DC K.O. #5 Review

 

Writers: Scott Snyder & Joshua Williamson

Artists: Javi Fernández, Xermánico & Wes Craig

Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Editors: Marquis Draper & Paul Kaminski

Cover Artists: Javi Fernández & Alejandro Sánchez; Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Jerome Opeña; Ian Bertram; Mike Del Mundo; Ben Oliver; Dan Mora; Steve Skroce & Dave Stewart; Mahmud Asrar & Alejandro Sánchez

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: March 4, 2026

 

Like everyone else, the Heart of Apokolips knows Darkseid controls the future. It believes that Darkseid is its master. Yet when Booster Gold stopped and resuscitated it with Omega energy, the Heart saw an opportunity for a different life. It invited each of the heroes to reshape the world with it. As the Heart has guided the combatants through each round, it modeled the contests after the only master it knows.

 

Then, the Heart of Apokolips transported the final four combatants to an Earth where Darkseid’s dominion is beyond question. Superman, Lex Luthor, Joker, and Wonder Woman battled the Absolute versions of Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman. Yet, as he did to the Quantum Quorum on the Justice League Watchtower, Darkseid attacked them through Booster Gold. Now, only one combatant remains. How will he fare against Darkseid? And how does the Heart of Apokolips feel about Lex Luthor being the King Omega? Let’s leap into DC K.O. #5 and see!

 

Story

After spending much of his life as a destroyer, Time Trapper helped the Justice League preserve the universe. He sought to protect them by traveling to the future to confront Darkseid. When that failed, Time Trapper offered to preserve the heroes in a time bubble. But the Justice League refused to abandon their universe to Darkseid. So, Time Trapper helped them orchestrate the tournament for the Heart of Apokolips.

 

It may be in Time Trapper’s nature to be suspicious. But when Lois Lane brings him the information hidden within the Kryptonian archives, it flips Time Trapper’s perspective yet again. In DC K.O. #5, Time Trapper reveals that he has defied a longtime foe's wishes. And like Superboy-Prime and Robo-Superman, Time Trapper shows that it's never too late to realize your promise.

 

As the Heart of Apokolips narrates this cosmic battle, it reveals its feelings about the combatants for the crown. Once again, the story addresses different views on winning and losing. It recognizes that our views on perfection will vary. As Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson’s story reshapes the DC Universe, it ponders how we should respond to the inner voice that guides our lives. Yet an earlier conversation about what might constitute an ideal non-superhero life lingers as DC K.O. #5 reaches its conclusion.

 

Art

An exultant Lex Luthor defies panel borders as he stands before the Heart of Apokolips. While Darkseid congratulates Lex, the camera focuses on the players relegated to the sidelines. A double-page spread recreates the opening scene from this series, as diagonal panels of the game night participants frame Darkseid’s invasion of space and time. Darkseid and Lex's battlesuits seem to shrink their heads by enhancing their trapezius muscles. Then, one of the giant chess pieces taken off the board awakens and joins Time Trapper on a cosmic journey in DC K.O. #5.

 

While Alejandro Sánchez lavishes vivid colors on Javi Fernández, Xermánico, and Wes Craig’s art, Time Trapper ferries a companion amid the sea of eternal darkness. But space is rarely dark, as his companion glows with white and yellow energy while a blue orb hovers above one hand. Around them, the Heavens burst with rays of light encompassing a spectrum of colors. While Darkseid’s realm echoes his gray and red suit, his challenger shines amid gems glittering in a mother-of-pearl void.

 

As Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou places black dialogue in white balloons, the Heart of Apokolips's narration and dialogue appear as tall white letters in black fields. The letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. One character’s white off-camera dialogue appears in colored narrative boxes. Sound effects herald Time Trapper accepting his destiny, Omega Energy bursting from the Heart of Apokolips, and the heir to the crown battling a god who will never be satisfied with less than everything. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

When the victor claims the crown, the Heart of Apokolips transforms the universe. But even then, the victor must defeat Darkseid. While addressing how we grow and change through life, DC K.O. #5 reminds us that how we respond to fear and crisis shapes our future and the world around us.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of DC K.O. #5. 

DC K.O. #5 Preview

 

After their battles at the Earth's core, the last round occurred on the surface. But it wasn't our champions' Earth. Instead, the final four combatants visited Darkseid's Absolute Universe and realized what living under his dominance would be like. 

