As Doomsday Clock reaches its inevitable conclusion, readers will finally see the long-awaited showdown between Superman and Watchmen's Doctor Manhattan, who has been altering the DC Universe to see how the changes would affect the former. While fans will undoubtedly see Superman as the hero in the conflict, series author and veteran Superman writer Geoff Johns sees the Man of Steel as more than that.

While speaking to CBR, Johns was asked what Superman was to him on an abstract level. Johns delved into his views on the character and his importance, as well as how it relates to Doomsday Clock's story.

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"Thematically, seeing the truth or not being able to see your blind spots kind of weaves into the whole series and, in a lot of ways, it's about secrets and searches for yourself and others," Johns began. "Manhattan's journey through Doomsday Clock and his story within the DC Universe gets to the heart of who Superman is for me. The truth is, he's the first. He's the first superhero, he's the first DC superhero, he was the spark that created everything like this. He is the beginning of American mythology when it comes to superheroes. He's become inspiration, his symbol is known throughout the world everywhere and it means something to people. And so who Superman is to me is who Superman is just like the world. He's beyond comics, he's beyond a storyline; he's bigger than that and that's what Doomsday Clock is partially exploring."

Doomsday Clock #12, by Geoff Johns and Gary Frank, is on sale now from DC.

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