DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 – The Curse of the Cowl

In DC K.O. Knightfight #1, the Dark Knight is forced to take a detour from Darkseid’s tournament through an unfamiliar Gotham that has become a city of Robins led by the heir to the cowl. Batman must battle against the Batman of the future both physically and philosophically to protect his legacy and his son.

Joshua Williamson (Superman) earned industry-wide recognition from his ongoing Superman run that began back in 2023. In Knightfight #1, Williamson brings the best he’s got to the bat-themed table, capturing both Bruce Wayne’s damaged psyche and legendary detective skills in the beautifully messy pairing that Batman fans are used to.

The brilliance in Williamson’s writing comes out as the issue progresses, and we see the effects of an “ideal future” on Batman’s sense of self-worth and commitment to his career as the Dark Knight in a Gotham that no longer needs him. This is mirrored by the appearance of the Batman of the future, the heir to the cowl. But when confronted by this new Batman, all Bruce sees is the weight of being the Dark Knight, a fate he would never wish on his worst enemies. And in spite of the future Batman’s achievements, ignoring the better world they created, Bruce decides to push forward unsure of whether he simply cannot give up the cowl or whether he doesn’t trust the future itself. Ultimately, Batman’s psychology plays a central role in every character’s decision-making throughout the issue.

As expected, Dan Mora (Once and Future) delivers spectacular artwork. As one of the most prominent rising stars in the comics industry’s artistic community, his ability to both bring out the best of classic character designs and to reinvent characters with new costumes is legendary. Mora’s fantastic art is vividly brought to life by Tríona Farrell’s (Godfell) colors, making the Gotham of the future glow with bright neon colors that shout prosperity and hope in a city historically chained down by poverty and fear. The background art is equally as important as the characters themselves, showing what Gotham could be, which cuts a stark contrast against the issue’s principle characters, who are colored by their pasts, making them unable to embrace their futures.

Together, the writing and artwork create a fantastic self-contained issue that can serve as a one-off or as the beginning to something more ambitious, all without burdening the story or slowing its pace. The issue is also heavy in exposition, but it runs parallel to story beats in action in a way that maintains balance.