Superman: Doomed (Comics) | Review

What happens when the Man of Steel stops being Superman and starts becoming something else entirely different and unrecognizable? Not through mind control or cosmic trickery but through a slow, horrifying and irreversible transformation into the very thing he destroyed.

That question drives Superman: Doomed, a sprawling and ambitious New 52 crossover event that takes DC's biggest icon and pushes him well past his breaking point into truly dangerous new territory. This isn't your typical superhero beatdown where good triumphs and everyone simply goes home safely, happy and unscathed.

Sure, Doomsday shows up with renewed vengeance. Yes, there's a massive and destructive fight that tears through Smallville but here's where things get truly interesting: winning the battle becomes the worst thing Superman could have done for himself and everyone he loves.

The deadly virus Superman absorbs from Doomsday's rotting corpse doesn't just affect his body or physical form alone. It rewires his entire mind completely, strips away his natural restraint and self-control and turns Clark Kent into a terrifying gray-spiked rage monster who frightens everyone he's ever sworn to protect and serve.

Doomsday escapes from the Phantom Zone, upgraded and far deadlier than ever before. This deadly version carries a lethal virus that incinerates absolutely everything within a hundred yards, meaning only Superman can face it directly without causing mass casualties worldwide.

After a brutal confrontation that ends with Superman literally tearing Doomsday in half above Smallville, Clark inhales all of the deadly toxin to prevent global contamination and widespread planetary death. Noble move, absolutely heroic but also the most terrible and horrifying consequences imaginable for everyone involved.

The infection transforms Superman into something between hero and monster. Gray spikes erupt from his knuckles. His eyes burn red constantly. His aggression spikes to dangerous levels and the Justice League debates whether containment strategies might become necessary.

Wonder Woman and Batman desperately search the Phantom Zone for answers, discovering that Xa-Du deliberately released Doomsday as part of some larger mysterious scheme. Meanwhile, Clark battles the Doomsday consciousness inside his own mind, struggling to maintain control as the transformation accelerates.

Here's the twist that elevates this beyond typical crossover chaos: Brainiac orchestrated everything from the start. The AI villain engineered Superman's infection deliberately, using it as a weapon to soften Earth's defenses before launching his full-scale invasion attempt.

When Brainiac's massive mothership arrives and begins assimilating humanity's collective consciousness, Superman faces an impossible decision that defines the entire event. To defeat Brainiac, he must fully embrace the dangerous Superdoom transformation, risking permanent corruption and losing his true self forever more.

The story builds on plot threads from earlier New 52 arcs that casual readers might miss without proper context or background. Action Comics developed Lana Lang's deep connection to Smallville and introduced Dr. Shay Veritas as Superman's scientific advisor and confidant.

Superman/Wonder Woman established Clark's romantic relationship with Diana and their brutal conflict with the rogue Kryptonian Zod that left deep psychological scars. The Superman title showed Lois Lane being brainwashed by Brainiac much earlier, creating the mental link that becomes key to how this climax actually resolves.

These threads converge when brainwashed Lois, operating as Brainiac's agent, declares Superman an enemy while secretly working to transfer Brainiac's psychic abilities to Clark. This gives him power to cure the Doomsday virus but only after pushing through the transformation.

The creative team's experience with duality-driven stories shines through brilliantly in the layered conflict between Clark and the monster inside him. The mental battleground sequences show Superman fighting for every ounce of control, making tactical decisions while his body wants nothing but pure, unfiltered destruction.

The finale delivers genuine stakes that ripple across the entire Multiverse. Superman uses Brainiac's stolen psychic abilities to purge the Doomsday virus but the victory directly sets up DC's Convergence event with reality-altering changes that extend beyond one hero's survival.

Twenty-five artists contributed to this 500-page collection, creating inevitable inconsistency that damages the reading experience. Aaron Kuder (Action Comics: Last Rites, Superboy: Paradox) brings stylish precision that captures both Superman's heroism and Superdoom's menace with dynamic design works throughout.

Tony Daniel (Action Comics: Hybrid, Batman: R.I.P.) renders a genuinely frightening Hulked-out Superman using heavy shadows and aggressive linework. Ken Lashley showcases expressive character work, giving emotional weight to Superman's internal struggle against the corruption.

The lower tier reveals the strain. Thony Silas's later chapters feature distorted anatomy that undermines dramatic moments. Constant style shifts every few pages become distracting, preventing readers from settling into any single artistic vision for extended sequences.

Writers Charles Soule (Civil War II, Death of X), Greg Pak (Incredible Hulk: Planet Hulk, World War Hulk) and Scott Lobdell split duties unevenly. Pak nails the psychological warfare between Clark and his monstrous alter ego, while Soule contributes solid action but occasionally forced dialogue that sounds unnatural and expository.

Superman: Doomed attempts something ambitious by taking the framework of Death of Superman and asking what happens after the hero wins. The concept delivers genuine intrigue through internal conflict, forcing Clark to question whether victory came at too high a cost.

The execution stumbles badly under its own considerable weight. At over 500 pages spanning multiple titles, the crossover bloats with far too much unnecessary padding and contradicting plot threads. Twenty-five artists create visual whiplash that prevents sustained artistic excellence throughout the reading experience.

For committed Superman fans who don't mind crossover complexity, Doomed offers the New 52's most ambitious Man of Steel story with strong premises and villain pairings. However, casual readers should look elsewhere due to massive page count and structural issues.

Worth reading if you're deep in the New 52 Superman era and want to see Clark pushed to his absolute breaking point with genuine consequences. Skip if you prefer tighter storytelling or lack patience for editorial sprawl that tests endurance more than it entertains, especially when artists and writers create inconsistent tone shifts.

Superman: Doomed crossover event is collected in hardcover and trade paperback by DC Comics. Physical editions are available through local comic-book shops, bookstores and online retailers. Digital versions can be read on Amazon Kindle, ComiXology and DC Universe Infinite.