8 Best Evil Versions Of Superman In Comics History
An experienced Editor representing Canada via ScreenRant's Team Anime, J.R. has been reading manga since the first printing of Shonen Jump in North America. This passion drove him to write about anime, manga, and manhwa since 2022, having recently served as Lead Anime Editor for ComicBook.com.
His favorite moments in media coverage include reviewing the series premieres of Zom 100 and Bleach: TYBW Part 2 back-to-back and briefly meeting Junji Ito at a VIZ gallery event in 2023.
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It's truly not hard to argue that comics has no other enduring symbol of hope and good to be found or inspired in the world, than the Man of Steel himself. Superman has made a brand out of being the idealistic superhero to stand up for the little guy, with retcons coming later to establish his adoptive parents in Smallville, Kansas, as the basis for his principles. It's even made his views clash with superpowered and ordinary colleagues, especially in light of his phenomenal abilities and how dangerous they'd be if turned onto the people he promised to protect.
There's plenty of written material to suggest time and again that, even in worlds with odds stacked in favor of evil forces, Superman won't let himself down a darker path. But it still makes an entertaining what-if scenario, famously the basis for JLA: Tower of Babel as Batman's contingencies against a rogue Justice League were turned loose. But one doesn't need to turn to hypotheticals, as even though other publishers have created a cottage industry out of evil Superman spins like Homelander, DC Comics has plenty of their own variants in reserve worth mentioning.
Earth -1 Superman
Forgoing pretenses and lengthy setup, this particular evil Superman is just that: a version who suddenly snapped, going on a murderous rampage, killing everyone indiscriminately, friend or foe, his ideals having been a sham the whole time. His abilities didn't change too drastically in this variant featured in Batman: The Devastator, but it did set up an epic opportunity for this universe's Batman to use the Doomsday Virus on himself and level the playing field against Superman, becoming the hulking Devastator in the process. Superman's greatest lie in this world provided the ultimate breaking point, pushing his former best friend past the point of no return.
Injustice Superman
A classic for video game fans in particular, this iteration of Superman went through the emotional wringer to become the villain first featured in Injustice: Gods Among Us for both the game and its corresponding comic. In this story, Kal-El was just as resolute as any other version, until he's manipulated by the Joker into killing a pregnant Lois, with with her hooked up to a heart monitor acting as a detonator for a nuke that'd destroy Metropolis. Enraged, he lets go of his ideals and kills the Joker in front of Batman, thereafter conquering Earth and becoming its dictator, with superheroes and ordinary folk alike serving beneath him.
Lord Superman
Leader of the Justice Lords and introduced in Justice League: The Animated Series episode "A Better World," this version of Kal-El is pushed past his limit when his universe's Lex Luthor, now the President of the United States, killed the Flash. It's a particularly chilling notion to picture him killing his old arch-nemesis with his own heat vision. He has since featured in comics like Batman Beyond 2.0 and Justice League Beyond 2.0.
Lord Superman's evil origins are certainly similar in terms of inciting incidents to those of Injustice, although arguably less extreme, with the rest of the Justice Lords rushing to Superman's side who enforce a totalitarian rule as their preferred alternative to more crime and personal tragedy.
Superdoom
In a story that's all too reminiscent of the real world's tendencies to manufacture the images of various public idols, Superdoom is the result of allowing Superman to be designed by committee. Earth 45's Clark Kent, Lois Lane, and Jimmy Olsen essentially created this iteration by using a machine they designed that could convert abstract ideas into tangible reality. This variant and machine were then sold to Overcorp, who continued to twist the creation to its breaking point with Superdoom, going on a rampage through the multiverse soon thereafter.
Cyborg Superman
Multiple characters have featured as one Cyborg Super-family member or another, but Hank Henshaw's variant, introduced as part of the "Reign of the Supermen!" storyline, remains the most definitive. Henshaw went through a fairly devastating arc as a crewmate aboard the Excalibur where, long story short, his body succumbed to cosmic radiation while saving his wife, Terri, only for his partial resurrection through transferring his own consciousness into a machine drove Terri to madness and her eventual death.
Departing Earth, Henshaw soon began to pin the blame on Superman while gathering resources and creating a genetic clone of him for Henshaw to inhabit, impersonating the superhero following his high-profile death. Numerous incidents and cooperations with classic DC supervillains would follow, with Cyborg Superman being every bit as powerful as the real deal, alongside impressive feats of technopathy he can declare wholly original to his variant. Cyborg Superman has been a recurring antagonist in the franchise, most recently teaming up with Brainiac One Million as a chilling major antagonist for the new Legion of Super-Heroes series.
