Issue # 15 – DOOMSDAY
Metropolis:
It made no sound as it descended through the atmosphere. Nobody saw it coming, not even Superman. As it neared the city, it didn't turn or try to avoid collision as it crashed straight through the IRS building and emerged on the other side, crashing into the street below.
The people of Metropolis were stunned. As police arrived to block off the area around the capsule, no one could make any sense of it. Lois Lane was one of the first reporters to get to the scene and as Jimmy Olsen took photographs of the strange capsule, Lois looked skywards, expecting to see Supergirl. She knew that Superman was on the other side of the world, trying to prevent Mount Fuji from erupting.
Clark Kent had travelled to Japan to cover the story, so Lois knew she had a great chance of getting the exclusive on the mysterious alien craft that now rested in a crater in the centre of the city.
LexCorp:
"Are you sure it will work?"
"Do you doubt me Luthor? This weapon will ensure that the beast is destroyed after it has served its purpose. The planet will then be yours to control."
"What about Supergirl?"
"She is insignificant. The beast will eliminate her."
"This had better work Brainiac…"
The transmission ended and Luthor walked to the window, staring down at the space pod on the street below. Today was set to become an iconic day in world history.
Tokyo:
Superman flew into the volcano, surrounded by molten lava. He began to dig underground, creating a tunnel for the magma to pour through, releasing pressure and preventing eruption as the lava flowed through the tunnel and out to sea. He had saved the day once again.
Minutes later, Clark Kent was sitting in a restaurant, getting ready to enjoy the finer points of Japanese cuisine. He wasn't due back in Metropolis until the next day, so he decided to relax for a few hours, knowing that his cousin would be able to handle things around the world for a while.
Metropolis:
Steam started to rise from the capsule as the main hatch began to open. Lois thought she saw something inside, but she couldn't be sure. Grabbing Jimmy's camera out of his hands, she used it like a telescope, zooming in for a close up of the craft. It began to shake violently, and soon the ground around it was shaking too as the capsule was blown apart, sending debris everywhere. People began to run, except for Lois who remained firm, determined to get the story. Putting the camera down, she watched as the steam began to clear.
Her face told the whole story. Lois grew pale and began to back away slowly from what she was seeing. In front of her stood a being unlike anything she had ever seen. He was tall, muscular, like a Neanderthal. His bones seemed to come through his strange skin and his eyes had a look of real menace.
The being looked around, spotting the flashing lights of a police car parked near by. Drawn towards it, he swung his arm, striking the car and sending it flying through the window of a nearby fashion store.
The police opened fire immediately, round after round being aimed at the monster that stood before them. Bullets flew through the air and rebounded against him. The beast just smiled, picking up another car, intending to slam it down and crush the cops shooting at him.
He brought the car down but was stopped before it could do any damage. The beast looked confused as he saw a girl holding the other end of the car…Supergirl.
"You need to learn to play nice."
Kara took in some air and blew a strong gust of wind at the beast, sending him back across the street. Smiling to herself she turned back to the cops who were grateful to be still alive.
"I hate to ask…but do you mind if I use this? I need batting practice."
"Go ahead, the engine's totalled anyway."
Kara grinned as she held the car out and flew at speed towards the monster that was attacking the city, swinging the car and striking him. The monster pulled back his arm and swung violently, destroying the car as Kara tried to hit him again.
Lois had stayed to watch the battle between the beast and Supergirl. Each attack was more violent than the last, each punch created a sound that could be heard a mile away. She smiled to herself as she looked behind her, spotting Jimmy hiding in the background, having grabbed his camera back from Lois and went to find cover, only emerging for brief moments to take pictures.
Lois took out her phone and called her boss back at the Planet, describing what she was seeing. She was surprised that Superman hadn't shown up yet, but Supergirl was holding her own against the alien menace.
"Yeah Chief hold the front page…well Superman was always gonna save Tokyo, but this is a real slugfest…"
Lois paused as she watched Supergirl grab the beast and fly up into the air, then crashing back down causing the ground to shake as if an earthquake had just hit the city.
