Who said that just because the DC Universe is in the middle of a high-stakes tournament, they can’t have a fun series of crossovers? Yes, DC Comics’ heroes and villains are competing in a cosmic tournament for a shot at gaining the power needed to defeat Darkseid. However, DC Comics has given fans a little de-stresser in the form of DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1. This one-shot special is set right in between the main series’ third and fourth issues and brings in characters from numerous different franchises, including Mortal Kombat and The Boys.
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The DC Universe’s champions need more Omega Energy to defeat their upcoming rivals, so the World Forger sends the Final Four and a few resurrected heroes beyond the multiverse to gather more. From Joker meeting and palling around with Annabelle from The Conjuring to Lex Luthor being targeted by Samantha, the star of Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, there’s something for everyone here. While your mileage may vary when it comes to the overall story, some of the individual interactions are pretty neat, and the following 5 all have something going for them.
5. Joker’s Tea Party with The Conjuring’s Annabelle
I can’t say I’m surprised that the Joker was pitted against Annabelle, the creepy face of The Conjuring franchise. But I was surprised that the Clown Prince of Crime decided not to fight Annabelle, but rather, have a tea party with her. While everyone else is slugging it out, Joker takes a pause to play pretend with the unsettling playmate. Of course, he turns on her when he believes she’s moving, sending the Joker into a panicked frenzy. I’ll say this, it’s always interesting when DC has the Joker zig when you expect him to zag.
4. Superman Punching Homelander
If there was a crossover moment that was more hyped than any other, it was Superman going toe-to-toe with Homelander. Not too long after arriving in The Boys’ universe, Clark meets up with the psychopathic hero, and Homelander takes Superman’s arrival as a personal affront. The two fight, and it turns out to be more difficult than Superman thought. I’m a little disappointed that Superman didn’t just completely curb-stomp Homelander, but we did get to see him land several solid punches on Homelander’s jaw. It’s not an absolute victory, but I’ll take it.
3. Lex Luthor Being Terrorized by a Serial Killer Bear
I absolutely loved Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, and I didn’t know what to expect from Samantha here. However, her brief cameo was incredibly hilarious. Lex winds up in her world, just as Samantha has killed another victim, and she goes all out in trying to kill Lex when he stumbles upon her working. Lex is so unbelievably perplexed by what he sees that he doesn’t even have time to react before Samantha attacks him. While I hate that this particular crossover wasn’t longer, the image of Lex in sheer panic as an anthropomorphic bear attacks him was great.
2. Wonder Woman vs. Red Sonja
Now this was a fight that got a little more room than most to breathe. Diana is transported to a gladiator pit where she comes face-to-face with Red Sonja. The two get a decently long fight that shows the two about evenly matched, though Sonja encourages Wonder Woman to be more brutal if she wants to survive. Taking her opponent’s message to heart, Diana clangs her bracelets together, causing a shockwave that puts a pause on their fight. Honestly, it was just nice to see a more fleshed-out fight compared to some of the crossovers that didn’t do as much.
1. Plastic Man and Black Lighting vs. Sub-Zero and Scorpion
If I have to give it up for one crossover, it’s the Mortal Kombat one that has Plastic Man and Black Lightning fighting Sub-Zero and Scorpion. I have to give this one for being one of the most original fights in the book and arguably, the most entertaining. It’s the only two-on-two battle and creatively uses Black Lightning and Plastic Man as a team. Also, if you’re a Mortal Kombat fan, you’ll almost certainly get a kick out of Plastic Man taking Scorpion’s iconic “Get over here!” catchphrase and using it when pulling out a finishing move.
What was your favorite crossover moment from DC K.O.: Boss Battle #1? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts on the ComicBook Forum!
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