Several Pale Horse concertgoers, most of them Knot Tops, die from the psyche blast generated by the Squid.
The Knot Tops were a gang that operated in New York City.
History[]
Assassination of Eddie Blake[]
Steven Fine suggested that Eddie Blake was perhaps murdered by Knot Tops who broke into his apartment high on drugs.[1]
Attack on Dan Dreiberg and Laurie Juspeczyk[]
While walking over to Hollis Mason's home, Dan Dreiberg and Laurie Juspeczyk are attacked by a small group of Knot Tops in an alley. Dreiberg and Juspeczyk fight them off, severely injuring them. This instance has later repercussions for Hollis, as the Knot Tops later credit one of these gang member's paralysis to him.
Graffiti Art[]
On October 21, 1985, Knot Top gang members began making graffiti art of the Hiroshima lovers around Manhattan.[2]
Mistaken Identity and the Murder of Hollis Mason[]
On Halloween night, a group of Knot Tops gathered at Bernard's newsstand and mistakenly believe that Hollis Mason was the Nite Owl that freed Rorschach from prison. The small group led by Derf later murdered Mason at his home. Those involved were under the influence of Katie at the time.[3]
Aftermath and Confrontation at Happy Harry's[]
A Knot Top is seen sitting at Happy Harry's and tells Nite Owl II apologetically that he has nothing to do with Hollis Mason's death (of which Nite Owl knew nothing until then). Enraged, Dan assaults him and threatens to kill every one of them.[4]
Squid Psyche Blast at Pale Horse Concert[]
On November 2, 1985, several Pale Horse concertgoers, most of them Knot Tops, died from the psyche blast generated by the Squid at Madison Square Garden.
Members[]
| Name | Position | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Derf | Deceased | |
| Derf's Girlfriend |
Trivia[]
- The Knot Tops are likely a youth subculture replacing the skinheads of the real world in the 1980s, characterized by wearing their hair in knots resting on the tops of their heads Japanese style, aprons, and leather jackets with kanji-looking shapes. They could possibly also be this universe's version of the Punk movement, given its visual similarities to the former.
- Knot Tops frequently use recreational drugs, especially KT-28s or "katies". These seem to exacerbate the youths already aggressive behavior.
- The Knot Top image is adopted by some celebrities, most notably Red D'Eath of Pale Horse[5], and also, by some upper-class sophisticates, as seen in the case of the woman in a smart evening gown sitting down to a genetically modified turkey at Rafael's; her hairstyle combines Knot Top and skinhead elements.[1]
- The name "Knot Tops" appears in a magazine in Bernard's newsstand.[6]