Into the DC Multiverse Episode 1: Kal-El/Bruce Wayne/Batman/Superman

Grading Scale

12/10—Perfect universe, no flaws
11/10—Excellent universe, few flaws that are overshadowed by the good moments
10/10—The standard rating; awesome universe with a couple of flaws
9/10—A wonderful universe with several flaws
8/10–A great universe with numerous flaws but not enough to ruin it
7/10—A fun and interesting universe; not great but still enjoyable
6/10—A slightly above average universe; it is something I might write about
5/10—Mediocre universe; not awful but not great either
4/10—A below average universe; it could have been much better
3/10—A bad universe; poor ideas, poorly written, and poorly executed
2/10—A very bad universe; the few good things in the movie overshadowed by the bad things
1/10—A terrible universe; a total waste of time
0/10—What were the DC Comics creators thinking!?

So, I've decided to create a new series of blogs. This series will be about the DC Multiverse and some of its most unique versions of iconic heroes, villains, team ups, and more. For this first blog, I've decided to go with what I believe is an extremely interesting history. In this universe, Kal-El, who we all know as Clark Kent, and one of the most popular superheroes, Superman, wasn't raised by Johnathan and Martha Kent

Instead, he was raised by Thomas and Martha Wayne. Since he wasn't adopted by the Kents, he was not named Clark Kent. His human name is Bruce Wayne, who we usually associate as being the Dark Knight, Batman.

Now, Kal-El's life as Bruce Wayne had similarities and differences to it than the original Bruce Wayne. The Waynes taught him respect for all people, regardless of social class or race. Martha Wayne cultivated his heart and nurtured him with an unconditional love that shaped his soul. Doctor Thomas Wayne was a kind and compassionate father, despite his emotional reserve. He understood the power of Kal-El -- So quick, so agile: never a bruised or broken bone -- but he was more concerned with testing Bruce's Mental limits than his physical ones. He told Bruce "The cowards and bullies use violence, but you -- of all who live -- must aspire to something better. Something Higher."

Part of what I like about this universe is that even though the Waynes aren’t a humble farmer and his wife, they still teach Kal-El the same respect for humanity that the Kents would have. It makes it feel more realistic, as if the Kents still adopted Kal-El, just being in a higher class of sociality.

Of course, no Batman story is the same without the tragedy that Bruce goes through as a child. Just like in the universes we're familiar with, Bruce/Kal-El and his adoptive parents go to dinner and a movie, and while walking down an alley, they are jumped by a robber, Joe Chill. Bruce watches in horror as his beloved parents are gunned down in cold blood. Of course, since this version of Bruce Wayne is Kryptonian, things go differently. First, Chill actually shoots at Bruce, and in a fit of rage, Bruce uses his powers for the first time, burning Chili's face to a crisp with his heat vision.

This is an important moment, not only did Kal-El kill his parents’ murderer, but he also learned he had superpowers, something that his parents had kept hidden from him

The next day, the police find the four of them in the alley, with Chill's face being so badly burned he is almost unrecognizable. Bruce's eyes were wide and unseeing, and he was covered in his parents' blood. Like any other version of Bruce, this event traumatizes Kal-El for the rest of his life, having only his butler Alfred Pennyworth as a father figure. One night, Bruce's mansion was attacked by a group of masked burglars who were behind Wayne himself, but he used his over human strength to defend himself and save his home, all while he remembered that tragic night years ago. Alfred decided to show him the truth about his origins that were hidden from him all that time, and Bruce finally accepted his identity and decided to use his abilities to do something about all the madness in his city, becoming The Batman. He not only heads up control of Wayne Enterprises, but also buys and runs the Gotham Gazette, Gotham's most prominent newspaper. He worked closely with Perry White, the chief editor, and star reporter Lois Lane. While Lois was fascinated by Batman, she quickly turns her back on him after he brutally burns a group of street thugs while saving her from them, calling him a dangerous and psychotic animal.

Once again, this is a big change. The main versions of both Superman and Batman are fully capable of using lethal force, but they choose not to. This version of Batman, combined with the superpowers of a Kryptonian, does not have any problems with killing people if it means bringing justice and keeping people safe, similar to Injustice Superman, but not as deluded.

As time passed, Bruce was using both the Gazette newspaper and his alter ego Batman to track down Luthor's criminal activities and bring him to justice, but neither method could find solid evidence on the matter. But one day the Gazette was visited by Luthor himself who revealed his true self to everyone, seemingly killing Bruce and kidnapping Lois before escaping to reshape Gotham in his image with a mercenary army. After Lex Luthor supposedly died in a flood of chemicals and flames, he was reborn as the Joker.

Now this is a doozy. When we think of Superman’s arch-enemy, we almost always think of Lex Luthor, with Brainiac as an acceptable runner-up. And much like the main Batman, we have Joker. Lex becoming Joker wasn’t exactly what I expected, but it was still a nice homage to the two villains. Part of what bothers me about it, Lex and the Joker rarely worked together because of the differences in their personalities. Lex may have been evil, but he had his own way of doing things, and in the instances where he teamed up with Joker, Joker’s unpredictability and disregard for authority often ended up in both villains being taken down. Because of that, I’m not too big on the idea of Lex becoming Joker.

Lex, now the Joker, kidnaps Lois and flies away with her. He reveals his plan to take over Gotham and begins his attack. He commands his mercenary army -- supplied with guns, grenades, fire-bombs and everything else LexCorp money could buy. He intended to take control of the city and remake it in his own warped image: "The independent nation-state of Jokerania."

With Gotham plunged into madness, Batman nearly killed the Joker for retribution, but Bruce's sense of justice and Lois' influence allowed him to shrug off his lifelong anger and save his city.

Too many times have we seen Superman or Batman almost go too far, only to come to terms with their problems and not kill their enemy. In this continuity, Kal-El never came to terms about more than just the death of his adopted parents, he also never came to terms with what he could really be.

Bruce finally came to terms with who he was and what he could do, realizing that he could do more for the world instead of just adding to his pain, deciding to be a symbol of hope instead of terror, ultimately discarding the Batman to become Superman

And that's the whole story of my knowledge about this DC Universe. So, all things considered, the universe does have its flaws. For me, the main flaw that irks me is the fact that Lex Luthor becomes the Joker, as I said, they've partnered up before, and every time I've seen them team up, things go horribly wrong pretty quickly. The only other problem I have with it is that Kal-El is driven mad with grief to the point where he's even more brutal than Injustice Superman, and I'm talking the video games, not the animated move where Clark comes to his senses and surrenders of his own free will. The last little detail is that there's no explanation as to why Kal-El chose Batman, the universe doesn't make any implications that Bruce is afraid of bats and chose a bat as a symbol. These are the only problems I have with this universe, other than that, no major flaws or odd bits. Adding all of this together, I'm giving this universe a score of 10/10! If you ever want a universe that is similar to the main universe, but with a bit of an edgy feel, as well as interesting changes in history, this is a good start. I would enjoy writing a story taking place in this universe.