Bizarro

Bizarro appears in some comic books and in the Superfriends cartoons as a part of the Legion of Doom.

Silver Age Origin

Bizarro in action

The first Bizarro was a duplicate of Superboy, created by a "duplicating machine". It destroyed itself to cure a blind girl. The next Bizarro was created by a similar device recreated by Lex Luthor. It retained the memories of the Bizarro Superboy. At first it attempts to help Superman and do good, but is rejected by humanity and generally destroys things in its wake. It then attempts suicide, but is unsuccessful. Finally it falls in love with Lois Lane, who uses the Duplicator ray to create a Bizarro-Lois for it. Bizarro later passed through a cosmic energy field which reversed many of its powers-- i.e., Bizarro now had "cold vision" and could only see through lead. Bizarro then used the ray to populate the planet Htrae (Earth spelled backwards) with Bizarro versions of various DC characters, as well as multiple Bizarro-Supermen and Bizarro-Loises.

Send in the Clones

The first Post-Crisis Bizarro was an imperfect clone of Superman created by Luthor; having only fragmentary genetic memory, he tried to live like Clark Kent before encountering the real Superman. Bizarro ended up sacrificing his life so that Lucy Lang could see again. There was also a second failed Bizarro that built a ramshackled "Bizarro World," to win the affection of his beloved "Lo-iz."

Jokerized

While previous Bizarro's were Lex Luthor's failed attempts to clone Superman, the current creature is very different. Wielding Mr. Mxyzptlk's matter-manipulating powers, the Joker created a cube-shaped Bizarro-Earth with continents hewn in the image of Emperior Joker! Wrong was right on this backwards Earth terrorized by a villainous JLA whose roster included the demon Scorch, gun-toting Bounty, armored Ignition, and an all new Bizarro. In a mixed up Metropolis, Bizarro fought for lies, injustice, and the un-American way, and made his headquarters in the crumbling Graveyard of Solitude.

Rann-Thanagar Holy War: Countdown to Adventure

Only a select few believed Lady Styx was destroyed but it seems Lady Styx has regenerated. Lady Styx wants to exact her revenge on Earth as well as Rann so she infects a Hollywood movie star named Steven “The Champ” Hazard. Styx’s reason for infecting Hazard is because she learned that Sardath had chosen the celebrity to be Adam Strange’s replacement as the protector of Rann since Strange was beginning to fail in his duties. Sardath transported Hazard during the shooting of his latest action flick. Adam of course, wasn’t happy with Sardath’s decision but at the same time, Strange could see that Sardath was not acting like his usual self. Sardath asks Strange to counsel Hazard on what to expect from Rann. However, Hazard’s egocentric nature causes him to underestimate a Sandswarmer in the Desert of Tears and Hazard’s face ends up getting scarred.

Strange confronts Hazard for his reckless behavior and Hazard reacts like a rabid dog. Hazard threatens Strange that if he ever chastises him in front of the Rannians again then Strange will end up dead. Sardath calms Hazard and tells Strange to go home to his family since he is no longer needed. Strange decides to spy on Sardath and Hazard to figure out why they are acting out of character. Strange soon realizes that Sardath has abandoned his faith in science and has accepted Lady Styx’s philosophy as his religion.

From what he has gathered, Strange believes that Lady Styx is infecting key individuals on Rann with some sort of virus in order to bring Rann crumbling down from the inside. Strange also theorizes on how the effects of the virus differ between Sardath and Hazard. Sardath is now a devout yet still lucid follower of Lady Styx while Hazard is becoming a blood thirsty crusader for Lady Styx. Hazard instills marshal law on Rann with Sardath’s unquestioned approval. Hazard also deputizes the majority of Rann’s population who believe in Lady Styx as a savior. Strange calls out for outside assistance on Earth while Hazard’s vigilantes hunted down the supposed enemies of Lady Styx on Rann.

Strange’s out going cry for help gains the attention of a group of intergalactic healers. These healers are dedicated to cleansing of plagues that might infect the balance of the universe. The healers were on Earth at the time because they could sense a bacterial disturbance in Animal Man’s son Cliff Baker. Cliff was infected by the Lady Styx virus because Cliff had shook Hazard’s hand during the shooting of his picture. The healers could tell from their readings that Cliff’s viral infection has already begun to spread throughout his neighborhood. The healers quarantine the area with a force field and unleash a swarm of robotic nanites called sterilizers in order to wipe out the virus as well as the infected.

Starfire tries to protect Cliff from the sterilizers while trying to restrain him since the virus has made him insane. Cliff uses a kitchen knife to cut Starfire and Starfire becomes so agitated with Cliff that she uses her solar energy bolts to disarm him. Starfire’s quick thinking not only subdued Cliff but it also eradicated the virus within his body. This is the reason why Lady Styx hates Starfire above anyone else. Starfire gains her abilities by absorbing the solar rays from the sun and her powers can eradicate Styx’s viral influence rather than incubating it. Starfire uses her abilities to cure Cliff’s neighborhood before the sterilizers could complete their purpose.

