10 Years On, DC is Setting Up A Perfect Rematch For Superman & Joker

January 20, 2026, 4:00pm

I don’t know about you, but the closer DC K.O gets to the end, the more I believe this has always been about a confrontation between Joker and Superman. Now I know that the Man of Steel and the Clown Prince of Crime don’t exactly go head-to-head all that often, but there is precedent for it. I don’t think anyone needs to be reminded of how badly Joker hurt Superman in the (thankfully non-canon) Injustice franchise. But the two’s lives have intersected, especially during the “Endgame” arc in Batman, where Joker briefly corrupted the Big Blue Boy Scout.

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But it is a different era, and right now, both Joker and Superman find themselves on opposite sides of the bracket in DC K.O.. Some of DC Comics’ greatest heroes and villains are competing to become King Omega, a powerful figure with cosmic power on par with Darkseid. It’s a brutal tournament that’s pushing everyone to their extremes. And as the Elite Eight become the Final Four in the most recent issue, it seems like the ultimate battle is going to be an ideological one that pits Superman’s optimism against Joker’s chaos and discord.

Superman and Joker Advance Towards Their Inevitable Confrontation

The heat is turned up in DC K.O. #3 by Scott Snyder, Joshua Williamson, Xermánico, and Javier Fernández as the third round begins. This round is a tag-team affair, and everyone is allowed to pick a partner who’s been disqualified previously. Except for Joker, who, due to accruing more Omega Energy than everyone else, is allowed to pick someone from anywhere across all realms of reality. The competitors make their picks, and the battle begins with four two-on-two fights chock full of surprises and twists and turns fans won’t see coming.

Joker makes great use of his pick by selecting Mr. Mxyzptlk, who gives Joker the firepower he needs to go up against Zatanna and Constantine. The two give a valiant effort, but Joker uses the imp’s Fifth-Dimensional might to make them both succumb to madness before their knockout. Meanwhile, Superman partners up with Shazam to fight two Green Lanterns, and just when things look their darkest, Clark is able to channel Billy’s magic and augment his own strength to take out both Hal and Guy. So both Superman and Joker proceed to the next round.

Of course, Lex and Wonder Woman also make it to the fourth round, so why am I spending so much time focusing on Superman and Joker? First, we need to consider who remains in the mix: Superman, Wonder Woman, Lex Luthor, and the Joker. And we have to consider what makes the stakes the highest. Let’s be real, out of the final competitors, I doubt there’s anyone worse to gain phenomenal cosmic power than Joker. So chances are he’s going to make it to the final round. And who serves as the greatest counter to what Joker stands for? Superman.

DC K.O. Was Always Going to Come Down to a Battle Between Joker and Superman

DC K.O. writer Scott Snyder has been clear from the get-go that this was a Superman story. And honestly, given the rules of the competition, Clark is the best person to follow in a story like this. DC K.O.’s tournament demands that its participants act as unforgiving and brutal as Darkseid, which, of course, is not who Superman is. But he knows that he can’t sit on the sidelines when the fate of the DCU is at stake, especially when the villains crash the competition, and Joker starts to prove himself a major contender.

One thing I’ve noticed throughout DC All In is that there’s been a theme of the resilience of hope in the face of evil. We’ve seen it in books like Superman and in many of the titles set in the Absolute Universe. So it makes sense that the theme would continue in what’s essentially the send-off to this particular era of DC Comics. I know a lot of fans were hoping for more of a tournament based solely on feats and powerscaling. But this competition was always going to embody that theme in a battle between Joker and Superman.

Of course, anything could happen in the fourth round of DC K.O., especially with the Absolute Wonder Woman, Superman, and Batman entering the fray. But I’m confident that this is all going to come down to Superman vs. the Joker. There’s no better matchup that better represents the continuing power of hope in the face of never-ending darkness. All I can say is that I hope that when this battle inevitably occurs, Superman achieves a victory that proves hope can not only survive, but also overcome the darkness associated with someone like the Joker.

What do you think about Joker and Superman possibly fighting in the final round of DC K.O.? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!