Superman is one of the most popular superheroes in the world, so it’s no surprise that DC has tried to capitalize on his popularity by releasing all kinds of stories that satisfy our Superman appetites with a twist. “What if” is one of the most fun questions to ask when you look at long-running characters. We love these characters, so it’s really fun to see them thrust into situations that their original versions would never get close to being in. Superman has starred in plenty of these Elseworld tales, and here are five that you absolutely need to check out if you want to see a take on Superman that you would never see in the main universe.
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1) Superman: Speeding Bullets
Instead of crashing in the cornfields of Kansas, this story shows Superman’s spaceship crashing down near Gotham City, where he is adopted by the childless Thomas and Martha Wayne. They name him Bruce, and for the first eight years his childhood is idyllic, until the thing that always happens to Thomas and Martha happens. They are gunned down in front of Bruce, which causes his heat vision to awaken as he accidentally kills Joe Chill in retaliation. Years later, Bruce decides that someone needs to stand up against the criminals that fester inside his home, and upon discovering his spaceship hidden inside a cave beneath Wayne Manor, takes the name Batman to punish criminals. This is not only a superpowered Batman, but one who is far more punishing in his vengeance than most other versions, fighting both criminals and the guilt and failure that lives in his heart. This story shows his journey from being a creature of revenge to the bright light of hope Superman should be, and features an awesome Superman-inspired Bat-symbol and Lex Luthor as the Joker, so it’s really worth checking out if you’re a fan of Batman or Superman.
2) Superman: Last Son of Earth
Instead of baby Kal-El being launched to Earth from the dying Krypton, this tale shows human baby Clark Kent being sent to Krypton after a meteor threatens to destroy his homeworld. Clark is adopted by the El family and renamed, but as he grows up he sees that Krypton is on the same path of destruction that his original world took. Eventually, he is chosen to become the Green Lantern of his sector, and uses his awesome powers to pull Krypton back from the brink of self eradication. After saving his adopted home, he later travels to Earth, where he finds that the planet is not destroyed at all. However, it too is walking down a path of suffering and hubris, and Green Lantern Kal-El does everything in his power to make sure that he never has to lose his home again. Seeing Superman’s unshakeable will be acknowledged in this way is awesome, and we get to see a potential version of Krypton where it was saved from destruction, which is always cool. The role reversal with Superman being a human sent to Krypton is very interesting, but I think Superman as a Green Lantern sells this story better than anything else could.
3) Superman: Secret Identity
In this world, superheroes are just characters in comic books. Young Clark Kent hates his name because everyone always cracks jokes about him relating to the fictional Superman, but one night he goes out camping, and wakes up to discover that he has all of Superman’s powers. The series follows the life of the very real Clark Kent as he adjusts to his powers, following him from trying to use them to garner fame and glory, and his growth into a real hero that works to stay hidden from the world to keep himself and his loved ones safe. This is just as much about Clark growing up as it is him being Superman, and we get to see the span of his entire life, from adolescence to being an old man with his powers fading. We never get any confirmation on where his powers come from, but his two daughters inherit them, and by the end, superpowers have become far more common all over the world. It’s a beautiful story that’s all about identity, about who you really are inside, and is easily one of the greatest Superman stories ever, even if it’s about an entirely different Clark Kent.
4) Kingdom Come
Kingdom Come is contentiously DC’s greatest comic book ever, and that is not said lightly. Although not a Superman specific Elseworld, the comic follows Superman as one of its main characters, and dissects how he is the single most important superhero to ever live. The world it depicts has long given up on humanity, waiting for the day when metahumans wipe them out. A violent new generation of superheros are near indistinguishable from the villains, and care far more about beating down offenders than saving lives. Superman retired years earlier, after the Joker killed Lois Lane and the rest of the Daily Planet staff, and the city of Metropolis worshiped the anti-hero Mangog for murdering Joker in turn. Superman is pulled out of retirement to stand against the hyperviolent youngsters, recruiting the old-guard of the original Justice League to bring order and hope back to the world. The Spectre and minister Norman McCay spectate the events, with the Angel of Wrath saying that Superman’s choices will either doom or save the world. Not only is this story incredible and the origin of one of Superman’s best crests of all time, but the entire comic is painted by comic book legend Alex Ross. This story is comic books at their best, and works as a perfect final chapter in the mythos of plenty of superheroes. It also perfectly captures why Superman is so important, and what he means to the world. I cannot recommend this comic enough. If you somehow haven’t already read it, go do that right now. And if you have, it’s always worth a reread.
5) Superman & Batman: Generations
In order for comic book characters to stay modern despite the majority of them having debuted decades ago, comic book universes have something called a sliding timescale. Effectively, every so often a character’s origin is brought up a couple of years closer to the present. Superman & Batman: Generations, meanwhile, explores a world where DC’s heroes age just the same as everyone else. The World’s Finest first meet in 1939 at the Metropolis World Fair, with each chapter of the comic detailing the end of the next decade. The world’s two greatest superheroes have families, pass their legacies onto their children, and grow old. Even as tragedies follow them across the century, they hold fast to their virtues and work to be the best superheroes that they can be. In the end, both men have survived for over a thousand years and still have plenty of life left to live, and travel the cosmos to spread peace wherever they go. This is a story about two best friends who grow old together, inspire great legacies, and give those legacies to the next generation to carry on. Still, that doesn’t mean they ever give up the good fight themselves. There are also two sequel series, which focus on the other heroes of the world and the duo’s descendants, respectively. This is a fun read to really see the two classic characters age in a way we’ll never get in the main universe, and sometimes seeing that definitive end to their stories with age is a powerful final chapter. Definitely worth checking out if you’re in the mood for a decade-spanning story.
So there we have five Superman-centric Elseworld stories that you absolutely need to check out. There are definitely way, way more amazing stories than just the ones listed here. From the unbeatable classic of All-Star Superman to the new must-read Absolute Superman, the character of Superman continues to prove that he can work in just about any setting, if you’re willing to watch him try and change it for the better. I can’t recommend any of the mentioned stories enough, and I’m always excited to see new takes on the Man of Steel. Which alternate Superman story is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below!
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Image courtesy of Marvel Studios. -
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