10 Times Batman Died (And What Happened Next)

6. Batman Blew Himself Up To Stick It To Soviet Superman

Batman Arkham
DC Comics

In Superman: Red Son, Kal-El's spaceship doesn't crash in Kansas, and instead, it falls on a farm in Ukraine, and after his powers manifest, he offers them up to the state as any good Communist would. Before long, he becomes a tool of propaganda for the USSR.

Eventually, Superman makes his way to the U.S., where he meets up with Lois Lane, who gives him a dossier containing information about Soviet Gulags. When Superman finds them, he becomes enraged, and after killing Stalin, he takes his place as the leader of the Soviet Union.

Superman does what he thinks is best to protect his people, but he is a far cry from a benevolent leader, and many see him as a dictator whose iron will can never be broken. One such person is Batman, who blamed Superman for the deaths of his parents.

He becomes the leader of an insurgency, but eventually, he traps Superman in a gulag, where he's installed red lamps that mimick his home planet's sun, stripping him of his powers. The two fight (Batman beat the crap out of him), but Superman eventually gets free.

When he does, Batman killed himself with an implanted bomb rather than become a tool of Superman's propaganda. His death struck Superman greatly, and his sacrifice drove a wedge between Superman and Wonder Woman, which would never be repaired.

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Jonathan is a graphic artist, illustrator, writer, and game designer. Jonathan retired from the U.S. Army in 2017 and enjoys researching and writing about history, science, theology, and many other subjects. He writes for ScreenRant, CBR, NerdBastards, Listverse, Ranker, WhatCulture, and many other sites online. You can check out his latest on Twitter: @TalkingBull or on his blog: jonathanhkantor.com