Written by: Jeremy Adams
Art by: Travis Mercer
Colors by: Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by: Dave Sharpe
Cover art by: Bruno Redondo (cover A)
Cover price: $5.99
Release date: January 28, 2026
First Impressions
Walking away from this issue, I felt profoundly let down. The core concept had genuine potential, genuine weight; Jeremy Adams set up a scenario where young heroes had to prove their mettle without adult safety nets, a theme that could have carried emotional resonance. Instead, the execution stumbles almost immediately, trading meaningful character arcs for plot mechanics and wrapping everything in a resolution so thin it barely qualifies as a ending.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS)
Jon Kent, assigned to babysit four young heroes on the lunar watchtower while the Justice League competes in the Omega Tournament, struggles with feeling sidelined. When the kids detect an energy signature tied to Granny Goodness, they manipulate Jon's trust and escape to Earth using holograms and a borrowed Justice League access card. The group encounters Granny's forces and a mind-controlled population enslaved by her delta-wave technology, leading to a chaotic battle where most of the young heroes are captured, and their powers prove inadequate against trained Furies. Fairplay escapes and reunites with Jon at the battle's epicenter, where Jon fights Granny directly. Static suddenly appears, counters Granny's machine with his own electromagnetic wave, destroys her device, and frees the mind-controlled masses. Granny escapes, promising to return, while the assembled heroes declare they'll face her together next time, leaving her threat completely unresolved.
Writing
Jeremy Adams crammed approximately twenty plot points into twenty-four pages, and the comic barely breathes between story beats. The first act establishes Jon's frustration and introduces the four young heroes in rapid succession, relying heavily on character labels (Fairplay, Quiz Kid, Boom, Cheshire Cat) rather than letting readers connect with them meaningfully. Dialogue serves exclusively functional purposes; characters don't banter, bond, or reveal depth through conversation. They simply state intentions and explain mechanics. The pacing accelerates brutally in the middle section. The kids sneak away, arrive on Earth, encounter the threat, get captured, and fail all within the span of roughly ten pages. There's no tension building, no moments of doubt or strategic thinking that might flesh out their competence or vulnerability. The structure collapses entirely in the final act when Static materializes with zero setup, destroys the central plot device, and exits just as abruptly. Adams tells us what happened rather than showing us consequences that matter. The resolution reads like a checklist completion rather than a earned narrative payoff.
Art
Travis Mercer's pencils maintain clarity throughout, a saving grace that prevents this comic from becoming visually incomprehensible. Panel layouts follow conventional grid structures that guide readers through action cleanly, and character faces remain distinguishable even during crowded fight sequences. Composition, however, defaults to static positioning during dialogue scenes; characters stand in profile exchanging exposition without dynamic staging that might elevate routine information delivery. Action sequences show more energy, with diagonal framing and layered depth, but they blur together because there are so many of them compressed into limited space.
Andrew Dalhouse's colors fail to establish distinct moods for different environments or emotional beats. Earth under Darkseid's terraforming receives muted purples and grays, which communicates bleakness adequately but doesn't distinguish moments of high stakes from quieter character interactions. The lunar base feels sterile and cold, which works thematically but becomes monotonous. Granny's arrival and the mind-controlled zombies lack a visual signature that would make them viscerally threatening; they look menacing in concept but not in execution. The art competently serves the plot without enhancing emotional weight or visual storytelling, which places it squarely in functional-but-forgettable territory.
This is the comic's most glaring weakness. Fairplay, Quiz Kid, Boom, and Cheshire Cat exist as concepts rather than characters. We learn their heritage and powers through exposition dumps but never understand what drives them, what they fear, or what distinguishes one from another beyond their abilities. Jon Kent's arc should have been the emotional core: a hero learning that protecting his friends matters as much as fighting distant battles. Instead, Jon accepts Donna's reasoning, agrees to babysit, then abandons his post and loses the kids anyway. His character development flatlines at "I was wrong."
Character Development
This is the comic's most glaring weakness. Fairplay, Quiz Kid, Boom, and Cheshire Cat exist as concepts rather than characters. We learn their heritage and powers through exposition dumps but never understand what drives them, what they fear, or what distinguishes one from another beyond their abilities. Jon Kent's arc should have been the emotional core: a hero learning that protecting his friends matters as much as fighting distant battles. Instead, Jon accepts Donna's reasoning, agrees to babysit, then abandons his post and loses the kids anyway. His character development flatlines at "I was wrong."
Fairplay's connection to Granny Goodness carries potential for devastating conflict, yet Adams squanders it. Fairplay recognizes Granny's signal, decides to pursue her, and barely appears again until the climactic scene. Their shared history of trauma and control goes unexamined. The other heroes—Stargirl, Wonder Girl, Thunderheart, Quiz Kid—appear briefly, fight, get captured, and vanish. They aren't characters; they're obstacles the plot moves around. None of these young heroes exhibit consistency in their tactical thinking or emotional responses. They decide to go after Granny moments after learning she's a threat, seemingly without discussing strategy or acknowledging the risk. When captured, they show no character-specific reactions to failure or fear. Static's sudden appearance guarantees their rescue without requiring them to overcome anything, which strips even minor agency from their arcs.
