Bizarro (DC Comics | Legion of Doom | Rule 63)

Bizarro, an iconic antagonist and occasional anti-hero in DC Comics, first appeared as an imperfect duplicate of Superboy in Superboy #68 (October 1958), created by writer Otto Binder and artist George Papp. This initial version emerged when a "duplicating ray" accidentally created a flawed teenage clone with chalk-white skin and reversed powers, who tragically sacrificed himself. An adult Bizarro soon followed in Action Comics #254 (July 1959), engineered by Lex Luthor using a similar duplicating ray on Superman, resulting in a confused, mirror-image being who struggled with identity and belonging. Early stories portrayed Bizarro as a tragic figure, blending Frankenstein-inspired elements with comedic inversion, as he sought acceptance despite his distorted nature.

Characterized by his opposite logic and speech patterns—famously declaring phrases like "Me hate you" to express affection—Bizarro possesses reversed versions of Superman's abilities, including freeze vision, flame breath, and empowerment from green kryptonite rather than weakness to it. His childlike mentality and adherence to the "Bizarro Code" (doing the opposite of what is right) underscore his role as Superman's bizarre counterpart. A pivotal development came when Bizarro used the duplicating ray to create Bizarro-Lois and populate Htrae (Bizarro World), a cube-shaped planet where inhabitants deliberately act illogically, leading to recurring stories involving invasions, family dynamics, and satirical explorations of heroism in the Pre-Crisis era.

Over subsequent decades, Bizarro's concept evolved through various continuities. Post-*Crisis on Infinite Earths*, he was reimagined as unstable clones, such as the deteriorating version in Superman: The Man of Steel #5 (1986) or the Joker-created variant in the "Emperor Joker" storyline (2000). In The New 52 and Forever Evil (2013–2014), multiple iterations appeared, including a sacrificial clone aiding Lex Luthor. The DC Rebirth era featured a more developed Bizarro joining the Red Hood and the Outlaws, experiencing growth, death, resurrection, and even ruling Hell, adding layers of tragedy and redemption to his enduring legacy as a complex reflection of Superman's perfection.

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