Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson + more pit hero against hero in ‘DC K.O.’

Now here’s something we can get behind — DC has announced DC K.O., a new event series that features DC heroes in a smash’em up brawl-for-all style tournament, with enough power to rival Darkseid as the prize.

Scott Snyder will write the five-issue series, joined by artist Javi Fernandez. Joshua Williamson, meanwhile, will serve as Snyder’s tag-team partner and write several of the tie-in titles, including a prologue called Justice League: The Omega Act.

“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,” said Snyder. “Darkseid has evolved into something bigger and stronger than ever.”

“He’s destroyed the future,” added Williamson. “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.”

36 fighters will enter this tournament of champions, but there can be only one:

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.

“You have to be merciless to win,” said Snyder. “And when you’re out, you’re out.” 

“Each level is a new challenge,” added Williamson. “And the tournament will reveal unexpected heroes—some you won’t believe will go really far in the fights…”

The first issue has a full stable of variant covers, including an AEW “cameo” variant featuring newly minted All Elite Wrestling champion Hangman Adam Page, drawn by Dan Mora. There’s also covers by (takes a deep breath) Jim Lee, Daniel Warren Johnson, Frank Cho, Scott Koblish, Jae Lee, Mike Del Mundo, Ben Oliver, NOOBOVICH, Mark Spears and Fernández.

DC K.O. #1 will be 48 pages long and comes out Oct. 8 — a week after …

Justice League: The Omega Act. Williamson will be joined by Yasmine Putri on the one-shot, which will feature the Time Trapper, Darkseid’s Legion and the set-up for the tournament:

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 48 pages and goes on sale on Oct. 1. It features a main cover by Jorge Fornes (shown above) and variants by Kyuyong Eom, Fernando Blanco (also shown above), Salvador Larroca and Don Aguillo.

The Titans will get involved in the crossover, as John Layman and Pete Woods send the team into action to save us all from Darkseid:

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.

Williamson is also writing Superman #31, joined by artist Eddy Barrows. They’ll show how this whole event may be tied to Krypton:

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!? 

“Metal was a Batman story, Death Metal was a Wonder Woman story—and DC K.O. is a Superman story,” said Williamson.

“I wanted to tell a story about Superman looking into his own heart of darkness,” said Snyder. “It’s a very personal story wrapped in nine layers of candy exploding in your face.”

The Flash will also get involved in an issue that sees Mark Waid return to write the ongoing title — or co-write, actually, with Christopher Cantwell. Joined by Vasco Georgiev, they’ll presenta race between The Flash and one of Waid’s co-creations, Impulse:

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).

Finally, Waid is also writing another chapter of the event in October, as it makes its way into Justice League Unlimited by Waid and 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).

“DC K.O. is our thank you to the fans,” said Williamson. “It’s not just spectacle—it touches every corner of the DCU.”

“Big events like this capture who we are as creators and characters,” added Snyder. “And what’s coming after? It’s huge.”

DC promises that “as the Heart of Apokolips pulses stronger, secrets will unravel, heroes will clash in shocking pairings, and the true cost of becoming King Omega will be revealed. With each round, the DC Universe gets closer to its breaking point—and victory may come at a price no hero is willing to pay.”

More information on the five-issue miniseries will be shared at the San Diego Comic Con next week, along with an ashcan preview DC will have at their booth.