DARKSEID!

Darkseid is an alien despot who rules over the grim planet Apokolips with an iron fist. Darkseid wishes to become absolute ruler of the entire universe, to bring all of creation under his rule, and seeks the Anti-Life equation to help him achieve that end. Very few can stand up to Darkseid or his minions. Highfather of New Genesis is one. Orion, Darkseid's son who was traded to Highfather as terms of a truce between Apokolips and New Genesis, is another. And Superman is a third. Time and again, Superman has faced Darkseid in battle for the safety of Earth.

Their first encounter was on Apokolips, at a time when Darkseid was hatching a plan to discredit all of Earth's superheroes. Darkseid summoned Superman with his Omega Beams, then wiped out Superman's memory and convinced the Man of Steel that he was part of Darkseid's army. Fortunately, Orion and Lightray, another of the New Gods, were able to break Superman free of Darkseid's hypnotic grasp.

Darkseid once tried to create a religious cult based on Superman. Although at the time Superman thought he had managed to persuade the cultists that he was not worthy of their worship, and that they should disband, it turns out that they had not entirely given up faith. After his death and the appearance of the four pretender Supermen, the cult revived, splitting into two factions--one devoted to the Last Son of Krypton, the other to the Cyborg.

Superman, the Cyborg, and Doomsday all crossed paths after Doomsday's body arrived on Apokalips. Although Superman defeated Doomsday, and thought he'd defeated the Cyborg as well, Darkseid had secretly captured the Cyborg's consciousness, to release at his pleasure.

Later, Darkseid sent the Cyborg on his way, confident that the Cyborg would make trouble for the Man of Steel.

Darkseid later forged a deal with the President of the United States, Lex Luthor. This deal involved giving the creature Doomsday over to Darkseid's control after the Imperiex War.