8 Strangest Alternate Versions Of Beloved Superheroes

What's weirder than being weird? Else-weird.

Spider Man Hostess
Marvel Comics

We all love alternate takes on well established superheroes, and in the past few decades we've had some truly great alternate takes on famous superheroes. Standout examples include the Thomas Wayne Batman in Flashpoint, Kid Loki in the main 616 Marvel Universe, and Elseworld's Finest's take on The Flash to name but a few.

Whether they're just excuses to ignore the canon of a specific hero to free up a writer's creative freedom, or an excuse to have Batman and Superman fight vampire-werewolves in "Batman and Superman vs Vampires and Werewolves", we comic book readers are generally accepting of whatever stupid reason an alternate universe has for existing.

On occasion however, some alternate Earths can take it a little too far. Considering these days it feels like the main DC and Marvel universes like to reboot every couple of weeks, it's no wonder that a few freaks could slip through the multiverse unnoticed while our attention is focused elsewhere.

However, every now and again an alternate universe character pops up that’s so stupid, so insane, or otherwise so completely far removed from their original counterpart that it boggles the mind as to why they were ever put to page in the first place.

And then there are there are some takes which can't help but make you question if hallucinogenic dispensaries are mandatory in the offices over at Marvel and DC Comics, or if perchance a couple of writers on the payroll forgot to get their prescriptions filled that week.

8. Wonder Woman... Man

Spider Man Hostess
DC Comics

Earth-11, one of the many alternate realities in the New 52 Multiverse, features gender-swapped versions of many of DC's most important characters, including Superwoman, Aquawoman, and Batwoman.

As you might have guessed this tips the scales somewhat, resulting in a predominantly female-focused roster of heroes and villains in comparison to the usual sausage-fest that is the Justice League. For the most part, this results in an interesting take on many of DC's most famous characters, who mostly retain every quality their male counterparts have – sans a penis.

Characters like Batwoman come off looking pretty much the same as her Earth Prime equivalent, just with a tasteful set of mammary glands and some child-bearing hips. Likewise, Superwoman is pretty much a carbon copy of Superman except with a hairdo more reminiscent of the time he grew that sweet, 80's style mullet.

It's really the lack of changes to their outfits and personalities that work to their benefit.

Wonder Man, on the other hand, could have maybe done with a few changes to distance himself further from the Wonder Woman of Earth Prime. Instead, he comes off as some kind of strange mix between one of the Spartans from 300 and an American cheerleader – a look that might work for Wonder Woman, but less so for a guy with a lumberjack beard and body hair that would put Teen Wolf to shame.

Maybe you could call it a comment on the more sexualized nature of female superhero outfits, considering Wonder Man only really looks ridiculous because of how faithful his costume is to Wonder Woman's, but that does little to make it any less unsettling to witness.

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Lewis Parker hasn't written a bio just yet, but if they had... it would tell you to follow him on Twitter @LPCantLose, and to make sure you stay hydrated.