Superman’s deadliest nemesis has just taken up another villain’s shocking mantle, and it could change the course of history for the entire DC Universe.

Superman #19 finds the titular hero staring down the Atomic Skull yet again, only for an even greater threat to emerge before the dust from the first fight can even properly settle. Unfortunately, the Man of Steel doesn’t even have time to begin fighting back against the recently returned Doomsday before another villain steps in to stop time altogether. As it turns out, the enigmatic Time Trapper is in desperate need of Superman’s help, so much so that he is willing to finally reveal his true identity as the being that Doomsday will eventually become.

Written by JOSHUA WILLIAMSON Art by DAN MORA Colors by ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ Letters by ARIANA MAHER Main cover art by DAN MORA Variant covers by DANIEL SAMPERE & ALEJANDRO SÁNCHEZ, SIMONE DI MEO, CARLA COHEN, BEN OLIVER, CHRIS SAMNEE & DAVID BARON, and KELLEY JONES & JOSÉ VILLARRUBIA

The mantle of the Time Trapper has been taken on by a variety of villains over the years, the first of whom was first spoken of all the way back in 1964’s Adventure Comics #317 in Edmond Hamilton and John Forte’s opening story, “Legion of Super-Heroes: The Menace of Dream Girl!” This early Time Trapper was introduced as a tyrannical warlord from a far-flung future who had ambitions of stealing away with a powerful weapon hidden within the Legion’s very own stronghold. In the years that followed, the Time Trapper went up against the Legion of Super-Heroes on numerous occasions, making a name for himself for his near total control over time itself.

Doomsday has long been one of Superman’s deadliest and most feared foes. First seen in a brief cameo appearance in the pages of 1992’s Superman: The Man of Steel #17 by Louise Simonson and Jon Bogdanove, Doomsday was an artificially crafted alien being who was born on Krypton long before its namesake species ever came to prominence. Created out of the hopes of giving rise to the ultimate life form, Doomsday is innately able to resurrect himself after any demise no matter how brutal, adapting to overcome whatever caused said death along the way. Doomsday’s most infamous moment came when he and the titular hero of 1993’s Superman #75 by Dan Jurgens and Brett Breeding dealt one another simultaneous, fatal blows, bringing an end to the generation-defining battle at the heart of DC’s Death of Superman storyline.

The current, Prime Earth continuity’s Doomsday made his debut in 2013’s Batman/Superman #3.1: Doomsday by Greg Pak and Brett Booth. This Doomsday shared a near identical origin to its counterpart, all with an even more fearsome reputation. Before Krypton’s destruction, Doomsday raged across the planet before ultimately being repelled by then Colonel Zod. Since his debut, the modern Doomsday has been at the heart of numerous storylines, each of which have ended with the undying villain either being beaten down or locked away far from where he can do any immediate damage, including in the depths of the DC Universe’s very own Hell.

Superman #19 is on sale now from DC Comics.

Source: DC Comics