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25 Years Ago Today, Superman Died At The Hands Of Doomsday – Three Days Later Will He Rise Again In Doomsday Clock?

Published Sat, 18 Nov 2017 14:59:43 -0600

Twenty-five years ago today, 18th November 1992, DC Comics published Superman #75.

Can't really be that long, can it? Seems more like 10 years tops… https://t.co/q3Z1LmTbtE

— Dan Jurgens (@thedanjurgens) November 18, 2017

The culmination of The Death of Superman storyline, our hero from another world engaged in battle to stop a killing spree with an immensely powerful and seemingly unstoppable creature of alien origin named Doomsday across the United States. At the fight's conclusion, both combatants apparently died from their wounds in the streets of Metropolis in Superman.

The day Superman died, I was 13 years old and asked the owner of the small shop I went to if I could help out, since there was a line down the door. I've worked in shops since and have owned @comicsconstore since 2006. All because of that day!

— Ryan Higgins (@RyanHigginsRyan) November 18, 2017

The crossover depicted the world's reaction to Superman's death in "Funeral For A Friend," the emergence of four individuals believed to be the "new" Superman, and the eventual return of the original Superman in "Reign of the Supermen!".

I stopped by Carlin's office as he and Breeding were doing final production work. Mike seemed to feel it was a really special issues. Definitely more than a stunt. Also, I guess I'm old.

— Ande Parks (@andeparks) November 18, 2017

The storyline, devised by editor Mike Carlin and the Superman writing team of Dan Jurgens, Roger Stern, Louise Simonson, Jerry Ordway and Karl Kesel, met with enormous success: the Superman titles gained international exposure, reaching to the top of the comics sales charts. The event was widely covered by national and international news media, even making it into a sketch for that weekend's Saturday Night Live.

I was 3-4 years old and I remember seeing it on the news. I was shattered. I'd watched Superman everyday (Max Fleischer cartoons) and I couldn't believe it.
I learned to read just to read Superman 75.
That image of Clark and Lois still my fav. Guess you could say it shaped me 😉

— ❤️TEJ K💜 IS ALL IN (Watched #JL) (@CloisLover) November 18, 2017

Copies were sold in sealed black bags with the bleeding Superman logo. It sold three million copies to stores, the second highest figure for any American comic book in history, yet media coverage saw it sell out overnight. Despite that people believed that it would be an instant collectable.

Crazy, I remember spending my paper route money on death and rise Series. Still have them wrapped in mint condition.

— S E T H T R A V I S (@sethtravis) November 18, 2017

The story was adapted in part for the movie Batman V Superman and his return, in part, for this weekend's Justice League movie. The timing seems bang on.

25 years ago, my mom told me she was mad the Justice League didn't save Superman. Today, she got closure thanks to the #JusticeLeaguemovie

— Phil of the Nerdi (@TheIllumiNerdi) November 18, 2017

And not just because Superman died on Alan Moore's birthday.

What an iconic cover. This was a massive thing to a 10 year old me. It really is what ignited my ❤ for comic books and my appreciation for your artwork Mr Jurgens. That Christmas I got 2 copies of this, 2 copies of the black bag, the trade paperback and the novel. 25 years.. wow

— TheWaldbauer (@Waldbauer306) November 18, 2017

But also this week, Tuesday at midnight, is the release of Geoff Johns and Gary Franks' Doomsday Clock. Which is set in the Watchmen Universe of 1992 but will be bringing in familiar DC Comics characters. Which would be three days after the DC Comics-publication date of the death of Superman. Just in time to have a Messianic resurrection…?

Will Doomsday Clock teach us that Dr Manhattan brought Superman back from death at the hands of Doomsday?