DC has officially pulled back the curtain on one of its most unpredictable projects yet, unveiling first-ever preview pages from DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1, and the matchups are every bit as wild as fans hoped. Hitting shelves on February 4, the one-shot brings together icons from across comics, gaming, and horror—giving readers their first look at clashes they never thought they’d see on a DC page.
The newly revealed preview shows DC heroes squaring off against a jaw-dropping lineup of guest characters, including Sub-Zero from Netherrealm, Homelander, Red Sonja, Vampirella, Samantha Strong from IDW’s Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and even Annabelle, the infamous horror doll from New Line Cinema.
Arriving just ahead of the final phase of the DC K.O. event, Boss Battle #1 is written by Jeremy Adams with art from Ronan Cliquet, Carmine Di Giandomenico, Kieran McKeown, Pablo M. Collar, and Hi-Fi. The issue sends DC’s greatest heroes into a multiversal gauntlet of escalating showdowns—each one more unexpected than the last.
Among the most buzzworthy moments in the preview pages are teases of Superman vs. Homelander, a face-off that feels ripped straight from fan debates, and Sub-Zero stepping into the DC Universe for a showdown that blends Mortal Kombat brutality with superhero spectacle. And in a surprise twist, DC has confirmed that Sabrina the Teenage Witch will make a cameo appearance, adding a touch of classic Archie charm to the chaos.
Adams shared his excitement about bringing these worlds together.
“Patrick Horvath created an incredibly complicated and frankly, scary, character with Samantha Strong,” shared Jeremy Adams. “I feel lucky to be able to pit this serial-killer bear from IDW’s Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees against the greatest criminal mind of our time, Lex Luthor. Especially because Lex has no idea who it is he’s stumbled upon. And, having written four animated Mortal Kombat movies, I jumped at the chance to write more of the Netherrealm world, especially for comics. These characters hold a place dear to my heart as I’ve had the chance to interact with a huge swath of their fandom, their creators, and the MK universe as a whole!”
Storywise, the DC heroes are running dangerously low on Omega Energy, forcing them into a desperate strategy: a series of escalating boss battles across the multiverse to level up before facing Darkseid’s final threat. Every fight pushes them closer to the brink, and losing even once could mean elimination from the DC K.O. tournament entirely.
Adams also teased just how surreal—and fun—the writing experience became.
“DC K.O.: Boss Battle held surprises for me, too,” said Adams. “I never anticipated that I’d be writing ‘Welcome to Greendale!’ in a DC comic! Home of our favorite teenage witch who volunteers to ‘help’ Star Sapphire in the Boss Battle. This was a bright spot to put together in the midst of the over-arching chaos of the issue. I found myself really enjoying the brief moments with Sabrina. And Homelander vs Superman! The biggest A-hole in pop culture right now fighting the big blue boy scout? Come on! My only regret is that I didn’t have more pages to show these guys punch and kick…and for Superman to tell Homelander to shut his potty mouth before launching him into the sun!”
DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1 arrives February 4 in comic shops and on digital platforms. The issue features a main cover by Jamal Campbell, plus cardstock variant covers by Jeff Spokes, Darick Robertson & Diego Rodriguez (Homelander), Patrick Horvath (Samantha Strong), Frank Cho & Sabine Rich (Vampirella, Red Sonja, and Sabrina the Teenage Witch), and Gleb Melnikov (AEW cameo variant).
DC
Pricing is set at $4.99 for the main cover, $5.99 for cardstock variants, and $7.99 for the foil edition, with Jeff Spokes’ variant also available as an OTO wraparound in both cardstock and foil.
With these first-ever preview pages now out in the wild, DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1 is already shaping up to be one of the most talked-about crossover events of the year—before it even hits shelves.
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