Judgment DayDC's most infamous moment in DC history is the murder of Supermana groundbreaking sequence that became a landmark in Man of Steel history. However, this isn't the first Doomsday death; there is another that carries just as much, if not more, thematic weight. Doomsday's first murder defines his role in DC lore as an unyielding force of evil, proving that he is Superman's moral opposite.
Superman: The Man of Steel #18 – written by Louise Simonson, with art by Jon Bogdanove – features Doomsday's first proper appearance in the DC canon, as he begins his destructive rampage. Before any human victim, however, Doomsday participates in a first death that stands out from the rest. A bird flies into his outstretched hand as he looks at the distant city, and without a second thought, Doomsday crushes the bird.
This first death on the Doomsday page demonstrates his carelessness with life and thus solidifies him as DC's 'Satan' in response to the divine figure that is Superman.
Superman: Man of Steel #18 – Written by Louise Jones Simonson; Art by Jon Bogdanove; Ink by Dennis Janke; Color by Glenn Whitmore; Bill Oakley lyrics
That Doomsday's first death was a harmless bird rather than something more powerful is a grim testament to his moral character - or rather, his lack thereof. Not only killing the bird in cold blood but also laughing about it after the fact suggests that he takes pleasure in harming innocent creatures; Doomsday doesn't care about the sanctity of the lives he destroys, while Superman believes every life is worth saving. Judgment Day continues to wreak havoc throughout the city and eliminate other beings, and the flaming images and wicked laughter that accompany its achievement raise satanic implications.
Doomsday's killing of a sparrow in his introduction sets him up as the antithesis of goodness, which is exemplified by Superman.
There is also a biblical meaning to this Judgment Day death, further expanding this perspective on his role in Superman lore. According to Matthew 10:29, "Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside of his Father's care." What this biblical quote means is that even though sparrows may seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things, their lives are still important to God. Therefore, Doomsday's killing of a sparrow in his introduction sets him up as the antithesis of goodness, as exemplified by Superman. This satanic image of Doomsday persists even after his debut.
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The time that Judgment Day spent in Hell makes the satanic metaphor at play in its depiction even more prevalent. The doomsday torment in the underworld only makes him stronger, as is the nature of his being. His inability to die makes him a distorted mirror of the immortal Superman, acting as yet another parallel between the two as conflicting forces. The damned souls in Hell even hail him as their king, as they would Satanas seen in Action Comics Gifts: Doomsday Special #1.
Action Comics Gifts: Doomsday Special #1 – was written by Dan Watters, with art by Eddy Barrows, Eber Ferreira, Adriano Lucas and Dave Sharpe. In the story, Martian Manhunter and Supergirl visit Hell as Doomsday prepares to escape, and convince the souls to form a blockade so he cannot break free. The issue is now available from DC Comics!
Although Martian Manhunter and Supergirl are successful in trapping Doomsday in Hell for a time, the monster never stops trying to break out of his fiery captivity. It took a while, but Doomsday is finally out of Hell and he makes his shocking return to the world above in Superman #19, by Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora. Now that Doomsday has returned to the land of the living, his long-awaited rematch with Superman approaches. With this, DC sets the stage for the final confrontation between its supernatural manifestations of good and evil.
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Superman and the Doomsday conflict and its biblical implications
Unlike Doomsday, Superman embodies the good in the DC Universe. He protects all living things, both on Earth and beyond - evidenced by his epic story "Warworld Saga", where he fought for the people of a distant planet. If Judgment Day is the one who causes harm to an innocent sparrow in the biblical passage, Superman is the one who cares for the sparrow and cares for it as he would any other life. As such, Superman takes on a divine role in this metaphor, as he is destined to fight Judgment Day in defense of the precious lives he treats as sacred.
DC has confirmed that Superman and Doomsday will be the last hero and villain at the end of the universe, participating in one last climactic confrontation. This apocalyptic image of their confrontation cements these two as symbols of good and evil in DC lore. Light cannot exist without darkness, or vice versa, making this a battle between the divine and the damned that will last for the life of the universe. When everything else is over, Superman will take a stand against the monster and prove that good triumphs over evil - thus avenging all lives Judgment Day took, no matter how small.
Superman: The Man of Steel #18 is now available from DC Comics!