Superman has faced numerous deities in his quest to safeguard Earth from various cosmic dangers, yet few adversaries pose a threat as significant as Doomsday. While these divine beings typically pursue defined objectives—like Perpetua’s ambition to reconstruct the multiverse or Darkseid’s relentless quest for the Anti-Life Equation—Doomsday stands apart with an insatiable desire to annihilate all forms of life.
Doomsday may not be a god in the traditional sense, but his growing power warrants consideration of him as such. With unmatched strength, speed, and an uncanny ability to resurrect after death, Doomsday represents an undeniable cosmic menace—one that may even eclipse some of the most formidable gods in the DC Universe. Uncomfortably for Superman, it seems likely that Doomsday is evolving into one of the darkest divine entities in DC history.
10 Doomsday Can Move Faster Than the Speed of Sound
Action Comics #684 by Roger Stern, Butch Guice, Denis Rodier, Glenn Whitmore, and Bill Oakley
In a universe filled with speedsters, few can combine incredible speed with raw power. Notably, while the Flash holds the title as the fastest character, he falls short in sheer brute force, unable to demolish buildings or hurl Superman through cities. Doomsday, though, while not quite as fast, can still traverse at half the speed of sound.
At first glance, this speed may not seem remarkable, but it is part of Doomsday’s continuous evolution. As he grows stronger, his speed is likely to increase, and he might one day compete with The Flash. Although speed hasn’t traditionally defined his character, Doomsday has proven to keep pace with Superman and may develop god-like velocity in the future.
9 Doomsday Killed Radiant, a Being of Pure Energy
Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #2 by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Gregory Wright, and Bill Oakley
It is rare for an opponent to conquer Doomsday definitively. However, on the planet Calaton, the royal family summoned Radiant, a being composed of pure energy, who initially succeeded in defeating Doomsday. This victory seemed to ensure peace on Calaton, but tranquility was short-lived.
Years later, Doomsday returned to face Radiant again. This time, however, he had evolved to resist Radiant’s energy attacks and even to inflict physical damage. In a swift and brutal turnaround, Doomsday killed Radiant, demonstrating that even beings of pure energy are not immune to his might.
8 Doomsday Has Taken Over Four Thousand Punches from Superman
Action Comics #960 by Dan Jurgens, Tyler Kirkham, Ulises Arreola, Sonia Oback, and Rob Leigh
Certainly, few entities on Earth can endure a fully powered punch from Superman. Known for holding back his strength to avoid causing harm, Superman unleashed his full potential against Doomsday, delivering over four thousand strikes without achieving a decisive victory.
Doomsday’s remarkable durability underscores his cosmic prowess; he absorbed more punches from Superman than most villains combined. This feat illustrates that Doomsday’s resilience transcends even that of other formidable foes like Darkseid.
7 Doomsday Wasn’t Even Stopped by a Million Nuclear Bombs
Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey #3 by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Gregory Wright, and Bill Oakley
While Superman has showcased extraordinary durability, he pales in comparison to Doomsday. In Frank Miller’s The Dark Knight Returns, a solitary nuclear bomb nearly annihilated Superman, whereas Doomsday was exposed to what amounted to a million nuclear blasts without any adverse effects.
Doomsday emerged from the devastation unharmed and continued his assault on Superman despite the catastrophic explosion. The terrain itself was left glassy smooth from the blast, yet Doomsday stood unscathed, substantiating his godlike endurance.
6 Doomsday Nearly Wiped Out the Green Lantern Corps
Doomsday Annual #1 by Jerry Ordway, Dennis Janke, Glenn Whitmore, Kevin Cunningham, Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, John Nyberg, Roger Stern, and Gil Kane
While the Justice League serves to protect Earth, the Green Lantern Corps maintains order across the cosmos. When Doomsday posed a threat, the Green Lanterns rushed to intervene. In a particularly catastrophic encounter, he took on thousands of Green Lanterns, decimating them with ease.
So overwhelming was Doomsday’s force that he even appropriated a Green Lantern’s ring, enabling him to traverse the universe and continue his rampage.
5 Even the Guardians of the Universe Failed to Defeat Doomsday
Doomsday Annual #1 by Jerry Ordway, Dennis Janke, Glenn Whitmore, Kevin Cunningham, Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, John Nyberg, Roger Stern, and Gil Kane
The Guardians of the Universe, creators of the Green Lanterns, wield immeasurable power. After Doomsday’s victory over the Green Lanterns, he faced a single Guardian whose unleashed might resulted in a devastating explosion that obliterated their entire location and tore a rift in space without defeating Doomsday.
4 Doomsday Has Defeated the Justice League Several Times
Superman: The Doomsday Wars by Dan Jurgens, Norm Rapmund, Gregory Wright, and John Workman
Upon his initial arrival on Earth, Doomsday presented an insurmountable challenge, defeating significant numbers of superheroes. After his body was commandeered by Brainiac, the augmented power he amassed was sufficient to topple the entire Justice League, leaving Superman as the sole survivor.
Doomsday’s track record of overpowering the Justice League places him alongside cosmic adversaries like Perpetua and Darkseid, establishing him as a true threat who requires the entirety of Superman’s resolve to confront.
3 Even Darkseid Is No Match for Doomsday
Doomsday Annual #1 by Jerry Ordway, Dennis Janke, Glenn Whitmore, Kevin Cunningham, Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Louise Simonson, Chris Batista, John Nyberg, Roger Stern, and Gil Kane
Darkseid is often considered one of the greatest threats to the Justice League, utilizing immense power regularly. However, in a rather astonishing clash, he found himself utterly outmatched by Doomsday, who not only held his ground but dominated the encounter.
The usually potent Omega Effect proved ineffective, leaving Darkseid on the verge of defeat. Only when Superman intervened did they manage to stave off Doomsday, though it was less a victory than a strategic retreat for the monster.
2 Doomsday Was the First Villain to Beat Superman to Death
Superman #75 by Dan Jurgens, Brett Breeding, Glenn Whitmore, and John Costanza
Doomsday’s most infamous accolade is undoubtedly his unparalleled defeat of Superman. In the landmark issue Superman #75, heralding the ‘Death of Superman’ saga, he managed to do the unthinkable—defeat the Man of Steel. This moment cemented Doomsday’s status as one of the most terrifying adversaries within the DC Universe.
This event left a deep psychological impact not only on Superman but also on his allies. Even young Jon Kent viewed Doomsday as a nightmare figure, and Superman himself recognized him as the only villain to truly instill fear, despite numerous encounters with other formidable foes.
1 Doomsday Couldn’t Even Be Contained by Hell
Superman #15 by Joshua Williamson, Rafa Sandoval, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher
All of Doomsday’s extraordinary displays of resilience and might underscore his potential divinity, particularly evident in how he refused to be confined—even by Hell. After being vanquished and sent to the underworld, Doomsday nearly succeeded in usurping the throne from the First of the Fallen. Though he failed, he still managed to break free, a feat that resonates in storylines leading into 2025.
This definitive action of escaping Hell, a place designed for eternal confinement, emphasizes that Doomsday is on a trajectory towards godhood. While he may not be classified as a deity just yet, his ongoing evolution suggests that he will soon surpass Superman in terms of power.
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