Doomsday
A killing machine born on Krypton. An engine of apocalypse.
Abilities
- •Unlimited superhuman strength — has killed Superman in hand-to-hand combat
- •Nearly indestructible — can only be killed the same way once
- •Resurrects after every death — adapts to whatever killed him so it can't work again
- •Evolves with each resurrection — gaining new powers and defenses
- •Bone protrusions across his body serve as natural weapons
- •Can survive in the vacuum of space and any environment
- •Healing factor that allows regeneration from near-total destruction
- •Unleashed rage-driven combat style with no strategy beyond total destruction
- •Created through genetic experimentation on ancient Krypton — the ultimate life form
Powers & Abilities
Biography
Doomsday is the monster who killed Superman. Created by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding in 1992, he arrived in comics with a single purpose: to end the life of the Man of Steel. And he did. In the streets of Metropolis, with the world watching, Superman and Doomsday killed each other in one of the most shocking moments in comic book history — a story that became a global cultural event and sold millions of copies.
Doomsday's origin was revealed in 1994's Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey. Hundreds of thousands of years ago on ancient Krypton, a mad scientist named Bertron sought to create the ultimate life form. He engineered a baby, exposed it to the deadly wilds of Krypton, and watched it die. Then he cloned the body, killed it again, and cloned it again. Over thousands of generations, each death made the creature stronger. Each resurrection gave it new adaptations. Eventually, the creature returned and killed Bertron himself. It killed everything on Krypton. Then it escaped into space and roamed the stars, a walking apocalypse with no purpose except destruction.
What makes Doomsday uniquely terrifying is his adaptation. Every time he is killed, he resurrects — and the thing that killed him will never work again. Superman beat him the first time by punching him to death. That won't work twice. Drown him in lava, and next time he'll be fireproof. Freeze him in the void of space, and next time he'll be immune to cold. He is, by design, the one enemy Superman cannot permanently defeat.
Doomsday has returned many times — each more powerful than the last. He appeared in Hunter/Prey, Doomsday Wars, Infinite Crisis, Superman: Doomed, and countless other stories. He has spawned clones, variants, and evolutionary dead-ends. He has fought the Justice League, Brainiac, Imperiex, and gods. Yet he remains what he was on that day in 1992 — a mindless engine of destruction with one purpose: to kill the Man of Steel. And to this day, he is the only villain who has ever truly succeeded.
First Appearances
Superman: The Man of Steel #17
1992First cameo of Doomsday — a mysterious arm punches through a door. The monster that would kill Superman is glimpsed for the very first time. One of the most important modern DC keys.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #18
1992First full appearance of Doomsday — the unstoppable killer is finally revealed. Dan Jurgens unleashes the monster on an unsuspecting world. The beginning of the Death of Superman saga.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #19
1992Doomsday battles the Justice League — Booster Gold, Blue Beetle, Fire, Ice, and Maxima fall one by one. The League cannot stop him. Only Superman can answer the call.
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Justice League America #69
1992Justice League vs. Doomsday — the team is decimated. Guy Gardner is knocked out with a single punch. Blue Beetle is beaten to a pulp. The League realizes this monster is beyond them.
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The Death of Superman
Superman #73
1992The death toll begins — Doomsday leaves a trail of destruction across America on his march toward Metropolis. Every hero who tries to stop him fails.
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Superman #74
1992Doomsday reaches Metropolis — Superman arrives for the first direct confrontation. The city is in chaos as Kal-El realizes this is a battle he may not survive.
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Superman #75
1992THE DEATH OF SUPERMAN — Doomsday and Superman kill each other in the streets of Metropolis. Black bag variant. One of the most iconic and valuable modern comics ever printed. A cultural phenomenon.
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Action Comics #684
1992Action Comics Death of Superman tie-in — Doomsday vs. Superman continues. The Daily Planet documents the fall. Part of the epic seven-part crossover.
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Adventures of Superman #497
1992Death of Superman continues — the battle rages across Metropolis. A major part of the Death of Superman storyline.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #20
1992Death of Superman continues — Doomsday and Superman wreck Metropolis. The scale of destruction is unprecedented in Superman comics.
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Superman #76
1993The aftermath — the world mourns Superman while Doomsday's body is taken into custody. The Reign of the Supermen begins as four replacements emerge.
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Hunter/Prey & Resurrection
Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1
1994First appearance of the resurrected Doomsday — Dan Jurgens writes and draws the prestige format sequel. Doomsday returns more powerful than ever and his ancient Kryptonian origin is finally revealed.
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Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #2
1994Doomsday's origin revealed — genetically engineered on ancient Krypton, killed and resurrected thousands of times until he became the ultimate killing machine. Every death made him stronger.
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Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #3
1994Superman defeats Doomsday — this time Kal-El survives. He exiles the monster to the end of time, hoping that will keep him away forever. It won't.
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Superman: The Doomsday Wars #1
1998Doomsday returns — a new miniseries. Dan Jurgens continues the saga. Doomsday has evolved again and Superman must face an even deadlier version.
