After taking a month-long detour into the bracket-busting madness of DC Fight Month, the main event has finally returned to the center of the ring. While December was great for those of us craving brutal one-on-one brawls, like that absolute slugfest between Superman and Captain Atom or Joker pushing Red Hood to his breaking point, it’s a relief to get back to the actual spine of this story.
From Physical Brawls to a Psychological Gauntlet
DC K.O. #3 by Scott Snyder and Javi Fernandez picks up exactly where the core miniseries left off, thrusting the survivors back into the King Omega Tournament. We’ve officially entered the “Elite Eight” phase, and the vibe has shifted significantly. It’s no longer just about physical survival; Snyder and the team are turning this into a psychological gauntlet that proves the mental cost of this tournament might be even deadlier than the punches.
The issue opens with an interesting “what if” scenario: Superman’s vision of what the world would look like if he actually won and established “absolute good.” It’s a near-perfect utopia where children are happy, the Earth is thriving, and peace is the global standard. But, as we quickly learn, it’s just a dream. Snyder keeps teasing this idea that Clark needs to stop holding back. He needs to be bold and brave because, as the story suggests, evil certainly doesn’t need any encouragement, and neither does Lex Luthor.
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Round 3 Twist: The Fallen Comrade Pairing Mechanic
The setup for Round 3 is where things get spicy. The remaining contenders: Cyborg, Wonder Woman, Joker, Guy Gardner, Zatanna, Aquaman, Lex, and Superman, are forced to team up. The twist? They have to choose a fallen comrade as their partner. Snyder is absolutely cooking with this mechanic, and as a reader, I am eating it up.
Some picks are classic, like Guy Gardner choosing Hal Jordan (an obvious but welcome “bro” move) or Zatanna pulling in John Constantine. However, the unexpected pairings are where the genius lies. Aquaman choosing Hawkman after that stomp fest in Fight Month was a surprise, but the real shockers were Superman choosing Shazam, which is a powerhouse duo I didn’t know I needed, and Lex Luthor picking Supergirl. Lex is so deliciously evil it’s almost funny; you know exactly why he’s doing it, yet it still feels like a total curveball.
Designer Kryptonite and the Return of Emperor Joker
When the battle actually kicks off, it’s pure chaos. The Supergirl and Luthor team-up is especially wild because there was no way Kara was going to play ball with her family’s number one enemy. We find out Luthor has been messing with Red Kryptonite, creating “Designer K” that turns Supergirl into a Hulk-like monster. It’s a move so diabolical you almost have to love how much of a jerk Luthor is.
Meanwhile, the Joker steals the spotlight by bringing in the ultimate edgelord, the Batman Who Laughs, as his secondary, or so we think. Snyder pulls a deep cut out of his pocket and reveals Emperor Joker instead. Javi Fernandez draws him with an epic balance of regal flair and chaotic evil, making him look absolutely dripped out in the best way possible. The moment Joker poisons Constantine with magical toxin is a visual highlight, with Fernandez capturing that classic pasty, white, grinning transformation perfectly.
The Black Mercy and the “Captain Superman” Fusion
On the flip side, the Superman and Shazam versus Green Lantern fight starts off with the usual punches and constructs until Hal Jordan brings out a Black Mercy. This shifts the scene back to that idealized future where things are right and gleaming. It poses the heartbreaking question: why can’t Superman just give us that vision? The moment he breaks out of the illusion is handled expertly by letterer Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou, who nails the exit with major impact.
The climax of the issue is where things go full Super Saiyan. We get a Superman-Shazam fusion, Captain Superman? and it looks awesome. He’s rocking the blue suit with a gold emblem and even has the Dragon Ball Z-style fusion earrings. Javi Fernandez absolutely nails the art on this mash-up.
Visuals and the Absolute Universe Cliffhanger
Visually, DC K.O. #3 looks fantastic. Alejandro Sanchez’s colors are vibrant where they need to be, especially the Green Lantern constructs, but he also uses an orange tint for the battleground that perfectly sells the wasteland atmosphere of a dying Earth. The scale also feels massive, leaving you wondering how the heroes can possibly come back from a world that looks this far gone.
Ending the issue by bringing the Absolute Universe versions of Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman into the fray as adversaries is a baller move. It raises the stakes to an astronomical level just as we thought things couldn’t get any crazier.
Verdict
If I had to find one weak spot, it’s the Wonder Woman and Big Barda team-up. It felt a little too predictable compared to the wild creativity of the other pairings and lacked that extra flair that made the rest of the issue pop.
Overall, DC K.O. #3 is a home run. It survived the month-long break and came back swinging with high stakes, incredible art, and some of the coolest character concepts we’ve seen in years.
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‘DC K.O.’ #3 Review: Scott Snyder Elevates the Omega Tournament to the Elite Eight
DC K.O. #3 is a home run. It survived the month-long break and came back swinging with high stakes, incredible art, and some of the coolest character concepts we’ve seen in years.
