The Best Alternate Universe Versions of DC Super Heroes

This article covers the best and most interesting alternate versions of DC super heroes.

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Super heroes are the modern mythology. They represent a society’s ideals and fears. Across longstanding runs and special one-shots, we see our favorite heroes reinvent themselves constantly. If there’s one thing you can always count on in the crazy, ever-changing world of comics, it’s that somewhere out there in the Multiverse, there’s an alternate version waiting to be discovered. With every new writer or artist, the same DC hero can be vastly different.

And in those differences, we’re able to see beloved heroes in a completely new light. That’s why they never get old (plus those tricky sliding time scales). We’ve seen an upstanding version of The Joker and a cruel Batman in Batman: White Knight. Regarding villains, there’s always some twisted rogue waiting to wreak havoc. Within the DC Multiverse, we have so many opportunities to witness these different versions of heroes — sometimes in an Elseworld, sometimes a far-off universe, and other times as a new legacy. Here’s a look at 9 of DC’s most powerful heroic reinventions.

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The Trinity in the Absolute Universe

One of the most recent DC alternate worlds is the Absolute Universe. As its name might imply, the people in this universe are pushed to their absolute limits. Batman grows up in poverty rather than wealth. Superman is a fugitive from fascist regimes, both on Krypton and Earth. Wonder Woman grows up exiled from her Amazonian heritage, instead trained in magic by Circe. And these changes are only the beginning. With every issue, other characters are also getting the Absolute treatment, including each hero’s Rogues Gallery as well as allies like Zatanna, Martian Manhunter, Green Lantern, and others. The Absolute Universe books are really one of the best things to come out of DC in recent years.

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Robin in Batman ’89

When it comes to tying in cult classic film to comic book panels, few have done it better than Sam Hamm and Joe Quinones with Batman ’89. Directly continuing where Batman Returns leaves off, this story is set within Tim Burton’s version of Gotham. What’s even more fascinating is we see iconic Gotham characters as they might have appeared on screen in the early ’90s. Barbara Gordon/Batgirl looks like Winona Ryder (with a Batwoman wig), Billy Dee Williams finally gets to become Two-Face, and of course it’s more of Michael Keaton’s Batman. One of the most interesting amalgamations is Drake Winston, who becomes Robin. Taking inspiration from Marlon Wayans (who was set to play Robin in Batman Returns before script rewrites), this young vigilante protects Gotham in his own right, just as much as Batman. He’s street smart like Jason Todd and an investigative whiz like Tim Drake, with all the charisma of Dick Grayson.

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Prince Bruce in the Dark Knights of Steel Universe

Do you find yourself yearning for a sword and sorcery DC adventure? Look no further than the Dark Knights of Steel universe. You’ve got your standard Renaissance Faire reimagining of nearly every major DC hero, antihero, and super-villain, clad in armor and surrounded by magic. Yasmine Putri’s beautiful art feels as if it’s directly taken from a medieval scroll. However, this series really shines in the twists and turns it inflicts on its characters. The Robins are a covert system of spies, Wonder Woman and Supergirl are in love, and John Constantine is a court advisor for the Jefferson family’s troubled kingdom. Plus, Bruce Wayne and Kal-El’s stories are intertwined more closely than ever before, pushing and pulling at the core of what makes them who they are in DC lore.

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Aquaman Andromeda

Deep down below the ocean’s waves, more mysteries await than the solar system. Under immense pressure (literally) and with little sunlight, truly awe-inspiring creatures take shape in the darkest parts of the ocean. As part of DC’s Black Label, this story written by Ram V and illustrated by Christian Ward dares to plunge Aquaman into an unsettling adventure. Ram V explores the eldritch terrors that lurk beneath the surface, right in Arthur Curry’s own waters. Ward’s art combines space with ocean, drawing parallels between two vast places in which humans are merely strangers, destined to flail. Plus, Aquaman’s eerie design mixes organic sea creatures with his traditional Atlantean armor. The result is a hero who looks and feels more monster than man.

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Stan Lee’s Mary Maxwell AKA The Flash

Here’s a creative crossover you might not be aware of! In 2002, Marvel legend Stan Lee created his own version of the Justice League, including a new Flash. Injected by accident with a large dose of hummingbird DNA serum, Mary Maxwell gained superhuman speed abilities. Like Prime Earth’s Flash, Mary can move fast enough to travel throughout time. Eventually, she joined her world’s Justice League of America, donning her signature self-constructed white suit with trailing rainbow-colored ribbons. When she moves, it truly is a sight to behold.

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Nightwing in DC vs Vampires

Nearly everyone in the DC Multiverse loves Dick Grayson. Whether as Robin or Nightwing, he’s always been a shining beacon in the darkness of Gotham City and later Blüdhaven. Elder heroes view him with respect and his peers, like the Titans, trust him as their leader. So what happens when that reputation is tarnished by the blood of his friends? DC vs Vampires throws eternal life and bloodsucking thirst into the mix as it cannibalizes every relationship fans have grown to love. The book combines horror tropes with DC heroics, creating an enthralling story that will have you guessing who’s next to be turned and who will give in to their bloodlust.

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Calvin Ellis, President Superman of Earth-23

Comic books can be a refuge from the real world, a place to see those who look like us but are capable of extraordinary feats and universe-saving successes. That escape is a comfort when everyday life weighs you down. And that’s exactly why it’s so empowering to see a Black Superman who is also the President of the United States! Imagine the prestige such a super hero would bring to a country as its leader. Of course, Calvin Ellis, the Superman of Earth-23, isn’t just limited to his own world. He’s regularly involved in saving the Multiverse.

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Yara Flor, the Amazonian Wonder Girl

Though Yara Flor is from Prime Earth, her origin story weaves together multiple mythologies, defying what we know about Amazons and introducing a new Wonder Girl. Many points of her story feel otherworldly because she’s such a unique young hero. With her brash demeanor, Yara highlights the imperfections of divine power in ways that Wonder Woman often does not. Diana is admirable in her nearly flawless behavior but it can be hard to relate to someone so pure of heart and spirit. That’s where Yara comes in. As part of the Future State line, she also represents a potential DC future, in which legacies collide with innovation, breathing new life into an ever-shifting mythos. Hopefully her story will continue in even more authentic and exciting ways.

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Catwoman in Lonely City

What’s that? Catwoman is not really a hero? Sure, she is more on the antihero side of things, usually. But what’s a hero if not someone with something to prove, and a mission to save a community they care about? That’s exactly the plight of Selina Kyle in Cliff Chiang’s Catwoman: Lonely City. We often only see male super heroes aged up in a dark future so it’s refreshing to see a new take on an older Catwoman who’s trying to make things right in a very dark Gotham. With eye-catching panels and original visions for old favorites, Lonely City is a Gotham story you don’t want to miss.

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Are you a fan of alternate versions of super heroes, perhaps something a little darker and stormier? Dive into Sideshow’s Mythos line with the Aquaman: Lord of the Deep Premium Format™ Figure. RSVP here for details!

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