"…Trust me Chief…it's like doomsday down here…what do you mean it's a good name? We've got a major brawl going on down here…yeah I'm sure it will sell papers but that's not the…doesn't Doomsday sound a little clichéd…"
Kara and the monster continued to fight as Lois argued down the phone with Perry over the merits of the name, Doomsday. Supergirl found herself behind the beast, hoping to trip him up as she kicked low at his legs but the monster stood firm, turning and punching her in the stomach before driving his elbow into her face.
Tokyo:
Although alcohol didn't really affect Clark, he liked to have the odd drink, mostly just to fit in with the people he had chosen to protect. As he sat at the restaurant bar with a bottle in his hand, his ears picked up the sound of a TV in the corner, issuing a breaking news report. The report was in Japanese, but that was no problem for Clark who had learned many of Earth's languages in his time at the Fortress of Solitude.
Even if he hadn't been able to understand what was being said, the live images told the story. His cousin was engaged in a battle with a strange alien creature and it looked like he was matching her power. Clark knew she would need his help.
Without hesitation, he laid some money down on the bar and found the nearest exit. In a crowded city like Tokyo, it was hard to find a place to change but as he ran down a side street, he found a phone booth. Removing his glasses, Clark stepped inside and moments later, Superman was emerging and flying up into the sky and back towards Metropolis at full speed.
Metropolis:
The creature known as Doomsday showed no mercy as he pounded Supergirl with heavy punches to the rips as he held her up by her throat. In desperation, Kara kicked out hard, forcing them apart. She had precious little time to recover though as Doomsday charged at her, ramming into her and pushing her backwards through a concrete wall.
Kara was bruised but still able to carry on, flying directly at the beast, twisting through his legs and attacking from behind with a hard kick to the back of his head. She then began to blow outwards, hoping to force Doomsday to fall backwards through the air, however the beasts immense strength and power served to steady him as he walked through the gust of wind towards her.
Kara stopped blowing and instead hit Doomsday with an intense barrage of punches and kicks. Doomsday retaliated with a strong knee to her stomach before catching her long blonde hair and lifting her off the ground. Doomsday then proceeded to swing Supergirl around, slamming her into the ground over and over while maintaining his grip on her hair. Finally he swung her over his head, letting go and watching as she sped out of control across the street towards the Metropolis Affiliated News building.
As she neared the wall, Kara found herself being caught and slowed down gradually before she could crash into the building. Looking up, she saw Superman smiling back at her.
"It's alright I've got you."
"Kal-El…you've no idea how happy I am to see you."
"Rest…let me take care of this."
"Kal-El wait…this monster…whatever it is…it's strong, really strong…be careful."
"I will…"
Superman flew at Doomsday, landing just in front of him. He looked around at the damage, then at the small ship that had brought the creature to Earth. He had seen the design in the archives at the Fortress but it definitely wasn't a Kryptonian ship. In fact the technology belonged to a race of peaceful explorers who were now extinct, their planet in ruins because of the menace of Brainiac.
"Who are you…why are you here?"
Doomsday didn't answer. To onlookers the creature seemed like a mindless beast. He did have a mind though, and he did have intelligence. But Brainiac had made it dormant, while unlocking the primitive part of the creature's brain. All that Doomsday saw in his dreams was a single image…Kal-El. Brainiac had implanted images of Superman in his mind, creating an intense hatred towards the Man of Steel.
"I asked you a question…I won't let you hurt these people…"
Doomsday replied with violence, rage consuming him as he struck Superman with a surprisingly quick blow to the head. Kal-El responded in kind, using his speed to rush Doomsday and land a severe uppercut to the beast's chin, forcing him off his feet. Superman was in the air quickly, crashing back, down, his knee charging into Doomsday's chest.
Superman then picked the monster up and threw him up into the air, following after him and catching his legs. He swung Doomsday around for a moment, building momentum before launching him with a deadly throw back to the street below.
Cracks appeared on the road after Doomsday adjusted his body to land on his feet, with Superman approaching. The beast swung viciously, connecting with Kal-El's face before grabbing his cape and pulling him back in for another strong attack. Superman flipped upside down and delivered a spinning kick, then striking with both fists as he moved upright again.
