10 Best Alternate Justice League Costumes From Superman: Red Son, Ranked

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Superman is a character that’s always been ripe for reimagining, and there are many fantastic ‘Elseworlds’ stories exploring different versions of the Man of Steel. While Batman has even more of these alternate tales – there’s just a lot more Batman content overall – Superman has starred in several classics. One standout is Superman: Red Son by Mark Millar, Dave Johnson, and Killian Plunkett. Many believe Grant Morrison helped Millar create the story and even wrote the ending, which feels very plausible. This famous tale features a Superman who landed in the Soviet Union as a baby and was raised by the state, becoming a powerful weapon for Josef Stalin. Meanwhile, in the United States, Lex Luthor desperately searched for ways to defeat him.

The world in Superman: Red Son is quite different from our own, and the character designs reflect that—especially the costumes. Here are ten of the best alternate Justice League costumes from the story, offering fresh takes on classic heroes in a world where Soviet communism prevails.

10) The Green Lantern Corps

The Green Lantern Corps usually safeguard the universe for DC Comics, but an alternate version featured in Red Son was drastically different. In this reality, Lex Luthor managed to unlock the power of Abin Sur’s ring (we’ll explain how later) and mass-produced duplicates. This allowed him to create an American Green Lantern Corps comprised of soldiers, with Hal Jordan as their leader. Unlike traditional Green Lanterns with colorful costumes, this group wore military-style uniforms, emphasizing their ‘corps’ identity. They played a key role in the final battle against Superman, using their willpower to counter his immense alien power.

9) Lex Luthor

Lex Luthor is Superman’s biggest enemy, and that’s true in most versions of their story. In Superman: Red Son, this rivalry continued – Kal-L was a powerful asset for the Soviets, while Luthor served the same role for the Americans. Throughout the story, Luthor had several different appearances, but his best was definitely the classic look with a Golden Age lab coat. It gave off a cool, old-fashioned mad scientist vibe, but it was clear the coat was custom-made to project a certain image. It was the most memorable of his many great outfits and proved that Luthor can pull off any style.

8) Bizarro

The Bizarro created in Red Son wasn’t a perfect copy of Superman, but he was remarkably similar – more so than Superman would have wanted. Lex Luthor used Superman’s DNA, combined it with his own, and created this unstable being. Intended as America’s response to the Soviet Union’s Superman, Bizarro’s powers malfunctioned, causing him to become uncontrollable. However, his costume was a neat twist on the classic Superman design, swapping the iconic ‘S’ shield for a US shield.

7) Hal Jordan

Hal Jordan is considered the most powerful Green Lantern across all universes, and his alternate version in the Red Son storyline is particularly intense. After being held captive by the Soviets and developing a strong resentment towards them, he mentally designed and then physically constructed prison camps to hold them. He eventually received the Green Lantern ring from Abin Sur, quickly learned to use its power, and rose to the rank of Colonel, becoming the leader of the entire Corps. His uniform was impeccably designed, setting a standard for the rest of the Lanterns, and his pilot helmet was a particularly striking detail.

6) Batman

Batman is a legendary comic book character, and his costume is a key part of his identity. The version of Batman seen in Red Son both honors the classic look and feels distinctly different. In this alternate reality, Bruce Wayne’s parents died during the Soviet purges, and he dedicated himself to becoming a powerful adversary to Superman. Because Moscow’s climate is much harsher than Gotham’s, his costume was built to withstand extreme cold. This Batman also visibly carries more weapons than other iterations, giving him a more rugged and realistic appearance that really defines this unique take on the character.

5) Wonder Woman War Costume

Wonder Woman faced a difficult time after rescuing Superman from Batman in Superman: Red Son. To do so, she had to break her magical Lasso of Truth, a loss that took years to overcome, as the lasso was the source of her powers. During her recovery, she opposed the Soviet Union and ultimately led a rebellion of Themysciran warriors, switching their allegiance to the United States for the final battle. She fought wearing impressive Amazonian armor. While some versions of the armor haven’t quite captured the essence of Wonder Woman’s classic look, this particular suit successfully blends iconic elements with practical, battle-ready features.

4) Superman’s First Costume

Superman is known for his great costumes, and his designs from the Red Son storyline are particularly memorable. In that story, he wore two main outfits. The first was similar to his classic look and was created for his initial mission outside the Soviet Union. It was intended to project strength and inspire confidence in him as a symbol of the communist regime, and it succeeded – his first public appearance cemented his image as the hero Stalin wanted the world to see. This suit was truly impressive and created a lasting, iconic image that remains recognizable today.

3) Brainiac

Brainiac is typically Superman’s biggest enemy, but in the story Superman: Red Son, he surprisingly became a key advisor – though not for long. After Superman defeated Brainiac’s initial attack on Earth, he managed to subdue him and put his intelligence to use, tasking him with planning a communist future and controlling an army of mind-controlled robots created from former rebels. However, Brainiac began to develop his own agenda, ultimately viewing Superman as an obstacle to achieving complete communist control. He then seemingly sacrificed himself to save humanity. This version of Brainiac has a particularly striking robotic design, making him appear both intimidating and intelligent.

2) Wonder Woman’s First Costume

In Superman: Red Son, Hippolyta quickly understood the changing political landscape after Kal-El’s emergence and the Amazons’ alliance with the Soviet Union. Diana was selected to work alongside Kal, and her costume is brilliantly designed. It builds on the iconic Wonder Woman look, giving it a distinctly Soviet aesthetic with darker colors that create a more imposing presence. It’s a wonderful reimagining of a classic design—and yes, the skirt is definitely superior to the trunks!

1) Superman’s Premiere Costume

I always thought the criticism of the New 52 Superman costume’s collar was a bit unfair. After all, Superman: Red Son proved a collared Superman look could be incredible! Seeing that version, after Superman took control of the Soviet Union, really blew me away. He updated his suit with a collar and a cool grey color scheme, and later added these impressive shoulder details. It wasn’t just a costume change, though; it visually showed how power was corrupting him, and it was brilliantly done. Honestly, it’s one of my favorite Superman designs ever.

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2026-05-29 18:15