Bizarro – The Super Creature of Steel!
"Bizarro – The Super-Creature of Steel!" debuted in Superboy #68
(October 1958), on sale August 21, 1958. Inspired by Frankenstein's monster,
the imperfect
Superboy clone
was created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp.
In Smallville, Professor Dalton demonstrates a duplicator ray that can
reproduce non-living matter. Each test produces in an imperfect result.
Superboy is accidentally struck by the ray before the duplicator explodes. The
clone is a grotesque version of Superboy with blocky, pale white skin and
short hair. Professor Dalton explains that the "lifeless machine" uses an
electronic brain to think. Superboy describes the double as "bizarre," which
the creature interprets as the name Bizarro.
In the first comic book appearance, the Bizarro and Superboy costumes are
identical. Bizarro's speech is simple and frequently uses the objective
pronoun me: "Him call me...mumble...Bizarro!" The creature has the same
abilities as Superboy, but is immune to green
kryptonite.
Bizarro has no control over his super-strength and is portrayed as a nuisance
rather than a villain.
Glowing metal fragments from the destroyed duplicator ray act similar to
kryptonite and weaken Bizarro. Superboy uses the metal to attack Bizarro. The
resulting impact disintegrates the creature and cures a blind girl named
Melissa.

Bizarro first appeared in the Superman newspaper strip on August 23, 1958 (6146). The creature is previewed in the final panel of "The Super-Duel in Space" storyline. In the newspaper strips, the costume featured a four-sided "B" instead of the pentagonal "S" emblem. A different "B" emblem appeared in the house ad for Superboy #68.

Bizarro first appeared in the Superman newspaper strip on August 23, 1958 (6146). The creature is previewed in the final panel of "The Super-Duel in Space" storyline. In the newspaper strips, the costume featured a four-sided "B" instead of the pentagonal "S" emblem. A different "B" emblem appeared in the house ad for Superboy #68.
Writer Alvin Schwartz conceived a negative mirror-image of Superman for the
McClure newspaper strips. Schwartz was inspired by the Jungian archetype of
"the shadow," the repressed dark side of the persona.
500 Comic Book Villains by Mark Conroy quotes Schwartz on Bizarro: "I
have variously explained my purpose as an effort to express the superhero
idea in a new form, something more appropriate to the time which differed so
radically from the days of Superman's origin–a time of war and deep
depression. I have at moments referred to it as a 'deconstruction' of
Superman, that is, kind of breaking up the meaning embodied in the whole
idea of the character."
"The Battle With Bizarro" by Alvin Schwartz was originally printed in the
Superman newspaper strips from August 25, 1958, to December 13, 1958
(6147–6242). The story was penciled by
Curt Swan and
inked by Stan Kaye. The bylines credit artist Wayne Boring.
"The Battle With Bizarro" by Otter Binder and Al Plastino is featured in
Action Comics #254 (July 1959). Lex Luthor steals the plans for the
duplicator ray created by Professor Dalton. The second comic book Bizarro
retains memories from the previous encounter in Smallville. Bizarro kidnaps
Lois Lane, but
she politely rejects the creature. Bizarro uses the duplicator ray on himself
to create New Bizarro, a perfect duplicate of Superman.
The story concludes in Action Comics #255 (August 1959). New Bizarro is
disintegrated by
green kryptonite
dust. Lois uses the duplicator ray on herself to create Bizarro-Lois. Bizarro
and Bizarro-Lois immediately fall in love and leave Earth to live in a faraway
solar system.
The Bizarro World of Htrae first appeared in Action Comics #263 (April
1960). Htrae, Earth spelled backwards, was established in the ruins of an
ancient civilization in another solar system. Bizarro has used a duplicator
ray to create a planet full of Bizarro and Bizarro-Lois replicas. The original
Bizarro and Bizarro-Lois rule Htrae and wear "No. 1" signs to differentiate
themselves.
The backwards theme of Bizarro World is established as law with the Bizarro
Code: "Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness!
Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!"
Superman is put on trial by the Bizarros for violating the Bizarro Code. The charges include making a house perfect, turning coal into a beautiful diamond, and being "hamsome." Superman is found guilty and sentenced to be changed into a Bizarro. While awaiting punishment, Superman dreams of becoming a Bizarro in Action Comics #264 (May 1960). Superman is acquitted after proving the Bizarro World is round and therefore not an imperfect version of Earth. Before leaving, Superman bulldozes Bizarro World into a cube shape.
