DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1
Chad Burdette
Recap
The gloves have come off as the greatest superheroes in the universe entered the arena in a thunderous tournament where the stakes are sky-high!
DC is leveling up the multiverse on February 4, 2026 with DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1, a high-octane oneshot from writer Jeremy Adams and artists Ronan Cliquet, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Kieran McKeown, Pablo M. Collar, and Hi-Fi.
Arriving ahead of the explosive final phase of the DC K.O. event, this special issue throws DC’s greatest Super Heroes into a gauntlet of unexpected challengers from across comics, horror, fantasy, and gaming.
Heroes will rise. Legends will fall. It’s time for a cosmic throwdown as the Heart of Apokolips has transformed Earth into a hellscape in preparation for the return of Darkseid!
Fight Month
- DC K.O.: Superman vs. Captain Atom #1: Fight Month Begins With A Predictable Winner And Outcome – Winner: Superman
- DC K.O. ALL FIGHT MONTH: ROUND 2 OF 8 – Aquaman Vs. Hawkman: When Friends become Foes in Aquaman #12 – Winner: Aquaman
- DC K.O. ALL FIGHT MONTH: ROUND 3 OF 8: Wonder Woman vs. Lobo #1: Bracelets & Bastiches!!! – Winner: Wonder Woman
- DC K.O. ALL FIGHT MONTH – Round 4: The Green Vs The Man And Machine in Titans #30 – Winner: Cyborg
- DC K.O. Fight Month – Round 5: Harley Quinn vs. Zatanna #1 – Black Magic Woman Winner: Zatanna
- DC K.O. Fight Month: Round 6: The Flash #28: Talkin’ Bout My Generation Winner: Guy Gardner – Green Lantern
- DC K.O. Fight Month – Round 7 – Superman #33: No Sympathy For The Demon Winner: Lex Luthor
- DC K.O. Fight Month – Round 8: The Joker vs. Red Hood #1: Paybacks A Bitch Winner: The Joker
Comic Watch Reviews:
- DC K.O. #1: The Scene Is Set For A Real Slobber-Knocker Of An Event
- DC K.O. #2: Round 2 – DCU Items Of Power…Gotta Catch Them All!
- DC K.O. #3; Rock’;em, Sock;em Superheroes (And Villains)
- DC K.O.: Green Lantern Galactic Slam #1: Let’s Get Ready To Stumble
- DC K.O.: The Kids Are All Fight #1: Granny Said Knock You Out Cold!
- DC K.O.: Knightfight #1 – The Curse of the Cowl
- DC K.O.: Knightfight #2 – Under The Black Cowl
- DC K.O.: Knightfight #3: You’re Getting Old, Bruce
- The Flash #26: Some Say He’s Impulsive…
- Superman #31: The Return of Superwoman
- Superman #32: Ready? Fight!
Related:
- The All-In Era Explodes As The Show Goes On With The Next Round Of DC Next Level Titles: Fury Of Firestorm & Zatanna This April
- DC Comics All-In Era Begins Second Act In March 2026 With Lobo, Batwoman, And Deathstroke
- The DC Multiverse Levels Up This February in DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1
- DC Comics March 2026 Solicits – DC’s Flagship Titles Ascend After DC K.O. As All In Act II Kicks Off
- DC Comics March 2026 Solicits – DCU & Vertigo Titles
- DC Comics Announces Selectionjs For Free Comic Book Day 2026
To save our world, the final four (with some help) must battle the champions of the other worlds
Unexpected fighters from beyond the DC Universe enter the arena! Wait… What? WHO?!
As the remaining champions in the K.O. tournament prepare for the final rounds, they discover that there isn’t enough Omega energy left to crown the winner a King Omega.
To have any hope of stopping Darkseid, they’ll need to engage in combat with the champions of other worlds beyond our own including Annabelle, Homelander, Sub-Zero, and more!
This shocking, star-studded crossover sets the stage for the final chapters of the epic DC K.O. event and features matchups you never imagined possible. The ultimate battle is only beginning!
Review
DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1 turns the current DCU event into a true multiversal event without straying from the main event and getting lost in the weeds.
Adams sets up the premise within the first few panels of the issue: World Forgerer and Grodd, having been defeated by Booster-Darkseid, arriving at the final page of DC: KO #3, as the final four contestants: Superman, Wonder Woman, Luthor, and The Joker confront the Absolute versions of The Trinity. In this frozen moment of time, which is exposition heavy, World Forerger explains that the four do not possess enough Omega Energy to successfully defeat their opponents. Forerger does have a plan to use his remaining energy to create fissures in reality and have them fight champions of other universes to collect said energy. To help them, he also calls in some help from the fallen contestants Plastic Man, Black Lightning, Star Sapphire and Batwoman…and the the fun begins.
Black Lightning and Plastic Man find themselves in the Mortal Kombat world facing Sub-Zero and Scorpion, Wonder Woman finds herself in an arena with Red Sonja, Joker encounters Annabelle the Terrifying Doll (Ghostly Graphics) from the chilling graphic novel based on the real-life legend of the haunted Raggedly Anne doll, Star Sapphire meets Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Batwoman ends up at Vampirella’s castle, Lex Luthor comes face to face with Samantha Strong from Beneath The Trees Where Nobody Sees, and Superman faces his evil Doppelganger Homelander from The Boys.
Of these different encounters Plastic Man / Black Lightning vs the Mortal Kombat fighters gets the most page time, while the Batwoman, Lex, and Star Sapphire get the least development. The Homelander / Superman and Wonder Woman/ Red Sonja were the most anticipated and for the most part live up to the hype that will leave readers wanting more.
The artist do a good job of portraying the characters from the other universes and are treated respectfully that the various companies would expect from DC Comics using their properties in this way.
Final Thoughts
DC K.O.: Boss Battle is a nice break in the King Omega Tournament story that doesn't detract from the larger story and subjects the finalists to the wider comic book multiverse, teasing readers and hopefully leaving the door open for further crossoversin the future.
DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1
- Writing - 8/108/10
- Storyline - 9/109/10
- Art - 9/109/10
- Color - 9/109/10
- Cover Art - 9/109/10