Doomsday stumbled backwards, giving Clark the chance to ignite his heat vision sending a powerful blast of energy at the monster, causing some of the bones extending from his skin to melt away. Doomsday didn't even notice the pain, if he felt any at all and instead of grimacing he reached out and grabbed Superman's face and began to squeeze before letting go and striking with a strong head butt, then catching Superman's head again forcing it down as he brought his own knee up to connect with it.
LexCorp:
Lex Luthor watched the fight from his office, staring out the window at the immense battle between two titans. He knew that if Superman won, Brainiac would arrive and destroy the planet, but if the creature won, there would be nothing to stop him from creating a path of destruction that could wipe out the human race if left unchecked. Either way, it was a no-win situation for the planet, and more importantly, for Lex.
Luthor knew that Superman would be the only hope for the planet if Brainiac did come, however he had his own plans to rule the world. Lex could never think in small terms. For him, the big plan was the one to follow and Lex had a plan for everything.
As the fight continued across the city, Lex looked behind him, staring at a prototype weapon that could solve all his problems if he played his cards right…and Lex was good with cards, always cheating, always winning.
Centennial Park:
The battle had moved to the very centre of America's dream city. Much like Central Park in New York, Centennial Park was the jewel in the crown, a paradise closed off by immense skyscrapers, business and industry.
Trees were falling today though as Doomsday and Superman continued to battle ferociously. Doomsday ripped a large Oak from it's roots, swinging it like a bat and launching Superman through the air and into the World War II Memorial Fountain, shattering it.
Superman recovered and charged Doomsday, burning through the log with his heat vision before speeding up and punching the beast over and over before linking his fists together and bringing it down like a sledgehammer on Doomsday's head.
As Doomsday fell to the ground he stretched out immediately, grabbing Kal-El's legs and forcing him down before rolling on top of the Kryptonian. Doomsday began to pummel Superman with strong punches to the face, striking out almost like a gorilla, punching with his right fist, then his left, over and over as Superman began to bleed.
As Doomsday prepared to deliver the deathblow, Clark sent out a burst of heat energy that threatened to burn straight through Doomsday's eyes. Doomsday fell backwards, allowing Superman the chance to recover and stand up.
Crowds of people had entered the park to witness the ongoing battle, including Lois Lane and Supergirl, who was still recovering from her confrontation with Doomsday. Whenever she went to help her cousin though, he signalled her to stay back. He was still protective of her and he was determined to defeat the monster himself before it could hurt anyone else.
Dozens of people could only stand and watch as Superman and Doomsday faced off, charging at each other again. Doomsday swung, only for Kal-El to duck and strike Doomsday with a powerful punch with his right hand, then shifting his arm to deliver a strong elbow to the chest and come full circle with a wicked hook with his left hand.
Doomsday then retaliated with a deadly blow to the stomach, then bringing his forearm down on Superman's head before striking again with a double-fisted punch to the chest. As they fought, Superman seemed to be whispering to himself, but he was in fact talking to his cousin who was also whispering, knowing that their super hearing would enable them to talk without anyone else understanding even as Superman continued to go blow for blow with Doomsday.
"I don't think I can beat him Kara, he's too strong…"
"But you're matching every punch with one of your own."
"Yes, matching him, but I can't overpower him, at least not long enough to do any real damage…"
"So what do we do?"
"I don't know…just stay back and be ready."
Kal-El and Doomsday stood face-to-face now, matching each other blow for blow. Every punch carried a sound like thunder, sending shockwaves across the park, as the ground seemed to shake underneath them. Kal-El floated, then flipped, bringing his legs up in a kick before twisting and charging with his fists, only for Doomsday to dodge and strike back with a fierce uppercut.
As they continued to fight, Superman heard another voice, aimed directly at him, looking around briefly; his eyes zoomed in on the source of the voice, high atop the LexCorp building at the edge of the park.
"Superman, this is Lex Luthor. I know you can hear me so I just want you to listen. If your protégé wouldn't mind fighting in your place for a minute or two, I may have something that could help you defeat that monster. I'm aware you don't trust me, but I'm also aware that you need all the help you can get."
Superman thought for a second as he continued to fight against Doomsday. If Lex did indeed have a way to beat the alien creature, it may be the only chance the Earth had. Reluctantly, he signalled for his cousin to take over as he twisted away from Doomsday and flew to the roof of the LexCorp building while Kara charged the monster, attacking him with a vicious flurry of punches.
