Well, things have taken quite a dramatic turn in this epic DC K.O. tournament! With issue #2 throwing sixteen of the DC Universe’s most powerful items into the mix—we’re talking Power Rings, the God Killer Sword, the Atom’s Belt and more—the battles between the remaining DC heroes and villains can hardly get more intense than they already have. Or so we would think, but considering the remaining sixteen combatants, I suspect we’re just getting warmed up. In this next round of bracket predictions, I’ll be looking at December’s first four matchups, while Sami DeMonster will be tackling the second four next week. Let’s find out how the odds stack up in the race to become King Omega!
SUPERMAN VS. CAPTAIN ATOM
This is an interesting matchup because DC fans have an idea on how this fight could go. Superman and Captain Atom have crossed fists once or twice before, most times outside of normal continuity, but with just enough examples that we know we’re in for an explosive bout for sure.
Both men are extremely physically powerful, extraordinarily fast and possess the power of flight. Captain Atom’s particular advantage is, again, the nuclear energy emanating inside his body that he’s able to wield at his disposal. He can alter his molecular chemistry to emit energy beams made of red sun radiation, sapping Superman’s strength and stamina. He can also keep Superman at bay for as long as he wants by maintaining his distance with the use of energy projection. Still, this is Superman’s fight to lose. When it comes to raw power, Superman can likely outlast anyone he goes up against. Even if Captain Atom were to irradiate his body in red sun energy, the Man of Steel is still faster than a speeding bullet and could clean his clock before the army pilot had a chance to react. While not an easy fight, it’s still one that looks to be a confident victory in the Man of Steel’s favor.
ODDS:
Superman 3-to-5
AQUAMAN VS. HAWKMAN
The King of the Seven Seas takes on the Winged Warrior of the skies in this fight, which is sure to be a hard-hitting—and revealing—battle. Both Aquaman (a.k.a. Arthur Curry) and Hawkman (a.k.a. Carter Hall) have special advantages which aid them in the fight against crime. So, what are these advantages, and how would they come into play when they’re battling each other?
Aquaman’s skin is extremely durable, rendering him virtually bulletproof and resistant to most high-pressure attacks. While his speed and strength are greater than an average man’s, they’re increased many times over in water, where he can swim up to several thousand meters per second. Additionally, his famous telepathic ability to communicate with sea life is always at his disposal, lending him an army of jellyfish, electric eels, sharks, stingrays and all kinds of dangerous aquatic animals.
That’s all well and good, but there’s no guarantee that he’ll be fighting Hawkman underwater. Odds are better that he won’t, and what can he expect should the battle be on land? Well, he’ll have to contend with Hawkman’s famous mace. Like most of Hawkman’s accoutrements, it’s made out of Nth metal, the substance from his home planet of Thanagar that grants him both strength and the ability to fly. Nth metal has also been shown to provide an increasing regeneration factor in its wearers.
This is a tricky matchup, partly because the combatants will need to bring their opponents into close proximity for them to land their best attacks. It’s really anybody’s game with this one.
ODDS:
Even
WONDER WOMAN VS. LOBO
Ooh, boy… How in the world is this going to end up?
So, we’ve got Wonder Woman, the Amazonian Princess. Super strength and speed, master of all fighting techniques and usually aided by her Lasso of Truth and indestructible bracelets and tiara. However, with the Lasso of Truth being one of the items that was hidden in round one, she likely doesn’t have access to it here. Still, with over 85 years of battles against super-villains, aliens and creatures of all kinds, we’ve seen Diana go up against practically everything under the sun.
But Lobo is an entirely different beast. A galactic alien bounty hunter feared and loathed across the universe, the self-titled “Main Man” is so ruthless, so destructive, so certifiably insane that he caused the total annihilation of his own planet for a science project! The last living member of the Czarnian race, this chain-smoking contract killer is also every bit as powerful as his frequent foe Superman. With unbelievable strength and a healing factor so thorough that he can reform from drops of blood, there hasn’t been an upper limit of Lobo’s abilities yet shown on the page.
If it were anyone else, this would be Lobo’s fight to lose. He’s virtually unbeatable. But against Wonder Woman, one of the greatest heroes of all time and someone who at times has shown a willingness to kill that her counterpart Superman would never entertain, he might finally have met his match. Could she walk away with the win? Or is Lobo just too insane (and insanely powerful) for Diana to handle?
ODDS:
Lobo 4-to-1
CYBORG VS. SWAMP THING
Our final bout sees the ultimate fight between nature and technology! In terms of opposites, there aren’t many characters more diametrically opposed than Cyborg and Swamp Thing.
As the part-man-part-machine member of the Justice League and Teen Titans, Victor Stone’s body is made up of cybernetic and techno-organic parts which include titanium and vanadium, granting his metal shell super durability against most attacks. In terms of offense, Cyborg can fire off energy blasts, extend his hands and fists into grappling hooks, leap great distances and at times even fly.
Swamp Thing’s abilities are naturally more elemental. As an avatar of the Green—the cosmic force that connects all plant life in the known universe—Swamp Thing can use his body to change size and shape, increase his strength to inhumanly powerful levels and regenerate. He can also grow new limbs and supplement his body with things like wings, and through his connection to the Green, do things like grow vines or large tree trunks.
So, who wins here? If Cyborg can create buzzsaws and flamethrowers with his techno-body, that definitely gives us an idea on how this fight could theoretically go. On the other hand, Swamp Thing is near godlike in his connection to all plant life in the universe. Considering our very existence depends on a symbiosis with that life, his control over it could conceivably deprive us of the very oxygen we need to breathe. Cyborg may be known for his technology, but he’s still part human. Throw in the fact that it’s uncertain if Swamp Thing can even truly be defeated and this looks like a tough one for Cyborg to come out on top.
ODDS:
Swamp Thing 4-to-1
Learn how the first of these four fights goes down this week in DC K.O.: Superman vs. Captain Atom by Joshua Williamson, Sean Izaakse, Trish Mulvihill and Hi-Fi.
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.
