Despite his relative obscurity after 75 years of printed comics, cinema has seen fit to elevate General Zod to the status of one of Superman's greatest foes! Injustice: Gods Among Us continues that through the DLC Season Pass, introducing a new version of the Kryptonian villain to gamers!

Since being introduced in a 1961 issue of Action Comics (#283), Zod has generally gone about bringing a bad name to the survivors of doomed planet Krypton. Safely sealed away in the pocket dimension prison of The Phantom Zone -- Zod was able to traverse time and space to take up a rivalry with Krypton's last surviving son -- Kal-El (aka; Superman).

While he's hatched his fair share of schemes in various comics, the latest DLC character trailer [above] keeps the origins of General Zod vague with good reason. Nailing down a definitive - or even consistent - vision of General Zod has been more than difficult for the printed source material. Fans eager to find superior designs to the weedy scientist of Injustice have encountered plenty of alternatives, most as short-lived as a single story. The trailer cribs primarily from Geoff Johns' work with Zod from the late 2000s; begun with a co-written plot by Richard Donner in the 2007 Action Comics arc Last Son. Zod lingered through the introduction of a New Krypton in our solar system, but was wiped clean once again by DC's decision to launch a line-wide reinvention as The New 52. He returns soon in September's Action Comics #23.2.

If Richard Donner is a familiar name, it's with good reason. As director of the 1978 Superman feature film, he was responsible for introducing the best known version of General Zod, at least for several decades. The villain would return for a starring role in Superman II (1981) as portrayed by veteran actor Terence Stamp. Stamp's portrayal of an arrogant megalomaniac would leave a lasting impression -- one the comics curiously never fully adopted. The impact of Donner's Zod can be directly linked to his inclusion in the 2013 film reboot: Man of Steel.

General Zod is available now on PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE for $4.99 (400 MS Points). July DLC releases also feature a single Superman: Man of Steel skin (inspired by the movie), and 3-character skin packs based on comics: New 52, Blackest Night 2 & Earth-2. Get the full rundown in Mortal Kombat Online's July 2nd DLC Preview.

Creative Director Ed Boon has responded coyly to questions of a Man of Steel Zod skin. Lord knows it would be welcomed, because no amount of comic or movie history gives us any idea why he's such a weedy, generic runt in Injustice. At least his gameplay oozes with character, as evidenced in the previously released preview trailer.

You can discuss all things generally Zod (or DC) in the DC Universe Injustice forum! It's there you'll find ways to win Blackest Night DLC, among other things. Kneel before giveaways!