"Alright Luthor…spill it."
Lex was holding a strange device in his hands, almost like a rocket launcher, but it was obvious to Clark that the design wasn't of Earth origin. He knew the weapon must have come from Brainiac.
"Brainiac sent that creature here to destroy you Superman and while I would like to see that happen, that monster is too powerful to control and without you around, it could go on an unstoppable rampage."
"Since when do you care about the welfare of others?"
"I don't. However it serves my interests to make sure that creature is destroyed."
"What makes you think your weapon will have any effect?"
"It was designed to kill you. By now you will have tried to look inside with those x-ray peepers of yours. It's lined with lead because of the primary energy source…kryptonite. It's based on the same design as Metallo's energy blaster but far more powerful. Get him in range and this weapon will disintegrate him."
"What makes you think I'll trust you?"
"Brainiac's interests conflict with my own…make no mistake Superman, I will kill you, but not until you have served your purpose."
"How noble…"
"Spare me the sarcasm. This is your only chance to stop that thing."
"Fine…but don't think you can play games with me Luthor."
Lex smiled, resting the weapon on his shoulder, preparing to activate it as Superman flew back down to the park and charged straight into Doomsday who had been trying to crush Supergirl's skull. Kara had heard the conversation and as her cousin resumed the fight against Doomsday, she whispered, questioning his reasoning.
"You can't trust Lex Luthor…"
"I know Kara, but it's the only way."
Doomsday slammed Kal-El's face into the ground, and then threw him into the large pond at the centre of the park. As the monster walked to the edge of the pond, there was no sign of his opponent. Confused, he looked around then tried to look into the water. It was then that Superman rose from the bottom of the pond, surprising Doomsday who let his guard down, allowing Superman to get a firm grip and rise into the air, with his enemy trying to kick and punch his way out of the binding hold.
Luthor waited as Doomsday and Superman came into range, but he didn't fire. Lois Lane looked skywards at Superman and Doomsday, then across the park towards LexCorp where Luthor was standing. Fear ran through her body as the realisation of what was happening hit her like a ton of bricks.
Lex had a clear shot at Doomsday, but he waited for Superman to appear from behind the monster, hoping to destroy the Man of Steel. Lois knew Lex Luthor…she knew what was happening, and she began to scream at Superman.
"Don't do it…he'll kill you."
"I have to Lois, it's the only way."
"No…please…"
"I'm sorry Lois…"
"No…no, no, no…you can't…"
Tears began to stream down Lois' face as she watched Doomsday try to get free of Kal-El's grip. Kara sensed what was happening but she was paralysed, unable to move as her mind conflicted with her emotions. Superman smiled at them both before turning, giving Luthor a clear shot, knowing that he wouldn't fire until he had Superman in his sights. He smiled one last time at Lois, wishing he could wipe away her tears.
"Goodbye…"
Lois' final words to Superman were whispered under her breath so that only Superman could hear her.
"I love you…"
Lex Luthor smiled as he locked in the target, the weapon humming to life as it charged and prepared to fire a concentrated blast of kryptonite at Superman and Doomsday who were hovering in the air in front of him over the park.
"Two birds…one gun…"
He fired. An intense beam of energy shot across the sky, giving the area a strange green glow as it struck Doomsday dead on. At the last second, Superman turned his body again so that the monster would get most of the blast, but as his grip loosened and Doomsday began to fall apart, the kryptonite energy intensified. Finally Doomsday's dead body was forced out of Kal-El's hands and blown out into the ocean, leaving Superman to be hit by more energy.
Kryptonite spread rapidly through his body, destroying him from the inside as he struggled not to cry out in agony. As the weapon discharged the last blast of energy, Luthor smiled. Superman hovered for a moment, then suddenly he began to fall out of the sky, descending rapidly and crashing violently into the park below, creating a small crater.
Supergirl was by his side straight away, noticing that the S-shield on his chest seemed to glow for a moment before fading. She felt weak. Kal-El had been saturated by kryptonite radiation. Nevertheless, she stayed with her cousin, pressing her fingers hard against his neck to check his pulse.
