10 Alternate Universe Characters That Were Better Than The Original
4. Red Son Superman
One of the biggest criticisms of Superman is that he's just too nice for his own good. Hes the ultimate Boy Scout. Hes white bread. Despite his immense strength he remains largely pacifistic and rarely, if ever, kills. Because he behaves in such strict parameters, Superman has long been a favourite for writers to play with in alternate continuities. To date, the alternate universe versions of Superman include Evil Superman, black Superman, British Superman, Superdemon, Superwoman, and Nazi Superman.
One of the most interesting versions of Superman is Mark Millars Red Son. As with many alternate versions of Superman, the main change to the character originates from his spaceship landing somewhere other than Kansas. In this case, Kal-Els ship landed in a Soviet collective farm in the Ukraine. The result was that the epitome of truth, justice and the American way became an icon for Soviet Russia who is the Champion of the common worker who fights a never-ending battle for Stalin, socialism, and the international expansion of the Warsaw Pact.
The book could so easily have been just another Evil Superman story. However, Superman remains a hero in spite of this change to his origins. He eventually becomes the leader of the Soviet Union which he transforms into a utopia, albeit one where he acts as an ever-present Big Brother figure. The USA, meanwhile, crumbles under the pressure of the Cold War. While remaining basically good, but operating under a different set of principles, the character becomes that much more interesting when compared to the original.