The premise "Kids Are All Fight" suggests that young heroes can handle Earth-threatening danger when adults are absent. Adams wastes this concept entirely. The kids don't prove themselves capable; they prove they're reckless, underpowered, and dependent on adult rescue. That could work if the comic leaned into hard truths about adolescent limitations and growth. Instead, it treats the premise as a springboard for action without exploring the thematic weight underneath. The Granny Goodness subplot, drawn from Stargirl continuity, feels grafted on rather than organic to the special's narrative. Her presence doesn't force the kids to confront uncomfortable truths about their abilities or push them toward meaningful victories. Static's entrance breaks the premise entirely. A completely separate, more seasoned hero solves the main problem, erasing any chance for the young cast to earn their win. The comic tries to be a coming-of-age action story and a Darkseid-adjacent epic simultaneously; it succeeds at neither. The result is shallow on both character and plot levels.
Travis Mercer's artwork maintains visual clarity and competent panel composition throughout, ensuring readers never struggle to follow action or spatial relationships. The concept of young heroes facing genuine stakes while adult heroes are unavailable carries inherent promise and reaches toward something thematically interesting about earned maturity. Jon Kent's initial frustration about being sidelined reflects authentic emotional conflict that resonates with anyone who's felt underestimated by authority figures. The brief moments where Fairplay and Raghu interact hint at deeper friendship dynamics that could have anchored the entire special if Adams had invested time in exploring them. Granny Goodness as an antagonist carries legitimate menace given her connection to Fairplay and her control technology, setting up potential for future conflict that matters.
Jeremy Adams packs roughly two full stories into one issue, leaving every plot thread underdeveloped and emotionally hollow. The kids escape their guardians with absurd ease, using holograms and a stolen access card with zero consequences for violating clear orders, which removes tension from their decision. Their arrival on Earth and immediate capture happens so quickly that readers never witness them attempting anything competent or brave; they simply exist, encounter Granny, and lose. The comic's central antagonist poses zero threat to the assembled young heroes because Granny's Furies dismantle them without allowing a single meaningful exchange or display of tactical thinking.
Originality and Concept Execution
The premise "Kids Are All Fight" suggests that young heroes can handle Earth-threatening danger when adults are absent. Adams wastes this concept entirely. The kids don't prove themselves capable; they prove they're reckless, underpowered, and dependent on adult rescue. That could work if the comic leaned into hard truths about adolescent limitations and growth. Instead, it treats the premise as a springboard for action without exploring the thematic weight underneath. The Granny Goodness subplot, drawn from Stargirl continuity, feels grafted on rather than organic to the special's narrative. Her presence doesn't force the kids to confront uncomfortable truths about their abilities or push them toward meaningful victories. Static's entrance breaks the premise entirely. A completely separate, more seasoned hero solves the main problem, erasing any chance for the young cast to earn their win. The comic tries to be a coming-of-age action story and a Darkseid-adjacent epic simultaneously; it succeeds at neither. The result is shallow on both character and plot levels.
Positives
Travis Mercer's artwork maintains visual clarity and competent panel composition throughout, ensuring readers never struggle to follow action or spatial relationships. The concept of young heroes facing genuine stakes while adult heroes are unavailable carries inherent promise and reaches toward something thematically interesting about earned maturity. Jon Kent's initial frustration about being sidelined reflects authentic emotional conflict that resonates with anyone who's felt underestimated by authority figures. The brief moments where Fairplay and Raghu interact hint at deeper friendship dynamics that could have anchored the entire special if Adams had invested time in exploring them. Granny Goodness as an antagonist carries legitimate menace given her connection to Fairplay and her control technology, setting up potential for future conflict that matters.
Negatives
Jeremy Adams packs roughly two full stories into one issue, leaving every plot thread underdeveloped and emotionally hollow. The kids escape their guardians with absurd ease, using holograms and a stolen access card with zero consequences for violating clear orders, which removes tension from their decision. Their arrival on Earth and immediate capture happens so quickly that readers never witness them attempting anything competent or brave; they simply exist, encounter Granny, and lose. The comic's central antagonist poses zero threat to the assembled young heroes because Granny's Furies dismantle them without allowing a single meaningful exchange or display of tactical thinking.
Static materializes on the final page without introduction, explanation, or setup, then solves the entire plot device by himself while the young cast watches helplessly. This gutting of any earned victory leaves the comic's young heroes feeling purposeless. The mind-controlled zombies and Granny's brain-wave machine never establish genuine stakes for the world; they're plot furniture that exists to create scenes rather than meaningful danger. The ending promises future conflict while simultaneously dissolving all tension built across the issue, leaving readers with zero sense of progression or satisfaction.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
Follow @ComicalOpinions on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and TwitterThe Scorecard
Art Quality (Execution and Synergy): [2/4]
Value (Originality and Entertainment): [1/2]
Final Verdict
DC K.O.: The Kids Are All Fight Special #1 takes a compelling setup and flattens it into rushed action beats that serve plot mechanics instead of character moments. Every theme introduced gets abandoned for the next exposition dump. Every young hero introduced gets treated as background furniture in their own story. The climactic battle proves they're ineffective. The rescue by a stranger proves they're unnecessary. And the ending promises to do it all again next time. Skip this one.
4/10
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