Overman
While first appearing in the massive crossover event 52's eponymous finale issue, Overman was the chilling answer to the question: what if Superman existed in a world conquered by the Nazis? Overman is native to Earth 10, with his moniker being a reference to the Nietzschean Übermensch, which was, of course, historically co-opted and took on different meanings under Nazi Germany.
Instead of crash-landing at the Kent family farm, this version, Kal-L, landed in the occupied Sudetenland (predating the modern Czech Republic) in 1938. Much like Superdoom, this Superman variant is brimming with commentary, even cheekily part of the JLAxis and co-created by Grant Morrison with additional fascinating stories featuring the character such as in The Multiversity: Mastermen, in which the weight of his actions and overseeing regime become too much for him to bear.
Ultraman
Serving as arguably the most purely antithetical counterpart to the original Superman, Ultraman has a rich history spanning over 62 years, well before his recent live-action debut in 2025's Superman. Ultraman is most famously known as a member of the Crime Syndicate Universe's eponymous anti-Justice League entity. Rather than Kryptonite being his weakness, Ultraman is empowered by the radioactive debris.
Rather than embodying humanity's better angels like Superman, Ultraman sees his powers as justification for him to dominate others. Unlike Overman's ideological warping of the character, or the corporate perversion of Superdoom, Ultraman exists as the polar opposite of the original Superman's pillars of morality, and has starred in some widely memorable stories like JLA: Earth 2 and Forever Evil.
Bizarro
Essentially an imperfect clone of Superman made by Lex Luthor, Bizarro is a perfectly classic example of Silver Age silliness that has been difficult to bring into the modern age, even as DCU fans theorize that James Gunn's Superman may have set up Bizarro's origins. Everything involving Bizarro is meant to stand opposite to that of Superman, from the emblem on his costume, to Bizarro World being cube-shaped instead of spherical, to the antiphrasal speech patterns where everything he says is meant to convey the opposite.
Metropolis · Daily Planet Edition
Superman
Trivia Challenge
🌏OriginsLast son
☠VillainsKneel!
⚡PowersInvincible
🎥FilmsBelieve
💫LegacyHope
01
Before he was Clark Kent, Superman was born Kal-El on a distant planet doomed to destruction. His parents Jor-El and Lara placed him in a rocket ship as an infant, sending him across the cosmos to Earth. What is the name of Superman’s home planet?
✓ Correct! Krypton was a scientifically advanced planet that exploded due to its unstable core. Jor-El, Superman’s father, was the only scientist who foresaw the catastrophe and managed to save his son by launching him toward Earth in a small spacecraft.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Krypton. Thanagar is Hawkman’s homeworld, Apokolips is Darkseid’s domain, and Oa is the headquarters of the Green Lantern Corps. Krypton’s destruction is the defining event of Superman’s origin story.
02
Superman’s greatest love is a fearless, Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist who works alongside Clark Kent at the Daily Planet. She’s known for her relentless pursuit of the truth and for being one of the few people who sees both the hero and the man. Who is she?
✓ Correct! Lois Lane has been Superman’s primary love interest since her debut in Action Comics #1 in 1938. A brilliant investigative reporter, she’s as iconic as Superman himself — tough, smart, and unafraid to chase the biggest stories in Metropolis.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lois Lane. Diana Prince is Wonder Woman, Lana Lang is Clark’s high school sweetheart from Smallville, and Cat Grant is a gossip columnist at the Daily Planet. Lois Lane is Superman’s iconic partner.
03
Despite being nearly invulnerable under Earth’s yellow sun, Superman has one famous weakness — a radioactive mineral from the remnants of his destroyed homeworld. Exposure to it drains his powers and can even kill him. What is this substance called?
✓ Correct! Kryptonite is the irradiated remnants of planet Krypton. Green Kryptonite is the most common and deadly variety, but there are many other types — Red Kryptonite causes unpredictable behavior, Gold Kryptonite can permanently strip his powers, and Blue Kryptonite affects Bizarro.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Kryptonite. Vibranium is from Marvel’s Black Panther universe, Nth Metal is tied to Hawkman, and Red Sun Ore isn’t a real DC substance. Kryptonite is the iconic green-glowing mineral that is Superman’s ultimate weakness.
04
In 1978, a then-unknown actor donned the cape and made the world believe a man could fly. His portrayal of Superman became the gold standard for superhero films and he starred in four Superman movies. Who is this legendary actor?