Meanwhile, Adam did all he could to find out if anyone on Earth had received his message. Adam used a remote terminal to silently access one of Rann’s satellites to send his message but now he can use it to view anything taking place on Earth. Adam could see what was happening on Earth but he was interrupted by Hazard who has been monitoring Adam’s movements. Adam puts an end to Hazard by using Sardath’s zeta beam. The zeta beam teleports Hazard to the healers’ quarantine zone on Earth and the sterilizers zone in on Hazard’s location. The sterilizers practically devour Hazard from the inside thus putting an end to the progenitor of Lady Styx’s virus.

Unfortunately, the healers will not allow anyone to leave the quarantine zone until they are convinced of the virus’ destruction on Earth which means Starfire can’t help Strange in eradicating the virus on Rann. Strange decides to contact Captain Comet because Blake's telepathic abilities might be able to disrupt Styx's direct influence over Rann. As Strange tries to make contact with Hardcore Station, Hawkman arrives on Rann with some disturbing news. It seems Deacon Dark has risen once again and he has established a new Eternal Light Corporation on Thanagar.

The deacon preaches to the Thanagarians to ignore their frail peace agreement with Rann and to unleash their fury in the name of Synnar. The Thanagarians are moved by the deacon’s words because Dark presents Synnar as a deity who is worth their worship as compared to Onimar Synn. Hawkman informs Adam that the deacon has convinced a squadron of Thanagarians to pillage the mineral fields in the Valley of Cries on Rann. Both men know this act must be prevented before it sparks another war between Rann and Thanagar. Adam & Hawkman manage to defeat the Thanagarians before any major damage could be recorded.

Unfortunately, they come under attack by a t-Rex. This prehistoric creature appeared out of nowhere and began to consume the Thanagarian prisoners until the Weird blew the dinosaur's head off from the inside. The t-Rex appeared on Rann because the deacon has been conducting temporal alterations on Hardcore Station when he is not on Thanagar. This unexpected occurrence would explain the random appearances of extinct creatures on planet Rann. The deacon's reason behind this temporal interference is because the deacon intends to pinpoint the exact moment Synnar supposedly died on Hardcore Station. The t-rex and the sudden appearance of a Shaggy Man on Rann are nothing more than byproducts that were created during the trial runs of the deacon's temporal manipulator.

Even though Sardath is concerned about Hazard’s recent disappearance, he allows Strange to return to active duty and Strange asks Sardath figure out the location of the deacon’s temporal manipulator. Sardath agrees to help but he can only triangulate the machine’s temporal energy signature when the deacon uses it again. The deacon eventually perfects the manipulator and he is successful in plucking Synnar from the past but his success also gives away his position. The temporal manipulator caused a volcano to suddenly erupt on Rann which to Rannians, is considered unprecedented. Adam along with his other comrades head to Hardcore Station only to find Chief Justice Max crucified upside down on an Eternal Light Corporation monument. Adam brings Max down from the monument and Captain Comet arrives on the scene. Blake was unable to get in contact with Strange because the deacon had sent a devoted follower/ suicide bomber to kill Blake.

Deacon Dark appears and greets the heroes with his taunts but he is easily dispatched by Captain Comet's telepathic pulse. Deacon Dark sheds his synthetic disguise in order to meet up with Synnar in a different location. Deacon Dark informs Synnar that he was brought to this exact moment because Synnar's presence is necessary for the second coming of the Nameless which will take place on the planet Rann. Deacon Dark heads to Thanagar to rally the Grand Mor’s forces in order to launch another assault on Rann. Afterwards, Deacon Dark leads Synnar to a ziggurat within Rann’s Desert of Tears. Deacon Dark begins to invoke an incantation which will transfer the essence of the Nameless into Synnar thus giving the Nameless a physical body.

Meanwhile, Sardath learns of the Grand Mor’s impending invasion and decides to meet the Grand Mor head on then destroy Thanagar in Lady Styx’s name. Adam Strange asks Captain Comet to use his telepathic abilities to echo his voice during the battle between Rann and Thanagar. Comet’s telepathic voice makes both sides believe that their almighty creator is speaking to them. Comet tells both sides to disembark their battle and both sides heed Comet’s demand by retreating.

