Darkseid
The Lord of Apokolips. A powerful, god-like being who seeks to conquer Earth and ultimately obtain power over all life.
Superman and Jimmy Olsen first encounter Darkseid through the agency of his minions, including Morgan Edge II, in November 1970 when they battle the Mountain of Judgement alongside the Newsboy Legion (SPJO No. 134: "The Mountain of Judgement").
In January 1971, Darkseid's servant Simyan notes that he is "stern, but he rewards his loyal and efficient servitors." Darkseid's own words, however, betray a personality that is less sanguine:
Yes but who can deny the power of the other
side? Death can eclipse life! A great
lie can smash truth! And the answer to a
finely disciplined Superman is ... a chaotic
fury of a thing --an uncontrollable organic
murder machine!
(SPJO No. 135: "The Evil Factory")
Powers
The Omega Effect, manifesting itself in the form of beams from his eyes, is Darkseid's most fearsome power. It is capable of producing anything from gentle warmth to matter-annihilating heat. The eye-beams can also be guided by Darkseid's mind to their desired target, are capable of amazingly catastrophic destruction, can teleport a foe through time or space, and can even bring back beings that were previously destroyed by the Omega Effect.
