REVIEW: ‘DC K.O.’ Issue 2

DC K.O. Issue 2 is published by DC Comics and written by Scott Snyder and Joshua Williamson, art by Javi Fernández and Xermánico, colors by Alejandro Sánchez, and letters by Hassan Otsmane-Elhaou. 

The next round of the tournament begins, scattering weapons across the battlefield and forcing the contestants to scramble for them.

Following the events of Issue 1, the events that transpire in DC K.O. Issue 2 are unexpected. With the brackets in the last pages of the previous issue, it would be easy to assume that the individual battles would begin. That’s not the case. The competitors are all together, and various weapons have been placed around the field. It becomes a contest to get to the weapons, and those who do advance to the next round. The issue is pure chaos from start to finish, complete with adrenaline and action. Snyder excellently decides the parameters, makes it clear there are no rules, then lets loose.

The manic movements start early, as does the killing. Both heroes and villains have understood what they need to do, and are fighting without mercy. There are so many micro-stories as the fighters clamber to reach the weapons. Minor plotlines that show why the characters are so dangerous, before someone else gets the upper hand. The pace is pulsating and sensational, never letting up and always revealing something even more awesome. By the end, there is a selection of survivors, all of whom have something up their sleeves.

The dialogue in DC K.O. Issue 2 is fantastic. It shows the chargers at their most extreme, fighting for their lives. Friendships and allegiances have been shut off. Justice League members are forced to kill their own. Villains are all too happy to cannibalize each other. It draws the most dangerous sides of all of them, the warriors and the warmongers. Those who show kindness and remorse are vulnerable, and others will take advantage.

The narration is again gritty and powerful, wonderfully descriptive. At the heart of the story, binding it together, are the ultimate hero and villain of the DC Universe: Superman and Lex. It becomes personal for them, with Superman just trying to keep Lex away from any weapon. It’s essential to have the interlude, too, written by Williamson. Superman, Batman, and Wonder Woman are hanging out in happier times. It reminds us of the good in them, as the tournament brings out the worst.

The art is magnificent, letting go of restraint and displaying one of the most intense, terrific battles in recent times. It’s a scramble for survival, with superpowers being used in legally creative ways. The battlefield is ancient and haunting, littered with the skeletal remains of elder gods. The first flurries of violence are fascinating, with some powerful opening punches. But then the heroes and villains gain access to weapons, changing how they look and fight.

There’s a Speed Force Ring, a Mother Box, Thor’s hammer, and many other items. The deaths and injuries are dramatic and severe, with beloved characters enduring excruciating pain. At times, the owner can be confusing, but it’s just an example of the intensity on display in DC K.O. Issue 2.

The colors are also stunning in DC K.O. Issue 2. The background has a purple glow that covers most of the comic. But occasionally, other shades catch your attention. Often, it is the green of Luthor‘s battlesuit or Guy Gardner’s Lantern ring. As the other fighters show off their powers, multiple enemies tear up the battlefield. The lettering is evocative and creative. With so much violence and madness on the page, Otsmane-Elhaou makes the lettering bigger and bolder. This ensures readers can see the words.

DC K.O. Issue 2 leaves nothing behind. Scott Snyder brings the battle royale conveyor, which had been so prevalent for years, and throws the DC characters into the most dramatic version yet. Anything is possible, and nothing is off the table, with so many creative ideas. The competitors blend items and powers in ways we’ve never seen before, using them to slaughter people they once called friends. It’s not quite senseless, like it is in a video game. Snyder laces in sensational character moments, and the art is pushed to its limits. And once again, this is only the second time of a tournament that is fought for the future of the universe, so there’s much more to come.

DC K.O. Issue 2 is available where comics are sold.