Alright, so usually this spot is reserved for a super “hero,” or at the very least someone who possesses some good qualities, but this week is much different. In fact, this week’s post will focus on one of the most ultimate evils that has ever graced the inside of a funny book. This week’s Get To Know Your Superhero will focus on Doomsday. Sit back and enjoy the ride as some of you will be enlightened by facts about the “thing,” that killed Superman.
Doomsday was created by DC Comic writer and artist Dan Jurgens in 1992.
According to DC mythology, Doomsday was actually created on Superman’s home planet of Krypton long before the Kryptonian race existed.
During this era, Krypton was overrun by violent creatures and only the strongest would be able to survive.
The surface of Krypton served as a scientific breeding ground for Bertron who sent an infant being there to be slaughtered.
The remains of the slaughtered infant were then harvested on the planet in hopes that through generations of natural selection, this being would prove to be the strongest alive.
Although Bertron’s plan worked and Doomsday was eventually created, the memories of thousands of deaths were burned into the genes of this being creating an unstoppable angry force.
Originally characterized simply as “The Ultimate,” this being destroyed everything on the planet including Bertron.
Doomsday first left Krypton when he stowed away on a supply ship and went on a killing spree throughout the universe.
During his killing spree, Doomsday was confronted by a team of Green Lanterns all of whom he disposed of.
Eventually Doomsday landed on a planet and was stopped, but because of his ability to become reborn with the memories of death, he was able to return.
Knowing this, the inhabitants of a planet called Calaton sacrificed their own planet to encase Doomsday in shackles and a mask for all of eternity, then shot him back into space.
Eventually the ship containing Doomsday crash landed on Earth but the force of the crash drove Doomsday and the ship deep into the Earth’s surface.
When Doomsday awoke and broke free from his grave, he destroyed many members of the Justice League until Superman was called upon.
Doomsday also contains the ability to sense Kryptonians so he goes on a global hunt for Superman that concludes in a climactic battle in the middle of Metropolis.
In a last ditched effort to save humanity, Superman sacrificed himself and struck a final blow with his remaining energy that destroyed Doomsday.
The aftermath of Superman’s death revealed that 2 people that claimed they were the real Superman. One of these men was a cyborg who strapped Doomsday’s body to an asteroid and launched him back into space.
But Doomsday was not gone, in fact he wakes up on a familiar planet.
At this time the real Superman has returned and become obsessed with defeating Doomsday once and for all.
Superman travels to meet Doomsday for a final battle, only to discover that Doomsday grows stronger with defeat.
Eventually Superman realizes that Doomsday will never “die,” so he traps Doomsday at The End of Time.
Later, Brainiac devised a plan to combine his own genius with the strength of Doomsday so he went to The End of Time to combine with him.
Brainiac’s plan failed as he was unable to combine with Doomsday, but he did learn how to create similar monster to stop Superman.
Brainiac then traveled to Earth and tried to possess the infant child of Pete Ross and Lana Lang only to be stopped once again by Superman.
Superman trapped Brainiac’s Doomsday clone on the moon where he will never again fully exist in one universe.
The real Doomsday was eventually visited by some of Lex Luthor’s men in an attempt to control him to defeat another ultimate enemy, Imperiex.
Imperiex proved to be too much for even Doomsday as he was blasted until only a skeleton remained.
Doomsday was then brought back to full strength on Earth for the anniversary of his original battle with Superman only to be defeated once and for all by Superman who imprisoned him on another planet.
Doomsday is the closest thing to a perfect evil DC has ever gotten to with regards to enemies of Superman. He proved his strength by destroying Superman once, then his drive by constantly coming back to life and even his psychological power as Superman became obsessed with defeating him. He’s literally an unstoppable force created for the sheer purpose of death and destruction. Doomsday may not ever “die,” but DC has made numerous attempts to send him away only to bring him back when there is a good reason to do so. You can check out a watered down version of Doomsday’s battle with Superman with the DVD version of Superman/Doomsday, but I would suggest picking up a trade paper back version of the original story. It’s quite gruesome and shows a lot of Superman’ own vulnerability.
July 15th, 2009 at 6:28 am
Good stuff!
Not to be all “Comic-Book-Guy” but weren’t there actually 4 people that claimed to be Superman after he died? The Cyborg, the “Man of Steel”, the “Kid Superman”, and then some freaky other guy who I can’t remember.
July 15th, 2009 at 11:37 am
Hey Eric the Comic Book Guy
You’re partially correct. 4 people did come forward after the Death of Superman, but only Cyborg and The Last Son Of Krypton believed they were actually Superman. The Metropolis Kid (Superboy) and Steel never said that they were “Superman,” only people who wanted to take over as protectors of Metropolis.
Thanks
July 15th, 2009 at 12:26 pm
They should not have brought him back after the entropy scenario. That was too brilliant.