Okay so Superman's gonna be useless for a while...

Let's be honest.... This ENTIRE "Truth" storyline? Not very well thought out... I mean, lot of plot holes to be seen so far so.... I present an idea to let Clark do this entire... Thing.... While still having a Superman of sorts. I present the New New 52 Bizarro.

Created by Lex Luthor, Bizarro was the first and last attempt to clone a pure Kryptonian. Due to genetic memory, Bizarro knew things about Superman's life and many other aspects, but due to the process was... Incomplete. While still as powerful as the Man of Steel, and capable of living practically indefinitely with the increases made to help bolster his genetic structure, Bizarro was seen as a failure. With chalk white crystalline skin, he was reviled as a monster by his creators, but kept alive for study purposes and mockingly named Bizarro.

While many saw the Bizarro as a slow witted creature, Bizarro was actually as intelligent as Superman, yet had the mentality of a 9 year old. Initially, due to his ill-formed vocal cords for a time was unable to say much of anything outside basic grunts and growls. When he eventually did learn to speak, his brain's speech centers would act up when he became agitated or angry and thus caused him to speak in the opposite of what he actually meant, even going as far to use reversed grammar such as "me am" instead of "I am"

Lonely and neglected, Bizarro decided to break free and see the world, and it was then he saw who he was created to defeat... Superman. He closely followed the Man of Steel, in secret, adding to what little knowledge he had from the genetic memories he retained from him. Inspired by the Man of Tomorrow, Bizarro sought to help people as Superman did and live by his example as best he could. Discretely raiding a costume store and donning a Superman costume, he went about Metropolis trying to help.

While very intelligent in his own right, Bizarro's innocent nature and carelessness with his strength caused him to be seen as a villain at first due to the unintentional damages he caused in his crime fighting. After talking him down and explaining things to him, Clark agrees to let him help in Metropolis and Bizarro wholeheartedly agreed. However, desiring to be his own person, designed a new costume for himself.

The backwards S, purple color scheme, and shorts, simply to stand out from Superman. Bizarro, due to his youth and desire to be different, began to do very odd things such as setting up his OWN Fortress of Solitude next to Superman's.... Which amounted to little more than a snow-fort made with his arctic vision. Eventually, Bizarro left to find his own place to protect, finding it in the city of Happy Harbor and setting up his home in the rundown and abandoned Amusement Park aptly named, Bizarro World.

Happy Harbor, happy to have a local superhero in Bizarro and seeing him as a hero as he constantly stops disasters and what little crime there is, Bizarro finally found his place in the world. The youth of Happy Harbor, even helping him out by telling him of crimes in progress as his own Bizarro League, dressing up in mix matched outfits based on the members of the Justice League such as Batzarro, Bizarra, and Yellow Lantern.

Hehe, snow fort "fortress of Solitude" nice one.

I have to say, this is actually a pretty good idea you've come up with. Keeping Bizarro's core origin, opposite nature and the sheer absurdity of the character intact with some unique wrinkles such as Bizarro actually being intelligent and more curious to see the world rather than act as the polar opposite of Superman. Honestly, this is much better than the current Bizarro mini series DC are releasing in June. But of course, this is a happy, quirky and light hearted premise for a series so current DC wouldn't be thinking of such an interesting idea for a Bizarro comic.

Haven't seen the preview or followed up on much of the new Bizzaro series, so at first i thought you were describing it :P The premise was really inviting and very true to the character of Bizzaro, nice work!

Sounds good :)

Superman isn't useless in Truth, the threats will correlate to his power level.

I just had to say.

You probably didn't read the BM/SM preview. It was hilariously bad.

@squalleon: nope, link it.

I have a thread with all the previews released named "Superman related Sneak peeks". Check it out there.

@superguy1591: As Squall said, read the BM/SM preview then try saying Superman's going to look good in Truth. You're right that the threats will now correlate to his power level and Supes' power level is now low level superhuman, in essence he's a street leveller.

@lvenger: I admit, I'll be picking up that Bizarro series.... If only because I'm a Bizarro fan and will buy pretty much anything that prominently features Bizarro. This idea however is more or less how I always pictured Bizarro SHOULD be, use the completely insane and goofy backwards speaking square earth Bizarro for out continuity series based more around humor, but mainstream Bizarro as more of a take on Frankenstein's Monster.

