REVIEW: DC K.O. #3
DC K.O. #3, “No Mercy,” picks up after the brutal one-on-one battles and leads directly to the Heart of Apokolips, giving each of the remaining champions a glimpse of the universe they would create if they were to win the entire competition. From there, the Heart of Apokolips throws them headlong into the third challenge, forcing each champion to choose a fallen competitor—friend or foe—to team up with in order to survive what comes next.
Writers Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson, along with artists Javi Fernández and Xermánico and colorist Alejandro Sánchez, continue to make sure readers are fully “All In” on this massive DC Comics event. The surprises, reveals, nostalgia, flashbacks, and the ever-present narration by the Heart of Apokolips all work seamlessly together. The story flows effortlessly, the action hits beat after beat, and by the end of the issue, you’re left wishing it didn’t have to stop.
Before diving deeper into the story and art, let’s talk about the incredible covers, and my personal favorites among them.
Fernández and Sánchez’s standard cover for DC K.O. #3 explodes with manic energy and apocalyptic stakes. A ferocious Wonder Woman unleashes a primal battle cry, weapons raised, as chaos erupts around her—while a grim, armored Lex Luthor stands resolute and the Joker throws his head back in unhinged laughter, hands lifted like a mad conductor orchestrating destruction. Beneath them, a shattered world resembling Apokolips glows within a harsh grid system that scars both the ground and the sky above, visually tying the combatants to a larger, sinister game board. The cover perfectly communicates that this is not just a fight—it’s a cosmic contest where gods, monsters, and masterminds collide, and the fate of worlds hangs in the balance.
Dan Mora’s bracket variant cover is a smart, high-impact celebration of the event’s competitive spirit. Superman and Guy Gardner—who shared a blockbuster movie together last year—face off dead center, fists raised, expressions locked in confidence and defiance, instantly selling this as a clash of will as much as power. Framed by a grid of bold character portraits featuring heroes and villains alike, the cover feels like a tournament board come to life, reinforcing that DC K.O. isn’t just about brute strength, but about matchups, strategy, and legacy colliding in spectacular fashion.
Carla Cohen’s variant cover featuring Zatanna Zatara is striking, elegant, and quietly dangerous. Zatanna stands calm and composed amid rising flames, her classic top hat and tuxedo evoking old-world stage magic while the fire hints at just how volatile the moment truly is. It’s a powerful contrast—grace under pressure—presenting Zatanna not as spectacle, but as control incarnate while the world burns around her.
Together, these three covers showcase the many faces of DC K.O.—raw chaos, competitive spectacle, and controlled power. There are also variants available by Daniel Warren Johnson & Mike Spicer, Lucio Parrillo, Mike Del Mundo, Ben Oliver, Sanford Greene and Cully Hamner.
The story’s action, interludes, pacing, and plot flow so smoothly that it feels like watching a blockbuster superhero summer movie unfold on the page. There’s no doubt in my mind that Snyder and Williamson painstakingly mapped out this beautiful symphony of a tale, pushing the DC Comics characters we know and love to their absolute limits. No word is wasted—every revelation, conversation, thought, and emotional beat matters to the overall story.
Fernández and Xermánico, with colors by Sánchez, continue their visual mastery, placing readers dead center in both the action and the awe of this one-in-a-lifetime competition. By issue’s end, the field has narrowed from eight champions to the final four, and the journey there is nothing short of exhilarating. The art team is absolutely killing it, with panels packed with motion, impact, and emotion that leap right off the page.
The Joker’s return to a position of royalty—courtesy of a former captive—was a genuine surprise and seeing the world as it would be shaped by Clark Kent was both moving and powerful. This issue kept me on my toes from start to finish and continued to hit nothing but home runs throughout this book.
(10/10) DC K.O. #3 is another fantastic issue that pulls no punches while sprinkling in nostalgic nods to classic DC Comics events and eras. There are very cool moments featuring Superman and Shazam, Wonder Woman and Big Barda, and strong character interactions between the remaining champions and their chosen teammates.