While the return of a lost hero brightened the heroes lives, only one combatant survived the battle. Is he destined to wear the crown? And after Batman's battle with the Heart of Apokolips, will another hero make a surprising return to the tournament?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O. #5 Preview

Writer: Scott Snyder

Artist: Javi Fernández

Cover Artists: Javi Fernández, Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Del Mundo, Jerome Opeña, Ian Bertram & Guillem March

Darkseid Variant Cover Artist: Steve Skroce

Bracket Variant Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Foil Variant Cover Artist: Javi Fernández

Face-off Variant Cover Artist: Ben Oliver

AEW Cameo Variant Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Price: $5.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: March 4, 2026

 

The final battle for the Heart of Apokolips!

 

In the melee that started with dozens of heroes and villains vying for their chance to win the ultimate power in the universe, now only one remains! But to truly be crowned the King Omega, you must battle more than the obstacles in your path…you must battle yourself. It’s the finale to end all finales as the one true champion is crowned, the fate of all that lives hangs in the balance, and a shocking decision will bring the DC Universe to the next level. We would type more, but honestly, anything else is a spoiler—so suit up, get ready, and leap into the final round!

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

DC K.O. #4 Review

 

Writers: Scott Snyder & Joshua Williamson

Artists: Javi Fernández & Xermánico

Colorist: Alejandro Sánchez

Letterer: Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou

Editors: Marquis Draper & Paul Kaminski

Cover Artists: Javi Fernández & Alejandro Sánchez; Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer; Rafael Albuquerque & Marcelo Maiolo; Mike Del Mundo; Jeff Spokes; Ben Oliver; Dan Mora; Aaron Bartling

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 11, 2026

 

Wonder Woman won through Round Three by increasing her knowledge of Apokolips. Lex Luthor triumphed by manipulating others. The Joker channeled the power of creativity and imagination to get one step closer to turning reality into a black, laughing void. And despite Batman's insistence that Clark crush his opponents, Superman won Round Three by sharing with others. How will the final four fare in Round Four? And after the events in DC K.O. Knightfight #4, will someone else be joining them? Let’s leap into DC K.O. #4 and see!

 

Story

Heroes seek to protect others, while villains strive to exploit them. In this contest about who will become the best dominator, Round Three winnowed the heroes from six to two, while both villains made the cut. So, when the Heart of Apokolips transports them to the world Darkseid created, it seems ironic that Superman, Wonder Woman, Joker, and Lex Luthor confront four heroes. But as Wonder Woman tells Superman, what the Heart touches, it corrupts.

 

In DC K.O. #4, the champions fight Superman, Wonder Woman, Batman, and Booster Gold. While Booster Gold hails from their world, the other three call the Absolute Universe home. But when Superman studies them, all he senses is Darkseid. Like when Darkseid burst into their world and interrupted their game night, Darkseid inhabits all four at the cellular level.

 

Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson fill their story with plenty of twists and turns. Amid the battle, the membership changes on both sides. The story looks back to the past, as memories of their game together enlighten the present. Yet the situation everyone faces is that the allure of power is all-consuming. Superman discovered this when the Heart showed him the world he could create, and the Green Lanterns attacked him. In DC K.O. #4, the people who hunger most for completeness emerge as the victors.

 

Art

Superman wears an uneasy smile while the Joker delights in confronting their opponents. The Batman of Darkseid’s realm showcases his venom spikes. His new ally, Wonder Woman, utilizes her magic arm. Absolute Superman's hands and forearms glow. As they channel Omega energy, the features of Darkseid’s heroes contort with rage, evoking Chancellor Palpatine when his use of the Dark Side drained him of youth and vitality.

 

While Alejandro Sánchez lavishes vivid colors on Javi Fernández and Xermánico’s action-packed art, green links the Joker and Lex Luthor with Kryptonite. But red dominates, coloring characters' skin and clothes, and filling their eyes as they attack their opponents. Red infuses the air of Darkseid’s industrial realm, while explosions rock combatants and incinerate champions. Crimson droplets splash across the pages of DC K.O. #4, whether inhabiting the present or portraying events in another time. It merges with yellow and orange to create a cosmic, otherworldly feel in this pink and purple realm.

