| Character Name: | General Zod |
| Converted: | y |
| Publisher: | DC Comics |
| Debut: | Adventure Comics #283 (April 1961) |
| Full Name: | Dru-Zod |
| Homeworld: | Krypton |
| Species: | Kryptonian |
| Villain: | y |
General Zod is a supervillain appearing in American comic books published by DC Comics, commonly as an adversary of the superhero Superman. The character, who first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 (April 1961), was created by Robert Bernstein and initially designed by George Papp.[1] As a Kryptonian, he exhibits the same powers and abilities as Superman and is consequently viewed as one of his greatest enemies alongside Lex Luthor, Darkseid, and Brainiac. He is also well known for his catchphrase, "Kneel before Zod!".
Originally bald and clean-shaven, Zod's look in popular culture was defined by the character's depiction by Terence Stamp in the films Superman (1978) and Superman II (1981). Eventually, the character was reintroduced to the DC Multiverse with black hair and a goatee similar to Stamp's portrayal. A different version of Zod was portrayed by Michael Shannon in the DC Extended Universe films Man of Steel (2013) and The Flash (2023).
Dru-Zod is a megalomaniacal Kryptonian and the leader of Krypton's military forces.[2] When Krypton's space program was abolished after Jax-Ur's destruction of the inhabited moon Wegthor, Zod tried to take over Krypton using an army of robotic duplicates of himself, all bearing a resemblance to Bizarro. He is sentenced to exile in the Phantom Zone for 40 years for his crimes. In the present, Superman releases Zod after learning that he has already served his sentence, but is forced to return him to the Zone after he attempts to conquer Earth.[3]
During the remaining years before the Crisis on Infinite Earths, Zod and other Zone inmates such as Jax-Ur, Faora, and others, escape from the Phantom Zone and battle Superman and Supergirl numerous times, always being defeated in the end and returned to the Zone.
The first Zod to be introduced following Crisis on Infinite Earths is the Zod of a so-called "pocket universe" resembling the universe in which the comics take place; this allowed for a "Kryptonian" Zod to be introduced while maintaining Superman's status as the last of his race in the universe proper. This Zod's universe is created by the Time Trapper. Zod (along with companions Quex-Ul and Zaora) devastate the Earth of that universe following the death of its Superboy, despite the best efforts of a Supergirl created by that world's heroic Lex Luthor. Eventually, the survivors of this world manage to contact the Superman of the main universe to help them, and he is able to take away the powers of the three super-criminals with Gold Kryptonite; since he is not from that universe, the Kryptonite of that reality has no effect on him.
However, the three vow to some day regain their powers and return to Superman's world to kill him. Acknowledging that he can neither afford to leave them on the now-dead pocket Earth to let them die alone nor imprison them on his world, Superman is forced to kill them with Green Kryptonite.[4]
A second incarnation of General Zod is introduced in the 2001 storyline "Return to Krypton"; this Zod is portrayed as that of an alternate reality created by Brainiac 13.[5] He is the head of the Kryptonian military in the alternate reality. Like the Pre-Crisis version, Zod holds the Kryptonian equivalent of fascist beliefs. He sends aliens to the bottle city of Kandor and plans a military coup. Zod is defeated by Superman and the Jor-El of Zod's alternate reality Krypton.[6]
The third attempt to bring Zod to Modern Age comics is the "Russian" Zod, a Zod of human origin whose origin story is connected to Superman's. This General Zod (born Avruiskin) is a Russian who was affected before his birth by his parents' exposure to Kryptonite radiation. As such, he is empowered by red sunlight and weakened by yellow, the opposite of Superman. After his parents die from radiation, he grows up in a KGB laboratory under the name Zed.[1] Apparently spoken to by the spirit of the Pocket Universe Zod, Russian Zod creates armor which filters the sunlight, and declares himself ruler of Pokolistan. After several inconclusive encounters with Superman, he reveals his long-range plan to turn the sun red and take Superman's place. This is temporarily successful until Lex Luthor rescues Superman, gives him a blast of yellow solar radiation to regain his powers, and works to restore the sun. Superman returns to battle Zod, but refuses to kill him. When the sun turns yellow again, the now-vulnerable Zod strikes Superman with all his power at super-speed and is killed due to Superman's invulnerability.[1]
