Doomsday (comics)

Doomsday
Doomsday in Batman/Superman vol. 2 #3.1 (2013). Art by Brett Boot.
Publication information
Publisher	DC Comics
First appearance	Superman: The Man of Steel #17 (November, 1992)
Created by	Dan Jurgens Brett Breeding Jerry Ordway Louise Simonson Roger Stern
In-story information
Species	Prehistoric Kryptonian
Place of origin	Krypton
Team affiliations	Secret Society of Super Villains, Suicide Squad
Notable aliases	The Ultimate, The One Who Killed Superman, The Destroyer
Abilities	Superhuman strength, speed and stamina Invulnerability Immortality Accelerated healing factor Reactive adaptation/self-evolution Power replication Immunity to telepathy Incredible willpower

Doomsday is a fictional supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly in association with Superman. Doomsday made a cameo appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #17 (November 1992) and made his first full appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (December 1992). The character was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens, who wanted to create a villain who could be a physical challenge for Superman in a straight fight as most of his current foes relied on technology and intellect to oppose the Man of Steel, or, in the case of Metallo and the Parasite, had some natural advantage.

Imagine Games Network's (IGN's) list of the Top 100 Comic Book Villains of All Time ranked Doomsday as #46. He is best known as the character who killed Superman. The character appears in the 2016 film Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, voiced and performed by Robin Atkin Downes through motion-capture.

Doomsday was conceived in 1991 during an annual brainstorming session with the editors and writers of Superman comics, in response to a concern by some writers that most of Superman's foes at this point either relied on their intellects to outmaneuver Superman or had some particular advantage against him, wanting to create a foe with great physical power to match the Man of Steel. Several writers proposed having Superman die at the hands of a "beastial foe", and editor Mike Carlin scribbled this idea on the wall chart as "doomsday for Superman". Inspired, they chose "Doomsday" as the name for this villain.

Doomsday was glimpsed in Superman: The Man of Steel #17 (Nov. 1992), and made his first full appearance in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (Dec. 1992).