After learning of Synnar’s merger with the Nameless, Adam Strange decides he must divide his resources to conquer Lady Styx and Synnar. Strange knows Starfire’s powers are the only thing that can put an end to Lady Styx’s occupation on Throneworld. Starfire is accompanied by the Weird while Strange and Comet head to Hardcore Station because they have just been informed by Chief Justice Max that there have been some undisclosed developments on the station’s satellite. Strange and Comet discover the deacon’s latest plot to spread the word of the Nameless. The deacon has been kidnapping telepaths who pass through Hardcore Station and placing them in individual cells within the satellite in order to siphon their powers. With a collective of telepaths hooked to a satellite, Synnar’s word will spread throughout the universe like a brushfire and his will be just as equally difficult to dislodge since the universe can’t afford to lose the revenues that Hardcore Station brings in. Strange decides to make a tough decision which is begin the immediate destruction of Rann in order to put an end to Synnar. Strange is afraid to ask the Weird to use his siphoning abilities in order to trigger a planetary self destruct sequence but the Weird accepts the responsibility because it is not only an heroic act but it is the right thing to do.

Strange leads the Weird to the newly built section of Hardcore Station’s satellite thereby draining the telepathic energy from the satellite and redirecting it toward Synnar. The Weird uses a technique similar to revification called teleportational bonding which will disincorporate Synnar.

Strange Adventures

After the Weird merged with Synnar, Deacon Dark began a ritual in order to summon one of the chosen Aberrant Six, Synnar's reluctant playthings that would enable Synnar to manipulate the universe. Unfortunately, Dark's retrieval spell to summon Hawkman failed because of Deacon Coriolis' clumsy nature. Instead, the spell summons Bizarro to an unknown dimension and Dark instructs Coriolis to bring the supposed Hawkman back to him. Coriolis first meeting with Bizarro did not start off well. Bizarro would constantly get into trouble and Coriolis would have to act as Bizarro's voice of reason. Bizarro's path of destruction leads him to Hardcore Station where he runs into Chief Justice Max.

Unfortunately, Max isn’t the only person that is aware of Bizarro’s abrupt visit to the station. Entreplaneteur’s Inc. has established a private security division after recovering from Deacon Dark’s temporary takeover of Hardcore Station. Entreplaneteur’s Inc needs to protect their investments and they cannot allow someone like Bizarro to destroy the station so they authorize a hit on Bizarro. The head of their private security is a one eyed alien named Graylock. Graylock has seven shark-like behemoths that act as his contract killers.

Graylock has been injecting an alien form of steroids called Factor Zero into Megalodon-7 each time he enters a dream state. Megalodon-7 receives a pair of blue Kryptonite gauntlets from Graylock because blue kryptonite is the only thing that can weaken Bizarro to point of no return. Megalodon tracks down Bizarro to Thanagar after he escaped Hardcore Station.

Bizarro and Megalodon-7 engage in an all out brawl on the outskirts of Thanagar. Just as Megalodon was about to deliver the final blow, Coriolis uses the extent of his supernatural abilities to steal Megalodon's gauntlets thus giving Bizarro the upper hand. Megalodon is beaten to an inch of his life by Bizarro then Bizarro tosses Megalodon's corpse into Thanagar's atmosphere. Bizarro is Life's warrior of the Aberrant Six.

Imperfect Logic

With his super abilities often canceled out by Bizarro's opposing powers, Superman has to rely on other tactics to defeat his chalk-skinned doppelganger. For most versions of Bizarro, Kryptonite - which is deadly to Superman - only makes the creature stronger, and only "blue Kryptonite" created by the duplicating ray can harm him. Superman is usually forced into outwitting Bizarro by turning the tables on his imperfect duplicate's upside-down way of thinking. Bizarro's form of logic and flawed language, in some comics, seems to be a willing choice instead of something he does instinctively, as how he acts and behaves changes depending on what he knows about what Superman does, in order to emulate Superman, but does so poorly.

Grammar

Bizarro is known for his very distinct way of speaking. The logic of his speech is typically inverted both grammatically as well as in word selection. First, Verbs and adjectives are backwards. When Bizarro says the word "perfect" he almost invariably means "imperfect". "Slow" would actually mean "fast" or "quick", the meanings of "help"/"save" and "harm"/"kill" would be reversed, and so forth. He is known for using the wrong pronoun as the subject of a verb. Rather than saying "I hate you" Bizarro would say "Me like you". Also, Bizarro uses only the first person conjugation of his verbs. Rather than saying "I am great" he might say "Me is terrible". Bizarro also does not typically use contractions to negate verbs, and instead uses no before the verb. An example of this would be saying "Me no" rather than "I don't".

Because the nature of the various grammatical errors that make up the modern Bizarro's speech, and the unpredictable nature of which these errors will occur together, Bizarro's speech patterns are often difficult to follow, particularly when he is expressing more than one thought at a time. Although his pattern of speech does seem like it's partially a choice, as instead of saying "Hello" when superman left bizarro world at the end of the storyline, Escape From Bizarro World, he stops and says "Goodbye".

Htrae

The Bizarro world is a cube shaped world named Htrae. If someone does something good here it is considered to be bad and a crime.

