DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 is published by DC Comics. Written by Jeremy Adams, art by Cian Tormey and Pat Boutin, colors by Romulo Fajardo Jr and letters by Buddy Beaudoin.
This is a one-shot within the DC K.O. event. Kyle Rayner and Omega-Bam-Man are transported to a world where a wrestling federation has been corrupted by Darkseid’s influence.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 is a continuation of many of Adams’ stories. Both his work in Green Lantern and on the Flash resurface. The characters in the opening segment are from the Green Lantern run, as Kyle Rayner and his team fight against Parademons.
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The Omega-Bam-Man, the greatest wrestler and fighter in the universe, is one of the lasting characters from the end of Adams’ time writing The Flash. These elements early on in the series can be overwhelming to those who aren’t aware of that knowledge. It’s an action-packed start that energizes DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 from the outset.
But then Omega-Bam-Man and Kyle are snatched away to another location, and the story takes a different, unexpected turn. It merges the K.O. cosmic event with a wrestling storyline. It’s exceptionally fun, with a plotline filled with chaos and attitude. There’s an exploration of the company and the format in which Omega-Bam-Man was raised. There’s a tale of a mentor who went rogue, huge rivalries, and the concept of keeping a title.
There is a lot going on, and sometimes it can be hard to stay grounded whilst DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 is trying to throw everything at you. But it’s because it’s such a detailed story that can’t be easily read through. As Kyle and Omega-Bam-Man are put through what feels like a classic wrestling character arc, there’s more exposition revealed about the wider event. Most importantly, why Earth had been cut off from the rest of the world.
There’s a self-enclosed thread that can be clung to, using a heel turn to enact it. The story leads to a final showdown that is sensational in its spectacle, with lasting consequences that could help the fight for Kyle’s home planet.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 focuses on a figure Adams clearly adores. Kyle really doesn’t get much of a chance to do much after his dramatic entrance, which drains his power reserves. Not only does his ring need charging, but Green Lanterns are frowned upon and forbidden where he ends up. He tags along with Omega-Bam-Man in what is the wrestler’s world and his story. There’s even a long origin story for the first, detailing his rise from rookie to champion and the man who taught him everything.
The purple-skinned wrestler and his colleagues in the W.A.M., the federation he fights for, are inspired by classic ’90s wrestling, and their interactions and dialogue are fantastic. They are boisterous and over the top, with egos larger than they are.
Adams excellently fits them into the wrestling archetypes whilst giving each of the newer figures their own spin. The relationship between Omega-Bam-Man and his mentor feels classic, twisted and contorted by Darkseid. Anyone familiar with wrestling shows will feel immediately comfortable and entertained.
The art is glorious, truly embracing the ridiculous nature of the characters. Omega Bam Man is huge. Built like a bodybuilder with impeccable style. The other wrestlers are just as big as he is, if not bigger. They exude personality, exceptionally designed by Tierney and Boutin. The size difference suddenly means the Omega Bam Man no longer towers over them, creating a new power dynamic.
Kyle has to disguise himself in a costume that also conveys a loving mood towards the wrestling world that DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 draws so much influence from. The fight scenes are tremendous. They’re more than just a superhero battle; they’re an extreme wrestling match.
The movements have to match, and they do very much. The throws, slams and hits translate to the page superbly. And there are many other heroes involved in the committee during the opening of DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1, including Superboy and Kyle as the White Lantern.
The colors capture the alien zaniness of the one-shot. The purple skin of Omega-Bam-Man makes him relatively normal among his friends, who also have fantasy shades on their flesh. The vibrancy on display is dazzling, especially when Kyle talks into the full extent of the colour spectrum in a white burst. The lettering is very clear and easy to read.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 has wrestling in its roots. The W.A.M. is its own world, operating in a sordid and flamboyant corner of the DC Universe. It could be a complete series in itself without the other DC characters involved, and yet the actions that take place in these matches could reconnect the universe around it.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 is really a tale where Omega-Bam-Man is the heart and figurehead, with Kyle used as the human tether back to Earth.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 is available where comics are sold.
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1
TL;DR
DC K.O.: Green Lantern: Galactic Slam Issue 1 has wrestling in its roots. The W.A.M. is its own world, operating in a sordid and flamboyant corner of the DC Universe.
