The current volume of the Superman comic has already changed the character of Doomsday considerably. Recent issues revealed that the villain who killed the Man of Steel would eventually evolve into the Legion of Superheroes villain known as the Time Trapper. Now, a tie-in to the DC K.O. event has introduced a new retcon regarding Doomsday’s origins.
Written by Joshua Williamson, with art by Eddy Barrows and Eber Ferreira, Superman #31 centers around an evacuation of Earth. The Justice League tries to clear the planet in anticipation of the tournament that will allow one hero to bond with an Omega Seed meant to empower the recently resurrected Darkseid. It is the heroes’ hope this will let one of their number stop Darkseid and avert the impending destruction of Earth.
In considering the battle to come and Earth’s evacuation, Superman consults with the Jor-El AI in the Fortress of Solitude. However, his father denies any knowledge of Darkseid or the Omega Energy that empowers him existing in Krypton’s archives. Later, Superman tells Lois Lane of this conversation, but she senses more to the story.
Traveling to the Fortress of Solitude herself, Lois questions the Jor-El AI. She asks if there was knowledge that was not recorded in his archives. This triggers an AI of Lara Lor-Van, mother of Superman, who was a historian on Krypton. Lara talks with Lois about her knowledge of the secret lore of Krypton and her theory involving the being called Doomsday.
What is Doomsday’s new backstory?
According to Lara, while being isolationists, Krypton did have legends regarding a destroyer from another world called The Final God. She describes this being as “a dark omega presence that wanted to control all.” This sounds like a fair description of Darkseid.
Lara postulates that Superman’s ancestors sought to create a being based around the Alpha energy that counters Darkseid’s Omega energy. She suggests that Doomsday, who was a biological weapon created by ancient Kryptonians, is that Alpha being. His powers of being continually reborn and reinvented to survive anything are altogether the polar opposite of Darkseid’s powers of domination and destruction.
This retcon puts a novel twist on one of Superman’s greatest enemies. Additionally, it also offers a specific reason for the ancient Kryptonians to have created a being like Doomsday in the first place. However, it remains to be seen just what this revelation may mean in the wake of the DC K.O. event.
Superman #31 is now available at comic shops everywhere.
