7 Weirdest Alternate Versions of Superman

Known globally as the epitome of superheroes, Superman is an iconic figure whose origins are well-known – an extraterrestrial baby who landed on Earth and grew up to become its protector extraordinaire. Adored by fans and creators alike, it’s no wonder that a character as legendary as Superman would spawn numerous variations in a comic book universe that expands infinitely, offering a plethora of unique tales. Yet, while these alternate versions of Superman are often captivating and intriguing, some can be downright bizarre. Let’s explore seven of the most peculiar interpretations of this iconic superhero.

1) True Brit

In an alternate reality, instead of crashing in the Midwest of Kansas, Kal-El’s spacecraft was deliberately directed towards England. He was discovered and nurtured by the Clark family, with him being christened Colin Clark. What makes this narrative unusual isn’t that Superman became British, although it is intriguing and amusing to envision given Superman’s strong association with American culture, but rather that this tale clearly satirizes British stereotypes. Particularly, it criticizes the British inclination to conform to societal norms, as Colin was raised to never employ his powers for fear of disturbing the neighbors. He went on to work for the Daily Smear as a tabloid journalist and later created an ostentatiously British Superman costume modeled after the Union Jack flag following the rescue of The Rutles, a Beatles parody band. This comic book reads like a script from Monty Python, and that’s because it essentially is, having been penned by John Cleese and Kim Howard Johnson – both well-known for their contributions to classic British dry humor. This work is pure old-fashioned teasing, and is sure to elicit laughter from those who read it with an open mind. The exaggeration of stereotypes is extreme, but it’s all in good fun, making it quite unusual to see Superman clad in a British flag costume. This book earns its place on the list for that reason alone.

2) Superman/Tarzan: Sons of the Jungle

In an unexpected twist, a comic book narrative pairs Superman with Tarzan, a combination that might not immediately cross your mind. However, this crossover proves to be a refreshing take on both characters. In this tale, Superman’s spaceship crashes in East Africa, where he is nurtured by apes and becomes the ruler of the jungle, known as Argo-Zan. On the other hand, Tarzan grows up in civilization to become Lord Greystoke. Despite their different upbringings, they are magnetically pulled towards their true destinies. Eventually, they meet and swap roles, with Argo-Zan transitioning to the city life as Superman, while Greystroke embraces his role as a protector of the wild. This absurd yet enjoyable story is delightful due to its unconventional nature – who would have thought about Superman transforming into Tarzan? What adds more humor to this situation is that another rendition of Superman raised by wolves, titled “Superman: The Feral Man of Steel,” also exists. It seems that the theme of Superman in the jungle has enough appeal to inspire not one but two unique interpretations, which is fantastic!

3) Superman: Red Son

Superman: Red Son, one of Superman’s most renowned Elseworlds, has even been turned into a film with the same title. This comic book is essentially an exploration of nature versus nurture, as it imagines Superman landing in the Soviet Union instead of America in 1953. Despite embodying the values of his adopted homeland, Superman eventually realizes that he has become a dictator who placed himself above humanity and staged his own death to live as an ordinary man. However, considering its premise – ‘What if Superman was a communist?’ – one might find it hard to believe that such a story was conceived and approved. The comic features real historical figures like Joseph Stalin and John F. Kennedy, and the mere thought of Superman conversing with Stalin is mind-boggling. This tale raises an intriguing question but also seems utterly implausible. Moreover, it ends far in the future where the offspring of Lex Luthor and Lois Lane send their son back to the past as the Earth explodes, creating a paradoxical timeloop for no apparent reason and making Superman related to Lois Lane. In summary, this story is downright extraordinary in every aspect.

4) Superman: At Earth’s End

In my humble opinion as a movie critic, this rendition of Superman resides remarkably close to the original, yet it unfolds in a world so unbelievably bizarre that it effortlessly secures a spot on my list of extraordinary tales. For those who haven’t encountered “Superman: At Earth’s End,” the narrative is set in a post-apocalyptic landscape where an aged Superman endeavors to liberate Gotham City from its military rule by mutant bat-men, before the Biomech Sevens, the overseers of Earth, nuke the city off the map. This Superman not only wields a gun that dwarfs his physique, but the primary antagonists are twin Hitler clones known as the DNA Diktators, who seek to create an army of bat-mutant-men using Batman’s DNA and rule the world, claiming they never lost World War II. To add to the insanity, Superman is aided by a group of child soldiers who were once a street gang, abducted by the Hitler twins for experiments. The story concludes with Superman retrieving Batman’s remains and walking into his funeral pyre, after which the children deliver an anti-gun message over his still burning corpse. This portrayal of Superman and the world he inhabits is unquestionably insane in a way I’ve never encountered before, leaving me perpetually torn between being utterly captivated and shaking my head in disbelief. It manages to be both incredible and foolish, without a doubt.

