22 Years Ago, DC Comics Gave Readers the Only “Evil Superman” Story You Need to Read

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DC Comics has a long history of exploring stories where Superman becomes a villain, a trend that really took off with the popularity of the Injustice video game and comics. But the idea of an evil Superman has been around for a while, with different publishers experimenting with the concept. While some fans enjoy alternate versions of Superman, many find the ‘evil Superman’ trope uninspired. However, one story stands out: “Absolute Power,” a storyline from issues 14-18 of the Superman/Batman comic series.

The early 2000s were a strong period for DC Comics, and the first few years of the Superman/Batman series really stand out. “Absolute Power,” written by Jeph Loeb and illustrated by the incredibly talented Carlos Pacheco, presents an alternate reality where Superman and Batman are in complete control, and history has been altered by some truly menacing time travelers. This story expertly showcases how terrifying Superman could be, and it reintroduced some fantastic villains who had faded into obscurity after the Crisis event. Despite being largely forgotten today, it’s the definitive story about an evil Superman – the only one you’ll ever need to read.

“Absolute Power” Uses Superman’s Inherent Goodness Against Him

The Superman/Batman comic was excellent because writer Jeph Loeb embraced the older, more fantastical stories of DC Comics’ Silver Age. The first story arc featured a massive robot based on the Composite Superman, and the second brought back Supergirl. These initial arcs skillfully blended classic and modern elements, making the series a standout while Loeb was writing it. It was a major title for DC in the early to mid-2000s, and the ‘Absolute Power’ storyline is widely considered the series’ peak.

The “Absolute Power” storyline began with a shocking premise: villains traveled back in time to eliminate Superman and Batman’s parents. They killed the Kents after discovering Superman and then Joe Chill after he murdered the Waynes. These villains then raised the young boys, and the story jumps to the present day where they’ve become powerful, controlling figures. They use their resources to establish a totalitarian regime, and a chilling birthday ‘gift’ for Superman involves the murder of Green Arrow, a resistance leader. The issue concludes by revealing the time-travelers’ identities: Lightning Lord, Saturn Queen, and Cosmic King – the main members of the Legion of Supervillains from the 31st century.

The story explores how these three villains managed to persuade Kal and Bruce that their rule would benefit everyone, justifying their harmful actions as necessary for building a perfect society. It’s a clever twist often missing in evil Superman narratives – using Superman’s inherent goodness (and Batman’s to some degree) to create a bleak, oppressive world. We see both the fight against their control and the efforts of others to save the universe.

As a huge Superman fan, I always thought “Absolute Power” handled an evil Superman so well – not as a villain who wants to be bad, but as someone who’s been twisted into something monstrous while still believing he’s doing the right thing. It really highlights just how crucial the Kents were in shaping him as a person. And the story goes completely off the rails in the best way towards the end! We’re talking time travel, jumping through history, and seeing these really messed up alternate worlds created when the Legion tries to fix the timeline. It takes those wild, over-the-top ideas from the Silver Age of comics and gives them a modern, darker spin. It’s a Silver Age story told with a Modern Age feel, and honestly, it’s the best take on an evil Superman out there.

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2026-02-15 18:14