The battle to be crowned King Omega is underway! In “Come Out Writing,” we help you stay on top of all things DC K.O., offering our predictions on upcoming matchups and expert commentary on all the important fights.
The Mangle in the Multiverse is here! DC K.O. is in full swing, and we’re all wondering who will rise above it all to become the champion strong enough to face down King Omega? In the first round, we’ve got aliens versus metahumans, old guards versus youngbloods, and struggles of speed versus power! I’ve been asked to offer my thoughts on four of these pivotal matchups, so let’s jump into the predictions and get a head start on who has what it takes to go all the way!
SUPERMAN VS. GIGANTA
Right away we’ve got a powerhouse starting card with the Man of Steel vs. the Giant-Sized She-Devil! Superman vs. Giganta is an intriguing opening bout, as both are famous DC combatants in their own right, but throughout their comparable eighty-year histories, these two have almost never faced each other one-on-one. Giganta, real name Doris Zeul, has the ability to increase her size to incredible heights, maxing out her growth at several hundred feet tall. As her height increases, so does her strength, putting her at a power level stronger than her usual archfoe Wonder Woman. In a contest of raw power, Giganta may be one of the more formidable opponents to go up against.
On the other hand, this is Superman we’re talking about. And while Giganta gained her super-sizing techniques in her adult life, Clark Kent has had years of honing his skills and training to get used to not just his super strength (which is already at the top of the heap in general power rankings), but a bevy of other superhuman abilities. Super speed alongside super strength is a fierce combination to behold. If that weren’t enough, Giganta will have to contend with heat vision, x-ray vision (so no hiding) and freeze breath. This kind of arsenal is difficult to manage when your opponent is only a tenth of your size. Finally, let’s factor in Superman’s experience in dealing with giant-sized opponents. Whether it’s giant robots, killer kaiju or evil Brainiac androids, Kal-El knows how to deal with villains much larger than him.
Factoring all the variables together, it’s hard to see Giganta coming away with the win in this opening round. Tough luck, but someone has to take the first fall.
ODDS:
Superman 9-to-1
CAPTAIN ATOM VS. POWER GIRL
This is a far more interesting matchup in terms of who might last longer. Power Girl is functionally a stronger, older multiversal variant of the famed Supergirl, and thus has the same abilities as any Kryptonian. Basically, everything I mentioned Superman will be bringing to the table in our previous matchup, Power Girl will be wielding here. Captain Atom, on the other hand, is a whole different kind of power to contend with. Imbued with nuclear energy that grants him not only enhanced speed and strength but also energy projection, flight and matter absorption, the Captain can be quite the hurdle to overcome in a tournament where the fate of the world is at stake.
So, who’s likely to come out on top? This might come down to a pure battle of wills and stamina, testing the limits of each fighter’s ability to outfight the other. They can pummel each other all day long, but who hits harder? Who can withstand the other’s attacks longer? We know that nuclear energy isn’t enough to kill a Kryptonian, but it can tax them of their rejuvenating connection to the Earth’s sun. Of course, this fight won’t take place on Earth, so PG’s working at a slight disadvantage there. Her best bet is to knock out Captain Atom before his nuclear attacks become too much, and her body gets fatigued from the atomic energy. Neither is an easy task for either combatant, so this should prove to be an even matchup.
ODDS:
Even
GUY GARDNER VS. FIRESTORM
I guess I’ve drawn all the nuclear heroes. Here we’re got a mercurial Green Lantern pitted against a literal hothead famously nicknamed “The Nuclear Man.”
This will also be a battle of wills, and not just because that’s the Green Lantern’s bread and butter. Guy Gardner is a fiercely willful superhero, making his Lantern abilities tougher to fight against than most. Other Green Lanterns might be unpredictable due to their creativity, but Guy’s got the eagerness and swagger to prove he’s the best, with a long career of receipts to back that up. What can Firestorm do against that?
Well, let’s see. Like Captain Atom, Firestorm can fly, project energy blasts and absorb energy. He can also manipulate matter, reorganizing particles in most any object, changing their density and molecular construction. Would that work against the constructs of a Green Lantern Power Ring? Maybe and maybe not, but the key difference is that they’re not fighting in Guy’s ring. They’re fighting in an arena perfectly vulnerable to Firestorm’s abilities. While Guy can conjure up giant hammers, jars and pogo sticks to push Firestorm away, all the Nuclear Man has to do is melt the very ground Guy walks on, or increase the density in the air he breaths to get the better of him.
In pure battle tactics alone, the young Firestorm has the advantage here. Guy could conceivably pull out a victory, but he’d have to do it quickly through sheer force of will. Otherwise, he might not last long against someone who doesn’t bend to the laws of physics.
ODDS:
Firestorm 6-to-4
JAY GARRICK VS. THE CHEETAH
This one is possibly the toughest physical matchup of them all—the original Flash against one of the original archenemies of Wonder Woman.
Despite his age, Jay Garrick has all the abilities of the Flash family at his disposal. While not as top level powerful as his successors Barry Allen and Wally West, Jay is still far and away one of the fastest men in the DC Universe. With the powers of the Speed Force, he’s capable of increased strength through force of speed, enhanced regenerative powers and creating whirlwinds and vortexes with his arms.
Cheetah’s no slouch herself, however. Barbara Minerva has both the speed and strength derived from her namesake, as well as enhanced senses. She also possesses a feral bloodlust that means she’s not only willing to kill, but she hungers to. Her claws and teeth are also extremely deadly, powerful enough to even pierce the skin of Superman on occasion.
So, how’s this going to go down? Simply put, it’s a game of Rock-Paper-Scissors on a super-powered scale. If Cheetah gets her claws into Jay at any time during the fight, it’s a wrap. The odds of him regenerating a cracked skull or shredded throat fast enough to recover are slim when his opponent has super speed herself. And while Cheetah’s nowhere near as fast as Jay, she’s still fast enough to get close to him. Jay’s best chance is to hit top speed as fast as possible and catch her with a quick shot before she knows what hit her. But that requires getting close to her, which is a deadly risk. Essentially, Jay’s best shot is to end the fight with a single fast and hard blow.
It's going to be fast, it’s going to be bloody, and it’s going to be close.
ODDS:
Jay Garrick 5-to-4
If you missed them, be sure to check out Alex Jaffe and Joshua Lapin-Bertone’s predictions, and drop by DC.com next week for Sami DeMonster’s thoughts on the last four round one matchups.
Who will win? Enter the DC K.O. Bracket Challenge for a chance to win some great prizes!
Donovan Morgan Grant writes about comics, graphic novels and superhero history for DC.com. Follow him on Bluesky at @donomark and X at @donoDMG1.
NOTE: The views and opinions expressed in this feature are solely those of Donovan Morgan Grant 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.
