With a new Superman movie flying its way to cinemas soon, it would be nice if we could see a character who could match or overpower the Man of Steel. Doomsday would provide that challenge to the Last Son of Krypton. But for those who has no idea who Doomsday is, here's a brief feature on it.
Who is Doomsday?
Doomsday was best known for bringing death to Superman. It is a creature built to survive at all costs. Created millenia ago, his cruel and inhumane upbringing and long history of battle have made him a ruthless monster.
Doomsday is a fictional character, a supervillain that appears in comic books published by DC Comics. The character first appears in Superman: The Man of Steel #18 (Nov. 1992), and was created by writer-artist Dan Jurgens.
What are its Powers and Abilities?
Note: Due to the nature of comicbooks being an on-going tale, the character's powers along with its appearance, is in a constant state of flux.
Evolutionary Regenerative Healing Factor: Doomsday was created and evolved through cloning an infant and having it killed over and over again by one of the most dangerous species of the universe and in one of the harshest habitats in existence, prehistoric Krypton. As such, he returns to life every time he dies and becomes resistant or immune to what killed him before.
Adaptive Resistances: Doomsday can also develop and evolve resistances to whatever injures or harms him.
Adaptive Countermeasures: Doomsday can also develop weapons and evolutions to counter an opponent.
Bone Protrusions: As a result of these evolutions, Doomsday is covered by "Bone Protrusions" all throughout his body that serves as added protection for what few vital organs he has and as weapons.
Absorption Cells: Throughout Doomsday's Kryptonian body the monster can replicate and store the special abilities of any super-beings in his immediate proximity using "Absorption Cells". With every being he encounters, Doomsday becomes even more powerful and virtually unstoppable by copying their powers. Powers gained courtesy of this one are the abilities of Steel, including a stainless, metallic, steel body armor, new stainless, metallic, steel Bone Protrusions, and the power of flight.
Superhuman Strength: Doomsday is able to easily lift in excess of 100 tons.
Superhuman Durability: His other abilities include extreme resistance to extreme temperatures and physical injury allowing him to survive on the most inhospitable worlds as well as survive in the vacuum of space. Doomsday's resistance to injury is increased further due to his lack of internal organs.
Superhuman Stamina: Doomsday possesses almost inexhaustible stamina.
Superhuman Speed & Reflexes: Most surprising are his reflexes and speed for his bulked and built size.
Solar Radiation Absorption: Similar to Superman's Kryptonian DNA, Doomsday absorbs and processes solar radiation and can store it for thousands of years.
Self-Sustenance: As a result of his engineering, Doomsday does not need to eat, drink, breathe, or sleep and can survive in the vacuum of space.
What are the changes it underwent?
1. 1st appearance
When we first see Doomsday, he has wearing some restraining suit and cables but that didn't hold him long. We would see him later going through the ranks of the Justice League easily until he met Superman, and we have one of the most memorable event in comic book history, the Death of Superman.
2. Hunter / Prey
After the events of the Death of Superman, Doomsday was hurled into space bound on a rock, with a careful planned trajectory the creature should not have encountered any living beings but greedy salvagers came upon the rock took it, and brought it to Apokolips, to Darkseid. We learn in this series the origin of Doomsday. Doomsday now has a standardized look, with a bulky frame and bony protrusions all over his body.
3. Doomsday Wars
In Doomsday Wars, another Superman villain Brainiac wanted to transfer his intellect from his damaged body to the seemingly indestructible Doomsday.
4. Worlds at War
In our Worlds at War storyline, Doomsday met one of his demise in the hands of Imperiex.
5. Sentience
Next time we see Doomsday, he has developed sentience, which made him at first more dangerous. But later on sacrificed this intellect to save Superman.
6. Supermen vs. Doomsday
During Infinite Crisis, Doomsday was freed from captivity in a cavern near the center of the Earth by Doctor Psycho and Warp. He was then mind-controlled by Doctor Psycho and used as the "spear-carrier" of a supervillain assault on Metropolis. Kal-El and Kal-L teamed up and made quick work of the creature.
7. Doomsday Mobbed
Doomsday returns again in Metropolis where the Kryptonian representatives of Kandor meet with the President. Doomsday was then apparently killed on Earth's moon when Superman, Supergirl, and many of Kandor's inhabitants pummeled him to death, crushing the monster's skull.
8. Reign of Doomsday
After his death at the hands of the Kryptonians, Doomsday comes back to life more powerful than ever and begins to carve a new path of destruction throughout the DC Universe. This time Doomsday's protrusions are no longer bones but made up of harder metallic substance.
Other days of Doomsday
1. Lifeline
A Doomsday duplicate faced off with Wonder Woman, despite the duplicate possessing all of Doomsday's raw strength, Wonder Woman was able to shatter the false Doomsday when he was given access to so much power that his bone spurs covered his body, leaving him unable to move and reduced to a simple statue that Wonder Woman was able to shatter.
2. AAB
All-American Boy is a Doomsday clone made to be a perfect Superman killing machine with Kryptonite laced bone protrusions. (Chaching! Superman say your prayers!)
As always there are other versions, that I have missed, just be kind enough to point it out in the comment section below.
Who has portrayed it in Live Comic Book Movies?
Doomsday has been adapted to live media once, and in our favorite TV show - Smallville. *wink* *wink* As always Smallville adds their spin to it, Doomsday here is a Hulkesque character that has an alter ego Davis Bloome played by Sam Witwer. Doomsday here is portrayed by bodybuilder Dario Delacio.
sources : http://dc.wikia.com/wiki/Doomsday_(New_Earth) : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doomsday_(comics) : http://www.comicvine.com/doomsday/29-9989/ : http://www.supermantv.net/wallpaperbattles/doomsday.htm : http://www.myspace.com/doom4u
This is the 7th article in my Know Your CBM Character series. Any requests and suggestions for an article for this series write it down in the comment section BELOW.
Note: Any error in the article above, if any, just blame it on my age, humanity and ignorance. Just be sure to check the comment section for the corrections, any error I made will surely be pointed out and corrected by much bigger geeks (because there will always be a bigger geek out there). -This has been PollMaster inviting you to the geekside.