Highlights
- Mortal Kombat 1's Kombat Pack will feature comic book characters like Invincible's Omni-Man, The Boys' Homelander, and DC's Peacemaker, generating excitement among fans.
- NetherRealm Studios has a history of working with DC and incorporating their characters into games like Injustice. Deathstroke is a likely candidate for Mortal Kombat 1.
- Mortal Kombat 1 should consider including lesser-known and unconventional DC characters like Clayface, King Shark, members of The Authority, or characters from The Watchmen to add diversity to the roster.
For the last few entries, the Mortal Kombat franchise has started to cement itself as a new hub of pop culture. While it may not have quite as many crossovers as Fortnite, the last few Mortal Kombat games have all had a healthy number of crossover guest characters coming from across the entertainment industry. Mortal Kombat X gave horror icons like Predator, Alien, Leatherface, and Jason another chance in the spotlight, while Mortal Kombat 11 did the same for action movie legends like Terminator, Rambo, RoboCop, and Spawn. And now, Mortal Kombat 1 looks as though it's going to continue the trend, but this time with comic book characters.
Leaked before the game was even announced and finally confirmed at SDCC, Mortal Kombat 1's first Kombat Pack will include six new fully playable characters. While Ermac, Quan Chi, and Takeda are all classic franchise characters set to make their return in the Kombat Pack, they're not the main event of the DLC. Instead, it's Invincible's Omni-Man, The Boys' Homelander, and DC's Peacemaker that are getting fans most excited. And that should only be the start of Mortal Kombat 1's comic book celebration, with DC alone having a plethora of characters perfectly suited for Mortal Kombat's bloody and brutal arena.
Other DC Characters That Should Come to Mortal Kombat 1 Via DLC
NetherRealm Studios already has quite the storied career working alongside DC, with both Injustice games letting fans play as a slew of DC characters, from some of the most iconic heroes and villains to some lesser-known figures. With Joker making his way over to Mortal Kombat 11, it seems like a safe bet to assume that another Injustice alum could make their way over to Mortal Kombat 1, and there are a few solid candidates. The most likely DC Injustice alums to carry over to Mortal Kombat 1 are those that fit the game's more violent nature, putting the mercenary Deathstroke at the top of the list.
But Mortal Kombat 1 should get a little weirder with its next DC guest character pick. With Injustice already covering some of the most iconic DC characters, Mortal Kombat 1's DLC is the perfect opportunity to showcase some of the company's stranger heroes and villains, those that aren't often seen on the big or small screens. But at the same time, it's probably a good idea to still include characters that are currently in the pop-culture zeitgeist. Mortal Kombat 1 is doing exactly that with Peacemaker, choosing a lesser-known character, but one that's recently had a successful show.
Going with this train of thought, Clayface or King Shark could be great picks for Mortal Kombat 1's DLC roster. While both characters are currently some of the lesser-known Batman/DC villains, they do still show up in the ongoing Harley Quinn animated show, and King Shark is set to appear in Rocksteady's upcoming Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League game, meaning that they're still just popular enough to catch the attention of fans and entice them to pick up the DLC pack.
Alternatively, if Mortal Kombat 1 wanted to get even more out-of-left-field and unique with its DC characters, then it could choose those lesser-known characters not yet introduced into the mainstream at all. James Gunn's new DC universe is currently deep into its development, and there are plenty of characters on the docket that could do with an introduction in another medium first, such as any member of The Authority, an edgy superhero team that's set to get its first movie adaptation soon. Another great pick that's technically DC-related, and that fans would go absolutely wild for, is someone from The Watchmen. While Dr. Manhattan is probably the best pick, Rorschach, Nite Owl, The Comedian, or Silk Spectre would be all good choices.
Mortal Kombat 1 is scheduled to release September 19, 2023, for Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.