DC's Deadliest Superman Proves He's Earned The Title With A Dark Kill
*Contains spoilers for "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent #2 from DC Comics*
In a showdown between two of the darkest versions of Superman ever, Ultraman and Superman from the world of "Injustice," the latter just proved he's the deadliest Man of Steel in the Multiverse.
In "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2 by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, and Wes Abbott from DC Comics, Jon Kent, Lois Lane's Red Tornado, and Val-Zod's Superman travel to a different Earth to track down Ultraman and stop his murder spree of Clark Kent's Superman across the Multiverse. However, when Ultraman scatters the team and is about to kill Jon, a surprise character shows up to the fight. Kal-El, from the "Injustice" universe, stops him, but in true form for the murderous Superman variant, he doesn't just incapacitate Ultraman but brutally snaps his neck. As a result, Kent can only watch in horror as one of his greatest enemies is defeated by a potentially even deadlier threat.
While Ultraman appeared unstoppable, the evil Superman's arrival just complicated matters even more, as while he might not have the same mission to kill all Kal-El's, "Injustice" Superman is one of the most unpredictable characters in any DC Universe.
Superman's darkest reflections show how he could have been evil
While the main version of Superman grew up to be one of the greatest heroes in existence, Ultraman and "Injustice" Superman are two of the darkest outcomes for the Man of Steel, with each character having totally different motivations for becoming evil.
Superman from Earth-49, the "Injustice" Universe, was initially a hero like his Prime Earth counterpart. But, when the Joker tricked him into killing Lois Lane and his unborn child by using a fear toxin, Kal-El murdered the Clown Prince of Crime, and he started to believe that killing was necessary to stop evil. His new mindset put him at odds with Batman, as he became a dictator in his world who used violence and force to rule.
Earth-3's Ultraman has always been a villainous Superman. As a member of the Crime Syndicate of America, he helped lead an evil version of the Justice League and has sparred with the Prime Earth's heroes multiple times. Ultraman, who is powered up by Kryptonite, not depowered like the main Kal-El, had gone on a Multiversal killing spree in the "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" miniseries, as he's traveling from Earth to Earth to ensure he's the last Superman standing. However, when visiting the "Injustice" universe, Ultraman just met his match, as the reality's dark Man of Tomorrow took him out in one fell swoop.
Injustice's Superman is the ultimate evil Man of Steel
In "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2, Jon Kent, Red Tornado, and Val-Zod travel across the Multiverse to a world where Ultraman is looking to kill another Superman. Unfortunately, the evil Superman rips through Red Tornado while sending her and Val-Zod to another dimension by using the tech Jon Kent acquired to get to the new Earth. With Ultraman facing off with Jon, a hero he had previously kept hidden for years from his family, Kent is overwhelmed, despite embracing his powers like never before to briefly turn into a blue electric Superman. As he chokes Jon out and promises he'll make his Lois suffer, the "Injustice" Superman appears and immediately snaps Ultraman's neck, killing the evil Superman with ease. While Jon is shocked to see a Superman kill another Superman, "Injustice" Kal-El can't help but notice how similar Kent's eyes are to Lois', setting the stage for an uncomfortable relationship between the Supermen.
It appears Jon doesn't know the history of the "Injustice" Superman. So despite seeing him kill Ultraman, he might be inclined to trust the dark Man of Steel. But, make no mistake, Earth-49's Superman shouldn't be trusted, as while he believes he's morally in the right, his deadly nature makes him a massive threat. Once Jon learns more about how he rules his world and meets some of the heroes impacted by his reign, he's sure to see "Injustice" Superman is even deadlier than Ultraman, with his latest kill proving he's earned the title.
The "Adventures of Superman: Jon Kent" #2 by Tom Taylor, Clayton Henry, Jordie Bellaire, and Wes Abbott from DC Comics is in comic book stores now.