One of the many things to love about the DC Universe is the legacy factor. While Marvel is “the world outside your window”, DC is the universe that yes, features godlike beings, but also isn’t afraid to add new heroes to the mix and create an ancestry for characters like Green Lantern, The Flash, and others. That can lead to some headache-inducing continuity moments and overcrowded narratives, but when used effectively, it can inject new life into older characters and introduce a new generation of readers into the comics field. With DC K.O. in full effect with the publisher, the narrative has been focused squarely on the “big name” characters like Superman, The Joker, and Wonder Woman, and not as much on the newcomers. But that changes with DC K.O.: The Kids Are All Fight by Jeremy Adams and Travis Mercer, a one-shot special that puts the spotlight on the next generation of the DC Universe as they hold the line on Earth.
Left behind on the Justice League’s Watchtower satellite, Superman Jon Kent is frustrated that he’s not on the ground helping to beat back Darkseid’s forces with Donna Troy and Roy Harper, aka Arsenal. As the two head back down to the fight, they inform Jon that he needs to stay behind to watch over younger heroes Fairplay, The Boom, Cheshire Cat, and Quiz Kid as a failsafe and be the “last line of defense” to protect them from Darkseid’s minions. If their powers fall into his hands, it’s essentially game over for the DC Universe as a whole, and Jon is uniquely suited to be the last hero standing with his mix of his dad’s abilities. The only problem is that the kids snuck back to Earth while Jon wasn’t looking, and now he has to figure out where they went.
I’ll be the first to admit that despite having more DC titles on my pull list than ever, I have been woefully out of the loop on these younger characters. With the exception of Jonathan Kent’s adventures, Fairplay, Boom, and the rest of the characters here were all new introductions for me. And I have to say, this special serves the characters well in that regard! Jeremy Adams does a quick and effective job of introducing these heroes, their powers, and personalities in a narratively efficient way that doesn’t feel like I’m reading a Wikipedia article, and I liked getting to know them through this story.
That being said, I wasn’t as keen on Adams’ characterization of Jon here, as it felt pretty counter to the character I had read up until this point. I get that he’s still young, but at this stage in his career I feel like he’d understand the importance of hanging back and watching over these younger heroes.
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Like the characters in the book, I haven’t been aware of Travis Mercer’s work, but his style for Kids is definitely in line with a lot of “in house” DC books. It’s not unlike Dan Mora’s style on Justice League Unlimited and other DC titles, but it’s unique enough to not make you think Mercer is aping Mora’s style to trick you. What really works best here is Mercer’s facial expressions on the characters, particularly the younger characters as they react the being left behind, and then being slightly overwhelmed by the actual fight when they enter it. There’s a solid mix of action and humor throughout the book, and Mercer does a great job of balancing the two with this special.
While it’s pretty inconsequential to the overall DC K.O. plot, The Kids Are All Fight is a a good introduction to these younger characters for those who have yet to meet them. In a lot of ways, it feels like a pitch for a new Young Justice book or the upcoming plans for the Titans series. Those getting this issue hoping for a big revelation for DC K.O. will probably be a little disappointed, but hopefully it’ll turn them into a fan of one of these new characters.
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