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In a parallel universe, Superman was a member of the Justice Lords.
History
Fall of a Hero
For much of his life, Justice Lord Superman's background matched his Justice League counterpart; he came to Earth as a baby after the destruction of his homeworld of Krypton, became a champion of freedom and justice, and teamed up with six other heroes to better combat the forces of evil. Their backgrounds diverged when President Lex Luthor executed the Flash. Soon after, Lord Superman, along with Batman and Wonder Woman, stormed the White House. While Batman and Wonder Woman battled the Secret Service, Superman confronted President Luthor in the Oval Office.[1]
Superman crosses the line by executing President Luthor.
Despite Superman's accusations of corruption and abuse of power, Luthor refused to surrender and arrogantly stated that he would find a way to avoid prosecution. Grinning madly, Luthor also called Superman his "greatest accomplice" for perpetuating a chase between the two that never ended; Superman never had the stomach to finish off his foes because he loved being a hero and the glory that comes with it. Deeply affected by Luthor's words, Superman declared that if being a "hero" meant that the feuding and fighting had to continue, then he was done with it. He then used his heat vision, killing Luthor.[1]
Total Control
After the assassination of Luthor, the Justice Lords spent the next two years bringing peace to Earth through harsh rule. Justice Lord Superman himself continued to use his heat vision to lobotomize all of Earth's criminals and super-villains. As a result, all of them became harmless, walking vegetables who peacefully inhabited the world's prisons, such as Gotham City's Arkham Asylum.[1]
Despite Superman's fervent belief that their actions were necessary, many people on Earth chafed under their "guardianship". With the suppression of free press and the world's governments, Superman often endured railing attacks from former Daily Planet reporter Lois Lane and futile pleas from Luthor's presidential successor. Lord Superman's constant assurances that the Lords' authority over Earth was only temporary did nothing to reassure them.[1]
Meeting the League
Justice Lord Superman's habit of resorting to lobotomy to solve any conflict.
Two years after the global takeover of Justice Lords, Batman unveiled his interdimensional transport device, which could be used to view and enter other dimensions. The Lords' first use of the machine showed them a parallel universe where their counterparts dubbed themselves the "Justice League", still counted the Flash as a member, continued to battle a criminal Lex Luthor, and never took control of Earth to protect itself. With crime virtually gone on their Earth, Superman believed that they should spread the their brand of justice to the League's world. The Lords had J'onn J'onzz trick and capture the League before taking their places in the League's universe, though Batman stayed behind to keep order.[1]
Shortly after their arrival in the League's universe, the Lords found themselves confronted with a rampaging Doomsday. When Doomsday appeared to have defeated all of the Lords, Superman used his heat vision to lobotomize him, much to the shock of that universe's Lois Lane.[1]
Justice Lord Superman's willingness to kill the Flash shows his lack of morality.
Soon after, the Lords occupied the League's Watchtower and were informed that Lex Luthor had escaped from prison. Lord Superman was set to kill him as he had killed President Luthor, despite Hawkgirl's counseling him that the League's universe was not yet ready for such drastic action on their part. When the Lords arrived at the prison, however, they discovered that the escape was actually a trap set by the Justice League, who had escaped the Lords' reality with the help of a repentant Batman.[1]
Justice Lord Superman being permanently de-powered.
Superman found himself battling the Flash, who held his own very well for most of the fight. However, Superman soon gained the upper hand and though he hesitated briefly, he was still willing to kill Flash. Before he could do so, he was interrupted by the League's Superman and Lex Luthor, who used a newly-built energy disruptor on the Justice Lord, draining him of his abilities. When his Justice League counterpart revealed that Luthor's help had been given in exchange for a full presidential pardon, Justice Lord Superman warned that everything Luthor did from that point on was on the other Kryptonian's hands. The League's Superman admitted that might be true, but it was better than the alternative. Lord Superman and the other Justice Lords were soon after returned to their own reality.[1]
Cadmus Crisis
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The Luthor/Brainiac android of Justice Lord Superman tries to vanquish Superman by tapping into his darkest fears.
Some years later, during the final hours of the Cadmus Crisis, the Luthor/Brainiac fusion created android replicas of the Justice Lords, including Justice Lord Superman, to combat the Justice League. The android Superman flung Superman's worst fears in his face – that he was turning into a Justice Lord. It even took on the face of Lex Luthor, taunting him about the fate of President Luthor and daring Superman to do the same. Wonder Woman volunteered to exchange places with Superman to battle the android, and she and Superman defeated both their androids by throwing them together.[2]
Powers and abilities
Justice Lord Superman held all of the same abilities as his Justice League counterpart (flight, superhuman strength and speed, invulnerability, super-breath, x-ray vision, telescopic/microscopic vision, super-hearing, and heat vision), though he used them in a far more lethal manner. His use of his heat vision to lobotomize his world's criminals and super villains was only one example.
Equipment
- Like his Justice League counterpart, Justice Lord Superman used robots resembling himself to keep order when he was not on Earth. He even had some stationed at Arkham Asylum in case of trouble.
- At some point in the intervening two years, Superman changed his uniform to a version that was mainly black, with a white cape and his iconic emblem in red. Notable differences from his original costume included the front of the cape extending over the middle of his chest (framing his insignia), and the addition of two white bands around each of his wrists and ankles (fitting with the rest of the Justice Lords' aesthetic).
Appearances
Justice League
Justice League Unlimited
- "The Doomsday Sanction" (Mentioned Only)
- "Question Authority" (Recording)
- "Divided We Fall" (Android Replica)