Halloween might be on October 31^st, but many of us like to celebrate horror for the entire month (and even a bit after). This means horror movie watch parties, listening to spooky stories, putting up scary decorations, and of course, reading scary comics.

Thanks to DC UNIVERSE INFINITE, there is no shortage of horror comics to put you in the mood. From House of Secrets to Black Magic, there are enough scary stories to keep your heart racing for the next decade. However, if you’re in the mood for something new, terrifying and a bit different, might I suggest Knight Terrors? If you didn’t read the crossover event when it was released this year, then you missed out on one of the best horror storylines DC has ever published.

Knight Terrors centers around a new villain named Insomnia who has the power to plunge the world into an eternal nightmare. Think of him like Morpheus of the Endless, only extremely evil, and devoid of any “good dreams.” The heroes and villains of DC all find themselves trapped in an eternal slumber, where they are forced to experience their worst nightmares. This isn’t Scarecrow’s fear gas, or some potion you can overcome with willpower. This is a nightmare prison and the only escape is waking up, which Insomnia will not allow.

If you’re a casual DC fan who doesn’t read many ongoing comics or is intimidated by big crossovers, this storyline is the perfect way to dive in. While it does reference past DC events like Lazarus Planet, you don’t need to have read those stories to understand Knight Terrors. The characters tell you everything you need to know, quickly bringing you up to speed.

Another great thing about Knight Terrors is that there are so many ways to read it. The main story starts in Knight Terrors: First Blood #1, continues in Knight Terrors #1-4, and concludes in Knight Terrors: Night’s End #1. If you just want to follow the main story, that’s all you have to read. However, if you want to read ALL the tie-ins, the complete storyline has 46 comics! But don’t feel intimidated, you don’t have to read them all.

For example, if you’re a Batman fan, you might want to check out Knight Terrors: The Joker #1-2, Knight Terrors: Detective Comics #1-2 and Knight Terrors: Nightwing #1-2. Or maybe you’re into the Shazam family, in which case I would recommend Knight Terrors: Shazam! #1-2 and Knight Terrors: Black Adam #1-2. These tie-ins explore how characters like Flash and Wonder Woman navigate their nightmares. Also, as you may have noticed, they’re all only two issues long. That means you can read one or two of them in one sitting.

You don’t have to read all of these tie-ins to understand the main Knight Terrors storyline and you don’t have to read the main storyline to understand the tie-ins, but they enhance each other. Plus, they’re all great character studies on your favorite DC heroes and villains. You can learn a lot about someone by seeing what their greatest fears are and how they respond to those fears. For example, we see Rose Wilson’s greatest nightmare, which is confronting her villainous past. Joker finds himself in a world where Batman is dead and he is no longer “funny.”

The main story is written by Joshua Williamson, a writer who isn’t afraid to get provocative. Williamson’s scripts really sell the threat of Insomnia, and why he’s one of the most fearsome villains the DC Universe has ever faced. The event contains too many artists to name, but honestly, that’s a good thing. This means there are a variety of styles, giving us different flavors of horror.

If you’re a true horror fan, then you know just how many subgenres there are. There is body horror, psychological horror, supernatural horror and so much more. That’s the beautiful thing about all of these tie-ins—it gives Knight Terrors the chance to sample all kinds of horror subgenres. If you’re creeped out by body horror, then the main storyline will keep you on your toes. If zombies give you chills, then you’ll love Knight Terrors: Green Lantern. Psychological horror with a religious bent? Check out Knight Terrors: Catwoman. In essence, Knight Terrors is like a horror playlist, where you can shuffle all your favorite types of terror.

For maximum effect, I would recommend reading Knight Terrors after sunset, with all the lights turned off. Put on the soundtrack from your favorite scary movie and prepare for hours of thrills. We can’t guarantee that you won’t have nightmares, but then again, isn’t that what Halloween is all about?
 

Knight Terrors features the work of dozens of talented writers and artists and can now be read in full on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE for Ultra subscribers.

Joshua Lapin-Bertone writes about TV, movies and comics for DC.com, is a regular contributor to the Couch Club and writes our monthly Batman column, "Gotham Gazette." Follow him on Twitter at @TBUJosh.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Joshua Lapin-Bertone and do not necessarily reflect those of DC Entertainment or Warner Bros., nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.