Evil Superman was a being created after exposure to the synthetic Kryptonite made by Gus Gorman. The dark side of Clark Kent's consciousness took over and eventually separated from his positive heroic self.
History[]
Gus Gorman discovered an "unknown" element in Kryptonite, he improvises by replacing the unidentified element with tar. Meanwhile, Superman began to question his own self-worth on the world, and, as the tar-laced Kryptonite took effect on him, he became depressed, angry, and casually destructive, committing petty acts of vandalism such as blowing out the Olympic Flame, straightening the Leaning Tower of Pisa and ripping open the hull of an oil tanker, causing the contents to spill into the sea. The "Bad Superman" also becomes scruffy looking as his bright blue and red suit becomes transformed into more of a maroon & dark blue colour.
Meanwhile, Superman drowned his depression in a drinking binge, but is eventually overcome by guilt and underwent a nervous breakdown. After nearly crash-landing in a Junkyard, Superman split into two personas: the evil, selfish, corrupted Superman and the moral, righteous Clark Kent. They engage in a battle across the junkyard, with Negative Superman repeatedly trying and failing to kill Clark by crushing him in industrial equipment. They were both seemingly equal matched as Evil Superman, despite his powers, becomes more physically weakened after using them, while Clark still has his superhuman strength from the sun, but none of Superman's powers of flight or heat vision.
The battle ended when Clark burst through the walls of a machine crusher in a rage and strangled his negative side, causing this dark superman to atomize. Clark absorbed his fading super-ego, purging himself of depression and regaining all his powers. As a battered but unbowed Clark gazed up at the heavens, he pulled his shirt open to reveal the crest of his house. Restored to his normal heroic self, Superman set off to repair the damage his evil counterpart had caused.
It is unclear to what degree this dark personality could be considered its own individual being with such a short, non-functional existence while separated from his positive side. When the Negative Superman lost the battle and de-materialized, it is a re-joining rather than a "death." The implication being that one side cannot exist without the other, as it would fundamentally change the duality in Kent's soul.
Powers and abilities[]
As usual his superhuman abilities are powered by the energy of Earth's yellow sun. His abilities were identical to that of Superman.
- Super strength: When he is directly exposed to sunlight his strength levels are greatly increased.
- Flight: He is capable of self-propelled flight.
- Invulnerability: his invulnerability has also increased with his age. He is immune to human illnesses and bullets bounce off him. He is also highly resistant to energy-based attacks.
- Super healing: When he is wounded, he heals quickly if not instantaneously.
- Super speed: He can run at speeds faster than the speed of sound. He emits an aura when using his superspeed.
- Super stamina: He can run for long periods of time without getting tired.
- X-ray vision: He can see through any solid object except for lead. It may appear as a skeletal image similar to the ones seen on hospital x-rays, or it may be a full colour image.
- Heat vision: He can also project force with his heat vision.
- Super hearing: He can hear indirect whispers and both sides of telephone conversations.
- Super breath: His breath is powerful enough to freeze an entire lake.
- Super vision: He has the ability to see things miles away.
Behind the scenes[]
This character seems to combine elements of Bizarro with the Superman Red and Blue identity split storyline from the '50s.