Knight Terrors – Zatanna #2: Rouy On Rethguad Fo Enim

Knight Terrors – Zatanna #2 is the second and final installment of the Knight Terrors tie-in featuring the unlikely team of Zatanna and Robotman in the basement of the Hall of Justice. Unlike the previous issue, Zatanna stands alone against the Sleepless Queen and her Knights, including the transformed Robotman.

Culver eloquently shows that Zantanna is a force to be reconciled with, even without the strength and might of Robotman evening the odds. Zatanna is once again faced with the nightmarish visage of her father, who continues to berate her, making her lose faith in herself, or as she puts it, “making her the mark.’ Though Zatanna’s issues with her father are not new ground, Culver deftly spins this relationship in a fresh manner and opens possible future storylines.

The reveal of why the Sleepless Queen and Knights are pursuing Zatanna and need her alive is a satisfying and fitting conclusion to the story. The issue’s conclusion left more questions than it answered, which is not a bad thing, such as how Zatanna was able to revert Cliff back to his normal self, begging the question of just who the Sleepless Queen and her Knights are and why Insomnia chose them to be his minions.

It will be interesting to see the role that Hex & Violence play in the final showdown in the Knight Terrors: Night’s End #1 bookend. Hopefully, after this event, Zatanna will reappear in the ongoing Doom Patrol series, allowing Culver to explore Zatanna’s distrust of the team mentioned in the first issue. This two-issue series is a must-read for those following the main story as it tie-in closely with what is happening there.