Superman, the iconic superhero created by DC Comics, has been a cultural staple for decades. As with any comic book character, death is a frequent occurrence for Superman. He has “died” multiple times in comics, television shows, and films. In this article, we will take a look at Superman’s Most Memorable Deaths: Who Did the Deed? Highlighting the villains responsible for his demise. From classic storylines to more recent adaptations, we will delve into the moments where the Man of Steel met his end. While it’s worth noting that death in comics is often not permanent, these deaths have left a lasting impact on the character and his fans.
Superman’s Most Memorable Deaths: Who Did the Deed?
The Death of Superman – Killed by Doomsday
“The Death of Superman” is a storyline that was published in 1992 by DC Comics. The story arc, which ran through the Superman comic book titles, saw the Man of Steel facing off against the monstrous villain Doomsday. The battle between Superman and Doomsday was fierce and brutal, with both combatants seemingly determined to emerge victorious. However, in the end, it was Doomsday who emerged victorious, as he dealt the fatal blow to Superman.
The death of Superman was a significant event in comics and popular culture, as it marked the first time that the character had been killed in a mainstream comic book. The storyline was met with both critical acclaim and controversy, with many fans mourning the loss of the iconic superhero. The death of Superman also led to a series of follow-up storylines, including “Funeral for a Friend” and “Reign of the Supermen,” which explored the aftermath of Superman’s death and the emergence of new characters claiming to be the Man of Steel.
Superman Returns – Killed by Lex Luthor
“Superman Returns” is a 2006 film directed by Bryan Singer. The film, which stars Brandon Routh as Superman, is a continuation of the Superman film series that began in the 1970s and 1980s. In the film, Superman returns to Earth after a five-year absence to discover that his love interest, Lois Lane, has moved on and has a child. Meanwhile, his arch-nemesis Lex Luthor is planning to destroy the planet by creating a new continent, while also trying to kill Superman.
In the climax of the film, Superman sacrifices himself to stop Lex Luthor’s plan. He flies the Kryptonian crystal at high speed and with great force into the ocean, causing a massive explosion that destroys Lex’s new continent and the crystal. Superman is believed to be dead, but later it is revealed that he is alive, but in a comatose state. The film ends with Superman being found alive but in a comatose state. He is being taken care of by Lois and her child.
The ending of the film is a reference to the classic comic book storyline “The Death of Superman” and its follow-up “Funeral for a Friend,” as well as the resurrection of the character. The film received mixed reviews from critics and was a box office success. It is considered as a loose adaptation of the storyline of “The Death of Superman” and its follow-up “Funeral for a Friend.”
Crisis on Infinite Earths – Killed by Anti-Monitor
In the “Crisis on Infinite Earths” storyline, Superman is killed while trying to stop the Anti-Monitor, the main villain of the story. The Anti-Monitor is a powerful being who seeks to destroy the multiverse, and Superman joins a team of heroes from various parallel worlds to stop him.
In the final battle, Superman sacrifices himself to save the multiverse by using his heat vision to destroy the Anti-Monitor’s anti-matter cannon, which is the source of his power. The blast from the cannon is too much for Superman, and he dies because of, his injuries. His death is not just a physical death, but also the death of his identity as Clark Kent.
Superman’s death in “Crisis on Infinite Earths” was a significant moment in comics as it marked the first time that DC had killed off one of its major characters. It was also a significant event in terms of the character’s development and showed how much of a hero he truly is. Despite his death, Superman’s legacy and influence continued to be felt in the DC universe, and he has since been resurrected in various forms.
This event was a huge storyline that ran in 1985-1986 and it had a big impact on DC Comics history, it was considered as a major event in the DC Universe, it was a crossover event that involved almost every series published by DC at the time, and it was the first time that DC Comics characters from different eras and parallel worlds came together.
Injustice: Gods Among Us – killed by Batman
In the “Injustice: Gods Among Us” storyline, Superman is killed by Batman, his longtime ally. In this alternate universe, Superman becomes a dictator after the Joker tricks him into killing Lois Lane and their unborn child. This leads to Superman’s descent into madness and he starts to believe that the only way to bring peace is to rule the world with an iron fist. Batman, who is against Superman’s methods, forms a resistance to stop him.
In the final confrontation, Batman uses a kryptonite-tipped spear to kill Superman, in order to stop him from destroying the world and saving millions of lives. This death of Superman was a significant moment in the Injustice comics, as it marked the first time that Batman had killed one of his allies. It also shows how far Batman is willing to go to stop his friend and how much he cares about saving lives.
Superman’s death in “Injustice” was a turning point for the story and the characters. It was a tragic event that showed how power can corrupt even the most noble of characters and how far friends are willing to go to stop each other. This event was a major storyline that ran from 2013 to 2016 and it had a significant impact on the Injustice universe.
Batman V Superman: Dawn Of Justice – killed by Doomsday
In the 2016 film “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice,” Batman kills Superman in the climax of the film. The film depicts a confrontation between the two iconic superheroes, with Batman initially viewing Superman as a threat to humanity and believing he needs to be stopped. However, as the film progresses, Batman realizes that Superman is not the enemy and joins forces with him to fight the true villain, Lex Luthor.
In the final battle, Superman is weakened by the use of Kryptonite and is on the brink of death. Lex Luthor uses a Kryptonite-powered monster, Doomsday, to attack Superman and the rest of the Justice League. Batman, realizing that Superman is the only one who can stop Doomsday, gives him a spear made of Kryptonite, the only thing that can harm Superman. Superman uses the spear to impale Doomsday, killing him but also dying from his wounds.
Kingdom Come – killed by Magog
“Kingdom Come” is a four-issue limited series published by DC Comics in 1996, written by Mark Waid and illustrated by Alex Ross. The story is set in the future of the DC Universe and deals with Superman’s return from retirement.
In the story, Superman has retired from active duty as a superhero and has become a hermit after the destruction of Coast City. He is brought back into action by a new generation of heroes who are causing more harm than good. Superman tries to mentor the new heroes and guide them on the path of righteousness, but they refuse to listen to him.
In the final confrontation, Superman faces off against Magog, a new hero who has a violent and dangerous approach to fighting crime. Magog kills Superman by impaling him with his spear, during the final battle. Superman’s death in “Kingdom Come” is a significant moment in the story and it serves as a commentary on the darker, more violent direction that comics had taken in the 90s.
For The Man Who Has Everything – killed by Moore
One of the standout episodes of the sequel show is an adaptation of Alan Moore’s “For The Man Who Has Everything.” In this episode, Superman is trapped in a dreamscape created by the Black Mercy plant, controlled by the villainous Mongul. The dream shows Superman living a peaceful life on a Kryptonian farm with a wife and son, which is his deepest desire. However, to return to reality, he must let go of this dream and accept the destruction of his son, wife and entire world. As expected, Superman is not pleased when he wakes up from this dream.
Also Read: Why Superman is Afraid of Kryptonite
