In a World Turned Upside Down – A Bizarro Takeover

bizarro-3A world turned upside down. Where up is down and down is up. Left may be right and right apparently becomes left . Bizarro remains supreme in his own Bizarro World. Where the most incompetent ‘heroes’ are in control of what is important seems to be entirely speculative. The 1st Bizarro was created when Superman was exposed to a duplicate ray.

Bizarro is in many ways the opposite of Superman. Instead of heat vision, he has freeze vision. He also has vacuum breath instead of super breath. He can only see through lead.  Superman can see through anything but lead. Bizarro has been known to have a childlike mentality and a method of speech.

On a side note, he was part of the Legion of Doom on the TV show Superfriends

In one continuing Bizarro angle, he falls in love with Lois Lane. After being rejected, he creates his own Lois. Bizarro Lois and Bizarro head back to his world called Htrae ready to start their new life.

In the series Crisis on Infinite Earths, Lex Luthor creates a version of Bizarro to stop Superman. This was known as 2nd Bizarro. Luthor created another Bizarro, each one unsuccessful. There is also a Bizarro Luthor in the New World. In another storyline, The Joker creates another version of Bizarro with the help of Mr. Mxyzptlk. Both plans are stopped by Superman. It should be noted that Joker also has a Bizarro version.

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The Bizarro World itself contains the opposite of many superheroes. They are not exactly intimidating or even particularly competent. The main superhero group is called Bizarro Justice League. A Yellow Lantern is vulnerable to the color green, doesn’t get any  power from his ring, and is the most easily frightened hero. Bizarro Aquaman can’t swim. Bizarro Batman carries a futility belt (where inside the belt are ridiculous items like chewing gum and cigarette butts). He is called Batzarro the world’s worst detective.

The code of Bizarro World is: “Us do opposite of all Earthly things! Us hate beauty! Us love ugliness! Is big crime to make anything perfect on Bizarro World!”

In one story-line revolving around the end of Bizarro World, the all powerful Mister Mxyztplk destroys it. Bizarro, in a last act of insanity, sends his son back to the dying planet knowing full well he will face dire consequences. At the end of the book, Bizarro’s head is on the desk of Clark Kent.

smallvilllebizarroOn the TV show Smallville, which ended on May 13 2011, a somewhat recent modern twist of the Bizarro character developed. Clark Kent releases a wraith imprisoned from the Phantom Zone. This wraith, technically a form of ‘Bizarro’, needs to find a host once he invades the humans. Several of the human hosts die after 24 hours. He finds Clark and successfully clones his body and becomes a Bizarro version, having opposite powers and weaknesses of Clark. Several episodes deal with his personal feuds, both internal and external, as Clark faces one of his worst adversaries. Several of the episodes are entitled Bizarro, Gemini and Persona. Clark’s friend Lana saves the day and stops Bizarro by placing Blue Kryptonite in his hands, causing his body to self destruct.

The reason for a Bizarro concept is simple: A Bizarro character and/or world will always be necessary to show how when things are turned upside down, there is always a way to turn it right side up again.

 

Edgar Rider is a regular contributor to Wrestling Rambles and recently started contributing to Geek News Network. He has written pop culture articles for Modern Rock Review, Rogue Cinema, Talking Comics, and Pop Mythology.Also writes under the nickname of shameless alter ego Bob Eager

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