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Superman: The Doomsday Wars #3
1999The Doomsday Wars conclude — the saga of the unstoppable monster continues to evolve as Doomsday proves he can always come back.
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Doomsday vs. The DC Universe
Superman #175
2001Superman vs. Doomsday rematch — Joe Kelly and Ed McGuinness bring Doomsday back for another clash. The monster has evolved once more with new abilities.
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Superman/Batman #3
2003Doomsday in Public Enemies — Jeph Loeb and Ed McGuinness include Doomsday among the villains sent against Superman and Batman. McGuinness draws the most visually striking Doomsday ever.
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Infinite Crisis #4
2006Doomsday unleashed during Infinite Crisis — the monster is brought back during the crisis, battling multiple heroes. DC's biggest event of the 2000s uses its most dangerous monster.
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52 #38
2007Doomsday appears in 52 — the weekly series introduces a clone version of Doomsday controlled by Lex Luthor's Everyman Project.
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Action Comics #870
2008Doomsday vs. Brainiac — the two greatest Superman threats collide. Geoff Johns writes the confrontation between the monster and the cosmic intellect.
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Doomsday Clone Saga
Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #1
1994The first true sequel — establishes that Doomsday cannot be stopped, only contained. The character's mythology expands beyond a single killing machine.
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Doomsday Annual #1
1995Doomsday Annual — exploring the monster's nature and origins. Rare collectible from the 90s Superman era.
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Superman: Doomsday's Decade
1995Various clones and variants of Doomsday appear throughout the Superman line during the 90s — exploring the concept that the original is not the only threat.
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Superman: Day of Doom #1
2002Day of Doom miniseries — a journalist investigates the anniversary of Superman's death. A reflective look at Doomsday's impact on the DC Universe. Dan Jurgens writes and draws.
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Reign of Doomsday
2011Reign of Doomsday crossover — multiple Doomsday clones are unleashed across DC, each uniquely evolved. Cyborg Superman leads the assault in a saga spanning multiple titles.
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The New 52 & Rebirth
Action Comics #23.4: Doomsday #1
2013Villains Month Doomsday one-shot — 3D lenticular cover variant. Scott Lobdell writes a modern Doomsday story. A highly collectible variant cover issue.
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Superman: Doomed #1
2014Superman: Doomed event begins — Superman kills Doomsday but the monster's essence infects him. Superman slowly becomes Doomsday himself. A fresh take on the rivalry.
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Action Comics #962
2016Rebirth-era Doomsday — Dan Jurgens returns to Superman in the Rebirth era, bringing Doomsday back to face the pre-Flashpoint Superman.
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Batman/Superman #32
2016Doomsday appears in Batman/Superman — tying into the Rebirth-era changes to DC continuity. Doomsday's role as apex threat continues.
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Doomsday Clock
Doomsday Clock #1
2017Doomsday Clock begins — Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's Watchmen sequel. While the title refers to the symbolic clock, Doomsday himself looms over DC's fate. A major event series.
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Doomsday Clock #12
2019Doomsday Clock conclusion — the future of the DC Universe is revealed with references to Doomsday's ongoing role as Superman's ultimate foe. The Watchmen crossover ends.
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Iconic Battles
Superman #75
1992THE death of Superman — the single most iconic Doomsday moment. Superman and Doomsday kill each other with their final blows. The black bag variant is one of the most collected comics ever.
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Superman/Doomsday: Hunter/Prey #3
1994Superman finally defeats Doomsday — Superman wins the rematch by exiling the monster to the end of time. A rare victory for the Man of Steel.
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Superman: Doomsday #1
2007Doomsday animated film tie-in — a companion comic to the animated movie. Doomsday reaches a new generation of fans.
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Superman vol. 2 #134
1998Doomsday vs. Imperiex — the ultimate monster clashes with cosmic destroyer. A showcase of DC's deadliest forces colliding.
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Justice League: The Darkseid War
2015Doomsday in the Darkseid War era — even among gods, Doomsday remains a threat. Geoff Johns finds room for the monster in his biggest Justice League epic.
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Collectors' Must-Haves
Superman #75 Black Bag
1992The black polybag edition of Superman #75 — sealed in a black plastic bag with a memorial armband, trading card, and special poster. One of the most iconic collectible editions in comics history.
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Superman: The Man of Steel #18 Newsstand
1992First full Doomsday newsstand variant — harder to find than direct editions. A valuable variant for collectors.
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Superman: Funeral for a Friend TPB
1993Funeral for a Friend trade paperback — collects the aftermath issues. The mourning of Superman after Doomsday's attack.
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Death of Superman TPB
1993The Death of Superman trade — collects the entire storyline. One of the best-selling trade paperbacks in comics history and an essential part of any collection.
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Doomsday Wars TPB
1999Doomsday Wars trade — collects the 1998 miniseries. Essential for any Doomsday collector.
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