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Andy Diggle Finally Gets His Way With Superman In DC's K.O? (Spoilers)

Does Andy Diggle finally get his way with Superman in DC's K.O? (Super Spoilers)

Published Fri, 14 Nov 2025 10:58:03 -0600

Article Summary

DC's K.O. #2 revisits Andy Diggle's infamous Superman XXXXXX storyline from the New 52 era
Scott Snyder and Javi Hernandez bring back the controversial idea of Superman XXXXXXX
Editorial battles in 2013 forced Diggle off Action Comics after major script and story changes
Superman faces a shocking fate as Lex Luthor plays a key role in DC's K.O. tournament drama

DC's K.O #2 is out in a couple of weeks. And Bleeding Cool gets the word that it will see Scott Snyder and Javi Hernandez revisit quite a controversial moment in the DC Comics New 52 canon, when British comics writer and former 2000AD editor Andy Diggle was writing Action Comics for about one and a half issues with Tony S Daniel, before he upped and quit. And it was over a topic that Scott Snyder previously visited in his own Batman New 52 run. Obviously, this is quite spoilery, so it might necessitate one of these…

Okay, so back in 2013, Andy Diggle was to take over Action Comics as part of the second wave of the New 52, scooped by Bleeding Cool joined by Tony S Daniel, also scooped by Bleeding Cool. And then he wasn't, again scooped by Bleeding Cool before he, posting to then-Twitter "Sadly, I've decided to walk away from Action Comics for professional reasons. It was the toughest decision I've ever had to make, especially with Superman's 75th anniversary and Man of Steel on the horizon. But it was the right decision. No regrets. Onwards!" And the reason? I am told it was down to greenlit scripts and artwork being suddenly ungreenlit, rewritten, reapproved, redrawn and then unreapproved again. And a lot of it came down to Andy Diggle's storyline which would have seen Superman lose an arm. Approved by editorial, after then-DC publisher Dan DiDio got involved, it was changed to just a hand. Then the whole thing was abandoned, and Andy Diggle walked rather than rewrite the whole thing, yet again, for free, after it had already been approved and drawn twice. That's how the fable goes, at least.

Then, of course, Scott Snyder revisited the idea in Batman, having the Joker chop off Alfred Pennyworth's hand. But in a way that meant it could be reattached a year later. And while Tom King preferred to kill off Alfred Pennyworth rather than chop off hands, and James Tynion IV had the Joker kill Bane, the man who killed Alfred Pennyworth, Chip Zdarsky decided to test the waters to see how things had changed… by chopping Batman's hand off and replacing it with a robot hand, Luke Skywalker style. Well, now things have come full circle, and I hear it is Scott Snyder's decision to chop off hands this time in DC's K.O. And he's going with Superman. Naturally, Lex Luthor will have a hand in it. Funny how things come around, isn't it? Maybe it's time for Andy to pitch for Superman again? DC's K.O. #2 is published on the 26th of November.

DC K.O. #2 (OF 5)
(W) Scott Snyder (A/CA) Javier Fernandez
LET THE GAMES BEGIN! The tournament is in full swing. Heroes have fallen. Darkseid is near. The 32 champions have been chosen, and now they must compete to earn the Heart of Apokolips. The first challenge? Battling across a deadly arena to acquire new weapons of war. The greatest powers of the DC Universe are up for grabs, and whoever holds them will advance to the next level. Superman has his doubts that the Justice League is doing the right thing, but there are others who have no problem killing to get what they want… $5.99 11/26/2025

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