 

The Heart of Apokolips welcomes readers with tall white letters in black fields. As Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou places black dialogue in white balloons, the letters grow bold for intonation and swell for raised voices. Booster Gold speaks white letters into black distorted shapes that evoke Darkseid’s polluted realm, while dialogue and balloons change color as the intensity of the battle increases. Sound effects heighten the deadly battles, as one character expresses his will with red letters in white clouds with red borders. Thanks to DC Comics for providing a review copy.

 

Final Thoughts

When the four champions travel to Darkseid’s domain, they battle heroes shaped by a harsh world that forces heroes to fight harder to survive. As they fight for the right to battle the Heart of Apokolips, DC K.O. #4 provides crucial backstory to help readers understand how evil took over the universe.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview of DC K.O. #4. 

DC K.O. #4 Preview

 

 

Wonder Woman won through Round Three by increasing her knowledge of Apokolips. Lex Luthor got a travel pass by manipulating others. The Joker drew on the power of creativity and imagination to get one step closer to turning reality into a black, laughing void. And despite Batman's insistence that Clark crush his opponents, Superman won Round Three by sharing with others. How will the final four fare in Round Four? And after the events in DC K.O. Knightfight #4, will someone else be joining them?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O. #4 Preview

Writers: Scott Snyder & Joshua Williamson

Artist: Javi Fernández & Xermanico

Cover Artists: Javi Fernández, Daniel Warren Johnson, Mike Del Mundo, Rafael Albuquerque & Jeff Spokes

1:25 Variant Cover Artist: Guillem March

Darkseid Variant Cover Artist: Aaron Bartling

Bracket Variant Cover Artist: Dan Mora

AEW Variant Cover Artist: Dan Mora

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $5.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Release Date: February 11, 2026

 

The Final Four are put to the Absolute Test!

 

Three mysterious new Omega-charged fighters have entered the tournament…and this trinity of the Absolute will change the face of the DCU forever! It’s all down to how far the final four are willing to go to win in the penultimate chapter of DC K.O.! Plus: Booster’s true allegiance revealed, Darkseid’s return foretold, and a bonkers last page that will bring the battle to the next level!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

DC K.O. Knightfight #4 Review

 

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Dan Mora

Colorist: Tríona Farrell with Alfred Wayne

Letterer: Tom Napolitano

Cover Artists: Dan Mora; Christ Burnham & David Baron; Yasmine Putri; Dustin Nguyen

Editors: James Reid & Rob Levin

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Release Date: February 4, 2025

 

Bruce tried to fight his way into the championship at the Earth’s core. But the Joker brought a gun that pierced Batman’s impressive armor. Bruce thought he had a way to cheat death and return to the surface to help with the evacuation of Earth. Instead, the Heart of Apokolips transported him to different versions of Gotham ruled by his former sidekicks.

 

After Bruce battled Dick Grayson, he transformed into Clayface to tackle Jason Todd. Then, the Heart reduced Bruce to a ghost in the machine, forcing him to communicate with Tim Drake through the Batcave computers and upload his consciousness into a robot. How will the Heart of Apokolips transform Bruce Wayne next? And will the Heart force him to battle his son, Damian? Let’s grab our batarangs, leap into DC K.O. Knightfight #4, and see!

 

Story

After Darkseid conquered reality, the Quantum Quorum rewound time. They sought to preserve the Justice League in an alternate reality. But that would be a reprieve and wouldn’t help the people of Earth as Darkseid reshaped reality. So, Batman offered everyone a different option. He argued that they should enter a tournament and kill their friends and allies, so the victor could become King Omega and return the world to the way it was. Yet when the Heart of Apokolips gives Batman a second chance to prove himself by killing the people he loves, Batman refuses to play by the rules he embraced and urged others to accept.

 

Technically, Batman never entered the contest he proposed. The Heart of Apokolips is under no obligation to test Batman. But it wants to see Bruce Wayne fight. So, the Heart gives Bruce a dream come true in DC K.O. Knightfight #4. Damian has reshaped Gotham into its ideal version. He enjoys a peaceful life as a doctor and raises a son named after Bruce's beloved friend Alfred. Unlike Dick, Jason, and Tim, Damian realizes that his world is a fantasy. As the greatest detective of his world, Damian has deduced that he is a fictional character in a cosmic contest. Like Isaac with his father Abraham, Damian realizes that Bruce must kill him to secure a world in which they can all live.

