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, but each result is altered. Superboy is accidentally struck by the ray before the duplicator explodes. The result 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 rather than I: "Him call me...mumble...Bizarro!" The creature has the same abilities as Superboy, but is immune to green kryptonite. Bizarro has no control over it's 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.

"The Battle With Bizarro" by Alvin Schwartz was 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 byline credits Wayne Boring.

"The Battle With Bizarro" by Otter Binder and Al Plastino appears 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 steals the duplicator ray and creates New Bizarro, a perfect duplicate of Superman.

The story concludes in Action Comics #255 (August 1959). New Bizarro is disintegrated by 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 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.

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 orphanage names 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. The child is safely returned 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 is renamed Bizarro Junior No. 1. The stories introduce Bizarro versions of main characters including Krypto, Lex Luthor, Jimmy Olsen, Mr. Mxyzptlk, and Perry White.

The reversed "S" emblem on the Bizarro costume first appeared in Adventure Comics #293 (February 1962). Bizarro-Luthor tells Bizarro No. 1 to manufacture imperfect suits for all the inhabitants of Bizarro World. The backwards Superman emblem would appear on all Bizarros until 1986 and later returned in 2000. The issue also features the only appearances 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).

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.

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.

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.

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 third Bizarro of New Earth debuted in Superman #160 (September 2000). Bizarro was created by the Joker with fifth-dimensional powers. This incarnation is similar to the Silver Age Bizarro No. 1. The costume was updated to a blue and purple color scheme with the reversed "S" emblem.

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A cartoon version of Bizarro first appeared in season three of the Hanna-Barbera Superfriends animated series. "Wanted: The Superfriends" premiered on September 9, 1978.

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 different episodes.

Bizarro first appeared 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 alters the DNA of a brain trauma patient into a mirror version of Supergirl.

Bizarro first appeared in season two of The CW series Superman & Lois. "Bizarros in a Bizarro World" first aired on April 26, 2022. Portrayed by Superman actor Tyler Hoechlin, Bizarro is from the Inverse World. After being killed multiple times by Lex Luthor, the being is reborn into Doomsday.