5) The Jurassic League

In this unique take on the Superman tale, we find a Kryptonian Brachiosaurus baby who was sent to Earth in its prehistoric age, where he was cared for by early human parents. Unlike traditional lore, our hero here is not an alien from Krypton disguised as a human, but rather a sentient dinosaur named Supersaur. In this world, Supersaur used his powers to safeguard the primitive humans, helping them construct a city that would shield them from carnivorous predators. As he grew, Supersaur formed alliances with other intelligent dinosaurs like Bat Walker and Wonderdon, forming the Jurassic League. They banded together to combat the malevolent force of Darkyloseid. In an epic battle, Supersaur overcame this enemy by hurling him into orbit, creating a new continent where humans and dinosaurs could coexist harmoniously. This alternate universe storyline, featuring the unparalleled toughness of Supersaur, remains one of my all-time favorites within the Elseworlds series, and I eagerly await its potential return.

6) “Killer Kent Versus Super Luthor”

The narrative unfolds in issues #230 and #231 of the Superman comic series, depicting the events surrounding Jor-El, driven mad by his wife’s death, who destroys Krypton and escapes with his son Lex-El to Earth seeking superpowers. Simultaneously, notorious criminals Jonathan and Martha Kent had a brain chip implanted in their son Clark’s head, designed to make him the world’s greatest criminal. Tragically, the Kent couple perished under the Kryptonian spacecraft, leaving young Clark an orphan. As Lex and Clark grew up as friends, the chip eventually took control, transforming Clark into a criminal mastermind. One fateful day, Clark vanished after murdering Jor-El, who was attempting to bring a Matter Vacuum to Smallville. Later, Lex would adopt the identity of Superman, while the notion of Lex Luthor becoming Superman is already preposterous, this story stands out due to Lex’s bizarre actions throughout his career. This man constructed an entire replica of Krypton populated with android duplicates at one point. The climactic confrontation between Lex and Killer Kent resulted in a double bluff involving Superman Robots and holograms, Superman’s powers being transferred to a steering wheel, and Clark’s demise when his brain implant malfunctioned. Indeed, this is an outlandish tale, and the peculiar elongation of Lex-El’s head adds an extra layer of absurdity to an already hilarious story.

7) The Superman Monster

In conclusion, our last item presents an engaging blend of the Superman storyline and Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein.” Discredited scientist Victor Luthor becomes fixated on reanimating the dead, and strikes luck when he finds a rocket containing deceased baby Kal-El. Constructing a new body using both stolen and created parts, Luthor manages to revive the baby into an adult, but the procedure malfunctions, resulting in him having pale skin and supernatural abilities. The reborn being perceives Luthor as his father, yet the mad scientist spurns him, even after the creature rescues him from a fire. Luthor mobilizes the townsfolk to pursue him, while the supposed monster forms a bond with Luthor’s fiancée Eloise following her rescue, and is adopted by the Kent family under the name Klaus, in honor of their deceased son.

In this retelling, Klaus adapts to human ways and grows increasingly human-like, but is eventually discovered by Luthor and his gang, resulting in Johan Kent’s tragic demise due to a heart attack. Luthor then learns about Klaus’ vulnerability to Kryptonite. At their wedding, Luthor aims at Klaus but hits and kills Eloise instead. He resurrects her using the same technology previously, but she refuses him due to the emotional toll and his role in her father’s death. Klaus and Eloise then destroy Luthor’s Revival Matrix and flee to live harmoniously in seclusion. Pursued by Luthor, he ultimately succumbs to the cold in the Arctic while searching for their Fortress of Solitude. This story is emotional and captivating, skillfully demonstrating that the supposed monster yearned not to be a destructive force, and highlighting the profound humanity that resides within Superman’s essence. I strongly suggest giving this a read; it exceeds expectations in terms of depth and warmth.

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2025-07-21 15:10