Doomsday's New Nickname Gives Him the Galactus-Level Respect He Deserves

WARNING! Spoilers for Superman #22Doomsday now has a nickname that finally does justice to his true destructive nature. The new nickname officially classifies Doomsday as a Galactus-level threat, a force of nature that is capable of destroying entire worlds. The storyline currently playing out in the Superman comic has put the spotlight on Doomsday, showing fans a completely different take on the villain responsible for killing the Man of Steel.

Superman #22 by Joshua Williamson and Dan Mora continues the story of Superman and Superwoman, who arrive in Metropolis in time to view an alien armada known as the “Aftermath” appearing in the sky and demanding that Doomsday be released into their custody.

The preview for the issue reveals that the leader of the Aftermath is a survivor from the world Calaton, the planet that Doomsday destroyed in Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey by Dan Jurgens. This backstory is why the Calaton survivor dubs Doomsday the “Killer of Worlds,” as he’s seen Doomsday’s brutality firsthand.

Doomsday Is the “Killer of Worlds” in New Superman Story

Superman #22 by Joshua Williamson, Dan Mora, Alejandro Sánchez, and Ariana Maher

Jurgens’ Superman / Doomsday: Hunter / Prey was originally released in 1994 and featured the return of Doomsday after he killed the Man of Steel in the Death of Superman crossover. Hunter / Prey also tells the origin of Doomsday for the very first time, revealing that he was the result of the experiments of the scientist Bertron in Krypton’s prehistory. That cruel experiment involved placing a human infant in Krypton’s inhospitable environs, collecting its DNA, and producing a clone to once more send out into the hellish landscape of prehistoric Krypton. After decades, the final result was the ultimate killing machine: Doomsday.

Doomsday eventually killed his creators and left Krypton to rage across the universe. Arriving at the planet Calaton, Doomsday laid waste to that world for over three years. The last Calatonians combined their life forces together in a last-ditch attempt, creating the super-being known as the Radiant. The Radiant defeated Doomsday with a massive burst of energy that destroyed much of Calaton in the process. The survivors took Doomsday’s body and shackled it within a deep space coffin. It rocketed through space and eventually landed on Earth, kicking off the original Death of Superman story.

Will Superman Hand Over Doomsday to the Aftermath?

Superman #22 Variant Cover by Mico Suayan and Romulo Fajardo Jr.

Superman and Doomsday have had a few rematches through the years, but their latest meeting might just be the most interesting. The current story arc in Superman sees the Man of Steel encountering the latest version of the Time Trapper, revealed to be the ultimate evolution of Doomsday at the end of time. The Time Trapper wants Superman to kill him in the past to prevent a bleak future, but Superman merely imprisons the recently-freed Doomsday with the help of Supercorp. The arrival of the Aftermath and their demand to take Doomsday seemingly solves Superman’s current dilemma, but there’s likely a catch that will complicate everything.

Superman #22 is available January 22nd, 2025 from DC Comics.