Superman is put on trial by the Bizarros for violating the Bizarro Code. The charges include making a house perfect, turning coal into a beautiful diamond, and being "hamsome." Superman is found guilty and sentenced to be changed into a Bizarro. While awaiting punishment, Superman dreams of becoming a Bizarro in Action Comics #264 (May 1960). Superman is acquitted after proving the Bizarro World is round and therefore not an imperfect version of Earth. Before leaving, Superman bulldozes Bizarro World into a cube shape.
Bizarro-Lois No. 1 gives birth to a son with human features in
Superman #140 (October 1960). The inhabitants of Bizarro World reject
the child for being different and threaten to change it into a Bizarro.
Bizarro No. 1 unknowingly hides the boy in a space capsule destined for Earth.
The child is placed in Midvale Orphanage where
Supergirl lives
as Linda Lee. The caregivers have named the child Buster.
Superman and Supergirl decide to adopt Buster and raise him in the Fortress of Solitude. Buster transforms into a Bizarro and uses the duplicator ray to create a Bizarro-Supergirl. The imperfect Supergirl abducts the child to keep as her own.
An army of Bizarros are sent to destroy Earth for kidnapping the child. Superman uses the duplicator ray on green kryptonite to create blue kryptonite. The radiation weakens the Bizarros and the army retreats. Superman and Supergirl return the child to Bizarro World. Bizarro-Supergirl is accidentally killed by the effects of blue kryptonite.
"Tales of the Bizarro World!" by Superman creator
Jerry Siegel
appeared as features in Adventure Comics #285–299 (June 1961–August
1962). The child was renamed Bizarro Junior No. 1. The series introduced
Bizarro versions of main characters including Krypto, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen,
Mr. Mxyzptlk, and Perry White. Five of the stories were later reprinted in
80-Page Giant G42, Superman #202 (January 1968). All fifteen
features are collected in the trade paperback
Superman: Tales of the Bizarro World (October 2000).
The reversed "S" emblem on the Bizarro costume first appeared in Adventure Comics #293 (February 1962). Bizarro No. 1 is arrested for creating perfect duplicates of the Superman uniform. Bizarro-Luthor tells Bizarro No. 1 to manufacture imperfect costumes for all the inhabitants of Bizarro World. The issue also features the only appearance of Bizarro Kandor and the Bizarro Emergency Squad.
Bizarro Batman first appeared in World's Finest #156 (March 1966). Bizarro Flash was introduced in Superman's Girl Friend, Lois Lane #74 (May 1967). The Bizarro Justice League debuted in Superman #379 (January 1983). The roster included Bizarro versions of Aquaman, Hawkman, and Yellow Lantern. Bizarro Joker and Bizarro Wonder Woman first appeared in DC Comics Presents #71 (July 1984).
The Bronze Age Bizarro first uses freeze vision and flame breath in
Superman #306 (December 1976). The new reversed powers developed
after Bizarro passed through a cosmic storm.
Bizarro World was destroyed by Aethyr in DC Comics Presents #97
(September 1986). Bizarro No. 1 rockets his son into the planet core to die
first. The entire population of Bizarros are killed as the planet implodes
and collapses into a white hole. Mister Mxyzptlk sends the head of Bizarro
No. 1 to Earth where it crash lands and dies in front of Clark Kent and Lana
Lang.
In "an imaginary story," Bizarro No. 1 dies in Superman #423 (September
1986). Written by Alan Moore, "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?"
tells the final Superman tale of the Silver and Bronze Ages. In order to
become the imperfect duplicate of Superman, Bizarro No. 1 destroys Bizarro
World and travels to Earth as an adult. Bizarro goes on a murderous rampage
before committing suicide with blue kryptonite. Bizarro's final words are,
"Hello, Superman. Hello."
The DC Comics continuity was rebooted following the events of
Crisis on Infinite Earths (April 1985–March 1986). A new origin of
Bizarro is told by John Byrne in The Man of Steel #5 (December 1986).
The first Bizarro of New Earth was a failed experiment by Project Changeling
at LexCorp. Dr. Teng creates an imperfect clone of Superman that begins to
crystalize and deteriorate. The creature is not named, but Lex Luthor
exclaims, "I certainly did not want this Bizarre - - Ohh-h!!"
Elements of the story were adapted from the Otto Binder origin in
Superboy #68 (October 1958). After a fight across Metropolis, the
doppelganger collides with Superman at full speed. The impact disintegrates
the creature. The dust from the crystalized body cures Lucy Lane of
blindness.
The second Bizarro of New Earth was introduced in Superman vol.
