Bizarro question

[ratzo]

Is Bizarro considered "evil" the same way characters like Lex Luthor and Darkseid are? Or is he more like the old-school Hulk - too dumb to comprehend the concepts of good and evil the way other sentient beings do?

[Bicycle-Repairman]

Bizarro isn't truly evil. He's even tried to be a hero, but his low intelligence and deranged view of reality makes him dangerous.

[Sean Whitmore]

There were two Post-Crisis Bizarros before the current, Emperor Joker version, I believe.

The first one was "created" by Byrne, and it actually thought it was Superman. It wasn't even particularly stupid, as I recall. But he only got one issue, and sacrificed himself heroically at the end.

The second one appeared yeeeears later, during the time Jurgens was in charge (I think), and this was much more the "Me am Bizarro" version. I think this one knew it wasn't the true Superman, but tried to copy Supes' life as close as possible (kinda like the one that appeared in the animared series).

This new one, I honestly don't know what his deal is. He isn't evil--he doesn't seem to have any discernible goals or personality. Just a big dummy.


SEAN

[PatrickG]

Created by nearly limitless 5th dimensional magic and the Joker's twisted imagination, the current Bizarro is very confusing from a moral perspective. Not good, not evil... But not neutral either. He has a kind of tangent morality that is too extreme to be neutrality and yet is 90 degrees removed from either good or evil. It's easiest to imagine him as a manbeast, a soulless creature who avoids pain and seeks pleasure but who kills his enemies and is easily subjugated.

He has X-Ray Hearing, Spotlight Vision, Flame Breath and invulnerability and strength that exceed Superman's. (And quite possibly, any physical entity in the DCU.)

The power of gods guided by a mind on par with a brain damaged child.

Done right, he's disturbing on a cosmic scale and a threat to the universe without actually being evil. In fact, he has the twisted contradiction of being innocent on one level and uninhibited about murder on another. He attempts to be moral but he's too confused and naive to grasp morality.

[Gauss]

Heh. What does all that mean for Batzarro? ;)

[ratzo]

Created by nearly limitless 5th dimensional magic and the Joker's twisted imagination, the current Bizarro is very confusing from a moral perspective. Not good, not evil... But not neutral either.

Oy. I had no idea there was more than one post-Crisis Bizarro. Was this one created during that whole "Emperor Joker" thing?

[Sean Whitmore]

Oy. I had no idea there was more than one post-Crisis Bizarro. Was this one created during that whole "Emperor Joker" thing?


Yup, the current one with the #1 medallion around his neck is from the EJ universe, just like Ignition and Scorch.


SEAN

[Bordnlazy]

Okay okay now i'm friggin' confused , how many post crisis Bizarros' are they're and what are their stories?!?!?!? I also forgot about the Animated one, he was a clone right? the EJ universe one i remember , fat wonderwomn and what not. :p

[Sean Whitmore]

Okay okay now i'm friggin' confused , how many post crisis Bizarros' are they're and what are their stories?!?!?!? I also forgot about the Animated one, he was a clone right? the EJ universe one i remember , fat wonderwomn and what not. :p


I'll save you the arduous task of reading the third post by reposting it here ;)


The first one was "created" by Byrne, and it actually thought it was Superman. It wasn't even particularly stupid, as I recall. But he only got one issue, and sacrificed himself heroically at the end.

The second one appeared yeeeears later, during the time Jurgens was in charge (I think), and this was much more the "Me am Bizarro" version. I think this one knew it wasn't the true Superman, but tried to copy Supes' life as close as possible (kinda like the one that appeared in the animared series).


And the current EJ one.

So as the Count would say...Three! Three Post-Crisis Bizarros, Mwa-ha-ha!


SEAN

[PatrickG]

Technically, there are more.

There's A. Bizarro.

Plus a clone created by the Contessa at the end of the Electric Superman story. And a Bizarro with crystalline flesh in Wagner's Trinity.

Plus a Bizarro plague that hit the 31st century.

[Rod G]

I'm surprised there hasn't been a Bizarro Lobo . . .



. . . yet.

[Alan2099]

Trying to make sense of Bizarro logic is a losing battle. It's Bizarro logic because it doesn't make sense.

I mean he could talk about being a great "villian" like Superman is so he'll go out and do "bad" things like saving puppies for a burning building or helping old ladies across the street.

Later he'll talk about being sucha great "hero" like Superman is, so he'll go out and do "good" things like robbing banks and destroying major landmarks.

[Lorendiac]

The first one was "created" by Byrne, and it actually thought it was Superman. It wasn't even particularly stupid, as I recall. But he only got one issue, and sacrificed himself heroically at the end.

