With 3 weeks prep time Doom and Apocolypse would make a deal and tag team Superman.
Apocalypse can match Superman's strength and also can control his matter to a point where Supes blows do know damage (which is well within Apocalypse's powers). Apocalypse can grant himself all physical powers imaginable, so presumably, he could alter his structure and grant hisself super running speed comparable to Supes, which would be within the bounds of his powers.
As for Doom, if he has a machine in his lab to analyze, find, and siphon the source of the Silver Surfer's powers, he can do it to Superman.
Plus, both Apocalypse and Dr. Doom would have absolutely no problem using lethal force from the start.
Wow, you people are giving a guy who the Xmen beat on a regular basis way too much credit. The first time Doom tried to attack Superman, not only would it fail, but supes would crush his weapons and tear his armor from his body. Apocalypse would give him a run for his money, but I guarantee the old mutant has never come across someone with as much raw strength as superman. Supes would beat him to a pulp.
I am suddenly for Doom. Prep. time or not. When has he EVER run straight into battle?? That's what I thought... So here's what I say happens: Doo sits back and watches Supes and Apoc. Duel. If Supes wins, well Apoc should have at least fought well enough to reveal some of Supe's weaknesses, which Doom takes full advantages of.
But if it goes to Apoc. well, no contest. Doom just reveals to the x-men that he's around, and let's them fight his battle. Then just to prove who's in charge, he smoke's the X-men!!!
Um, unlike someone like say the Hulk, Apocalypse is not only as strong or stronger than Superman, but has the ability to counteract all of Superman's attacks. Apocalypse has full control of his mass down to the molecular level and can grant hisself any physical power (super strength and size, invulnerabilty, heat resistance, cold resistance, electrical current resistance, super speed, intangibility, etc) and over a millenium of experience in using his powers. Heat vision wouldn't work. Super punches wouldn't work. Ice breath wouldn't work. Apocalypse would take Superman.
As for Doom, I think there are certain levels of defeat he could live with. Doom is excedingly intelligent, no doubt, but so is Apocalypse, and he's been at it for a lot longer. It would take a lot to pull the wool over Apoc's eyes. Doom would just make a deal and then try to catch Apocalypse with his guard down. If it didn't work, Apoc would simply kill Doom for the attempt.
Or the Doombot impersonating Doom as the real Doom plants a Latvarian flag in front of the Daily Planet and laughs hysterically...
Hmm, yeah, I am noticing a certain pro-Doom bias on this board. Strange.
There's no possible way Doom wins this. with all the prep time in the world. How do you prep against someone you've never met? How do you prep against someone like Apocalypse?
Doom goes down with the swiftness.
Superman vs. Apoc.
Apocalypse, despite his "infinite control over his molecules", hasn't done much very impressive. He's gotten owned pretty badly by Cyclops, Phoenix, Magneto, Stryfe, the Dark Riders, etc. He's fought Loki and High Evolutionary to a draw (WOWEEE, so impressive!), and he's never really beaten anybody noteworthy in a fight. His powers sound good on paper, but until I see a more impressive body of combat work, I couldn't possibly pick him over Superman.