Darkfather Superman

Following a catastrophic battle on Earth's Moon that resulted in its total destruction, Superman was defeated and captured by Darkfather—a Dark Multiverse incarnation of Bruce Wayne who stole Darkseid's powers. Darkfather imprisoned the Man of Steel inside the core of the burnt-out Sun on New Apokolips, using Superman's raw solar energy to keep the world alive while keeping him bound within a torture device known as the Death Drive. Outfitted with every variant of Kryptonite in existence, the apparatus continuously blasted Superman with lethal rays and Anti-Life energy to break his free will and force him to succumb.

The iconic moment occurs when Wonder Woman, Batman, and Harley Quinn launch a rescue operation into New Apokolips. As Darkfather commands the Anti-Life Equation to execute Superman, Batman intervenes using a Black Lantern Ring to halt the cellular mutation. Shielded from death, Superman breaks free from the Death Drive and unleashes a crushing punch that knocks Darkfather directly out of New Apokolips and into outer space.

Superman's imprisonment on New Apokolips represents one of the darkest turning points in the Dark Nights: Death Metal event. Serving as both the literal power generator for Darkfather's realm and a symbolic trophy of the heroes' defeat, Superman's captivity highlighted the terrifying threat posed by Perpetua and the Dark Knights. Darkfather's use of the Death Drive combined Darkseid's New God abilities with Batman's tactical mastermind, creating a torture mechanism specifically tailored to destroy Kryptonian cells.

Liberating Superman restored vital hope to the remaining Justice League heroes and provided the momentum required to launch their final cosmic counter-offensive against the Darkest Knight. Furthermore, the lasting physical damage—specifically Superman's stone Darkseid arm—served as a visible reminder of cosmic trauma throughout the remainder of the crisis until the multiverse was ultimately restored during the Infinite Frontier relaunch.

Created by artist Greg Capullo for the heavy-metal aesthetic of Dark Nights: Death Metal, this visual appearance is one of the most distinctive multiversal variations of Superman. The most prominent detail is his right arm, which was mutated by prolonged exposure to Omega energy and the Anti-Life Equation, turning into a dark, rocky, stone-like appendage identical to Darkseid's flesh.

Reflecting his long imprisonment and battle-scarred condition, Superman sports a long, unkempt mane of flowing hair and a damaged suit stripped of its traditional cape. Instead of standard tights, he wears dark leather trousers accompanied by heavy metal chains wrapped across his chest and harness. This gritty, power-metal look visually captures the agony of his imprisonment within the solar Death Drive while showcasing his resilience as he continues to fight alongside the League despite his ongoing physical corruption.