Bizarro, at least in his earliest appearances WAS pretty much like what I described. Intelligent, but confused and alone, and was intended to be a fusion of Superman and Frankenstein and LIKE Frankenstein was not originally a slow witted dim bulb of a creature, but one who had a very intelligent demeanor. Obviously I don't wanna have a Bizarro that acts like Einstein, but one that while intelligent still has a very innocent and child-like outlook on things.

When you get down to it, Bizarro was only made a Superman villain due to marketing reasons, but in most stories Bizarro has actually HELPED him and is VERY willing to help at that. I actually believe Bizarro could be considered an early version of Conner Kent in that area. That's kinda where this idea came from.

@smart_dork_dude: So what did you think of Pak's Action Comics #39 then? Did you think that fitted your picture for how Bizarro should be?

Bizarro's not one of Superman's rogues gallery I'm most knowledgeable on but that does sound about right for his Silver Age appearances excluding the intelligent comment, which I was unaware of. How do you feel about modern depictions of Bizarro where he was made dumber and more destructive?

So you were thinking about Connor Kent (Pre New 52 I'm guessing :P) and that's what led to your Bizarro idea? Strange connections but a novel one on your part nonetheless.

@lvenger: Roughly yeah. Alternate universe that still managed to make Bizarro as classic as possible.... One thing I wonder though... Why do they feel the need to not have Bizarro wear the briefs too? I mean if ANYONE would wear underwear on the outside you'd think it'd be Bizarro.

Well the modern ones... Are fine. I mean just like I'm a fan of the original Frankenstein novel which showed the Monster as more intelligent, I'm also a fan of the Boris Karloff Frankenstein which of course was a slow and pretty caveman-esque being. I just prefer there to be more of a balance. Some being not so smart, others a little smarter.

@smart_dork_dude: It's coporate synergy and believing in all the "Superman's lame for wearing his undies outside" detractors, not even Superman's alternate duplicate opposite will disrupt the no undies status quo for DC's costumes now.

Fair enough, there's obviously a strong sense of Frankenstein's Monster in Bizarro as a character, thus creating opposition and conflict for Superman whether he's a villain or just acting out of confusion or bewilderment. Bizarro's definitely an underrated Superman villain thanks to your posts and thread on him.

Bump for an interesting thread.

It definitely sounds interesting. There are some particular elements that just fit well. For example the "Bizarro World". I think you had a nice idea there.

And considering Bizarro's personality and attitude, make him a hero is actually more interesting. Since with him as a villain you can only play the manipulated/misunderstood monster.

Yeah, that upcoming Bizarro series looks dark and grim. I'm pretty sure that Bizarro is gonna kill people and be very mopey *rolls eyes*

Nope, that's just the current Superman books where Superman goes from a sci-fi action hero to a grim and moody street thug running from the law and moping about how much his life sucks now. What a totally fun and entertaining idea for a Superman story.

*snaps finger* Focus Lvenger, focus. We're talking about Bizarro right now. Everything you stated DC wouldn't do with a Bizarro comic, is everything they are doing with it.

Agreed, the revision of Bizarro World in a Happy Harbour theme park is a hilarious idea which is much closer to Bizarro, and DC's roots, than Bizarro character.

But everything Smark Dork Dude is saying is a much better idea for a fun Bizarro mini series. Also I was talking about DC in general.

If you like this idea more, that's fine. But you're words suggest that the upcoming one is in no ways gonna be a fun, quirky light heart series. Which I don't even think you believe that. I could go further to debunking your cynical view of Post Convergence DC, but you're obviously just mad cus of what's going on with Superman.

@saintwildcard: And I could go further into debunking your incorrectly placed optimism in a set of stories that will devolve and stagnate Superman even further than the New 52 has already done so. I'd personally advise against it, your track record against me isn't particularly strong. Your Pak fanboyism isn't nearly a good enough defense for stories which will set a regressive and stagnant status quo for Superman by turning him into everything he's not. I know you like to lap up everything Pak writes but engaging some critical thought and analysis into what this story is going to do for Superman wouldn't hurt your chances. If you can't see the obvious flaws and gaping errors Truth holds for Superman, I fail to see how your defense of it can be considered valid. If I'm mad that DC is ruining my favourite character, you're simply biased that New 52 Superman can somehow do no wrong in your eyes.