As Lois approached, Kara pressed harder, hoping to find anything that would indicate that he was alive. Using her x-ray vision, she scanned his body, searching for a heartbeat, anything. Finally, she turned to the gathered crowd and to Lois, speaking as tears rolled down her cheeks.
"He's gone…he's gone…Superman is…dead…"
There was silence. Centennial park…the entire city…everything seemed to stand still. Then the first tears were shed, the sound of weeping spread across the city. Lois Lane collapsed in grief as she tried to comprehend what had happened.
By sunset, the only sounds in the city were those of people crying, men and women alike. Across the world, the news broke of the tragic events in Metropolis. The planet Earth was united in sorrow and pain as they mourned their greatest hero.
In Central City, The Flash paid tribute to the Last Son of Krypton, calling for a national day of mourning to remember the deeds of a hero who had made the ultimate sacrifice.
In New York, Wonder Woman spoke at the United Nations, taking Flash's request even further and suggesting that a day of mourning be held not just in America, but also across the globe.
In Gotham, Bruce Wayne pledged $10 million to children's charities in Superman's name, while his alter-ego, Batman replaced the bat-signal with Superman's symbol that shone into the night sky until dawn.
Nobody could quite believe what was happening. Even criminals that Superman had captured vowed to honour his memory; such was the effect he had on people. In Smallville, Martha Kent prayed for her son. It hadn't sunk in yet and she kept expecting Clark to walk through the door.
Lois Lane didn't sleep, she couldn't. The man she loved was gone. She cried for hours, lost in unending pain as she struggled to come to terms with a future without Superman.
Three Days Later…
The city of Metropolis was overflowing. People had come from all over the world to pay their respects to the Man of Steel. They all wore black armbands with a silver S-shield in memory of their hero as they flocked from far and wide to say goodbye to Superman.
Lois Lane had called it a travesty that Lex Luthor had been allowed to pay to build a tomb for Superman in Centennial Park, stating that he had murdered Superman. Ultimately, it didn't matter though; Lois was too consumed with grief to challenge Lex Luthor. Crowds of people walked behind the coffin that carried Kal-El's body. It was carried by some of Earth's greatest protectors, all of whom wanted to show how much they respected and missed him.
Everyone cried that day as Superman's body was placed in the tomb. It didn't matter what country a person was from, what their religious or political beliefs were. Superman was a hero for everybody and as Lois Lane tried to hold back her tears, her voice shook as she spoke to the millions of people in Metropolis that day and every single one of them listened.
"He came to us from beyond the stars. I called him Superman…the name stuck. All over the world he became a symbol for hope and the idea of a better future for us all. He saved us time after time and never asked for anything in return. But his legacy is so much more than stopping natural disasters. He saw something in us…he believed in the human race even if we struggled to believe in ourselves. He wasn't born on this world but he was more human than any of us…Superman embodied the true spirit of humanity…"
Lois paused, overwhelmed by the event as she fought with herself, trying desperately not to cry. Everyone understood though. They were all feeling the same way. She thought about Clark, who had been last seen in Tokyo and had gone missing. He was a true friend and she wished that he was there with her to comfort her. Above all, she just hoped that he was alright, not knowing that he was there, in the tomb.
"…The first time I interviewed Superman, I asked him why he did it, why he chose to help us. He told me that if his example, his guidance, his faith in humanity could help us…that if for one day, just one…just one day…there could be peace across the world, then at least we would know that it's possible and perhaps it would inspire us to create a better future, and that would be worth any price he could pay…. well Superman, today there is peace. On this day, there is no war, no fighting…the world is united because of you…tomorrow it may go back to the way it was but at least we know…at least we know that it's possible…you were the greatest of us all…thank you Superman…thank you for inspiring us…"
Her emotions took control as Lois began to cry openly. She couldn't speak anymore as tears flowed down her face. Floating above the park, Kara Zor-El cried for her cousin. The last of her family was gone, now she was alone, just like Kal-El had been. Kara made a vow that day to continue what her cousin had started. Supergirl could never replace Superman, but she would give her life defending the planet in his name.
Superman was laid to rest in the tomb, above which stood a statue in his memory. It was Superman, his arms by his side, looking up towards the sky. Superman was gone, but his legacy would live on in the hearts of the people of Earth forever.
