DC K.O. promises the most fun at a death tournament you’ll have all year

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Hot on the heels of announcing its Absolute Universe event Absolute Evil, DC Comics has revealed its next major Prime Earth storyline, DC K.O. Consisting of a five-issue series by writer Scott Snyder & artist Javi Fernández (Batman & Robin), and tie-ins overseen by Joshua Williamson, DC K.O. will see 36 of the world’s greatest superheroes embark on a fight tournament with the aim of defeating Darkseid, in what the publisher promises is “the most fun you’ll have all year (at a death tournament)!”

A universe-shaking five-level gladiatorial arena emerges from the Earth itself, each descending level testing the heroes in brutal and symbolic ways. The goal? Generate enough Omega Energy to rival Darkseid — and crown a new King Omega, a celestial being toward whom the universe bends.

“DC K.O. is a knock-down, drag-out fight between all your favorite DC Super Heroes in a cosmic tournament to save the universe from Darkseid,” says Snyder. “Darkseid has evolved into something bigger and stronger than ever.” Williamson adds the dark god of Apokolips has “destroyed the future. There’s no future for the DC Universe because of what he’s done — the heroes’ only shot is to stop him in the present.”

Snyder also says, “You have to be merciless to win. And when you’re out, you’re out.” He describes this as being a Superman story the way 2017’s Dark Nights Metal was a Batman one, or how its sequel, 2020’s Death Metal, centered on Wonder Woman, explaining, “I wanted to tell a story about Superman looking into his own heart of darkness. It’s a very personal story wrapped in nine layers of candy exploding in your face.” Williamson interjects, “Each level is a new challenge. And the tournament will reveal unexpected heroes—some you won’t believe will go really far in the fights…”

DC K.O. #1 will be released on October 8, 2025, with a main cover featuring an acetate overlay by Fernández, that will retail at 48 pages for $5.99. The full cover art behind the acetate will be revealed during the DC All In: What’s Next panel at San Diego Comic-Con (Thursday, July 24, at 11:30am local time, Room 6DE). Limited edition ashcans of the comic will be sold at the DC Booth while stocks last. Variant cover artists will include Fernández (on a foil version of his cover), Jim Lee, Daniel Warren Johnson, Frank Cho, Scott Koblish, Jae Lee, Mike Del Mundo, Ben Oliver, NOOBOVICH, Dan Mora, and Mark Spears.

Now without further ado, here are the descriptions for the book’s tie-ins, which reveal Mark Waid will be returning to write The Flash after Si Spurrier‘s run ends in September, and that he will be joined by Christopher Cantwell:

Justice League: The Omega Act #1, a special oversize prologue to DC’s biggest event of the year written by Joshua Williamson with art by Yasmine Putri, will have a main cover by Jorge Fornés with variants by Kyuyong Eom, Fernando Blanco, Salvador Larroca, and Don Aguillo (1:25 ratio). In this prelude to DC K.O., a desperate Time Trapper races through time, chased by Darkseid’s Legion, to offer the Justice League a final chance to rewrite fate. Time Trapper has witnessed how the future is already lost, and the only hope of survival lies with the Justice League! The Time Trapper has a plan to save the DCU, but it means making an impossible offer. Everything since DC All In Special #1 has been building to this moment! Justice League: The Omega Act is on sale on October 1, 2025. The 48-page one-shot will retail for $5.99 US (all covers).

Spinning out of the world-shaking events of DC K.O., Titans #28, written by John Layman with art and main cover by Pete Woods, will have variant covers by Brad Walker and Paris Alleyne. In this comic book that fast follows DC K.O. #1 on October 15, 2025, the Titans race to evacuate earth! Before the heart of Apokolips transforms the planet into a hellscape, the Titans lead the evacuation of every human being! While the team splits up to save as many people as possible, old friends and new allies join the fray to save humanity from extinction. The next major Titans storyline starts here! Titans #28, a 32-page comic book, will retail for $3.99 US (main cover) and $4.99 US (card stock variant covers).

Superman #31, written by DC K.O. co-architect Joshua Williamson, will feature interiors by guest artist Eddy Barrows and a main cover by Dan Mora, with variant covers from David Aja, Seba Fiumara, Ariel Olivetti, and Jorge Fornés. In this 32-page comic book publishing on October 22, 2025, Superman and his allies have been thrown into a dangerous game to capture the Heart of Apokolips deep within the Earth. But what is the Heart of Apokolips? And how are its origins tied to Krypton?! And why doesn’t Darkseid’s Legion want Superman to find out?! Will the Man of Tomorrow becoming the Man of… Apokolips!? Superman #31 will retail for $4.99 US (main cover) and $5.99 US (card stock variants).

In The Flash #26, written by Mark Waid and Christopher Cantwell with art by Vasco Georgiev, Wally and Impulse race! As the chaos around the DC Universe erupts during DC K.O., Impulse proposes a catastrophic reality reset: Impulsepoint — a terrible move that could wipe out everything unless the Flash can catch up with him as they race through time! The Flash #26 goes on sale on October 22, 2025, with a main cover ($3.99 US) by Dan Mora and variants $4.99 cardstock) by Georgiev and Mark Spears (32 pages).

Justice League Unlimited #12 main cover by Dan Mora

Concluding the month and pushing the action towards DC K.O. #2 in November, Justice League Unlimited #12, by Mark Waid with art and main cover by Dan Mora, will feature variant covers from Nathan Szerdy, Derrick Chew, Jeff Spokes, and Kevin Wada. In Justice League Unlimited #12, Michael Holt leads the Terrific Ten on a one-way mission to investigate a mysterious Terrifictech signal at Earth’s core. What they uncover may doom them all. Justice League Unlimited #12 will publish on October 22, 2025, retailing at $3.99 US for the main cover and $4.99 US for the card stock variants (32 pages).

You can peruse the variant covers for these, as well as the first issue of DC K.O., at the official DC website.

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