Yeah I guess I can't defend myself against points like "It doesn't count cus it's badly written" or "It doesn't work cus it doesn't", (that was sarcasm). My point had nothing to do with Superman, but how you said that quirky and fun stories are not what DC is doing. I can point at a list of comics that plan on having a fun vibe, which debunk your belief.

@saintwildcard: Oh really, I so couldn't tell. Oversimplifying my arguments doesn't make your counters any better. As for DC's fun and quirky stories, I can counter with a list of even more comics which take the grimdark/edgy/serious approach that debunk your intended debunk so that point doesn't work either I'm afraid.

I can't win against those arguments because it's the equivalent of putting your hands over your ears and saying "NA NA NA NA NA I CAN"T HEAR YOU!". But to bring up an argument we had, it was regarding Clark being a blogger. To which you stated it would alianate him and seperate him from his main cast. I told you that didn't need to be the case to which you never gave a solid reason why it would, you just stated that it would several times without backing it up.

That wouldn't really help your argument though. You've stated that they can't, I pointed out that they can. The argument here is if they can do it more than a few times, which they will. Whether it has more dark stories is not the point I'm trying debate against.

@saintwildcard: Oh I'm the one who sticks his hands in his ears? I'm surprised you could hear my points over your repetitive mantra of "Paktion comics is love, Paktion comics is life Pak can do no wrong. Pak is based Superman writer." You never hear a bad word against the New 52 Superman in almost all the threads you post in, whether it's me, Squall, Sog or someone else who's pointing out the virtues New 52 Superman could benefit from if he were more like his last incarnation. Spare me the finger pointing here.

Oh great your pet blogger defense again, here we go. I never gave a solid reason because I had to take a hiatus for essays and university coursework real life >Internet debate I'm afraid. I can kickstart that up again if you really want but we're not going to reach a hiatus. Likewise, you never replied on how the blogging would actually improve or work as a Superman story when it takes away many important components from Superman's world and cast so it's hardly as if your claims were airtight in any valid sense.

But DC have fallen back on way more dark stories over these 4 years than lighter stories. Even you realise the complaints about DC's darkness have been prevalent since the New 52. Just because they're starting to realise that maybe people want some variety post-Convergence doesn't exclude the last few years of overly dark stories across the board for DC. And on titles which are supposed to be lighter and funner books.

I also made this

I do hear some of the points you guys are trying to make an what you want Superman to be. I wanna see the journey of him getting there, you guys want a one and done arc where the character achieves perfection by the end of it. But I'll agree, that this Truth event through a wrench in his character progression and I agree on some points of what Squall said in his blog, Happy?

Oh great your pet blogger defense again, here we go. I never gave a solid reason because I had to take a hiatus for essays and university coursework real life >Internet debate I'm afraid. I can kickstart that up again if you really want but we're not going to reach a hiatus. Likewise, you never replied on how the blogging would actually improve or work as a Superman story when it takes away many important components from Superman's world and cast so it's hardly as if your claims were airtight in any valid sense.

YOu replied to me a lot even before you left on the subject to which you never did. I stated several reasons as to why it's a good thing. It's a good change of pace (while at the same time staying in the same job), it brings the character into the 21st century, it allows the character more freedom when it comes to reporting, it allows for new dynamics. You on the other hand just kept saying that it alienates him, implying that he'd just turn into a loner who eats pizza and is locked up in his room all day and doesn't talk to anyone, none of which I ever suggested (or want) to happen.

But DC have fallen back on way more dark stories over these 4 years than lighter stories. Even you realise the complaints about DC's darkness have been prevalent since the New 52. Just because they're starting to realise that maybe people want some variety post-Convergence doesn't exclude the last few years of overly dark stories across the board for DC. And on titles which are supposed to be lighter and funner books.

Crossed out everything that has nothing to do with my point.

-Batgirl

-Teen Titans

-Prez

-Bizarro

-Batmite

-Power Girl and Harley

-Harley

-Section 8

-Doomed (at least from what I can grasp from the covers)

-Black Canary (she's in a band, that's pretty cool)

-Stargirl

These are the books that are going for the obvious fun vibe. Aside from these I could go for the Digital TV series, but I'm guessing you wanna know "in continuity" books.