I'm not sure how dumb (or smart) the first Post-Crisis Bizarro was. It apparently couldn't speak articulately - it just snarled at Superman once or twice, didn't it? And tried to enter the Daily Planet while dressed more-or-less as Clark Kent, as if it seriously expected to be "recognized" and "accepted" by Clark's co-workers (fat chance). And it then rejected any efforts on Superman's part to try to communicate peacefully, instead picking a fight with him as soon as they met, none of which speaks well for the idea of it being mute but fairly intelligent.

So it had no verbal skills and no social skills and quite a temper, but on the other hand it did save Lucy Lane's life when she tried to commit suicide, and later on it (possibly) figured out that exposure to the particles flaking off its synthetic body had started healing her blindness, and let itself be destroyed in order to create a blizzard of such particles and finish the job of giving her 20/20 vision. At least, Superman assumed this was the Bizarro's deliberate intention, but he may have been overly generous in that judgment for all we know :)

(Ever since I first read that story, I've wondered if anyone else in the neighborhood got any sort of "miracle cure," damaged nerves or other tissues regenerating on the spot, as a result of the exposure to the powdered remains of the Bizarro Superman?)

[Sean Whitmore]

And tried to enter the Daily Planet while dressed more-or-less as Clark Kent, as if it seriously expected to be "recognized" and "accepted" by Clark's co-workers (fat chance).


That was a hilarious image. He walks in wearing glasses and an ill-fitting suit, with the Superman cape clearly visible sticking out the back. :)


SEAN

[Kistler]

I consider the Matt Wagner TRINITY story to be incontinuity, taking place soon after Jason Todd became Robin, so this is my own brief chronological history of Bizarro, in my head.

- first Bizarro - imperfect attempt to clone Superman. Brain-damaged due to imperfection in its brain. Believes itself to be Superman and goes through the motions of his life, but is not fully aware of its surroundings. Soon realizes that flakes from his artificial skin are repairing Lucy Lane's sight and later realizes that the Superman he's fighting is more effective and probably thus he is a pretender. He sacrifices himself, seemingly deciding he has no right to exist while simultaneously planning that in his death he will cure Lucy Lane's blindness as well.

- Second Bizarro - If you were Luthor, would you give up after only one try? Created later, this second Bizarro was simple-minded and savage. It was a very "Me am Bizarro. Superman enemy." that kinda thing. Easily manipulated, he was sort of like Marvel's green savage Hulk. When he was too difficult to control, Luthor literally froze him alive and left him in the arctic until he could figure out a better use for him. Ra's al Ghul freed him and convinced him they were friends, even giving him a name tag that labeled him as al Ghul's "#1." He was killed during Ra's al Ghul's attempted invasion of Paradise Island.

- Third Bizarro. Created soon after Zero Hour and before the temporary destruction of Metropolis, another failed attempt at a clone who was also meant to help Luthor's research into the clone virus that was slowly killing him. This Bizarror was not malicious in any way, like the second could be, he was loveably stupid and more like a tempermental child. He died, taken I believe by the same clone virus Luthor had been trying to fight.

- A. Bizarro. Not sure, don't really care.

- Fourth Bizarro. Briefest of the lot, created by the Contessa for her own schemes and easily dispatched.

- Bizarro #1. When Joker got Mxzptlk's powers, he liked the whole concept of Bizarro and so created the new guy from scratch, making him a true opposite of Superman with arctic-vision and fire-breath. To prove that his creation was better than any of Luthor's clones, he got a big name tag declaring him to be "BIZARRO #1." This Bizarro is kinda evil in that he wants Superman dead, but at the same time it's not entirely his fault because the Joker created him with a literally backwards brain. It has recently been revealed that the Joker also created a Batzarro (post Crisis version of Bizzaro Batman) who is motivated by a desire to recreate the murder of Thomas and Martha Wayne by going around and killing every couple he sees leaving a movie theatre or play.

Maybe I should do my next MONITOR DUTY profile/history article on Bizarro. :-P

[soda]

I have to agree with my man, the joker, his bizarro is the best!

[Deskad]

That was a hilarious image. He walks in wearing glasses and an ill-fitting suit, with the Superman cape clearly visible sticking out the back. :)


SEAN


Question, how did this not ruin the secret Identity???

It's like saying, "Superman is Clark Kent, I think I am superman therefore I am also Clark Kent."

Are DC people THAT stupid.

[PatrickG]

Short answer: Yes.

And real people are even dumber.

[Deskad]

And real people are even dumber.

Sigh, ain't that the truth.

[twilight]

So the current version of Bizarro has ice vision?

[Doc VonDread]

So the current version of Bizarro has ice vision?


Yep, he does--and all those other powers (fiery breath, etc) listed from an earlier post.

[NotSuper]

Maybe I should do my next MONITOR DUTY profile/history article on Bizarro. :-P
You should definitely do that.

[foxfire]

Wow i had no idea the history of Bizarro was that convoluted... I just read Trinity, and I have to say I really enjoyed that version. Also enjoyed the recent Bizarro/Zoom race around the world...talk about an interesting twist on an old favorite :)