 

In Joshua Williamson’s story, Batman hasn’t committed to the contest he helped arrange. While many in Gotham fear him as a terror of the night, Batman is primarily a thinker. As the world’s greatest detective, Batman strategizes and prepares for every eventuality. But that's not the type of battle the Heart wants. In DC K.O. Knightfight #4, the Heart of Apokolips wants Batman to set his tremendous intellect aside and show how hard he’s willing to fight for the world he wants. It wants Batman to stop thinking and attack the son he loves so fiercely with all the passion, anger, and strength he can unleash.

 

Art

As they traverse a bright, well-kept city, Bruce clutches Alfred’s hand, while Damian waves to someone riding a kick scooter. Bruce watches anime with his grandson. They play with toys in the house and catch in the park. Bruce reads to his grandson before tucking him in at night. Licensed toys and stuffed animals herald Batman as a pop culture hero, not a figure who frightens children.

 

After six-year-old Alfred Wayne illustrates his father’s life as Batman, Tríona Farrell lavishes a loaded palette of bright and cheery colors on DC K.O. Knightfight #4. Pinks accentuate highlights, while the glowing colors invite comparisons to animated TV shows. Yellow adorns toys, a different emblem on Bruce’s cap, and his grandson’s favorite comic. Along with a caricature of Bruce and Alfred, Dan Mora's character designs for Damian and Alfred give the comic Manga appeal.

 

While Batman’s thoughts appear as uppercase white letters in black boxes with yellow outlines, the Heart of Apokolips speaks in larger uppercase letters against black backgrounds. Tom Napolitano fills dialogue balloons and boxes with uppercase letters that grow bold for intonation and swell for volume. As the TV generates sounds from a beloved TV series, sound effects enhance a brutal fight for the future. Yet a recurring object reminds Bruce that, like playwright Richard Collier, he must eventually return to his present. Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this story with us.

 

Final Thoughts

Bruce Wayne watched someone murder his parents. He sees villains kill people and even wipe out civilizations. Yet regardless of who he fights, Batman holds back. He hits hard but pulls his punches. The Heart of Apokolips doesn’t want that. It wants to see Batman fully committed to a fight, one hundred percent unleashed. In DC K.O. Knightfight #4, the Heart of Apokolips demands that Batman break his code and embrace the monster by killing others for the greater good.

 

Rating 9.8/10

 

To look inside see my preview for DC K.O. Knightfight #4. 

DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1 Preview

 

 

When the Quantum Quorum agreed to help the Justice League fight in a tournament at the Earth's core, they didn't anticipate that Darkseid would infiltrate their ranks. Now, forced to abandon the Justice League Watchtower, World Forger and Grodd discover the chaos on Earth proceeding faster than they anticipated. Can World Forger and Grodd stabilize the decaying planet? And can they help Earth's heroes and villains remain to fight to set their world to rights?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1 Preview

Writer: Jeremy Adams & Joshua Williamson

Artist: Various

Cover Artists: Jeff Spokes, Darick Robertson, Patrick Horvath & Frank Cho

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $4.99/$5.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: February 4, 2026

 

To save our world, they must battle the champions of other worlds! A DC K.O. Tie-In!

 

Unexpected fighters from beyond the DC Comics 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!

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

DC K.O.: Knightfight #4 Preview

 

When the Quantum Quorum explained how Darkseid had taken control of the world, Batman suggested the K.O. tournament as a way to get it back. But he didn't play by the rules, and fell before the first round. 

Even though Batman is out before the contest even begins, the Heart of Apokolips insists on testing Batman. So far, Batman has resisted the Heart's every attempt to make him play by its rules. Has the Heart finally figured out what makes Batman tick? And if Bruce Wayne plays along, what consequences will result for him and our world?

Here's all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O.: Knightfight #4 Preview

Writer: Joshua Williamson

Artist: Dan Mora

Cover Artists: Dan Mora, Chris Burnham & Yasmine Putri

Publisher: DC Comics

Price: $3.99/$4.99 Card Stock

Issue Length: 32 Pages

Release Date: February 4, 2026

 

For Batman to win, does Damian have to lose?

