Knight Terrors # 1 2023 NM

Knight Terrors # 1, released on July 11, 2023, is the first of a four-part core miniseries that headlines a massive DC Comics crossover event. Written by Joshua Williamson with art by Giuseppe Camuncoli, Caspar Wijngaard, and Ivan Reis, the issue establishes the central conflict of the "Dawn of DC" horror initiative. 

"Dead on Arrival" 

The story picks up after the prelude in Knight Terrors: First Blood #1. 

• The Global Nightmare: A new villain named Insomnia has unleashed a wave of magical "Lazarus rain" that plunges almost every hero and villain on Earth into a deep, supernatural slumber.
• The Mission: Insomnia is searching for the Nightmare Stone (a corrupted version of the Dreamstone) to secure his power in the real world.
• The Unlikely Hero: Deadman (Boston Brand), who is already dead and thus immune to the sleeping spell, possesses the sleeping body of Batman to investigate Insomnia's origins.
• Backstory Reveal: Deadman enters Insomnia's mind, discovering he was an Arkham Tower patient who gained powers during the Lazarus Planet event.
• The Cliffhanger: Realizing he needs help within the dream realm, Deadman uses a vial of Lazarus resin to resurrect the original Golden Age Sandman (Wesley Dodds) in a nearby graveyard to join the fight. 

Key Characters and Villains 

• Deadman: The central protagonist and narrator of the event.
• Insomnia: The primary antagonist, who calls himself the "God of Nightmares".
• Sleepless Knights: Insomnia's horrific enforcers conjured from psychological fears.
• Wesley Dodds: The resurrected Golden Age Sandman who becomes Deadman's partner.