The final Zod before the character was finally reintroduced, the Zod of an alternate Phantom Zone appears in the twelve-issue For Tomorrow storyline, written by Brian Azzarello and penciled by Jim Lee.[7] This Zod lives alone in an alternate Phantom Zone and resents Superman for tampering with it.[8] By his own account he comes from the same Krypton as Superman and was exiled to the Phantom Zone by Superman's father, Jor-El. This Zod wears large, spiked black armor and when unmasked, is a bald, white-bearded old man. This incarnation also uses a variation of "Kneel before Zod". He appears in Metropia, a version of the Phantom Zone created by Superman to resemble a living world (including apparently-living beings). This version was superseded by the present storyline (which features a new Zod, freed from the Phantom Zone).[9]
General Zod returns to post-Infinite Crisis comics in Last Son, penned by Geoff Johns, Richard Donner, and Adam Kubert. Dru-Zod II, Ursa, and Non escape from the Phantom Zone and come to Earth to try to turn it into a "New Krypton".[10] This incarnation is the first Post-Crisis Zod who comes from Superman's Krypton, and not from an alternate reality.[11]
The backstory for the three Kryptonians was recounted in Action Comics Annual #10 (April 2007),[12] and Zod's origin was revealed in Countdown #30 (October 2007).[13] Prior to the destruction of Krypton, Zod, his wife Ursa, and accomplice Non rebel against their planet's oppressive government, but soon become lawless would-be tyrants who lust for power. After an ill-fated insurrection led by Zod, the government sentences the trio to death. However, Superman's father Jor-El pleads for the government to mitigate their sentence to imprisonment in the Phantom Zone, accepted on the condition that he would assume responsibility as their jailer. While in the Phantom Zone, Zod and Ursa are able to have a child who is born immune to the Phantom Zone's effects, ultimately facilitating their escape, and name him Lor-Zod. On Earth, the boy is discovered by Superman and his wife Lois Lane, who adopt him as their own son and name him Christopher Kent. For the duration of 2007's Last Son storyline in Action Comics, Chris Kent is depicted as an adopted son of Superman and his wife Lois across DC titles.
Alongside Zod, Ursa and Non, 25 other Kryptonian criminals also escape the Zone and defeat a number of Earth's heroes, beginning their quest to conquer the planet. Zod ambushes Superman in revenge for Jor-El's actions and traps him in the Phantom Zone, which he later escapes with the help of the heroic Phantom Zone prisoner Mon-El. With assistance from his traditional enemies Lex Luthor, Metallo, Parasite and Bizarro, Superman takes on Zod's army. Out of nearly thirty Kryptonians, Superman's temporary allies successfully kill several, driving the rest back into the Phantom Zone alongside Zod and Ursa, who take Chris Kent with them.[14]
In the later New Krypton arc storyline however, Zod is freed from the Phantom Zone once again by Supergirl's mother Alura. The "bottled city of Kandor" is transformed into a populated Kryptonian planet ("New Krypton"), and Zod is appointed the leader of its army. In the "World of New Krypton" Action Comics storyline, when Superman decides to see what life is like on New Krypton, he is drafted into the Military Guild under General Zod. Zod and Superman maintain a mistrustful professional relationship. Despite their past, neither seems prepared to behave with marked aggression toward the other. Later, during a Kryptonian ceremony, Zod is shot by the Kryptonian Ral-Dar (who is working with Lois's father Sam Lane), leading Zod to appoint Superman as temporary General until his recovery. The two are involved in a Kryptonian political plot, but ultimately apprehend the planet's traitor and see a reform of New Krypton's Council.
