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Superman is at the heart of DC's new dark future as DC K.O. and Absolute Evil show Darkseid's influence in the All In era
This fall, DC's superheroes turn on each other - while, on another world, its villains get organized
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Something curious is happening as DC’s acclaimed All In era evolves across two different universes this fall, and it’s unclear how much is coincidence, and how much is a slowly emerging master plan coming to fruition.
Earlier this week, DC announced DC K.O., its fall 2025 event storyline. Anchored by a five-issue series of the same name launching October 8, DC K.O. sees the heroes of the DCU turn on each other in a series of one-on-one contests in an attempt to gain enough Omega Energy to prevent the rise of Darkseid as an omnipotent entity reshaping the universe… but as his power grows, so does his corrupting power on the DCU.
“I wanted to tell a story about Superman looking into his own heart of darkness,” writer Scott Snyder said in a statement about the project. “It’s a very personal story wrapped in nine layers of candy exploding in your face.” Snyder writes the main series, which features art from Javi Fernández; the story will run through other DC comics at the same time, including October 1’s Justice League: The Omega Act by Joshua Williamson and Yasmine Putri, which acts as a bridge between 2024’s DC All In Special #1 and DC K.O. (It’ll also tie in other DC series, including Superman and Justice League Unlimited; fans are noticing that those are already crossing over, right…?)
Even as DC’s mainstream universe struggles with the rise of a dark force, DC’s Absolute Universe is celebrating its one-year anniversary with a one-off issue signaling a darker turn there, as well. Absolute Evil, by Al Ewing, Guiseppe Camuncoli and Stefano Nesi, brings together villains from each of the current Absolute series — Ra’s al Ghul, Veronica Cale, Hector Hammond, Elenore Thawne, and the Joker — as they unite to cause more trouble than ever before for the new Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman, and more… but to what end?
On the one hand, it’s possible that the new Absolute Legion of Doom — that’s not their official name, I hasten to add, just my shorthand — is entirely unconnected to Darkseid rising in power in the mainstream DCU. On the other… well, the DC All In Special #1 did make it pretty clear that the two worlds are linked by Darkseid’s influence, and the two stories are coming out at the same time…!
Expect to hear a lot more about both storylines at San Diego Comic-Con, July 24-27.
Absolute Evil #1 and Justice League: The Omega Act #1 will both be released October 1. DC K.O. #1 will be in stores October 8.
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