 

Bruce Wayne became Batman to strike terror into the hearts of criminals, but he never imagined a world where Gotham City would be so safe it no longer needs its Caped Crusader. But when he arrives in a Gotham where Damian achieved that very peace, will Bruce destroy everything his son has built to overcome the Heart of Apokolips’s test and re-enter the K.O. tournament?

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.

Reinventing Batman with Scott Snyder and Nick Dragotta

 

 

The DC K.O. series has been a long time coming, and at its core are Darkseid and Batman. Darkseid created the Absolute Universe in DC's All-In #1 Special. There, characters like Bruce Wayne grew up in a darker Earth. There was no Justice League. No lineages of past superheroes could inspire them or serve as benchmarks to follow. There was only an uncertain path forward, bounded by their determination to protect others and make their world a better place.

 

 

 

Writer Scott Snyder and artist Nick Dragotta spoke at last year's San Diego Comic-Con about the new universe of storytelling they had created. Scott set out to flip the mythology that longtime readers were familiar with, such as Arkham, Killer Croc, and the Joker. In addressing the then-current storyline, Batman ventures into the private prison Ark M. He discovers a labyrinth beneath the prison where the researchers perform horrifying experiments to create new monsters.

 

Scott Snyder also reinvented Bane, who spent his youth in prison to pay for his father's systems. In Ark M, the researchers infuse him with venom to enhance his body and mind. Bane believes he holds the divine gift of war, with the venom allowing him to conquer all his foes. Bane wants Bruce to see that becoming a god of war is the only way to keep your loved ones safe. But like Darkseid, Bane believes the only way to protect others is to dominate his world.

 

 

 

Artist Nick Dragotta spoke about the challenge of drawing on 85 years of Batman history to create a new interpretation of the character. He found inspiration in Frank Miller and earlier artists as he sought to create something readers had never seen before. He worked hard to translate the energy powering Snyder's script into page-turning stories. For Snyder's Abomination storyline, he strived to draw a similarity between Bruce Wayne and Bane, enhancing how the venom-powered villain wishes to take the young crime-fighter under his wing.

 

If your interests as a reader tend more toward established comic continuities, this may be the time for you to check out the world of Absolute Batman. Darkseid may rule his Absolute Universe, but he's not going to let the prime universe's champions in the DC K.O. series become King Omega if he can help it. Nor will the Heart of Apokolips allow the champions to take the crown without confronting these different versions of themselves. With our world hanging in the balance, if you haven't yet joined the Absolute party, consider this another invitation. Perhaps, like Scott Snyder, you'll find that Absolute Batman is so different that it's the most fun you've ever had.

 

Now, here's a look inside Absolute Batman #1:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us and for hosting their Gotham City panel at SDCC 2025. Thanks also to the press office at San Diego Comic-Con for allowing me to share this look at Absolute Batman with you.

 

DC K.O.: The Kids are All Fight Special #1 Preview

 

 

Babysitting isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. As children grow into young adults, connecting with them can prove difficult. And like when he and Damian looked after Elizabeth Marsden Prince, Jon Kent would rather be saving lives. But Roy and Donna have a different plan for Jon. Can the young Superman remain on the Justice League Watchtower when people are dying? And will the kids submit to Jon's supervision when their world is going crazy and there are villains to fight?

 

Here’s all the info from DC Connect:

 

DC K.O.: The Kids are All Fight Special #1 Preview

Writer: Jeremy Adams

Artist: Travis Mercer

Cover Artists: Bruno Redondo, Chrissie Zullo-Uminga, Joe Quinones, Todd Nauck & Juni Ba

Publisher: DC Comics

Issue Length: 40 Pages

Price: $5.99/$6.99 Card Stock

Release Date: January 28, 2026

 

Can Jon Kent stop Granny Goodness? A DC K.O. Tie-In!

 

Jon Kent always wanted to be a Titan when he grew up, but now that he’s working alongside them in the effort to evacuate Earth, he didn’t think he’d be stuck babysitting young sidekicks! When the kids sneak off to enter the fray and stop Granny Goodness, Jon will have to show these young heroes the ropes so they can save the day and prove there’s no age requirement to being a superhero—and you won’t want to miss the SHOCKING finale! 

 

 

Now, let's take a look inside:

 

 

 

 

Thanks to DC Comics for sharing this preview with us.