The Timely Planet

In 2013, Netherealms Studios and DC Comics published “Injustice: Gods Among Us,” a 3D-fighting game and an accompanying comic book mini series that focuses on Superman becoming an evil despot after one bad day took Lois Lane and their unborn child away from him. However, Injustice was not the first peek into the idea of an “Evil Superman.” In 2003, Image comics published “Invincible” a comic series about a young half alien named Mark Grayson as he deals with the responsibility of becoming a superhero. In the first arc, Mark’s father, Nolan Grayson, otherwise known as Omniman, was revealed to be a villainous conqueror sent to Earth to prepare it for submission under the Viltrumite Empire. In 2006, Wildstorm comics published “The Boys” a comic series that satirizes celebrity culture by focusing on the exploits of corporate-produced superheroes; the biggest of which is a true-blooded American called “Homelander,” who, under the surface was a cruel and sadistic egomaniac. The idea of an “Evil Superman” is later popularized in the mid 2010s with the Injustice games and continued to rise in the 2020s with the release of the Invincible and The Boys television series on Amazon Prime. However, one of the biggest contributors to the “Evil Superman” trope is DC comics itself, as in 2016’s Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice, we see the “Knightmare sequence” that takes inspiration from Injustice, showcasing a post apocalyptic world under the thumb of Superman. Often, this sort of take on Superman is seen as “realistic.”

It’s a common belief that any individual, no matter how good, if given powers, will succumb to the corrupting force of power. As Superman says in Batman v Superman “No one stays good in this world.” However, is that true? Are we, as individuals and as a society, doomed to succumb to the allure of power?

As the Philosopher Michel Foucault once wrote, “Power is everywhere… because it comes from everywhere.” Meaning that “Power” is not merely the exertion of one’s will over another, it is not merely the ability to do great tasks, it is not merely resources, or privilege. Power comes in many shapes and forms. It is on us to acknowledge the power we hold in our daily lives. As said, privilege such as skin color, race, origin, class, education, and money can be considered power. Physical strength, speed, intelligence, can also be power. However, the concerns of corruption is not these every day powers, but “absolute powers.” Powers that are bestowed or seized by a select few.

Much like the “Evil Superman” trope, the Stanford Prison Experiment is often touted by some as a reflection of mankind’s inner evil; an inner evil that’s barely subcutaneous. One that can be unearthed with just one push. The Stanford Prison Experiment was conducted by Philip Zimbardo, and it involved 24 young male volunteers that were randomly assigned either one of two roles, “inmate” or “guards.” The experiment was meant to last 14 days. The students playing the role of guards, became increasingly abusive in all forms; verbal, physical, and psychological. The experiment was halted after only 6 days. However, this supposed reflection of mankind’s barely subdued demon was flawed in its execution. It had a small sample size, only involving 12 men on each side. It did not have a varied set of participants, involving mostly young adult white men. Thus, not being reflective of any population other than those specific 12 men chosen for the experiment under those specific circumstances. It is clear that in this experiment, the true reflection of mankind’s supposed darkness are not the 12 “guards,” but Zimbardo himself. Zimbardo had absolute power i.e. — he had control over the experiment in all facets such as population size, duration, participants, data gathering, and execution.

Although not absolute, the power of the 12 guards were endowed to them by the absolute, granting them a lack of accountability. For most of human history, the idea of “a few bad apples” and “men doing their jobs” have been used to justify atrocities and downright crimes against humanity. Although the power of those officers, soldiers, or whomever, may not be absolute, they are nonetheless condoned and endowed by those with absolute power. People in positions so high, either propped by military might, money, or resources, that they lack accountability. Rather than calling the Stanford Prison Experiment a reflection of mankind, it is more apt to say that Zimbardo’s role in the experiment is a reflection of the despots and tyrants in all of human history. Those who hoard power, money, and resources. Those who, in one command, can end our own prison experiment. However, power only exists so long as there is a system that allows it to exist, and us as people have our own power, one that is far more absolute than those on high.

That’s what “Evil Superman” represents in all media the trope appears in. Often, the “Evil Superman” is the strongest being in his world. In Injustice, like in most cases of the DC Universe, his only weaknesses are magic, red sun, and Kryptonite. In The Boys, Homelander is genetically bred to be the most powerful being in his world to the point where he needs no training to overpower anyone. In Invincible, Omniman is the strongest being on Earth, showcased in his complete and utter slaughtering of the Guardians of the Globe. “Evil Superman” is absolute power. Unchecked and unaccounted. And in Injustice, much like in the Stanford Prison Experiment, and in real life, Superman endows a portion of his absolute power to his Justice League. His regime. Super men and women all “doing their jobs.”

However, absolute power has its Kryptonite. In our case, it’s the collective. The power of the collective is just as absolute. However, it is always in a gridlock against the absolute power of tyrants. That is why we need to employ other powers that the collective posses, such as knowledge and democracy. It is no surprise that in every fascist regimes, the two foremost systems attacked are the people’s access to education and information and the election process. We need to create the system that champions knowledge and challenges anti-intellectualism and disinformation. We need to call out the subversion of truths and the delivery of disinformation. Especially when such are used to question the legitimacy of political adversaries and to disrupt the democratic process. We need to tell those men and women “doing their jobs” that a job rooted in bigotry and oppression makes them complicit in those crimes. We need to make them see that “a few bad apple” rots the entire basket. When our heroes begin to serve the interest of a select few that grants them freedom from accountability and consequences, they are no longer our heroes. We need to propagate the power of the collective by staying informed, voting, protesting, and doing anything to keep our voices heard. We are the checks and balance to those in position. Much like in Injustice, for every act Superman took, there was Batman to face him. In the face of Homelander’s atrocities, Billy Butcher rose to end his reign. Despite his unyielding wrath in the name of the Viltrumite empire, Invincible stood against Omniman. We need to question the systems that allow atrocities, abuse, and hate to propagate. We need to hold those in charge accountable. We need to be “Evil Superman’s” Kryptonite.