Written by: Steve Orlando
Art by: Travis Mercer
Colors by: Andrew Dalhouse
Letters by: Josh Reed
Cover art by: Lucas Meyer
Cover price: $4.99
Release date: February 4, 2026
DC x AEW #1, by DC Comics on 2/4/26, forces Justice League heroes to team with AEW wrestlers on a frantic scavenger hunt when shards of a reality-warping belt scatter across dimensions.
First Impressions
This comic hits like a botched high spot, full of flash but landing awkward. The nonstop action amped me up at first, yet the rapid team-ups left me dizzy and wanting more depth. Overall, I walked away mildly amused, not hooked for the long haul.
Plot Analysis (SPOILERS)
At the W.A.M. vs. AEW Forbidden Door event in Gotham Square Garden, Deceilia Starshame destroys the Big Galactic Belt after losing to Mercedes Moné. The explosion scatters shards containing dangerous Element X across realities. The Justice League arrives with AEW wrestlers to recover them before villains exploit the reality-altering power.
Teams form fast. Nightwing pairs with Will Ospreay to fight the League of Assassins. Jon Moxley and Guy Gardner raid mutant gangs in the City of Vanity. Each duo grabs a shard amid brutal brawls and banter.
More hunts unfold. Hangman Page and Hawkgirl battle undead inquisitors in Limbo Town. Swerve Strickland and John Stewart free Dinosaur Island from sorcerer Deimos. Orange Cassidy and Harley Quinn tangle with the Royal Flush Gang in Atlantic City.
The chaos peaks. Zatanna and Toni Storm face Johnny Sorrow on Staten Island. Willow Nightingale and Wonder Woman topple Echidna in the underworld. Darby Allin and Batman spring a trap on Joker in Gotham's tomb, while Kenny Omega and Bane clash over Intergang's shard. Aquaman and Mercedes Moné snag the last from Trench mutants.
Writing
Pacing races like a sprint of eleven matches, leaving no breath for tension. Dialogue pops with wrestler flair and hero quips, yet feels scripted for highlights over flow. Structure jumps vignette to vignette, mimicking a pay-per-view but skipping emotional beats.
Art
Clarity shines in dynamic fights, with clear action lines tracing flips and punches. Composition frames epic team-ups boldly, though crowded panels blur some chaos. Colors pulse vibrant moods, from neon raptor attacks to hellfire glows, boosting the high-energy vibe.
Character Development
Motivations stay surface-level, like Batman's plans clashing with Darby's risks. Consistency holds for archetypes, Moxley's violence grating on Gardner true to form. Relatability sparks in quick bonds, like Willow's smile piercing darkness, but no one arcs deep in one issue.
Originality & Concept Execution
The wrestler-hero shard hunt delivers fresh chaos on the DC-AEW premise. It nails crossover fun with reality tears spawning wild locales. Execution stumbles on overload, diluting standout moments amid the frenzy.
Positives
The art's kinetic punch turns every brawl into a visual slam dunk, syncing perfectly with the writing's promo-style zingers to make fights feel alive and urgent. Pairings like Moxley and Gardner spark gold from clashing egos, nailing character consistency while hinting at fun rivalries. That whirlwind structure captures wrestling's hype machine, delivering non-stop thrills that justify the page count for event comic fans.
Negatives
Pacing blitzes through eleven shards too quick, starving plot and development of room to breathe and hit hard. Character motivations read like placeholders, with zero relatability growth in the rush. The concept's bold mash-up drowns in overload, originality lost to a checklist of cameos that screams cash-grab over cohesive saga start.
About The Reviewer: Gabriel Hernandez is the Publisher & EIC of ComicalOpinions.com, a comics review site dedicated to indie, small, and mid-sized publishers.
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The Scorecard
Writing Quality (Clarity & Pacing): [3/4]Art Quality (Execution & Synergy): [3/4]
Value (Originality & Entertainment): [1/2]
Final Verdict
DC x AEW #1 slams the mat with spectacle, but the breakneck cram leaves you winded, not invested. It earns a spot if your budget bends for crossover hype and wrestler flair. Skip if you crave story meat over match highlights.
7/10
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