fracas against a certain pale-fleshed reanimated corpse from almost literally leaping off the printed page with vibrant energy.

Script: Matthew Rosenberg, and Artists: Jesus Merino, Jack Herbert & Vicente Cifuentes

DC Vs. Vampires #6 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 6, May 2022

Considering the sheer number of super-heroes (and villains) that are depicted dying in a variety of horrible ways throughout this comic, few readers who bought Issue Six of “DC Vs. Vampires” could surely say it didn’t live up to its Burbank-based publisher’s hype of being the mini-series’ “blood-drenched halfway point!” In fact, considering just which top-tier crime-fighters are either dispatched or revealed to be pointy-fanged creatures of the night, it’s arguably somewhat surprising that James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg’s storyline didn’t contain even more bodily mutilation; “We’ve got a problem. Savant and that spider guy are dead. The team seems to have a lot of vampires on it and they’re trying to eat us.”

Foremost of these shocking demises though must be that of the Dark Knight himself, who having earlier gained “the upper hand on the vampires who have infiltrated the Justice League” with just his wits and fighting savvy, is treacherously murdered by the new Vampire King in a genuinely “jaw-dropping moment”. This gut-wrenching betrayal by one of the Bat Family from behind is incredibly well penned, and debatably would have caught the vast majority of this book’s bibliophiles completely off-guard before it takes place.

What follows however, is equally as disconcerting as the likes of Cassandra Cain, Red Hood, Red Robin and Damian Wayne all allow their emotions to get the better of them and unthinkingly throw themselves into a one-sided fight that they surely can never win. In fact, possibly one of this publication’s most impressive moments is how Green Arrow stoically steps up as the group’s new leader, and applies Bruce Wayne’s famous cunning to the situation to ensure that Alfred Pennyworth can at least save a couple of the fledgling vigilantes from a nightmarish fate via a secret submarine.

Equally as enthralling as Otto Schmidt’s dynamically drawn death of Batman, are Simone Di Meo’s pencils covering the ignominious end of the Suicide Squad. Having discovered that the Joker is not the head of the vampiric horde attempting to enslave the world, Amanda Waller is ‘forced’ to detonate several of the team’s head-bombs - with Captain Boomerang’s hapless fate at the hands of Harley Quinn also providing this twenty-two-page periodical with a moment of distinctly dark humour.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #6 by Otto Schmidt

DC Vs. Vampires #2 - DC Comics

DC VS. VAMPIRES No. 2, January 2022

Significantly upping the scales as to just who does and doesn’t know that “the war for the very survival of the human race has begun”, James Tynion IV and Matthew Rosenberg’s script for Issue Two of “DC Vs. Vampires” definitely crams an awful lot of deadly dynamic action, blood-curdling betrayals, and even some tongue-in-cheek humour into its twenty-two pages. In fact, the pacing of this periodical is seemingly so ‘spot on’ that even a somewhat dialogue-heavy sequence featuring the World’s Greatest Detective slowly explaining just how deadly the situation actually is to the rest of the Bat-Family absolutely flies by; “The truth is that after a week of investigating… I have no idea who we might be facing.”

Arguably foremost of this comic’s biggest thrills however, is the way in which the treacherous Hal Jordon goes about his business slowly murdering any meta-humans who might pose a threat to his mysterious master’s grand scheme for planetary conquest. This book’s opening is a great example of this, where the Green Lantern savagely “kills the powerful necromancer Anton Arcane” without a moment’s hesitation, and does a terrific job in setting up the writing duo’s shocking conclusion when the merciless, ring-powered vampire fatally ‘sucker-punches’ his long-time friend, the Flash.

Enjoyably though, “Blood And Sand” isn’t just about depicting a chilling escalation in the destruction of the Justice League either, but also incorporates some distinctly dark moments of comedy too. No readers could be blamed for literally laughing out loud when Oliver Queen nonchalantly reveals Everyman to be a creature of the night much to the aghast astonishment of Star City villains Brick, Cheshire, and Cupid. Whilst young Damian Wayne’s suddenly violent outburst when he believes his father has poisoned his hot cocoa with holy water is masterfully penned.

Complimenting all these well-authored antics are Otto Schmidt’s layouts, which do a truly tremendous job of illustrating all the drama taking place within the “DC Comics” universe, such as when Barry Allen suddenly realises that his fully-trusted comrade-in-arms means to slaughter him. Yet the Siberian-born artist also does a stellar job in pencilling the emotional impact of this sweeping storyline’s events upon the likes of a tearful Wonder Twin Jayna, who is very concerned over her sibling Zan since he went missing several days ago.

The regular cover art of "DC VS. VAMPIRES" #2 by Otto Schmidt