Evil Supermen

[The Overlord]

With Brightburn out this weekend, I thought I would ask, what do think of Evil versions of Superman? There have been several Evil Superman like characters from comics, Ultraman, Hyperion from Squadron Supreme, the Plutonian from Irredeemable, etc. Injustice Superman is another version of an evil Superman. Why do think this is a popular idea?

[Jim Kelly]

Wasn't the first Superman concept from Siegel and Shuster an evil Superman? I wonder if the Siegel family could sue the makers of BRIGHTBURN.

For DC, I think it's inevitable that Superman fights his opposite. It's pretty much the only way you can go with any super-hero--at some point the hero meets an evil version of himself.

For other companies it's a way to use Superman without paying DC for the privilege. And by making the character evil, they can pretend that they're doing a parody of or a commentary on the concept.

[Minerboh]

Injustice Superman is the first that comes into my mind.
In the Injustice Universe, it is implied that Clark was rotten to the core in the first place and only made his super hero stunds to impress Lois and it was not her death that warped his point of view.

[Minerboh]

Wasn't the first Superman concept from Siegel and Shuster an evil Superman? I wonder if the Siegel family could sue the makers of BRIGHTBURN.

For DC, I think it's inevitable that Superman fights his opposite. It's pretty much the only way you can go with any super-hero--at some point the hero meets an evil version of himself.

For other companies it's a way to use Superman without paying DC for the privilege. And by making the character evil, they can pretend that they're doing a parody of or a commentary on the concept.

If that's the case then they shouldn't do the same to the creators of A.L.F and Thundercats for borrowing the doomed planet trope and Dragonball's Akira Toriyama for borrowing the doomed planet AND the raised alien by a noble earthling trope?

[Vordan]

I have to admit to a very petty and childish pleasure at Brightburn not doing so well apparently. Because my God am I sick of the Evil Supermen. But the best one is the Plutonian from Irredemable. That story shows what would “realistically” happen if Superman went bad, and spoilers: Batman would be absolutely screwed as would everyone on the planet. I also liked that it basically showed that an evil Superman would be born of inherent character flaws that Clark doesn’t have, not dumb crap like one persons death sending him over the edge.

[Robanker]

I have to admit to a very petty and childish pleasure at Brightburn not doing so well apparently. Because my God am I sick of the Evil Supermen. But the best one is the Plutonian from Irredemable. That story shows what would “realistically” happen if Superman went bad, and spoilers: Batman would be absolutely screwed as would everyone on the planet. I also liked that it basically showed that an evil Superman would be born of inherent character flaws that Clark doesn’t have, not dumb crap like one persons death sending him over the edge.

This.

Say what you will of Ending Battle, Clark's response to his perception of Lois Lane dying was in character. Superman is who he is due to a multitude of reasons, not because his girlfriend/wife reigns him in.

Personally, I don't care for evil Superman except when he's a foil for Clark. Defining where he stops by showing a version of him who doesn't. As s concept for a story like Injustice, well I don't care for it because it's always to prop someone else up at Clark's expense. Usually Batman.

There was a time when Clark's star was brightest and could take it, but years of WB/DC tying another albatross around his neck have put him in a place where that can't keep happening for much longer.

The common interpretation of Superman is one of dismissal, irony or distrust. I'm meeting fewer people who seem to genuinely like or love the character because "he's one bad day from Hitler," "you just need a rock to take him out," or "Supergirl is better than him in every way anyway."

You don't show someone how special you are by being a tyrant. I'm a well past done with evil Superman as a result.

[Doctor Know]

Superman and other Herculean level characters like him are numerous and plenty. Focusing only on the evil ones. You get

Superman - Injustice

Superman - Red Son

Brutaal/Savior - Superman under Darkseid's control

Overman - Final Crisis/Multiversity

Wraith - Unchained

Bizarro

General Zod

Ultraman

Black Adam

Superboy-Prime

Hyperion - Marvel

Sentry - Marvel

The Plutonian - Boom! Studios

Supreme - Image Comics


Other characters in the Superman mold, but that are not evil.

Thor - Marvel

Gladiator - Marvel

Superior - Icon/Marvel

Shazam/Captain Marvel

Captain Atom/Earth-4

Doctor Manhattan

[Frontier]

Personally, I don't care for evil Superman except when he's a foil for Clark. Defining where he stops by showing a version of him who doesn't. As s concept for a story like Injustice, well I don't care for it because it's always to prop someone else up at Clark's expense. Usually Batman.

See, I was able to better take Injustice Superman in the first game because he was there as a foil with the real Superman there to show up and beat him at the end.

[Vakanai]

I have to admit to a very petty and childish pleasure at Brightburn not doing so well apparently. Because my God am I sick of the Evil Supermen.

It's not doing well? That sucks, it's a good film. And again, it's a ripoff, not really Superman, it doesn't ruin the Superman brand anymore than say Gamera could ruin Godzilla or Green Arrow could ruin Batman (true you admitted and recognize it's petty and childish, but still...).

[PyroTwilight]

It's not doing well? That sucks, it's a good film. And again, it's a ripoff, not really Superman, it doesn't ruin the Superman brand anymore than say Gamera could ruin Godzilla or Green Arrow could ruin Batman (true you admitted and recognize it's petty and childish, but still...).

Brightburn's actually doing pretty well by all indicators. It's just not a huge comic book blockbuster like other established characters but it's already earned on a 6 million budget: 9.6 million in domestic revenue and 7.8 internationally. So it's definitely making a profit already.