Appearance

Bizarro looks like the opposite of Superman as well, his face generally being grey or chalky white, features often angular, and hair often disheveled. Bizarro's costume is also a variation on Superman's as the S on his chest will be backwards as if in a mirror, and recently his costume is often depicted as being more purple than blue. The Silver Age version was often depicted having a sign hanging around his neck that says "Bizarro #1". He created this sign to distinguish himself from the other (newer) Bizarro residents of Bizarro world.

Powers

Though able to match Superman's strength punch for punch, the rest of Bizarro's superpowers are, in other respects, the complete opposite of Superman's. Instead of heat vision, Bizarro's red-irised, yellow-tinged eyes emit freezing beams of ice and his x-ray vision can only see through lead (although in Superman: Red Son, his X-ray Vision wasn't a power that allowed him to see things, but was just a blast of radiation from his eyes). And where Superman can compress his breath into concentrated gusts of cold air, Bizarro belches forth gouts of flame. Bizarro can survive in the cold vacuum of space effortlessly.

Also reversed is Superman's weakness to various forms of Kryptonite. Green Kryptonite has little affect on Bizarro, or even increases his strength, depending on the era he was written in. Blue Kryptonite is deadly to Bizarro instead. It saps his strength away just like green Kryptonite's affect on Superman. Exposure to blue Kryptonite for a long period of time will kill him.

The one main power that Bizarro has, which Superman does not possess, is the ability to create other duplicate Bizarro-creatures, such as Bizarro Flash, while under a blue sun which was called Bizarro Vision.

Amalgam

in the Amalgam Universe Bizzaro is fused with Carnage to make Bizarnage. His worst enemy is Spider-Boy. Bizarnage is one of the only symbiotes seen in Amaglam.

Bizarro in other Continuities:

All Star Superman (2005-2008):

Bizarro and Htrae are introduced during "Being Bizarro". Htrae is actually a planet-sized organism that emerges from the Underverse to feed upon the Earth, using "infra-material" to make imperfect copies of its targets in order to pacify them. Bizarro is created when Superman is attacked by its copies near Mars. Superman punches Bizarro into space and forces Htrae to retreat back into the Underverse, but is stuck as the planet's retreat shifts sunlight to the red end of the spectrum (sapping his powers). He persuades Bizarro, now the mayor of "Bizarrotroplis", and his people to construct a rocket to send him back. Bizarro is goaded into throwing the rocket back towards Earth after the initial plan fails.

All-Star Bizarro displays the reversed superpowers of Superman, such as fire breath.

Justice (2005-2007):

Bizarro appears in the mini series Justice, Bizarro works with the Legion of Doom to destroy the Justice League.

Bizarro on T.V.

Smallville

A villain nicknamed Bizarro appears in Smallville, played by Tom Welling (who also plays Clark Kent himself). However, this version differs significantly from comic book versions of the character, being neither unintelligent nor "backwards", and appearing as a perfect duplicate under most circumstances (though he wore a blue jacket and red T-shirt, in contrast to Clark's usual red jacket and blue T-shirt). This version of Bizarro was once a Kryptonian experiment (similar to Davis Bloome/Doomsday) turned into a Wraith who was trapped in the Phantom Zone until Clark accidentally released it. It was revealed that this wraith burned out its human host bodies within 24 hours, killing them, and that it needed a Kryptonian body in order to sustain its life.

Bizarro in Smallville

He is able to steal Clark's cells, and becomes a carbon copy of him. However, whereas the yellow sun of Earth powers Clark, it turns the phantom's skin into a jagged stone-like appearance. The phantom attempts to replace Clark and live his life, but is sent to Mars by the Martian Manhunter, who describes the creature as having been "made in a laboratory" on Krypton; nothing further of its origin is elaborated. He returns shortly after, and is able to fool Clark's friends into believing it's him. Clark returns, and finds that the phantom's true weakness is Blue Kryptonite. Lana is able to get the Blue Kryptonite close enough to Bizarro to cause his strength to grow exponentially. Because his body could not contain that kind of power, he imploded, and was seemingly destroyed.

Superman Animated Series (1996):

Animated Bizarro

Bizarro has many similarities with its version of the comics. Bizarro is an imperfect clone of Superman. Lex Luthor was trying to create a perfect copy of Superman, but the copy eventually deteriorate and created an imperfect clone of Superman. Bizarro created many problems for Superman (Bizarro kidnapped Lois Lane, Bizarro also tried to destroy Metropolis).

Superman was able to control Bizarro. Superman led Bizarro to another planet (Bizarro could never hurt anyone). Later the character Mister Mxyztplk led Bizarro back to the planet Earth (Mister Mxyztplk wanted revenge on Superman.).

Episodes:

Identity Crisis
Bizarro´s World
Little Big Head

Justice League Unlimited (2004-2006)

Bizarro appears in the animated series working with Lex Luthor.