In this review of DC K.O. #1, we enter into a tournament the likes of which we haven’t seen before. Who gets in, who doesn’t, and why?
DC K.O. #1
Written by SCOTT SNYDER
Art: JAVI FERNÁNDEZ, XERMANICO
Main Cover: JAVI FERNÁNDEZ
Variant Covers: JIM LEE, DANIEL WARREN JOHNSON, FRANK CHO, SCOTT KOBLISH, JAE LEE, MIKE DEL MUNDO, BEN OLIVER, NOOBOVICH, DAN MORA, MARK SPEARS, JAVI FERNÁNDEZ
Page Count: 48 pages
Release Date: 10/8/25
This review contains spoilers
DC K.O. #1 begins in the middle of a family game night that includes Clark, Bruce, and Diana playing a board game and just enjoying life. However, Darkseid returns. This is no normal Darkseid, though, as he exists across a multitude of worlds simultaneously. As the heroes attack him, they are struck down, one by one, until none remain.
We cut to the Watchtower, where a number of heroes have gathered due to recent events – namely, the rescue of Booster Gold from the Legion of Darkseid. It is here that the Quantum Quorum – World Forger, Time Trapper, Grodd, and Booster Gold – explain that the events of Darkseid’s return will happen in a week’s time. They spell out how Darkseid has come to be this powerful. He has placed a Heart of Apokolips that is feeding him Omega Energy from Earth, allowing him to become King Omega. They also describe how to stop him – the Heart has to be restarted so it can choose a champion worthy enough to challenge Darkseid. This champion will have to defeat all other superheroes through a tournament style competition.
The decision is made to proceed with this plan and preparations begin. The world’s most dangerous villains are trapped in modified T-Spheres to keep them from entering the tournament, as their thirst for power and lack of compassion would make them ideal participants in this contest. The world is made ready with an announcement from Superman on what is happening and the heroes prepare to journey to the Skartaris Nexus, the location of the Heart of Apokolips. Booster Gold blasts the Heart with Omega Energy to restart it, thus beginning the challenge.
In order to enter the tournament, the superheroes must pass through a gauntlet of OmegaDemons and booby traps. Their goal is to be one of the first 32 to reach the glowing portal at the end of the gauntlet, granting them entry into the tournament. Those who do not reach the portal will perish. In a shocking twist, Batman is killed by the Joker, who, along with other villains, shows up unexpectedly and unexplained. As Batman vanishes from existence, the villains cross through the portal, enraging Superman. There are 31 who have crossed and Clark knows that he must get in, so he takes the last spot by flying through everything in his path, unleashing his fury caused by the death of his friend.
The twists don’t end there, as we get a glimpse of the Absolute versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman. The final reveal of DC K.O. #1 is that Darkseid has taken the form of one of the heroes and is among them, setting the stage for future plot twists of epic proportions.
Analysis
This event is big. Really big. The twists and turns that we get in just the last few pages of DC K.O. #1 are enough to make anyone smile with the possibilities of what’s to come. It is clear that no character is safe in this one. Batman didn’t even make it into the tournament, driving that point home with ease. Scott Snyder has managed to put together a massive event that looks to reshape the DC universe. The stakes are huge. If a superhero wins, they can reset the universe to how it was. If a villain wins, then it’s lights out for a whole lot of good guys.
Some might groan at the thought of another universe-changing reboot event, but we don’t know exactly where this one is going just yet. Is it something that will lead to changes? Probably so. Is it something fun and exciting? Definitely. Be warned – there are some dialogue heavy pages in this one, especially in the first third. This is necessary to pull everything together and set the stage for what’s to come.
There’s a giant supporting cast of characters in DC K.O. #1, but make no mistake – this is a Superman story. He is at the heart of it, but if he is going to win it, he may have to be more ruthless than anything we’ve ever thought possible from him. If you’re looking at the tournament brackets, you might be tempted to go for the big names in each matchup, but something tells me that Snyder has some pretty big twists coming up. He’s already pulled quite a few in this first issue.
The art in DC K.O. #1 is gorgeous. Javi Fernández draws the characters in a style that brings out their strength and raw power. There is a page where they are preparing for the tournament that is laid out in eight panels with alternating shots of different locations like the Batcave or the Fortress of Solitude followed by a closeup on the corresponding hero’s face. They all have a look of intense resolve. The colors by Alejandro Sanchez are excellent throughout the issue and you can tell that a lot of time was put into the artwork.
Final Thoughts
I’m coming right out the gate with a high rating. DC K.O. #1 is an event book that should get any DC fan absolutely excited for what’s coming next. The buildup to this promises to pay off in a fun and, almost certainly, unexpected way. I highly recommend checking this one out if it has somehow escaped your reading list. Have fun, comic lovers!