✓ Correct! Christopher Reeve’s portrayal in Superman: The Movie (1978) is widely regarded as the definitive live-action Superman. His performance perfectly balanced the heroic confidence of Superman with the endearing clumsiness of Clark Kent, setting the template every Superman actor has followed since.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Christopher Reeve. Henry Cavill played Superman in the DCEU starting with Man of Steel (2013), Brandon Routh starred in Superman Returns (2006), and Tom Welling played young Clark in TV’s Smallville. Reeve was the original big-screen Superman.
05
Superman’s greatest enemy isn’t a superpowered alien — he’s a brilliant, ruthless human billionaire who believes Superman is a threat to humanity’s potential. This bald-headed genius has been Superman’s archenemy for over 80 years. Who is he?
✓ Correct! Lex Luthor is the ultimate foil to Superman — where Superman represents hope and selflessness, Luthor represents ambition and ego. Despite having no superpowers, his genius-level intellect and vast resources make him Superman’s most persistent and dangerous adversary.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Lex Luthor. Brainiac is an alien android who collects cities, Darkseid is the god-like ruler of Apokolips, and Doomsday is the monster who famously killed Superman. But Lex Luthor is the definitive archenemy — Superman’s dark mirror.
06
After crash-landing on Earth as a baby, Kal-El was found and adopted by Jonathan and Martha Kent, a kind farming couple. They raised him with strong moral values in a small rural town. Where did Clark Kent grow up?
✓ Correct! Smallville, Kansas is the quintessential American small town where Jonathan and Martha Kent raised Clark with heartland values of honesty, compassion, and humility. It’s the foundation of who Superman is — not the powers from Krypton, but the character instilled by his Kansas parents.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is Smallville, Kansas. Gotham is Batman’s city, Metropolis is where Clark moves as an adult to work at the Daily Planet, and Coast City is Green Lantern’s home. Smallville is where the Kents raised Clark on their farm.
07
As Clark Kent, Superman disguises himself as a mild-mannered reporter working at Metropolis’s most famous newspaper, alongside Lois Lane and photographer Jimmy Olsen. Their editor-in-chief Perry White runs the newsroom. What is the name of this newspaper?
✓ Correct! The Daily Planet, with its iconic globe on the rooftop, is one of the most recognizable fictional newspapers in pop culture. Working there gives Clark Kent both a cover identity and a way to stay informed about threats to the city and the world.
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is the Daily Planet. The Daily Bugle is Spider-Man’s Marvel universe newspaper, the Metropolis Star and Gotham Gazette are lesser DC publications. The Daily Planet — with its spinning globe — is Superman’s journalistic home.
08
This Kryptonian military commander was banished to the Phantom Zone for treason before Krypton’s destruction. He escaped and came to Earth seeking vengeance, famously demanding that others “Kneel before” him. His iconic portrayal by Terence Stamp cemented him in pop culture. Who is this villain?
✓ Correct! General Zod is one of Superman’s most terrifying foes because he has all of Superman’s powers but none of his morality. Terence Stamp’s portrayal in Superman II (1980) made “Kneel before Zod” one of the most quoted villain lines in film history. Michael Shannon later reimagined the role in Man of Steel (2013).
✗ Not faster than a speeding bullet on that one! The answer is General Zod. Bizarro is a flawed clone of Superman, Parasite drains powers through touch, and Metallo is a cyborg with a Kryptonite heart. General Zod is the Kryptonian military leader whose cry of “Kneel before Zod!” echoes through decades of Superman stories.
Mission Complete Your Kryptonian Record
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Are you the Man of Steel — or still stuck in a phone booth?
Bizarro's concept certainly led to more cut-and-dry depictions as a villain in older stories, with multiple versions bearing the name over the years and his predicament occasionally making him more of a tragic figure than outright universally evil. His existence is a lonely one, with even his innate, innocent intentions allowing the concept of Bizarro to get more wholesome depictions, such as in My Adventures with Superman. Overall, Bizarro craves a sense of belonging above all else, and if nobody else can, Superman's status as a superpowered outsider adopted by Earth as its savior allows him to feel compassion for even someone classically depicted as his evil opposite.
- Movie(s)
- Superman, Superman II, Superman III, Superman IV: The Quest for Peace, Superman Returns, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Superman, Man of Tomorrow
- TV Show(s)
- Adventures of Superman, Superman, Lois & Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, Smallville, Superman: The Animated Series, My Adventures With Superman
- Comic
- Superman (2023)
- First Film
- Superman
- Genres
- Superhero, Action
- Cast
- Christopher Reeve, David Corenswet, Brandon Routh, Henry Cavill, Tom Welling, Tyler Hoechlin, Margot Kidder, Rachel Brosnahan, Kate Bosworth, Amy Adams, Gene Hackman, Nicholas Hoult, Kevin Spacey, Jesse Eisenberg
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.