Superman: The Man of Steel #18

History

Doomsday was conceived in 1991 during an annual brainstorming session among the Superman editorial team, driven by a shared concern that Superman's existing rogues gallery relied too heavily on technology or intellect rather than brute physical force. Editor Mike Carlin crystallized the idea by writing 'doomsday for Superman' on the planning whiteboard, and the phrase became the character's name. The creative team then held a rapid design competition — each artist sketching a look in minutes — before voting on the final appearance. Writer Louise Simonson scripted this issue with art and cover by penciller Jon Bogdanove and inker Dennis Janke, the series' regular creative team at the time, under Carlin's editorial oversight; the story was coordinated across four concurrent Superman titles using DC's 'Triangle Number' continuity system, with the issue's opening four pages previewed across the preceding month's Superman books as teasers to build anticipation.

Trivia · 7 facts

• First full appearance of Doomsday (created by Dan Jurgens), who had only been glimpsed as a gloved fist in the preceding issue, Superman: The Man of Steel #17 (November 1992).
• Written by Louise Simonson with pencils and cover by Jon Bogdanove and inks by Dennis Janke; edited by Mike Carlin, with Jennifer Frank as assistant editor.
• Part 1 of the seven-part 'Doomsday!' crossover arc, which continues in Justice League America #69 and then Superman (vol. 2) #74, Adventures of Superman #497, Action Comics #684, Superman: The Man of Steel #19, and concludes in Superman (vol. 2) #75.
• Doomsday is presented entirely shrouded in a containment suit with one arm restrained by burial cables throughout this issue, defeating the Justice League of America in a matter of minutes while functionally fighting one-handed.
• The issue carries DC Triangle Number 1992/45, placing it within the tight weekly continuity schedule across all Superman family titles of the era.
• The issue exists in at least five variant printings (including a newsstand edition), reflecting the heavy demand the 'Death of Superman' event generated.
• The story has been reprinted across numerous collected editions, including The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus (2007, 2013, 2019), Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Omnibus, The Death of Superman 30th Anniversary Deluxe Edition (2022), and the Superman: The Death and Return of Superman Compendium (2025).

Full credits

Key issues in Superman: The Man of Steel

Variants (5)