Summer is in full swing as we head into July! Camp Crystal Lake is probably open again for the summer because no one in New Jersey seems to know how to shut that thing down. But you're here for the comics! Maybe you're heading down to the beach for some well-deserved surfing and sun. But you need some beach reading material, and good thing I've got you covered. July kicks off DC Comics' big summer event Knight Terrors, I'll throw out some of my favorites from that below. Plus, we have a crossover I have been looking forward to for a while which is best enjoyed with a slice of boardwalk pizza…
Look for these at your local comic book shop, and if you need help finding one, be sure to use the Comic Shop Locator.
What's New This Month?
1. Knight Terrors
Knight Terrors is essentially asking, "what if someone got Freddy Krueger's powers in the DC Universe?" What do the nightmares of characters like Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman really look like, and more importantly, what does it look like if you trap them inside those nightmares? Knight Terrors revolves around Deadman, a ghost hero who can possess bodies to deal with all sorts of supernatural problems. But now, all of the heroes have been taken off the chessboard. So Deadman must enlist the help of a hero who knows all about dreams, Wesley Dodds, aka Sandman. So far, the event has been a perfect angle to introduce more horror into the DC Comics mainstream. If you love superheroes and want them with more body horror, nightmares, and fear… this is the event made for you.
Knight Terrors #1 goes on sale July 11. If you aren't familiar with DC and Marvel summer events, it may be overwhelming to see the checklist above. Please do not be intimated! I am here to help. The only essential reads for the event itself are Knight Terrors #1 - #4 because those are the main series where major plot points will occur. There are a ton of different 2-issue tie-ins for you to pick and choose from, but they are not essential to enjoying the event. It's more of a choice to pick up titles based on characters you like or on the incredible creative teams working on this event.
2. Knight Terrors: Poison Ivy #1 - On Sale July 5th
Writer: G. Willow Wilson
Artist: Atagun Ilhan
Inker: Mark Morales
Colorist: Arif Prianto
Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou
G. Willow Wilson's run on Poison Ivy has already breached the line of ecological horror many times. It's been a huge break out for the character with some of the best art and covers on any book DC has put out in years. So why would this tie-in be any exception? Ivy is locked inside her nightmare, which appears as an idyllic suburban neighborhood where nothing can go wrong. But below the surface, nothing is right at all. Arif Prianto's coloring of this issue is so poppy that it really stands out from some of the darker tie-ins, showing that horror can be pastel.
3. Knight Terrors: Zatanna # 1 - July 11th
Writer: Denis Culver
Artist: David Baldeón
Colorist: Rain Beredo
Letterer: Pat Brosseau
Having DC Comics' coolest magic-user Zatanna (Sorry, John Constantine), headline one of the tie-ins to the big horror event is a no-brainer. Over the years, she's dealt with all kinds of monsters in the Justice League Dark comics. But this one has her teaming up with Robot Man from the Doom Patrol, who are horrors in themselves. Denis Culver, who is currently writing Doom Patrol, writes a very bombastic opening to this two-parter with art by the incredible David Baldeón.
4. Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1 - July 18th
Writer: Becky Cloonan and Michael Conrad
Artist: Daniele Di Nicuolo
Colorist: Adriano Lucas
Letterer: Wes Abbot
I was beyond pumped to hear that Cloonan and Conrad were doing a book for this event. Both have been doing truly amazing work on Wonder Woman and Batgirls, but Michael Conrad has also done some of my favorite horror comics like Double Walker. This dynamic duo's take on Nightwing's nightmares does not disappoint. Seeing Arkham Asylum through the nightmare lens with artist Daniele Di Nicuolo's designs and Adriano Lucas's spectacular colors makes this issue worth adding to your list for the event. It also has one of the most disturbing interpretations of a Batman villain I have seen in a while.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles x Stranger Things #1 - July 12th
Publisher: Dark Horse Comics and IDW
Writer: Cameron Chittock
Art: Fero Pe
Colors: Sofie Dodgson
Letters: Rus Wooton
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Stranger Things just feel like two properties that were always bound to meet. The Turtles were a cultural milestone for the '80s with the TMNT cartoons and toys, while the other used the '80s to bring horror to almost every television set in the world via streaming. So having the Hawkins bunch meet the turtles just feels like an inevitable choice to me. They are two groups of teenagers who get in way over their heads with monsters and baddies constantly, so their teaming up is righteous. The artwork by Fero Pe really complements both the styles of Stranger Things and TMNT very well. If you're looking for a more light-hearted fun horror read this summer, make sure you pick this one up.
6. Ongoing Titles
July 5th
Monstress #45 - Image Comics
Grim 11 - BOOM! Studios
Survival #3 - Dark Horse Comics
July 11th
Dark Ride #7 - Skybound
Ghostlore #3 - BOOM! Studios
Lamentation #3 - Oni Press
A Legacy of Violence #7 - Mad Cave Studios
Banshees #3 & #4 - Scout Comics
July 19th
Something is Killing the Children #31 - BOOM! Studios
Blade #1 - Marvel Comics
Earthdivers #9 - IDW Publishing
All Eight Eyes #4 - Dark Horse Comics
July 26th
The Neighbors #5 - BOOM! Studios
The Nasty #4 - Vault Comics
Dead By Daylight # 2 - Titan Books