2 #87 (March 1994). At LexCorp, Dr. Sydney Happersen attempts to improve the
cloning process developed by Dr. Teng. Lex Luthor II describes the resulting
failure as "a bizarre parody of humanity." The duplicate speaks in the same
manner as the Silver Age Bizarro and has "vague impressions" of Superman's
memories. Superman refers to the clone as Bizarro in
The Adventures of Superman #510 (March 1994). Before dying, Bizarro
destroys the genetic data needed to save Luthor in Superman #88
(April 1994).
The third Bizarro of New Earth debuted in Superman vol. 2 #160
(September 2000). Joker receives 99.9% of Mister Mxyzptlk's powers, becoming
Emperor Joker. Earth is reshaped into a cube and a new Bizarro is created.
The creature is based on the Bronze Age Bizarro No. 1 with freeze vision and
flame breath. The Bizarro uniform was updated to a blue and purple color
scheme with the reversed "S" emblem.
Following the events of the "Emperor Joker" storyline, Bizarro #1 duplicates
himself under the effects of a blue sun to populate Htrae.
-
S-01 was the first attempt to clone Superman by Project Cadmus, appearing in
Superboy Annual #2 (November 1995). Dr. Carl Packard modified the
failed LexCorp cloning process, resulting in a teenage "Bizarre-O" duplicate.
Like the previous clones, S-01 immediately begins to deteriorate and
ultimately dies.
Amalgam Comics
was a joint publishing venture between DC Comics and Marvel Comics.
Bizarnage is an amalgamation of Bizarro and the Carnage symbiote, appearing
in
Spider-Boy #1 (April 1996). The creature was created by Project
Cadmus in an attempt to replicate alien DNA.
An alternate Bizarro of the future appeared during the "Legends of the Dead
Earth" crossover event in Action Comics Annual #8 (September 1996).
A. Bizarro (July 1999–October 1999) was a four-issue limited series
written by Steve Gerber and penciled by Mark Bright. Dr. Sydney Happersen
creates an imperfect clone of a LexCorp employee named Albert M. Beezer. Dr.
Happersen recruited Beezer due to his resemblance to Superman.
The Bizarro of Earth-30 appeared in the Elseworlds series Superman: Red Son
#1 (June 2003). In an alternate universe created by author Mark Millar, Kal-El
crash landed in Soviet Russia instead of Smallville. Lex Luthor creates a
clone of Superman that deteriorates into a monstrous form. The imperfect
duplicate has radioactive x-ray vision, as well as freeze vision. The clone
sacrifices himself to save London from a nuclear detonation.
An alternate Bizarro named Zibarro first appeared in
All-Star Superman #7 (June 2007). Zibarro is a one in five billion
flaw with high intelligence. Zibarro is shunned on Bizarro World for being
different. After escaping Bizarro World, Superman keeps Zibarro's poems
encased in the Fortress of Solitude.
-
Bizarro first appeared on television in season three of the Superfriends
animated series from Hanna-Barbera. "Wanted: The Superfriends" premiered on
September 9, 1978. Bill Callaway provided the voice of Bizarro for sixteen
episodes and four shorts. Bizarro was voiced by Danny Dark in the season six
episode "The Bizarro Super Powers Team."
Season two of the Superboy television series featured the first
live-action appearance of Bizarro. "Bizarro... The Thing of Steel" premiered
on November 11, 1989. Bizarro was portrayed by actor Douglas (Barry) Meyers in
six episodes.
Bizarro is introduced in the second season of
Superman: The Animated Series. "Identify Crisis" first aired on September 15, 1997. The animated Bizarro
is based on the John Byrne origin in The Man of Steel miniseries. The
character was voiced by Tim Daly.
Bizarro first appeared in season six of the CW television series
Smallville. "Phantom" first aired on May 17, 2007. Bizarro is a wraith that escaped
from the Phantom Zone. The entity creates an imperfect clone of Clark to serve
as a permanent host. Green kryptonite makes Bizarro stronger and sunlight
turns his skin into the blocky comic book appearance.
Bizarro Supergirl appeared in season one of the The CW series
Supergirl. "Bizarro" first aired on February 1, 2016. Maxwell Lord altered the DNA of
a brain trauma patient into a mirror version of Supergirl.
Bizarro debuted in season two of The CW series
Superman & Lois. "Bizarros in a Bizarro World" first aired on April
26, 2022. The creature is portrayed by Superman actor Tyler Hoechlin. Bizarro
is from the Inverse World and his speech is reversed on Earth. After being
killed multiple times by Lex Luthor, the being is reborn into Doomsday.