Peace is short-lived, however, due to an attack by the alien Brainiac, who had been responsible for the bottling of Kandor in the first place. In Last Stand of New Krypton, New Krypton comes under attack by Brainiac, and Zod engineers a plan to defeat him; Zod is driven by an urge to avenge his prior defeat at the hands of the Coluan Brainiac, when Kandor was bottled from Old Krypton. The storyline ends with the planet's destruction, leading Zod to declare war on Earth, sparking the War of the Supermen storyline. After a fierce conflict between Superman and Zod in defense of Earth, Zod is pushed back into the Phantom Zone by his son, Chris Kent, who had freed himself from the Phantom Zone and became active as an adult superhero on planet Earth.[15]
In 2011, DC chose to revamp its continuity, rebooting many characters while retaining the histories for some others, as part of its The New 52 publishing event. Following this, Zod is hinted at several times. A character resembling Zod makes a cameo in Action Comics #5 (March 2012), as a prisoner in the Phantom Zone; and in Action Comics #13 (December 2012) a ghost in the Phantom Zone says "Kneel before..." multiple times while attacking Superman, a reference to Zod's iconic saying. Zod makes his first full appearance in Action Comics #23.2: General Zod (September 2013), written by Greg Pak, with art by Ken Lashley.[16]
A new origin for Zod is introduced. In it, Zod is born to scientist parents. When he is a young boy, Zod and his parents travel to Krypton's wilderness to discover new creatures. Their ship is attacked by the creatures, leaving the family stranded in the jungle. While his parents are killed, Zod manages to survive for one year until Jor-El and his older brother Zor-El save him. After reaching adulthood, Zod becomes one of Krypton's best soldiers, attaining the rank of general. Zod developes a hatred towards an alien species called the Char and secretly orders the creation of a Char-looking creature, unleashing it on Krypton's population, so he can justify a war against the Char. Jor-El discovers the deception and turns Zod over to the authorities. The council finds Zod guilty of treason and banishes him and his closest followers, Faora and Non, to the Phantom Zone.[17]
Many years later, a mysterious event causes the Phantom Zone to weaken, allowing some of its prisoners to escape. Zod travels to Earth, landing in the Sahara Desert. There, his Kryptonian powers begin to manifest for the first time, brutally slaughtering a group of travelers. Zod is soon attacked by the Justice League of America until Superman and Wonder Woman arrive, the latter restraining him with her magic lasso. Zod recognizes Superman as Kal-El, the son of Jor-El. Superman decides to keep Zod in the Fortress of Solitude's alien zoo. While there, he reveals that Faora also traveled to Earth with him, and vows to track her down.
In June 2016, the DC Rebirth event relaunched DC Comics' entire line of comic book titles, in which General Zod continues to appear within DC titles. In December 2017, DC Comics ended the Rebirth branding, opting to include everything under a larger DC Universe banner and naming. As part of the DC Rebirth relaunch, General Zod is once again imprisoned within the Phantom Zone. He is trapped within the boundaries of the Black Vault, a secret facility hidden in the Laptev Sea. Amanda Waller sends the Suicide Squad to steal the contents of the Black Vault and bring them back to her, but they unwittingly allow Zod to escape.[18] She attempts to 'recruit' Zod by implanting a kryptonite explosive in his head, but he finally proves too dangerous when he uses a mirror and his heat vision to literally cut the bomb out of his own skull, forcing Rick Flag to sacrifice himself to seal the Zone before Zod can release his army. Zod manages to retrieve his family from the Zone while fighting alongside the Superman Revenge Squad- Cyborg Superman, Eradicator, Mongul and Metallo- and escapes Earth to establish himself as a dictator on another planet with his family. He nearly kills Hal Jordan when the Green Lantern Corps discover his presence on the planet before both sides are forced to withdraw and recuperate.
Like all Kryptonians under a yellow sun, General Zod possesses high-level superhuman strength, speed and endurance sufficient to stand against Superman and other Kryptonians; super hearing; x-ray vision; telescopic, microscopic and heat vision; super-breath and freeze-breath; virtual invulnerability; accelerated healing and flight. Due to his background as a Kryptonian general, Zod possesses a detailed knowledge of military tactics, battle strategy, and is a competent military leader. Because he was trained in fighting arts long before receiving his abilities, he typically has an edge over Superman's brawling skills, over-reliance on superhuman strength, and basic knowledge of advanced human and Kryptonian hand-to-hand combat. However, Zod's powers are often inferior to those of Superman, due to the latter being exposed to the yellow sun over the course of his entire life, while Zod typically only gets exposed for a short period of time before being defeated and returned to the Phantom Zone. This greater power combined with his superior control and experience with it gives Superman an edge over Zod's superior fighting skills. Additionally, similar to Superman, his strength is inferior to the likes of Doomsday and his speed is inferior to Speedsters such as the Flash. Like all Kryptonians, he is vulnerable to Kryptonite and red solar radiation; his durability does not provide protection from mind control and magic, and his strength and durability both have limits in that he cannot survive an atomic explosion without nearly fatal injuries and there are weights he cannot lift due to natural bodily limitation even under the empowering environment of a yellow sun as well as normal limits of adult Kryptonian superhuman strength.
See main article: General Zod (1978 film series character).
See main article: Zod (DC Extended Universe). General Zod appears in films set in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), portrayed by Michael Shannon.[31]
Total Film ranked Zod #32 on their "Top 50 Greatest Villains of All Time" list in 2007.[45] Pop-culture website IGN.com ranked General Zod as #30 on their list of the "Top 100 Comic Book Villains".[46]