Of the many delightful surprises from this year’s New York Comic Con, the one that has us talking the most is the revelation that the DC K.O. tournament is even bigger than any of us could have imagined. Fans attending the “Jim Lee and Friends” panel were treated to a display of incoming fighters with their own claim to control the Omega Energy—notorious figures from comics and beyond, from the most infamous to the most baffling. In this latest installment of Come Out Writing, I’m here to give you a little more info on the unexpected company we have coming to the table, and which of our enlisted homegrown competitors I could see taking them to the mat for a round or two.
 

SUB-ZERO

Origin: Mortal Kombat (1992)

A deadly ninja assassin who incorporates ice magic into his fighting style with lethal efficacy, Sub-Zero is one of the most recognizable fighters in video game history. One of the flagship icons of the Mortal Kombat video game series, a franchise built on the concept of multiverse-spanning tournaments, Sub-Zero is no stranger to DC’s superhero realms, from 2008’s Mortal Kombat vs. DC Universe to his presence as a guest fighter in Injustice 2. Mortal Kombat is a series known for its brutal fatalities, making Sub-Zero a fighter that you know won’t hold back, and an ideal Omega Energy candidate.

Best Match: Firestorm, who presents a real quick and easy way to get a ninja cryomancer nice and “TOASTY!!”
 

RED SONJA

Art by Jenny Frison

Origin: Conan the Barbarian #23 (1973)

The “She-Devil with a Sword,” Red Sonja is up there with the best of them in terms of sheer combat ability. She possesses no particular supernatural or superhuman powers, but can wield any non-mechanical weapon with unrivaled proficiency, wrestle men and demons twice her size to submission, and track any foe across the wilds of the Hyborian kingdoms. Originally appearing as a supporting player in Conan the Barbarian comics, Red Sonja has moved on to become as legendary a figure in the myths of sword and sorcery as Conan himself. Whoever she ends up taking on in this tournament, you can be certain it’ll be one hell of a fight.

Best Match: Wonder Woman. Sonja would settle for no less than the very best, and we’re sure the competitive Diana would recognize a sister-at-arms as a worthy foe.
 

ANNABELLE

Origin: The Conjuring (2013)

Annabelle’s presence illustrates just how far the net of DC K.O.’s Omega Energy is cast. The creepy, haunted doll of The Conjuring franchise is a frightful presence, but not one we’d think to enlist in a fighting tournament to control reality. But Annabelle is haunted by a powerful demon, with all the indomitable power of a recurring supernatural horror villain. Telekinesis, shadow control, fear inducement, instantaneous movement, and straight up unkillability, Annabelle is truly a creature of hell.

Best Match: The Demon, Etrigan. Where those not hellbound may yet fall, The Demon deigns destroy this doll.
 

VAMPIRELLA

Art by Frank Frazetta

Origin: Vampirella #1 (1969)

The original Bad Girl, one of the most notorious and powerful vampires in the entire history of comic books, is checking into the fight. Where she actually comes from is anyone’s guess. She’s a woman who changes origin stories like her sling bikini. Maybe she’s from hell, or maybe she’s the daughter of the biblical Lilith, or maybe she’s an alien from the vampire planet Drakulon. That’s not important right now. What really matters is the stats she’s bringing into this competition. Super strength? Speed? Stamina? Senses? Check, check, check and check. Hypnosis? Telepathy? Naturally. Healing? As long as she has the blood supply, she can come right back from any injury. She can turn into a bat, or just spawn wings from her back to get airborne. She can sprout claws that can rend flesh, armor and even the supernatural. And if you happen to be a person who is attracted to women? Forget about it. She can enthrall you more easily than Poison Ivy. The only thing she doesn’t have is any of your traditional vampire weaknesses. Garlic, crosses and even sunlight don’t have anything on Vampirella. Either pierce her heart or remove her head, or you’re out of luck. Of all our guest fighters, this one is possibly the most indomitable visiting challenger.

Best Match: Big Barda. Because the best way to beat a Bad Girl is with a Big Girl.
 

HOMELANDER

Origin: The Boys #3 (2006)

Easily the most buzz-generating character in this bunch, Homelander is the Superman-like figure from Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson’s The Boys, a pitch-black satire of superhero culture set in a world where the heroes we worship in public are true monsters in their private lives. Out of all the members of “The Seven,” none are more beloved or more despicable than this ultimate incarnation of the “Evil Superman.” Engineered in a laboratory along with the rest of the Seven, Homelander appears to have all the powers of Superman, with no weakness to Kryptonite or any man-made weapon—but has exhibited some level of vulnerability when confronted by other superpowered individuals with super strength. Which is to say that Homelander may be the king of the roost in his own series, but he’s never faced opponents like this before. On the other hand, if the Omega Energy present in this tournament rewards the vicious and sadistic with power in kind, there’s no one here equipped to channel that like Homelander.

Best Match: Superman. We all want to see it, and at this point, it’s got to happen. We’re long past due for the true Man of Tomorrow to put this pretender in his place.
 

SAMANTHA STRONG

Art by Patrick Horvath

Origin: Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees (2023)

If you gave us a hundred thousand guesses who the guest combatants for this tournament would be, I don’t think anyone would have gotten to Samantha Strong, the affable but secretive protagonist of the IDW comic series by Patrick Horvath about the dark inner lives of anthropomorphic animals. In Beneath the Trees Where Nobody Sees, Samantha Strong is the middle-aged owner of a hardware store, who secretly operates outside of town as a serial killer. Now, Sam Strong doesn’t have any powers. She isn’t even particularly strong for a bear. She is crafty, and resourceful enough to evade law enforcement. But overall, not a particularly notable fighter in an arena setting. She’s almost the sort of villain Batman might take down in a two-part fill-in story. But in the King Omega tournament where ruthlessness can translate into major power-ups, Sam Strong might have what it takes to channel some of that ambient Darkseid energy. Who knows? Maybe she’ll surprise us. After all, she already has.

Best Match: The Joker. Why? Because after the way he got into this tournament, we kind of want to see him get mauled by a bear.
 

DC K.O. #1 by Scott Snyder, Javi Fernández, Xermánico and Alejandro Sánchez is now available in print and as a digital comic book. It can also be read on DC UNIVERSE INFINITE.

Who will win? Enter the DC K.O. Bracket Challenge for a chance to win some great prizes!

Alex Jaffe is the author of our monthly "Ask the Question" column and writes about TV, movies, comics and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @AlexJaffe and find him in the DC Official Discord server as HubCityQuestion.

NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Alex Jaffe and do not necessarily reflect those of DC or Warner Bros. Discovery, nor should they be read as confirmation or denial of future DC plans.