Rumors preceded any announcement by a significant margin, but a change in expected release order kept us guessing. Now, from the floor of E3 (Electronic Entertainment Expo), confirmation comes of a playable General Zod as presumed fourth character in the [first] Injustice: Gods Among Us DLC Season Pass!

IGN editor Destin Legarie leaked reference to the playable villain: a live feature reveal for Injustice on the floor of the annual convention.

A previously announced television exclusive seems to have kept amateur photography to a minimum, but that hasn't stopped the flow of information completely. GameFAQs forum user ConradimusPrime shared unverified descriptions of a bald, goateed version of the militant Kyrptonian; goggled, and at least loosely inspired by the Adam Kubert design featured in Last Son -- a 2007 [Action Comics] story by DC Creative Chief Officer Geoff Johns and 1978 Superman film director Richard Donner.

Update: The Injustice Facebook teases the big reveal tonight on Conan! The show airs 11/10c on TBS; check local listings. Start speculating about The Flaming C guest DLC on the forums. Thanks to Ed Boon (@noobde) we now know Conan will be playing Injustice during his Clueless Gamer segment! [Watch it here; discuss it here!]

The Donner name remains synonymous with Superman's less well known arch-nemesis, who first appeared in Adventure Comics #283 (1961), in a form that would be revamped many times in the decades that followed.

While the inclusion of Zod can be recognized as a timely reference to the U.S. release of Man of Steel [June 14]; it's his appearance in troubled 1980 sequel - Superman II - that remains the most prominent cultural touchstone for many.

British star Terrence Stamp reprised the role he first took in a brief cameo during opening sequences in the 1978 original: Superman. The aloof, callous interpretation of a Kryptonian conquerer quickly became the definitive account -- famous for ordering the Man of Steel to kneel. Stamp's General would be the first physical threat to oppose a major motion picture Superman (Christopher Reeve), sharing all the powers associated with a Kryptonian biology under Earth's yellow sun. Michael Shannon (Boardwalk Empire, Revolutionary Road) assumes the powers in the 2013 film, directed by Zack Snyder.

General Zod is the aggressive arch-rival to Superman's scientist father - Jor-El. Sealed in the prison dimension of The Phantom Zone: Zod survives the destruction of the planet Krypton, only to bedevil Jor-El's son (Kal-El) on his adopted home of Earth. Zod can be briefly seen trapped in the Phantom Zone in a Injustice: Gods Among Us arena interaction.

In a game where Superman has been driven to become Earth's oppressor, will General Zod be made to kneel, or join The Regime in its conquest of Earth? Players will have the opportunity to find out when Zod joins Lobo, Batgirl & Mortal Kombat's Scorpion in the DLC Season Pass. Mortal Kombat Online will continue to follow promotion of General Zod DLC.

Scorpion is now officially available to all who desire him: $4.99 individually (400 MS Points). E3 is also where you'll see newly available DLC skins based on Blackest Night & Red Son. Learn more about the secret origins of Black Lantern Superman in a special Mortal Kombat Online feature [full story]. Discuss these items and more on the DC Universe Injustice forum!